Must Haves – “Bath Time”

Bath time is a bit nerve racking in the beginning. Your goal here is to get baby clean, but make sure the water isn’t too hot or too cold and of course, make it an enjoyable experience. Here are the necessary items I feel make bath time something we all look forward to.

• Sting Ray Floating Thermometer (Amazon ~$14)
  • This thing is awesome! Believe it or not, I purchased this when I was pregnant because I love a good bath, but was told pregnant women shouldn’t have a bath warmer than 102.2 degrees. So not only did it come in handy for baby, but I used it too. It blinks “red” if the water is too hot (>102 degrees) and “blue” if the water is too cold (<95). It floats around and will turn into a bath toy in the future I’m sure. The best thing about it is, it will be beneficial for many years to come. Yay!

• Bath Towel
  • Lilly Pulitzer Hooded Towel (Pottery Barn Kids ~$20)
  • -OR- Adult Bath Towel
  • Alright, you do not need a baby bath towel. Use a soft adult sized towel instead and save your money unless you just want a cute hooded towel that can be used at the pool or beach too. I’d shy away from white towels because bath time relaxes baby and they may poop on the towel.

• Baby Washcloths – I bought some cute ones at Ross Dress for Less because they were made of a microfiber material which is soft and holds less water. This is good for wiping babies eyes and face clean. We also used these when she had a clogged tear duct and it was nice and soft over her baby acne as well. (Amazon ~$4)

• Angelcare Baby Bath Support (Amazon ~$20)
  • I found this on FB Marketplace for $5. Woohoo! I liked that I could use it at the beach, pool and of course, in the bath tub. Oh and it is mildew resistant and stable. I didn’t like the idea of my baby being in the fabric bath tubs that could tear and hold mildew if not cleaned regularly. You could also take to the beach or use in a baby pool for cooling off.

• Baby Brush and Comb (Amazon ~$4)
  • My brush was one of the items I got from the hospital. It’s soft bristle and it was “free” even though I’m sure I paid for it in my hospital bill somewhere. This was very helpful when Brooke (my little one) started to get cradle cap, which is basically flaky skin on her head. If you massage your babies’ head with this little brush, it will knock off the dry skin. I think my husband and I were too gentle in the beginning because we didn’t want to hurt her delicate skin, but she had a head full of hair and we quickly learned that we needed to scrub a little harder to knock off the dead skin. If your baby continues to get cradle cap, my NICU nurse friend said they use Head & Shoulders just once a week to help. Oh and it’s also easier to lather their fine hair with instead of your fingers.

• The Honest Company Shampoo + Body Wash (Amazon ~$9)
  • It’s gentle, tear free, smells lovely and the ingredients are safe! I actually scored a larger size at Costco and wish I would have stocked up.

Optional Items:

That’s it! Seriously, that is all you need for a successful bath time early on. I’m sure as she gets older, toys will be fun to add. I’ve listed some non-essential items below.

1. Bath Kneeler Pad – We didn’t buy one of these, but I bet they would be nice beside the tub for bathing your little one. I started cushioning my knees with a towel or two, but I may get my husbands knee pad that he bought from Lowe’s Home Improvement for house projects. I’m all about using items we already have at home. (Amazon – Range $10+)
2. Bath Toys – I am sure when Brooke grows up, we will join the tub toy club, but for now she is memorized by the water or daddy’s made up songs.
3. Faucet Cover – We were given one as a gift for once she’s a bit older. My best friend mentioned this thing saved her son’s head from getting slammed into the faucet when he was in the tub. Good to know! Thank you Leslie! (Amazon ~$10)

Bath Time Hack

I found that Brooke would cry when we took her out of the warm bath and into the towel. So, a trick is to turn the shower on and let the bathroom get steamy. If you can direct the shower head to the wall and it not splash on your baby, you can actually leave it running the entire time that you are giving him/her a bath. Be sure to keep an eye on the temperature. Once you pull baby out, the bathroom will be steamy and warm.