Choosing a hammock for bathing newborns

The first event that excites young parents after discharge from the maternity ward is bathing the baby. Many people stock up on devices and related items for babies' water procedures in advance. The need for these devices arose due to the fact that parents want to protect the baby as much as possible from getting injured while bathing. At the moment, to facilitate the task, special hammocks of various types are used.

Characteristic

The bathing accessory, namely the hammock, is made of fabric with mesh inserts. It is attached to the small bathtub with special clips in 4 places, which as a result makes it look like a real hammock for a baby. At the moment of placing the baby in the device, the accessory sags and the baby plunges into the water. But thanks to this design, you can be sure that the newborn baby will not slip and drown.

Such a device allows you to securely fix the child in a bathing container and frees the parent from unnecessary efforts to hold the child.

Washing the baby becomes a more convenient process, while the baby can move freely. The hammock will be especially useful for bathing in the first months of a child's life.

The benefits of a hammock.

Comfortable bathing position for the child.
Material, pleasant for the baby's body. Mostly pure cotton is used. Synthetics are used only for small mesh inserts.
Compact in size. The device does not take up much space when folded, which makes storage convenient.
Easy to use. Anyone, even an inexperienced parent, can easily figure out the correct operation of this accessory.
Saving time. You can install a hammock on the bathtub and remove it back in a very short period of time, so there is free time, which is often so necessary for young parents.
Versatility. The dimensions of the baby device can be adjusted for different sizes of the bath.
Low cost.

The disadvantages of hammocks include only some minor nuances.

Bathing devices are used only for children weighing less than 7 kilograms.
Accessories are limited in height, so for large and tall children you have to select other bathing equipment.
Baby bathing hammocks are only suitable for small baths. There is no way to adapt them to a large bath.
The devices do not last long, especially if the material is of poor quality, then it can disperse at the seams or tear.

An alternative to a hammock can be a slide or a sun lounger designed for bathing children. Many parents do without any adaptation at all, relying on their own strength. However, auxiliary accessories make bathing much easier, and they will not undermine the family budget due to their low cost.

Alternative

Most parents, purchasing various accessories for a child, strongly doubt the correct choice. And here there is something to think about, because the stores offer a large selection of various devices and models. For example, a slide and a hammock for toddlers have the same function - bathing a child. So how do you know which one is better and more profitable? This question has no answer, in any case there are pros and cons.

If possible, try both options. You need to rely on your instincts and make choices in accordance with the conditions of the child's development. And decide what is best for him.

In the case when the baby was born large and grows quickly, a slide will be the best option, because the hammock can very soon become unusable in size and will only function for a couple of months. When using a slide, this can be eliminated and used for a long time. However, a hammock provides better protection against unexpected situations.

Choosing a hammock

At the time of purchasing an accessory, pay special attention to the following details.

Material

Children's hammocks can be made of mesh material, solid fabric or fabric with mesh inserts. For larger children, it is better to buy fabric hammocks, because such products sag less when placing an overweight child in them and provide better support.

For babies of an ordinary build, any model of adaptation is suitable. The only thing, you need to take a hammock made of natural cotton, and the mesh material should be low-stretch and soft, the cells in it should be less than 2 millimeters.

According to many parents, the best option is a combination hammock, which has a mesh insert in the middle of the product, and the edges should be made of durable fabric to prevent excessive stretching.

Dimensions

The main thing is that the equipment fits the size of the bathing tank. Various shortcomings, gaps must be eliminated in order to ensure free mobility of the baby, as well as to protect him when swimming, especially when he is actively moving. Sag protection depends on sufficient tension on the attachment. The child should be suspended without touching the bottom of the tub.

Modern hammocks have special adjustable parts, which make them an ideal option, which makes it possible to stretch the canvas at any time if it is too stretched from getting wet or after long use.

Functionality

Many models of children's hammocks are designed for children under three months of age. But there are models that last much longer, of course, you will have to spend more, but this compensates for the time saved when bathing children for several more months.

When all the rules of operation are followed, a well-chosen hammock will last the required period and will not require unnecessary trouble.

Some parents, finding no other way out, create adaptations with their own hands.

With your own hands

It often happens that it is not possible to purchase an accessory, or an already purchased hammock has lost the necessary qualities ahead of time. In such cases, you should not be sad, there is an opportunity to fix everything on your own, namely to try to make such a device with your own hands. Such products have only positive reviews.

Material selection

For the main material, it is better to choose a fabric made of natural cotton, for example, calico. In the event that a suitable mesh fabric is at hand, it is possible to use it, but this is not necessary.

Another point is important - the selection of material for fastening the equipment. An excellent option would be the use of a mount from a broken old hammock, if such was the case, otherwise it is possible to use steel brackets. It is necessary to choose such a steel wire so that during operation the staples are not deformed and the child will not fall into the water.

Strong sewing thread is another important point. Naturally, during operation, the hammock has to be very often exposed to moisture, then dried and washed.

Therefore, ordinary sewing threads will quickly creep or rot. The best option would be strong nylon threads.

Pattern

By itself, a hammock for bathing children is a fairly simple device. It will not take a lot of time to complete the sketch, and there is no need to resort to the help of a specialized master. Especially if there is an old hammock out of order. You can simply open it and tailor a new accessory according to the layout. You can do without it, showing your imagination, sometimes this option is even better than the original.

Sewing

Sketches of the pattern are applied to the canvas from which the hammock will be made, the necessary tolerances for the sewing of the edges of the product are left, details are cut out according to these outlines. The edges are bent, and they are stitched along the main lines of the patterns. In the case of using a mesh material, its edges must be sheathed with a cut-out strip of fabric, which will serve as an edging.

The staples must be inserted into the places intended for them, the canvas must be bent and baited. Sew it next, preferably 3 times, to give the fastening strength.

Preparation for bathing

Before the procedure for bathing a child using a hammock, you need to do the following:

for disinfection, it is necessary to wash and dry the device;
check the reliability of the fasteners.

Next, you need to make a test check of the tension of the hammock on the bath without pouring liquid. Place the baby in the device to ensure that the hammock is stretched sufficiently. In the case of a large stretch, the baby runs the risk of sinking excessively into the water, otherwise the child may be above the water level and freeze. It is necessary to adjust the tension so that it is comfortable for the baby.

Then you can start a full-fledged water procedure with the addition of detergents, herbs, balms, fragrances and similar substances.

Care

Since the hammock is almost constantly in the water, you need to pay special attention to this. A humid environment creates excellent conditions for the multiplication of various unfavorable bacteria that spread diseases.

In order for the hammock not to cause various diseases, having lost the status of a useful accessory, it needs careful care:

the product must be very well rinsed and dried after each use;
it is imperative to wash the device using baby soap or powder after a couple of bathing procedures.

It is advisable to wash a hammock by hand, since in a washing machine the material stretches faster, losing its strength.

Additional functions

Many parents prefer hammocks equipped with soft tabs for the head and bottom of the child. Parents also appreciate that in the process of bathing with the use of a hammock, the baby has the opportunity to actively move. Occasionally, there is a disappointment in the device when the baby is too high above the water level or slides off the product. The reason for this is usually the wrong dimensions of the hammock. The device must be selected in accordance with the dimensions of the baby bath and the weight category of the baby.

Caution

No matter what is purchased - a slide, a mattress, a hammock or any other modern accessory - you should always remember about safety for a moment. Confidence in the reliability of devices dampens vigilance and can lead to dire consequences.