The most important thing to remember when giving your baby a bath is to never leave him or her unattended.
Which is why it’s so important to make sure that you have everything that you need before you get started.
Which can be a little challenging if you have a case of mom brain, like I do, and have trouble remembering even the basics, like your baby’s birthdate (thanks, doctor’s office, for making me feel like a terrible mother) or whether or not you had breakfast this morning. (Do 3 cups of coffee count?!)
So, for those of you who could use a handy dandy checklist when it comes to bath time with your baby, here it is. These are the baby bath essentials:
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Newborn bath time essentials
Here is what you’ll need for a newborn’s bath:
1. Baby bathtub or bath seat
As soon as your baby’s umbilical cord falls off, they can take their first bath in the sink or bathtub. For a tiny newborn, you’ll either need a sink insert, like this one, a baby bathtub, like this one, or (what I’ve used for all my babies) a bath seat that fits inside of your regular bathtub, like this one.
| Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Angelcare Baby Bath Support (Gray) |… |
$19.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
|
Blooming Bath Baby Bath Seat – Baby Tubs… |
$24.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
2. Space heater, if needed
Babies can get cold very easily when they’re wet, so I like to use a small space heater to make the room warm and cozy before I start the bath.
3. Washcloth
Baby washcloths are just smaller and thinner than regular washcloths.
4. Body wash / Shampoo
When my babies are really tiny, I don’t use any soap at all- just water. But eventually you’ll want to use some body wash and shampoo.
5. Toothbrush / Baby Oil
If your baby has cradle cap, you can brush their head with a soft toothbrush. Add baby oil if you want.
6. A small blanket (to cover baby in tub)
This is my favorite tip: Cover your baby with a small blanket (I use a receiving blanket) when they’re in the tub. They’ll stay nice and warm, and feel secure being all wrapped up. You can uncover them a little bit at a time as you wash them, and then cover then back up with the warm, wet blanket.
7. Rinsing cup
You can buy an official rinsing cup if you want. Or, you can just use an old cup or water bottle. Or your hands. 😉
8. Bath kneeler
This is a cushy mat for you to kneel on and save your knees while you give your baby a bath! You can get one with an elbow rest if you really want to go crazy.
9. Towel
I love baby towels because they’re so stinkin cute. (Just make sure you take the time to put a diaper on your baby before you start taking a bunch of pictures!)
| Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
MINIBOO Premium Ultra-Soft Viscose Made… |
$23.05 |
Buy on Amazon |
10. Lotion
My babies all had minor Eczema, and I found that applying this lotion right after bath time helped a lot.
11. Clean diaper and clothes
Have a clean diaper and a fresh outfit ready to go.
12. A warm blanket
After a bath, I like to wrap my baby in a cozy, fuzzy blanket to warm up while I cuddle or feed him or her.
Baby bath essentials
For an older baby, the list of bath time supplies looks very similar, but includes some additional items.
1. Baby bath seat
I love this baby bath seat, because you can use it all the way up until your baby is sitting up on their own in the tub.
| Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Angelcare Baby Bath Support (Gray) |… |
$19.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
2. Space heater, if needed
If it’s a little chilly, I like to run a small space heater in the bathroom before I start the bath, just to make sure my baby is cozy and warm.
3. Washcloth
Baby washcloths are just smaller and thinner than regular washcloths.
4. Body wash / Shampoo
5. Toothbrush / Baby Oil
If your baby has cradle cap, you can brush their head with a soft toothbrush. Add baby oil if you want.
6. Spout and drain covers (optional)
A spout cover goes over the faucet so that your baby won’t bump his/her head on it. (This one is shaped like a cute whale.) A drain cover… covers the drain. Just like you’d expect. Haha!
| Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Boon Star Toddler Bathtub and Sink Drain… |
$9.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
|
Skip Hop Baby Bath Spout Cover Universal… |
$9.89 |
Buy on Amazon |
7. Rinsing cup
You can buy an official rinsing cup if you want. Or, you can just use an old cup or water bottle. Or your hands. 😉
8. Bath mat
This is a mat that goes on bottom of the bathtub to make it less slippery. I consider this to be essential.
9. Bath toys & storage caddy
I think these are super cute! You can also invest in a storage caddy of some kind, if you want.
| Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Ubbi Freestanding Bath Toy Organizer… |
$14.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
|
Munchkin® Float & Play Bubblesâ„¢ Baby… | $15.05 | Buy on Amazon |
10. Bath kneeler
This is a cushy mat for you to kneel on and save your knees while you give your baby a bath. You can get one with an elbow rest if you really want to go crazy.
11. Towel
I love baby towels because they’re so stinkin cute. (Just make sure you take the time to put a diaper on your baby before you start taking a bunch of pictures!)
12. Lotion
My babies all had minor Eczema, and I found that applying this lotion right after bath time helped a lot.
13. Clean diaper and clothes
Have a clean diaper and a fresh outfit ready to go.
14. A warm blanket
After a bath, I like to wrap my baby in a cozy, fuzzy blanket to warm up while I cuddle or feed him or her.
What to do
Here’s a step by step guide to giving your baby a bath. The biggest thing is to never leave your baby unattended during bath time.
- Gather supplies. Make sure everything is within easy reach.
- Turn up heat (or carefully use a space heater.) You want your baby to be cozy and warm the whole time.
- Lay out everything you’ll need after the bath: a towel, clean diaper, clothes, and a warm blanket.
- Run the water in the sink or tub, and check to make sure that it’s not too hot or too cold.
- Undress your baby and place him/her in the bathtub. For young babies, cover them with a small blanket to keep them warm during the bath.
- Wash your baby, starting with their face.
- Wash and rinse your baby’s hair last. (Once their head is wet, they get cold quickly.) You can also scrub your baby’s head with a soft toothbrush and baby oil if they have any cradle cap.
- Take your baby out of the bath and wrap him/her in a warm towel.
- Pat dry and put on a clean diaper.
- Apply lotion, if needed.
- Remove the damp towel and cuddle or feed your baby. Keep them covered with a warm blanket.
- Dress your baby. Enjoy that adorable clean baby smell! 😉
Baby bath essentials: Printable checklist
The short version of everything above is included in this one page checklist. Print yours now as a quick reminder.
Click here to download your free printable checklist.
Thanks so much for reading! Enjoy those clean baby snuggles. 🙂
-Laura
You might also like:
How to organize and store outgrown baby clothes (free printable labels)
A perfectly packed diaper bag (newborn edition)
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