WHEN DO I NEED IT? From birth.
WHAT IS IT? A scaled-down mini bath that’s appropriate for your baby’s diminutive proportions.
WHY DO I NEED IT? Bathing your baby in a bath that’s designed for little bodies will help you feel more confident managing this daily (well, maybe sometimes every other day) event and will possibly also help your baby feel more relaxed in a more contained space.
The saying “slippery when wet” has never been more appropriately coined than with a teeny wriggly baby…
FEATURES TO CONSIDER Due to their smaller size, a baby bath has a limited lifespan; once your baby can sit up unaided, he’ll be ready to graduate to the big bath. Some baby baths will require you to get down to ground level, others can simply be placed inside your existing bath, and still others come with a stand that keeps everything up at a convenient ‘working’ level. There are also a few that have clever collapsible designs, so keep this option in mind if you think you might be travelling in the first nine months with your baby. And just remember that no matter how comfortable your baby might look in their bath support or baby bath, they should absolutely never be left unattended.
WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS? Bathtime will become an integral part of your baby’s bedtime routine, so it’s good to get him accustomed to the joys of being a water baby. Bathing with your baby is a lovely thing to do occasionally, though this is easiest if you have a partner on hand to pass your baby in and out of the bath to you. For all those other evenings, you can buy a support to keep your baby in a safe semi-recline position in your usual bathtub, such as the Jahgoo Baby Support, or a miniature scale bathtub, such as the Boon ‘Naked’ Baby Bath (shown in main image and above left) which has the added benefit of being collapsible for travel. The Tummy Tub, £20, is another great first bath option; designed to mimic the sensation of being in the warm amniotic fluids surrounding your baby in utero, its gentle ergomonic curves provide an excellent and safe bathing option, with baby snuggled up in the comforting fetal position.
Now add a few songs (we love Ernie’s rendition of Rubber Duckie from Sesame Street), a few bubbles (to blow rather than to add to the bath water) and let the bathtime fun begin!
SEE THE FULL ‘NEW BABY CHECKLIST’ FEATURE HERE for all those other baby essentials…
