Share Your Experience With Baby Bath Tubs!

I dont remember having much trouble bathing Emma when she was a baby. I used one of those tubs with a mesh sling hanging over it and since she loved bath time it never occurred to me to try a different tub.

Emma as a baby:

My second baby, Isaac, isnt a lover of bath time. Ive been through two different tubs with him in the four months since he came into this world and hes rejected them both with bloodcurdling screams and thrashing limbs. By the time bath time is over my shoulders are killing me and my nerves shot. For awhile I just wiped him down with warm washcloths in the living room on a towel to avoid the drama and trauma (on both of us).

Rejected Bathtub #1:

In the very beginning I tried a fold-up mesh seat, and he was okay with that for a short time. He seemed to get cold too fast on it, though and he also floated up when there was more water so I decided to ditch it and try the Tummy Tub (which was a huge hit with my daughter).

Rejected Bathtub #2:

The Tummy Tub is something I used with Emma for about 6 months when she was 2 years old and she LOVED it. I tried to give Isaac a bath in it a total of three times during each of which he screamed and flailed his limbs most of the time. Poor little guy, he just was NOT happy at all. So I gave up on that and went back to the washcloth baths.

The Successful Bathtub Attempt:

I shared my bathtub woes with my mom and she told me that when I was a baby she used a cheap little sponge mat and it worked great. So I looked it up and they still make them! Theyre not as popular as all of the fancy bathtubs that keep being invented, its just a simple spongey bath cushion that you put on the tub floor.

Well I tried it last night and I LOVE it. But more importantly, Isaac loved it! It was the first time we had a completely positive bath experience with NO crying whatsoever. Yes!

Look! A happy expression! In the TUB!

Im a fan of this sponge because:

  • Its cheap (less than $5 at Babies R Us or KMart!)
  • It keeps Isaac warm (constant warm water at his back)
  • Its soft and comfy

Heres what it looks like so you know it when you see it. 🙂

I am so sold on this. I only wish it was a little bigger so Isaac could use it longer! But honestly hes already sitting up as much as he possibly can and was sitting up in the tub with my hand on his arm. Hell be supporting himself in no time and then he can just sit on the sponge.

Oh and yes, he DID try to roll over onto his stomach while lying on that sponge! Gotta watch him like a hawk!