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5 essentials you need for baby’s next bath

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Bath time for little ones is an important task for parents. Besides the obvious reasons to bathe your baby — i.e., cleaning their delicate skin from the day’s diaper disasters and feeding malfunctions — giving them that vital one-on-one time can build and strengthen their bond with their child.

But what kind of products should parents consider when it comes to bathing? While this list isn’t all-inclusive, we’ve selected items and products based on practicality, comfort, and versatility. Feel free to take our suggestions and adjust them to fit into your own household, personalized just for you.

Mother washing her baby in a plastic tub
Getty Images / Kohei Hara

What holds it all together

Getting down to business on our list of baby-bath essentials is our No. 1, and in our opinion, the most “OG” product for bath time, the tub. There are a lot of baby bathtubs on the market these days. While researching, it was noted that not all baths are the same shape or designed for babies of all ages. Smaller, newborn-designed tubs certainly would not work for older babies. And larger tubs suited for littles a bit closer to their first birthday wouldn’t be safe or appropriate for fresh bundles of joy. You could purchase two separate tubs from the jump, having one on hand for down the road when your baby outgrows their newborn style. But why not have the best of both worlds?

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The 4 in 1 warming comfort tub by The First Years is the best of both of those worlds. This interchangeable, multistage bathtub is a practical approach to bath time. The tub comes with a newborn/young infant insert, giving littles a gentle (for newborns) and a medium (for slightly older infants) incline to lie in while being bathed. Once they have advanced to the larger tub, the smaller insert can be removed to make room for your growing littles. This tub will fit most single and double-sized sinks, but please do check the measurements before buying if you plan to use the entire tub system in your sink.

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Soapy business

Having a high-quality soap for your baby is extremely important and often can carry recommendations from just about everyone. Doctors, nurses, friends, neighbors, and relatives can all give some great advice about effective soap options for your little one. But why not purchase something that is both extremely well-thought-out and excellent quality, in addition to being very practical. Burt’s Bees Baby Shampoo and Wash is a lovely, tear-free formula that will not only cleanse your baby’s gentle skin, it will also lather and clean their hair as well without fear of tears and screaming when it gets into their eyes. This blissful product is tear-free, making it safe for use at any age of your little one’s life.

Burt’s Bees has been pumping out a lot of great products lately, and its baby line is no exception. This dual-action shampoo and baby wash not only gets every part of your baby’s body squeaky clean with one product, but it does so naturally. This wash contains no parabens, phthalates, petrolatum, or SLS. It is 98.9% natural, gently cleansing your little one’s skin and hair with soy proteins — which keep your baby’s skin naturally moisturized and not dried out. Its convenient pump allows parents to use the product one-handed — this helps keep bath time stress-free by preventing parents from struggling to open bottles.

Baby girl after her bath in a hooded towel
Liashenko Olga / Shutterstock

Wrapped up in cuteness

What better way to finish off bath time with your baby than wrapping them up in a super-soft, absorbent, and ridiculously adorable hooded bath towel? Nothing, in our opinion!

There are a ton of hooded towel options for shoppers. There are some designed for boys, girls, or unisex. The fabric options used to make them are also vast. However, we have found a product that can please any parent. The Hooded Organic Bamboo Cotton Baby Towel from Lilyseed is a sweet and charming little towel for babies after their baths. It includes an adorable lamb face on the hood, complete with plush ears. The towel is constructed from 100%-certified organic bamboo cotton that quickly absorbs water, wicking it away from your babies’ delicate skin. It also is gentle enough to use on sensitive skin. This cotton is also extra soft and thick. At 500 GSMs, this towel will keep your little one nice and dry, even on bitter-cold days and nights. This towel is built to last, as well. The durable fabric will continue to perform for years, growing with your child up until the early elementary years in some cases.

Scrub a dub dub, babies are washed in the tub

As a special bonus, Lilyseed’s hooded towel also comes with an important additional item to our list of essentials — that being washcloths. Using a soft and plush washcloth helps parents cleanse their babies’ skin of the day’s disasters and leavings. It’s tough enough to trap dirt and debris, yet soft enough to soothe your baby’s skin without irritating it, Lilyseed’s bonus washcloth is also made from 100%-certified organic cotton, safe enough for use on even the most sensitive of skins.

 Miniaturization is key

Baby’s skin is extremely delicate. Parents are diligent to keep it free from rashes, irritation, drying, or any other skin issue that can sometimes plague little ones. Keeping it hydrated is also a crucial step in that process, as well. In conjunction with using a natural bath soap to prevent overdrying, we’d like to recommend Burt’s Bees Baby Nourishing Lotion. Just like its dual shampoo and baby wash, Burt’s Bees nourishing lotion is paraben, phthalate, petrolatum, and SLS-free. Using the same soy proteins as in other Burt’s Bees products, this hypoallergenic lotion is safe for use on any baby’s skin. Its soothing lavender and vanilla scent will help calm your baby, making it a smart choice for use after evening baths.

Here are some additional products we felt readers would be interested in:

  • Bathtub spout covers
  • Bathwater thermometer
  • Bath toys
  • Rinsing cups

These five essential baby products will have your baby’s skin glowing, helping you and your little one looking forward to bath time each day. Let us help you simplify your shopping with these well-made and high-quality products designed to make life easier and more enjoyable with your baby, strengthening bonds and building early memories.

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Emily Pidgeon
Emily Pidgeon
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Emily's work has appeared in the Tube City Almanac, Tube City Online and our Affinity Sites. When she's not writing, she is…
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