Choosing any of these tubs will make it easier—and safer—to bathe your baby.
Bathing baby can be a fun, relaxing experience for mom, dad, and baby. Or there can be times when things do not go as smoothly as one would like.
Until the umbilical cord falls off, The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you sponge bathe your baby no more than twice a week to prevent skin dryness and possible infections as her belly button heals – this can be up to 3 weeks.
When giving baby a bath, here are some tips I have learned along that way that will make this experience the most enjoyable for mom, dad, and baby:
Make sure the room where baby will be bathed is warm, draft-free and you are comfortable. A good bet is to place a portable heater or hair dryer next to the changing station. After a bath or family shower, you can soothe baby with warmth and white noise.
Think about where you place the baby bath and find a comfortable spot for you, even if you don’t have a bad back. You will need a spot that is stable and at a comfortable height.
Avoid giving your baby a bath imme- diately after she’s eaten. There could still be the opportunity for spit up with an infant or depending on your baby’s schedule, the opportunity for poop. You want to avoid having to bathe your lit- tle one for a second time after you just finished her first bath.
Essentials for bathing include a soft hooded towel that will completely cover baby, a few washcloths, mild soap, baby wipes, clean diaper, and a change of clothes.
The water in baby’s bath should be warm (between 90-98 degrees). Check the temperature with your elbow. Water should feel warm and not hot.
Ease baby into the water, while keep- ing her head supported. Use your other hand to gently wash her from top to bottom. Placing a washcloth drenched in bath water over their abdomen helps keep baby warm and happy.
As a first time mother, I never realized there were so many options for bathtubs out there. Out of instinct, you realize that you cannot place your baby in an adult tub because it is too big. A sink is too small and sometimes too deep. Clearly, there must be another option for such tiny humans.
And of course there is! Actually, many options, depending on what you think is best for baby and you. However, the number one concern when looking for the right tub is safety and not the aes- thetics of a baby tub. Check out our Buyers’ Guide on baby bath tubs for a few of our favorites after looking over the many tub options.