Baby Bathing Essentials

Here is a comprehensive list of things I use when I bathe and shower my baby. This is part of a series about Washing Baby.

*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. This means that, at no added cost to you, I may receive compensation for products you purchase through links found on my blog. (Thank you, thank you!) This in no way affects the products I recommend (I only recommend the best)!*

*Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, so please consult your physician before attempting any of these suggestions. Use your best judgment. What worked for me may not work for you. Each body is different and unique. Do what you feel is best at your own risk. I am not liable for any consequences. I am a blogger. This is a blog meant to provide opinions, suggestions, experiences, and information. Not medical advice. I am human and make mistakes, so information may not be 100% complete or accurate. Thank you, and enjoy!*

Soap: It is recommended to use “mild, unscented soaps” and Johnson and Johnson is definitely not mild nor unscented. It gave my baby a horrible pimply rash on his face. Plus it dried out his skin. And that was using it once every, two to four days. So that whole thing of washing your baby infrequently so that their skin won’t dry out? Not buying it. I think it was the soap they were using in their studies, or they let the babies soak in baths or something. I recommend Dr. Bronner’s Baby Unscented Castile soap. Any unscented castile soap will work fine.

I tried Burt’s Bees once, and I did not like it. It smells like Johnson and Johnson, which I no longer care for (I used to love it until I discovered how fantastic a baby’s natural milky smell is), and I only used it once, so I cannot report on if it dried out his skin or anything. We will go out of town soon, and it is in a nice travel size container, so I will take it with me and use it for 3 weeks. I will update you afterwards.

Lotions and oils: Baby’s don’t need lotions, or essential oils, or anything like that. If they are drying out, try a different soap. If they are a little stuffed up or sick, then sure, try out some essential oils. But in the aspect of moisturizers and preventative oils and powders and such, I do believe their bodies are fine. Breast milk (I can’t vouch for formula, having no experience with it, but I’m pretty sure the same thing applies) moisturizes their skin and keeps them healthy and vibrant. You just have to keep them clean, wash the grossness away, and milk takes care of the rest.

Washrags: I feel like cloth is harsher on baby skin than my fingers, so I only use washcloths when IV gets baby food all over him and I don’t intend to give him a shower.

Bath Sponges: These provide a soft surface to lay your baby down in the bottom of the tub, or even on your counter-top with a towel over it during a sponge bath.  You can use an infant tub, but the plastic baby tubs I saw did not look comfortable or flexible. Here is the bath sponge I use. I like it a lot because you can use it from birth to toddler-hood (to sit on). It’s also machine washable.

Towels: Baby towels are so cute! Especially the ones with hoods. You can use grown-up towels, but baby towels are softer and smaller, allowing for less fabric for them to get smothered in. ***Husband note: My husband hates baby towels, because he thinks you get wet while holding the baby (the water soaks right through), they are too small, and they do not seem very comfy or cozy. He thinks grown up towels are better, because they do not instantly get drenched, and they can completely wrap the baby to keep him warm.

Shower-heads: I recommend 1.5GPM shower-heads.(like this) And the ones that flexibly extend are suuuuper helpful (like this).

Cups/buckets: These are really helpful during baths. Your hand can only cup so much water. It is nice to have a container to get a solid stream exactly where you need it to be, with less random splashing than a shower head.

What are baby bath essentials for you? Leave a comment below!

~Kimberly

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