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Here are the 8 best bath time essentials for you and your baby

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So, you’re bringing home your new baby. Think that new baby smell means they’ll never need a bath? And when they do, you can simply plop them in the shower and give them a quick rinse? Think again. Infants require quite a number of bath time essentials. We’re listing them all so you’re prepared when it’s finally time for baby’s first bath. 

A baby bathtub 

Mom giving baby a bath
While you could feasibly use your sink or bathtub to bathe your baby, it can become somewhat tiresome, as you’ll need to hold your baby as you wash them (for obvious safety reasons). Having a baby bathtub allows you to easily bathe your infant safely, allowing you a full range of mobility in case you don’t always have a partner or other person around to help you with the process.  Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

Buy at Amazon is a small, foldable and soft baby bathtub that’s suitable for in-sink use and other small spaces and made for infants up to 6 months old. 

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A sink or tub spout cover

A sink or tub spout cover pulls double duty, protecting your baby from conking their little noggin on your sink’s hardware while also allowing you to more easily rinse them off after a quick wash. 

Buy at Amazon is resistant to mold and mildew for even more peace of mind.

Baby soaps, shampoos, and body washes

When purchasing baby soaps, shampoos, and body washes, consider a few key factors in your decision. Does the soap contain any harsh fragrances or chemicals that could irritate your child’s sensitive skin? Is the formula truly tear-free?

When shopping for baby soaps and shampoos, you can find trusted, well-rated options from some of the brands that make some of the most-loved adult shampoos and body washes as well, such as Aveeno, Burt’s Bees, Dove, and The Honest Company.

Several towels and washcloths 

Baby in robe
hoanghoi101/Pixabay

Some baby bath supplies are obvious, while others aren’t so much. For example, you might assume you can just wrap your infant in one of your own towels, but stop to consider the softness and fabric of your average bath towel. Most aren’t suitable for a newborn’s ultra-delicate skin.

Keep several infant-sized, hooded bath towels on hand, as well as a half dozen or so infant-friendly washcloths, so you always have a spare in case one’s in the wash or dirty and your infant needs an impromptu bath. 

You can get it all with one purchase, thanks to this highly-rated option from Luvable Friends, which includes one unisex hooded towel and five washcloths for under $10. With a nearly five-star rating from more than 7,500 reviewers, you know there’s a lot to love. 

Nail clippers and files

Is there anything quite as terrifying as cutting your baby’s fingernails for the first time (and, to be honest, every other time)? While it might be a much-dreaded chore, it’s a necessary one. 

Make sure you have Buy at Amazon  on hand as part of your baby bath supplies. Neglecting this part of your infant’s grooming can result in unsightly scratches and mild injuries, as those little waving arms and legs make contact with your baby’s soft skin. 

Baby lotions and oils

After your baby is all washed and groomed, it’s nice to give your infant a little extra added softness — make that super-smooth baby skin stick around as long as possible. 

Just as with the baby washes and shampoos, you can find baby lotions and oils from many of your favorite baby and adult skincare brands, including Aquaphor, Aveeno, The Honest Company, CeraVe, and Eucerin.

Cotton swabs or Q-Tips

You likely already have cotton swabs on hand, and this is one of the few adult items you can use on your baby with no worries. Just be sure to only use the cotton swabs to remove excess wax from the exterior of your child’s ears, not the interior, as a wrong move could cause pain or injury to the inner ear.

Baby bath storage

Finally, to keep all of your baby bath supplies organized, you’ll need a baby bath storage solution. For now, while your baby is a newborn, you might choose to use a simple shower or bathroom caddy for holding all your supplies, either one that sits in the shower or one that sits under your bathroom vanity or on a shelving unit. The main goal is to keep everything in one place so you’re not running back and forth during bath time to fetch a forgotten item.

Later, you may choose to add a bathtub toy caddy to keep your growing toddler’s bath time toys out of the bottom of the shower, where they could cause another family member to slip and fall.

Make baby bath time easy and enjoyable

Bath time should be an enjoyable, special time that you spend with your newborn. Don’t make it harder than it has to be. With the right supplies and the right baby bath storage solution, bathing your baby is easy. 

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