When you’re new to parenthood, there are so many things that cross your mind as you tell yourself you’re not exactly parent-material and you dwell on all the fears. As it’s a beautiful yet challenging experience, it’s natural to feel this way. Now that I’ve had my share of trials and errors, as well as successes as a mum, I can say you shouldn’t let these fears discourage you from enjoying this new and thrilling phase in your life.

Among all the baby-related anxieties I’ve had before, during and after pregnancy, which included baby’s development, handling the discomfort of the baby bump, natural or C-section birth, breastfeeding and nutrition, I was genuinely stressed out about whether or not I’d be able to properly hold my delicate newborn. This led to fears of putting the baby to sleep, and of course, bathing it.

Silly, I know! What I understood later on, was that some women are born with maternal instincts, others develop them with time and it’s nothing to worry about. Also, what helped me with the latter aspect particularly was spending time looking for and choosing the ideal design froman extensive range of baby baths.

Tips to Make Bath-Time More Enjoyable for You and Your Bub

Now, if you too have the same struggles that I’ve just covered, I’m going to make it easier for you by sharing the ways I’ve dealt with the experience.

Take Time to Pick the Ideal Tub

As mentioned, there are many tub designs you’re going to come across, so besides minding the price, you ought to do your homework and consider some properties that would come in handy with narrowing down your options. For instance, the size and material of the tub, as well as the adjustability, surface, and water-fill line.

Getting it right with the size is important because buying a bath for baby that’s too big or too small would create discomfort and increase the risks of the baby drowning. To have your peace of mind what you end up with is ideal for your little one, especially when buying online, be sure to look into the specs of the model you’re after. The same can be said about the materials – besides being crucial for the safety of your bub, they’re key for maintenance and cleanliness too.

While inflatable materials are desirable for obvious reasons (they don’t take up space!), they aren’t that safe when bathing newborns – more so if you place them in your own filled tub as they’re likely to collapse. My recommendation is BPA free hard plastic to keep baby in place and make cleaning chores piece of cake.

If space and bathroom storage are your concerns, you could buy baby baths tubs that are suitable for the different stages of your baby’s life, like those with removable fabric slings that adjust to cushioned seats, or collapsible ones. Once they’re able to sit, the compact snuggle toddler designs are a nice choice too as they’re even compact enough to fit in the sinks and showers.

A dam or barrier design fit for your own bathtub is also great if you’re looking for something more space-savvy. As for the surface, it’s advisable to choose something non-skid to prevent sliding and be sure to have a MAX indication of the water to avoid overfilling.

Additional features I’d like to point out are smooth edges to safely cradle the baby inside, and support for the head and shoulders. Temperature gauges are nice extras too, but if they affect the price of the tub, you can do without them when you count on an accessory like a bath thermometer.

Don’t Overlook the Shampooing Products

Having in mind how delicate and permeable a baby’s skin is, the same as with paying attention to the materials of the baby baths, you also ought to take the shopping for the ideal cosmetics seriously. Nowadays, there are plenty of natural body products available on the market that are free of all the nasties that are scary for parents due to the many side effects they have on health and well-being.

Knowing there’s a lot of greenwashing going on too, it’s your job to carefully look through the ingredients, avoid phthalates, parabens, petrochemicals, dimethicone, and synthetic fragrances, and check for certification labels to ensure the baby products are truly organic and natural.

Lastly, Don’t Forget the Fabrics

When I say fabrics I mean towels as much as sleepwear. Besides avoiding fabrics in dark colours, and choosing mainly whites preferably, the focus should be on the quality of the fabrics specifically. One of the best options nowadays is organic bamboo and it should be on the list of all mamas because of its incredible properties.

One of these is thermoregulation which is just what you need with keeping bub snug and warm right after the nice bath. Bamboo towels are even perfect if you aren’t up for giving your little one a bath every day, and instead, use them as washcloths to soap up and wipe down the baby.