Bathtime is one of my favorite times! Not only because it’s fun for toddlers, but because it means it’s almost bedtime (ha!) Read more for my cradle cap remedy with Yobee and favorite bath products by age.
What you’ll need for baths really depends on age.
WHY YOU SHOULD CREATE A BATH ROUTINE
Bathing provides SO much more than just cleanliness! It’s a sensory opportunity that allows babies to process different feelings, smells, touch, and more! Creating a bedtime routine that includes a bath helps baby know that bedtime is coming. They will associate the bath with bedtime and make bedtime easy! This transcends into toddlerhood.
Baby’s skin is delicate and sensitive, so there’s no need to use soap every day if you want to create routine.
NEWBORN (0-6 MONTHS)
Newborn skin is so soft and porous. Their little skin sheds in the first few weeks after birth (which is normal!) and can dry out easily, so baths aren’t necessary every night. Plus, in that newborn stage, what day is it anyway??
When you’re registering for gifts, here are my newborn essentials:
I always preferred to bath newborns in the sink – it’s a little cozier! I like this cozy cloth bath lotus because it molds to the baby in the sink and makes them feel secure! You can toss it in the washing machine, too.
This Angelcare bath is my favorite because it goes directly into the bathtub and you can use it until baby sits up! The water always loses heat quickly in stand alone infant bathtubs so I preferred using the actual tub. Plus, when you have more than one child, it’s easy to have them all in at the same time. If you’re short on space, this collapsable version is a great option.
My all time favorite baby soap is Mustella. It smells just like a baby should! The newborn kit is a great option to start with to test out how you like the product. I love the no rinse cleansing water for non-bath days. The cradle cap wash is the best that I have found – use in conjunction with the FridaBaby cradle cap kit. See my cradle cap tips below.
These products are a bit pricey, so if you’re looking for a budget friendly option, I love Dr. Bronner’s line (I use it myself!). It’s clean, safe, biodegradable, and this big bottle will last you FOREVER! I love the almond or lavender scent, but it also comes in fragrance free.
If you’re looking for a “cleaner” version – try this fragrance free line that’s EWG certified:
Or Yobee – it’s safe for newborns and it helps with my kids’ eczema!
Don’t forget washcloths and a towel! I love these Burt’s Bees washcloths or Aden and Anias (so soft!) and this thinner and budget friendly option. You don’t need a towel for baby, but it’s nice to have a hood for them. I still use this Aden and Anias star towel set, but these star ones in navy are cute, too!
PRO TIP: Warm baby’s towel in dryer and take it out just before baby is ready! Make sure one adult is supervising baby.
If you’re solo and bathing, I always used a bouncer to place baby in after bath. Place the towel down over the bouncer and place baby over the towel on the bouncer and then wrap in a towel. This helps prevent baby from slipping out of your arms!
If you’re wanting a splurge, we love our personalized Weezie towels! They are ULTRA soft and fluffy, and amazing quality that will last. The kids have the blue personalization and piping.
I also love this shower head sprayer that uses the bathwater already in the tub. It’s great for washing baby (especially their hair!) and transcends into toddlerhood (my kids’ FAVORITE!)
MY BABY HATES BATH TIME. IT’S STRESSFUL. WHAT CAN I DO?
That’s ok! Some babies don’t like bathtime. BUT you can make them feel secure by wrapping them lightly in a muslin swaddle while you bath them. This is a NICU trick!
To do a swaddled bath, drape a muslin swaddle over the infant bather. Place the entire thing in the water in the tub (water about up to baby’s belly button {bather should be inclined}). Place baby in the bather, wrap baby lightly with the blanket.. Wet the blanket by pouring warm water over it while baby is wrapped. They will love it! Cover one half of their body with the blanket as you clean the other. Keep pouring water over the baby to keep the blanket nice and warm.
CRADLE CAP
Cradle cap is the common term for infantile seborrheic dermatitis. It’s a condition where oily and scaly patches develop on baby’s scalp. It’s VERY common! It’s not contagious and it’s not caused by poor hygiene.
Cradle cap develops within weeks to months of baby being born. It’s not uncomfortable or itchy, but most parents want to reverse it. And here’s how!
KATE’S CRADLE CAP REMEDY WITH YOBEE
Items you’ll need:
- Yobee Baby Scalp Mask (discounted with this link) (comes in Kids and Adults too!)
- a baby scrub brush
Many times, this build up on the scalp and cradle cap can be from a disruption in the natural bacteria and fungi found on the skin. Yobee (discounted with this link) is the first and only line of products that contain PROBYOME™, our patented blend of lactobacillus probiotic extracts, organic honey, organic turmeric & vitamin B12. What’s even cooler? The Lactobacillus probiotic blends and extracts that promote the growth of healthy bacteria which support a healthy scalp and hair and was hand picked by Dr. Peter Lio and Dr. Ruchi Gupta of Yobee themselves. And even cooler – our very own Natalie works directly with them at an Allergy Clinic!
The best way to treat cradle cap is to prevent it! Washing your baby’s hair every 2-3 days with Yobee and a baby scrub brush will help lift away dead skin cells on the scalp and prevent cradle cap.
If your baby develops cradle cap, it’s not due to poor hygiene. Some babies are more prone that others.
Follow my cradle cap remedy to reverse symptoms:
- Place a warm washcloth as a compress on baby’s head (don’t cover their face!) during bath time for about 5 minutes. This helps loosen the dead skin.
- Apply Yobee. Wait 2-5 minutes.
- Take the baby brush (the one with lots of bristles) and scrub in a circular motion for 60 seconds. This will not hurt baby!
- Use the baby comb to comb out dead skin.
- Repeat at every bath until healed. Use the cradle cap soap and brush every bath time to prevent cradle cap from returning.
If you’re following the cradle cap remedy with no success, contact your provider. Sometimes, the cradle cap can become fungal (this is very common and has nothing to do with hygiene, some baby’s just get it!) and will require a special prescription shampoo or cream. Usually, the cradle cap will smell (often described as a dirty sock smell).
Occasionally, the cradle cap can spread to baby’s neck and face. Contact your doctor if you see this happening.
6-12 MONTHS
Once baby is sitting up or trying to roll out of the Angelcare bath, you can place them directly in the tub with about 3 inches of water. I love this bath positioner seat at this age because it prevents them from slipping!
It’s crucial that you have a bath mat once baby is able to be placed directly in the tub to prevent them from slipping. This boon mat is my favorite! It has little slits to prevent mold growth.
Other fun options are this secure tub seat. Baby will love playing with toys in the bath.
Make sure to have this bath bumper – it duals as an elbow cushion. Finn has fallen twice in the tub and hit his chin in the same place! Stitches both times. UGH! So this cushy tub guard is a must. See more bathroom safety recommendations in my “baby + toddler proofing and safety” post.
I prefer this bath toy scooper and bin.
12-18 MONTHS
At this age, baby will start crawling and moving around in the tub independently (maybe even sooner!) and attempting to stand. Encourage them to stay seated to avoid any accidents! No need for a booster seat at this age, but a bath mat is a must.
Here are some of my favorite toys for this age that extend into toddlerhood:
- YooKidoo toys
- YooKidoo faucet
- Shower head sprayer
- Duck dunk toy
- Light up bath toys
- Bath letters and numbers
- Waterproof bath books
- Tiny Tugboats
- Rainbow Bath
- Learn to Say Thank You
- This mermaid and this mermaid toy
- STEM toys
- this cool cloud toy that rains when you take it out of the water
- these boon pipe gear bath toys
- boon jelly fish bath toys
- I prefer this bath toy sccoper and bin.
18 MONTHS +
Your toddler will be independently sitting (and attempting to stand!) in the tub. Make sure to encourage them to sit down to avoid accidents.
These no-slip kid bath stickers for the tub are a great idea for kids and no-slip shower stickers for your primary shower (Finn just fell the other day in our shower and had to get stitches so I’m buying these now!)
My kids LOOVEEE bath bombs! It’s a fun way to mix up bathtime. These water color changing tablets are fun too.
See above for my favorite toys for this age!
Other toys the kids are loving:
**PLEASE always use caution while bathing your baby. You should never leave your baby unattended in a bath tub, EVEN FOR A MOMENT!
Checkout my Amazon store for “bath essentials 0-6 months” and “bath essentials 6+ months-toddlers”
Other helpful blog posts:
- 5 things most parents don’t know about car seat safety
- top 5 must have safety items for under 1
- 5 dental tips for babies, toddlers and kids
- 10 common illnesses babies + toddlers get and remedies
- how to know when your baby is ready for 1 nap per day
- newborn acne – when should I worry?
**This post is educational and not meant to take the place of your provider. Bumblebaby makes a small commission on some of the items listed above
