Bathroom Remodeling Tips For Expecting Parents
Are you expecting your first baby? If so, you are likely feeling a mixture of emotions. A new baby can create feelings of excitement and anxiousness, joy and doubt, or happiness and fear. With the upcoming birth of a new baby around the corner, you might feel the urge to remodel different rooms in your home — such as the bathroom — to make them more kid- and parent-friendly. Understanding what bathroom remodeling tips are best for expecting parents can help you avoid unnecessary or unsafe upgrades.
Child-Friendly Fixtures
First, you should consider remodeling your bathroom with child-friendly fixtures, such as an anti-scald valve. Each year, there are around 5,000 injuries reported resulting from tap water scalding. Excessively hot water can cause serious injuries to your child. Additionally, pregnant women should refrain from exposing themselves to scalding hot water as it can prove harmful to an unborn baby.
Pregnant women will often soak in a tub to relieve pain. However, if your body temperature rises too much, it can create potential risks. Therefore, experts recommend that you keep the water temperature around 100 degrees for your safety. Water temperature settings in general should not exceed 120 degrees. Anti-scald valves ensure your tap water does not exceed safe temperatures, which can reduce serious injuries related to tap water scalding.
Install a Tub
If the bathroom you are remodeling does not already have a tub, consider installing one. Showers are great, but a tub can help with bathing babies and young children. Also, pregnant moms will enjoy having a tub shortly after giving birth. Women often experience tearing during childbirth, or some moms receive an episiotomy. Afterward, there tends to be a lot of pain and discomfort.
One of the best ways to relieve the pain and discomfort of tearing or an episiotomy is by enjoying a sitz bath. A sitz bath requires warm or cold water, though cold water may offer greater pain relief than warm water. Fill the tub with 2-3 inches of water and sit in the bath for a half hour or more if needed. As an expectant mother, it is important that you maintain self-care so you can provide better care for your baby, so installing a tub to use for a sitz bath can be a great idea.
If you would like to learn more about bathroom remodeling services and tips for new or expecting parents, contact a professional near you. A remodeling expert can offer helpful suggestions that can work best for both you and your child.