Bathtime is a time of day to wind down and relax, and it can really be fun for everyone. Here are a few things that I think every parent should have to make bathtime just a little bit easier:
Must Have Items:
- Bouncy Seat (I like this one). Babies can be really slippery when wet, and to take the stress out of potentially dropping baby after the bath, I like to set up a towel on top of a bouncy seat, and transfer baby to the seat immediately following bath. It is an easy way to dry off baby and get a better grip on your child before standing up. I also use the bouncy seat to take the baby out of their diaper before bath (and wipe them) to avoid getting peed on on the way to the bathtub! It also makes bathtime with twins so much easier because you can keep one baby in the bouncy seat while the other is in the tub. Note: Take the toy bar off the bouncy seat for ease of use. I like to set up the seat with a towel on top (see picture below).
- Towel. I love hooded towels like this and this, but you can just use a regular towel if you do not want to spend the money.
- Baby bath tub. I really prefer using a baby bathtub with a sling when bathing a newborn. It feels so much safer to me. This is my favorite tub followed by this one. I used the infant insert until the girls could sit up well, then transitioned the seat for a few months. Around 10 months old, we just started filling the bath tub with about 3-4 inches of water and stopped using the baby tub.
- Wash cloths. I love really inexpensive thin wash cloths like this. They are super soft and easy to clean baby with — especially in the hard to reach areas. Tip: make sure to place a warm wash cloth on baby’s belly during bathtime to make sure that baby stays warm (I did this until my girls could sit up). Remember, babies do not regulate their body temperature as well as we do.
- Shampoo/body wash. I LOVE LOVE LOVE California baby. It is gentle on baby’s skin and smells really yummy. This is my favorite shampoo/body wash combo. For the first several months, I just added a little bit (2-3 squirts) to the warm water and used the wash cloth to clean baby off and then rinsed after. Once the girls could sit up, I started washing their hair like I would wash my own. I use a cup to rinse the soap off after. Since my girls have long and curly hair now, I have since added this conditioner to get all the tangles out. I also comb their hair after rinsing the shampoo/conditioner out.
Other nice to have items:
- Thermometer. I like this one. Ideally the water temperature for baby should be between 90-100 degrees. Since baby cannot regulate their body temperature like adults can, so you don’t want the water to be too hot or too cold.
- Kneeling pad. This is nice for you as the one bathing baby. It is cushiony and helps protect your knees.
- Toys! At first your baby wont really know the difference, but toys help keep bath time fun, and before you know it your little ones will be ready to play. We like these, this, and these.
Are you planning to breastfeed?
Check out my article on How to Get Your Breast Pump for Free
Rachel is a mama to two beautiful identical twin girls, Izzy and Maddy, and lives in Atlanta with her husband, girls, and cute little pup. Rachel graduated with honors from New York University earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and the Founders’ Day Scholar Award. She also received her Masters of Science in Nursing degree from New York University. Rachel has spent the majority of her career as a pediatric nurse and currently works in pediatric oncology.
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