Why do people particularly mothers test bath water with their elbow?

Question

and not their hand?? Either could get burnt if the water was too hot so why not just test the water with your hand??

Answer 1

I think its because your hand is much more sensitive than the rest of your body. So if you use your elbow, you will see how the water will feel to the rest of your body when you get in. Same thing with seeing if your hot, you dont feel with your palm you use the back of your hand.

Answer 2

Because a womens hands are in and out of hot water so much, the skin gets accustomed to this temperature, hence the water must be tested with a part of the body that is moresesitive to water temperature. Therefore, the elbow is used.

Answer 3

The skin on your elbow is more sensitive than that on the hand. Therefore it is advisable when testing bath water for your baby to use your elbow so as not to burn your child. Your hands are more used to being exposed to very hot and or very cold temperatures as a result are not so sensitive.

Answer 4

Ever do dishes in hot water? Your hands tend to get used to higher temperatures than other areas such as elbows. So if the water is a bit too hot for baby it may feel just fine on your hand. Most moms tend to test the bottle temp by putting a few drops on the inside of their wrist, same reason. I use my elbow for bathwater too, it's convenient to dip it in and it's more sensitive than my hand.

Answer 5

You always test with your elbow and never your hand....the elbow is sensitive and has thinner skin on it...your hands are subjected to alot and therefore can handle a hotter temperature.....therefore giving an inaccurate temp...it may be too hot for the rest of the babies body....the elbow way is the best and has been taught for many years.

Answer 6

Your hands are used to being in hot and cold water and are therefore not as sensitive, your elbow has skin that is not often expeosed to the elements.
Its for the same reason that many mothers test the temp of milk on the inside of their wrist.

Answer 7

Becasue the skin on your elbow is more sensitive than your hand. The chances of getting burnt are slim cos we're not stupid, your not going to run a scalding hot bath with steam rising then stick your elbow in it to check it isn't to hot!

Answer 8

Because your hands are 'weathered' and can stand quite hot temperatures (from washing dishes etc) I work on a Neonatal Unit and teach mums and dads to bath. We recomend they use the wrist to get an accurate reading of temperature safest for baby. Many people use the elbow which is fine, its just the same as the wrist.

Answer 9

We handle hot things with our hands all the time so the elbow is used as it is more sensitive to temperature. A baby can't take as much heat as we can. Same goes for testing milk temp on your wrist.

Answer 10

Because it is one of the mosy sensitive areas of the body, along with the inside of the elbow, but dipping just that part in may be tricky! lol Every care is taken by parents to make sure evrything is niether to hot nor to cold for thier child, its intinct. Your hands are warmer in comparrison to your elbow, due to frequent movement, so dipping a hand in wont give them a true feel of the temp, unlike the elbow. Try it, you'll notice the difference.

Answer 11

mums use there elbows to check if the waters to hot to cold or just right.
your elbow is more sensitive than your hand in checking the water temperature