Baby bath time? STM's opinions wanted.

celainev · November 2015

FTM and I am not having any baby showers until 2 weeks-1 month after baby is born. That means there are a bunch of stuff I need to purchase ahead of time.
I'm getting mixed opinions on what is all needed for baby bath time. My mom insists I get a little tub for the counter, but I'm not so sure about that.
What I really want your opinions for is what type of hygienic supplies do I need, and what is the best company to go with? I am in Canada but I live on the US border and can make a trip down there if there is some amazing baby wash or something that we don't have here.

NellieHarringtonCarter · November 2015

Honestly, a little tub that fits on the counter should be fine. You can also put it right in a bathtub, if you prefer. We used the Whale of a Tub for our first, and it worked pretty well. No leaks, no slipping, etc. As for hygienic supplies? Johnson Baby Wash and maybe some baby oil or lotion, plus maybe some nail clippers, an aspirator maybe, a soft little brush....

If your baby ends up with sensitive skin, then you might consider buying some fancy stuff, like Aveeno baby bath or lotion, but you won't really know that until the kid arrives, so I wouldn't stress over that yet.

Seleyna · November 2015

The lavender moisture baby wash is fantastic. Unfortunately, my son has eczema, so we use Aquaphor gentle baby wash, which isn't as expensive as it could be. We had a tub that we put on our kitchen table, which was nice, especially those first few weeks post-partum. The only thing I would personally recommend is look into swaddle bathing, especially if kiddo hates bath time. DS did for quite a while, and swaddle bathing made it so much less stressful.

ACarter0914 · November 2015

I loved the lavender bath time wash/lotion. My daughter still loves it and she's three.

I have a little seat for the tub/sink and it's the easiest for me with two kiddos.

elbou · November 2015

Honestly, you don't *need* any of that stuff. Most newborns are small enough to be bathed in a kitchen or bathroom sink, so a baby tub is personal preference thing. There is also no reason you can't bathe them in a regular bathtub right from the start if that is what you prefer.

You also don't have to have a special baby wash, as plain warm water will clean off everything just as good. A wash cloth is also optional, but helpful for wiping around their eyes (don't use baby wash/soap for this even if you use it elsewhere!).

All that being said, I preferred having an upright baby bathtub (I'm tall, so it meant less bending over) which I would sit on the closed lid of the toilet, a small washcloth for wiping their eyes, and Dove Baby Wash & Shampoo for the first little while. Dove's baby wash comes with a pump, so I would just squirt 1 pump onto my hand and wash my kids that way. It also has a moisturizer added to it, so I never needed lotion afterwards. They have a Fresh Scent and a Sensitive Skin version, and I have used both and liked them equally. Once I'm done the first bottle of Dove (which lasted for a good part of the first year for me) I usually switch over to the Johnson's brand of baby wash.

EEB88 · November 2015

We used johnson and johnson or store brand equivalent baby wash with aveeno lotion if needed. My son hated the bathtub so we ended up holding him in the shower which worked so much better. So the tub was just a nuisance and something to take up space.

This time I will probably wipe baby down until the cord falls off and use the sink as long as baby likes it and move to showers if need be.

redfallon · November 2015

This is the bathtub that we have. It fit over our laundry room sink. One side is for newborns and then you move them to the other side when they can sit up. DD preferred it without the sling since then her butt was more in the water. She stopped screaming during bath time, then

We also use Burt's Baby Bees body wash.

https://www.amazon.com/First-Years-Y3155-Infant-Toddler/dp/B000067EH7/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447955106&sr=8-1&keywords=baby+bathtub+newborn+to+toddler

Make bath time as easy as it can be for yourself. If you don't have to bend over or try to hold tight onto a wiggly, wet creature, it will be a lot easier for you.

taysun · November 2015

redfallon said:
This is the bathtub that we have. It fit over our laundry room sink. One side is for newborns and then you move them to the other side when they can sit up. DD preferred it without the sling since then her butt was more in the water. She stopped screaming during bath time, then

We also use Burt's Baby Bees body wash.

https://www.amazon.com/First-Years-Y3155-Infant-Toddler/dp/B000067EH7/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447955106&sr=8-1&keywords=baby+bathtub+newborn+to+toddler

Make bath time as easy as it can be for yourself. If you don't have to bend over or try to hold tight onto a wiggly, wet creature, it will be a lot easier for you.

I bought this same tub on @redfallon 's advice and though I haven't used it yet it seems like it'll be really good.
I have an awkward tiny double sink so a tub was a must for me. I also feel weird about washing baby in my kitchen sink because hygiene.

MegStark · November 2015

We have a Puj Tub that I really like (used it with DD). It fits in normal sinks, and you can keep the warm water running. It fills up and drains into the sink out of the sides of the top. Baby lays comfortably in it, unlike trying to hold them up and not slip around in a sink. But it also folds up and doesn't take up a bunch of space like a separate counter tub does. It's pictured below. As for other supplies, we use Honest Company shampoo and body wash. I switched to that from Aveeno when DD had scalp issues, and we've never changed again.

Bombmom3 · November 2015

We did sponge baths on the kitchen island for a long time with both girls. Then once they were supported sitters we just plopped them in the kitchen sink even though we had an infant tub. Just so much easier, no bending and you have a sprayer right there for rinsing! J&J is the brand of baby shampoo and lotion we use. Both girls had full heads of hair (that was over three inches long) but we never used conditioner. Also, both kids had cradle cap something vicious until they were well past 13 months. Nothing other than scraping it off gently with my fingernails after bath time worked (the warm water would soften and loosen the scales). I was lazy about it because it's non-harmful, doesn't spread and they had so much hair you never noticed it unless you went digging through to their scalps. I did try all the medicated soaps and natural treatments with no noticeable change. I'm going to take a biotin supplement this time around while nursing -supposedly that will keep it at bay ... We'll see.

*grammer is not my strong suit while pregnant

celainev · November 2015

I also agree, I'm not a fan of thinking of bathing in the kitchen sink, for hygienic purposes.

@redfallon I really like the look of that tub! And in Canadian dollars it will still be on the cheaper side! I'll have to see if I can find it here, to avoid paying any duties.

Space isn't an issue in my house, as we are two people on a five bedroom/3 bathroom home. I HATE bending over so I really do not want to bathe my newborn in the tub either. And I get very dizzy in the shower so I wouldn't trust myself bathing baby with me in the shower.

Thanks for all your tips! It looks like baby shampoo isn't a necessity? I know my baby will probably have a lot of hair though...

taysun · November 2015

chaelainev said:
I also agree, I'm not a fan of thinking of bathing in the kitchen sink, for hygienic purposes.

@redfallon I really like the look of that tub! And in Canadian dollars it will still be on the cheaper side! I'll have to see if I can find it here, to avoid paying any duties.

Space isn't an issue in my house, as we are two people on a five bedroom/3 bathroom home. I HATE bending over so I really do not want to bathe my newborn in the tub either. And I get very dizzy in the shower so I wouldn't trust myself bathing baby with me in the shower.

Thanks for all your tips! It looks like baby shampoo isn't a necessity? I know my baby will probably have a lot of hair though...

I bought it at babies r us last month so I know they carry it

313Meg · November 2015

@MegStark that's what we have too. It's good for newborns, and right in the kitchen sink.
You don't bathe them until they lose their umbelical cord. And it's still really a cloth bath. I didn't use any soap until maybe a month. I really like the Mustela products.
And then just a little baby powder. (you have to be careful so the baby doesn't breathe it in)

TomekiaB · November 2015

I got this because it had great reviews and it was under $10 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H953Y2/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1447959692&sr=1&keywords=baby+sponge. I got the IKEA tub since I was there and it was affordable, I may have skipped the tub but in the UK they have separate hot and cold faucets I figured I wanted the temperature control of a dedicated tub. If I hadn't already been at IKEA I would have bought the one Redfallon and Taysun mentioned.

celainev · November 2015

Thanks @taysun! I'll check if they have it at the one near my house!

lwebley · November 2015

We used the whale tub and Honest Co bath products for our first.

Other must haves for me are... Nasal aspirator, thermometer, newborn size hats, zip up one piece outfits with feet, and cloth diapers to use as burp clothes. Also, one or two bottles just incase (even if you are breast feeding). DS refused to BF one night after we came home. He hadn't eaten in hours and our ped told me to pump and give him a bottle. I did, and BF was fine after that, but I was so happy to have had one there even though I thought I'd never need it.

rockinmathchic · November 2015

MegStark said:

We have a Puj Tub that I really like (used it with DD). It fits in normal sinks, and you can keep the warm water running. It fills up and drains into the sink out of the sides of the top. Baby lays comfortably in it, unlike trying to hold them up and not slip around in a sink. But it also folds up and doesn't take up a bunch of space like a separate counter tub does. It's pictured below. As for other supplies, we use Honest Company shampoo and body wash. I switched to that from Aveeno when DD had scalp issues, and we've never changed again.

Agree with @MegStark! The PUJ tub is amazing and I would recommend it to all the new mommas out there!!! It is soooo hard to hold up a newborn (especially a preemie, like I had) in the kitchen or bathroom sink. With this tub you could still use that sink and stand upright but it supports the baby and you don't have to worry about them slipping or squirming.

Edited because I don't know how to spell.

Taylovesbrad · November 2015

@Seleyna can you elaborate more on swaddle bathing? Intrigued

Great post. As a ftm this is something I'm nervous about. Any tips on bathing teeny little ones would be great. How often do you bathe them? Do you ladies use lotion all over babe after? Can't belive I will be doing this soon!!!!

MegStark · November 2015

rockinmathchic said:

MegStark said:

We have a Puj Tub that I really like (used it with DD). It fits in normal sinks, and you can keep the warm water running. It fills up and drains into the sink out of the sides of the top. Baby lays comfortably in it, unlike trying to hold them up and not slip around in a sink. But it also folds up and doesn't take up a bunch of space like a separate counter tub does. It's pictured below. As for other supplies, we use Honest Company shampoo and body wash. I switched to that from Aveeno when DD had scalp issues, and we've never changed again.

Agree with @MegStark! The PUJ tub is amazing and I would recommend it to all the new mommas out there!!! It is soooo hard to hold up a newborn (especially a preemie, like I had) in the kitchen or bathroom sink. With this tub you could still use that sink and stand upright but it supports the baby and you don't have to worry about them slipping or squirming.

Edited because I don't know how to spell.

Yes! No need to worry about the germ-infested sink either. Even after a good cleaning, I don't really want to put my child in a kitchen sink.

redfallon · November 2015

Taylovesbrad said:

@Seleyna can you elaborate more on swaddle bathing? Intrigued Great post. As a ftm this is something I'm nervous about. Any tips on bathing teeny little ones would be great. How often do you bathe them? Do you ladies use lotion all over babe after? Can't belive I will be doing this soon!!!!

Newborn we may have bathed once a week. No need for lotion. DH has been in charge of baths since we brought DD home and still is. He got tips from the nurses in the hospital. I was bath assistant

Now, he bathes her while I do dishes after dinner. If he's away for work, she takes a shower with me. She's 2 now.

ccoleeman · November 2015

*lurking* I'm not an expert in this but haven't there been numerous studies recently finding formaldehyde in most Johnson and Johnson bath products? I know that there are chemicals in virtually everything these days but the scary reviews from J&J have me nervous to use them. For you STMS, have you heard of this? Anyone use coconut oil instead of baby oil?

kathleeeenrose · November 2015

Lots of good advice already. I had a puj tub with first but it didn't fit our sink well. However, I started taking a bath with my daughter and it was just the most favorite part of my day with her! I would lay a swaddling blanket over my knees and bring her in with me. Babies don't really need much/any soap or frequent baths at all in the beginning. I use California baby soap and coconut oil for lotion/massage (but she didn't really need it!) enjoy!!

willashbaby · November 2015

ccoleeman said:

*lurking* I'm not an expert in this but haven't there been numerous studies recently finding formaldehyde in most Johnson and Johnson bath products? I know that there are chemicals in virtually everything these days but the scary reviews from J&J have me nervous to use them. For you STMS, have you heard of this? Anyone use coconut oil instead of baby oil?

I'll only use the Honest products and I use pure coconut oil on my own body as it is. I plan on using it for baby and nipple ointment as well.

NellieHarringtonCarter · November 2015

ccoleeman said:

*lurking* I'm not an expert in this but haven't there been numerous studies recently finding formaldehyde in most Johnson and Johnson bath products? I know that there are chemicals in virtually everything these days but the scary reviews from J&J have me nervous to use them. For you STMS, have you heard of this? Anyone use coconut oil instead of baby oil?

Here's a Snopes post about the Johnson and Johnson formaldehyde thing. In a nutshell, it's mostly false. There was a small amount of formaldehyde in their products to act as a preservative and prevent the growth of mold, etc. Regardless, they removed the formaldehyde from their products - at least all of their baby products - by the end of 2013.

https://www.snopes.com/johnson-johnson-formaldehyde/

Personally, I just J&J because it's what my parents used, and because it's relatively affordable and safe. I used to sometimes buy Aveeno bath wash because my daughter had chronically dry skin, but I honestly didn't like it as much. Now that my DD is 5, we don't really buy her separate bath soap on a regular basis.

AJo32 · November 2015

ccoleeman said:

*lurking* I'm not an expert in this but haven't there been numerous studies recently finding formaldehyde in most Johnson and Johnson bath products? I know that there are chemicals in virtually everything these days but the scary reviews from J&J have me nervous to use them. For you STMS, have you heard of this? Anyone use coconut oil instead of baby oil?

Also a FTM and I read this as well. Regardless of how much truth there is to it I still prefer to use more natural products for baby so we went with the California Baby body wash and lotion.

TomekiaB · November 2015

@ccoleeman I am not planning on using J&J but formaldhyde is a gas (the liquid form is formalin). When I see this subject and the author doesn't know this difference it makes me question their credibility as a source. I understand some fear about unsafe "chemicals" but I feel like many people see "natural" as automatically safe when it isn't necessarily safe either (and the term "natural" is not really regulated so it is abused in labeling).

kaitykins · November 2015

ccoleeman said:
*lurking* I'm not an expert in this but haven't there been numerous studies recently finding formaldehyde in most Johnson and Johnson bath products? I know that there are chemicals in virtually everything these days but the scary reviews from J&J have me nervous to use them. For you STMS, have you heard of this? Anyone use coconut oil instead of baby oil?

Not any more. Was is the key idea.

Seleyna · November 2015

Taylovesbrad said:

@Seleyna can you elaborate more on swaddle bathing? Intrigued Great post. As a ftm this is something I'm nervous about. Any tips on bathing teeny little ones would be great. How often do you bathe them? Do you ladies use lotion all over babe after? Can't belive I will be doing this soon!!!!

@Taylovesbrad, the easiest way to describe it is that you loosely swaddle the baby and then you can place them in the bath. You can pour water over the blanket and they love it because it reminds them of being in the womb, warm and wet. You take out a limb at a time that you plan on washing (you'll want to wash the head and face last, but before the bum region, so that way kiddo doesn't get chilled) wash it, rinse, and tuck back in the blanket. Repeat until baby is clean. My son LOVED bath time once we figured out that little trick. It was a lifesaver for me, because it stressed me out that he was so stressed over bath time. And we only gave him a bath twice a week, except on the weekends when we were working at the local Ren Faire-- we were all covered in dust and grime, so he had them both days since he was in the booth with me while I worked.

https://onemomandablog.blogspot.com/2015/02/how-to-give-your-newborn-bath-swaddle.html?m=1#more

celainev · November 2015

Seleyna said:

Taylovesbrad said:

@Seleyna can you elaborate more on swaddle bathing? Intrigued
Great post. As a ftm this is something I'm nervous about. Any tips on bathing teeny little ones would be great. How often do you bathe them? Do you ladies use lotion all over babe after? Can't belive I will be doing this soon!!!!

@Taylovesbrad, the easiest way to describe it is that you loosely swaddle the baby and then you can place them in the bath. You can pour water over the blanket and they love it because it reminds them of being in the womb, warm and wet. You take out a limb at a time that you plan on washing (you'll want to wash the head and face last, but before the bum region, so that way kiddo doesn't get chilled) wash it, rinse, and tuck back in the blanket. Repeat until baby is clean. My son LOVED bath time once we figured out that little trick. It was a lifesaver for me, because it stressed me out that he was so stressed over bath time. And we only gave him a bath twice a week, except on the weekends when we were working at the local Ren Faire-- we were all covered in dust and grime, so he had them both days since he was in the booth with me while I worked.

https://onemomandablog.blogspot.com/2015/02/how-to-give-your-newborn-bath-swaddle.html?m=1#more

It's great to hear this method, in case my LO hates bath time! Although I don't know how I feel about washing the face last, in the water the rest of the baby was sitting in. I might use different water completely then.

I used to work postpartum and one of the duties was to teach parents how to give a newborn a bath. I'm pretty familiar with this, but I don't know about what products work best.

ccoleeman · November 2015

Thanks ladies! I had only heard rumors of J&J and was interested to hear of the other brands/options people were using

redfallon · November 2015

@Taylovesbrad

If you don't want to do a full swaddle bath, you can put them in the little bathtub and put a wet washcloth over the body to keep warm. That helped my DD with newborn baths.

mrsdecember15 · November 2015

FYI

Mizuiro007 · November 2015

If you're wanting to stretch it out until the shower you can get by easily without things like a bath tub. There are inexpensive bath sponges and starting out with DS we would clean and disinfect the kitchen sink then lay a soft towel in the bottom to cushion it a little and wash him there. You can also start out using your own soft washcloths with baby and we used a disposable plastic cup for rinse cup.

I'd start with J&J bath products or equivalent as it's the least expensive and usually what hospitals use. Try to stick to smaller bottles until you see how baby does with it. If there's a reaction, then try something else. We've gone through several with DS's sensitive skin and currently Cetaphil baby is the favorite with his eczema.

There's also what works for who's bathing him. I have some skin sensitivities as well, for example Aveeno gives me hives so I won't use it since I give the baths. I've also encountered a few that I really dislike the scent on.

Overtime you'll figure out what works for you. We got an infant bath once DS was a few months old. It's especially been nice since he can sit up in it well. I could wash him in the full bath but for his little body that feels like a massive waste of water to me.

taysun · November 2015

mrsdecember15 said:
FYI

Shoot now I gotta figure something else out

holocene · November 2015

I've always just bathed with my babies. It's so nice to snuggle and nurse them in the warm water. They get so relaxed and my middle baby used to fall asleep each time.

I'm also in Canada, and a bit of a stickler with what I will put on our skin. We use and LOVE Substance by the Matter company. Well.ca sells them (along with a ton of online baby shoppes, but well.ca has the cheapest free shipping limit). We use the baby foam wash, the baby oil and nappy balm. I also use their nipple cream and belly jelly on myself, and I have some of the herbal bath waiting for post partum care.

hummingbird35 · November 2015

Do babies poop in the bath often? What do you do in the event of a bath poop?

KRH6829 · November 2015

VegDumpling said:
Do babies poop in the bath often? What do you do in the event of a bath poop?

Totally happens. My son didn't do it in the bath until he was over a year old. At that point, we would end the bath, sanitize the tub, his toys, etc. and then re bathe him. Not super fun, but it doesn't happen too often. Just one of the joys of motherhood!

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