How to Buy a Baby Bathtub

Buying a baby bathtub seems like a simple task, right? Unfortunately, it isn't. The main idea of the infant tub is to contain the baby, with temperature-controlled water, in a shallow space where he or she cannot roll over when you reach over to grab the soap or washcloth.

This can be accomplished with a small plastic container that tilts up at one end so the baby's head is elevated. But baby tubs today often offer many more features: thermometers, shower sprays, plugs, padding, hammocks, even folding and inflating tubs for space saving.

How To Choose Your Perfect Baby Tub

Safety, as always, is first, but you need to assess the space you're going to be bathing your baby in before even looking. Do you have a spacious sink? Because it's easier on your back, the kitchen sink is the best place to bathe Baby. Infants, however, need to recline, and few modern sinks are large enough to hold them. For this reason, most people default to the bathtub.

After you have an idea of what you're working with, think about safety. You want a shallow tub that won't move around in a slippery tub or sink. A thermometer to ensure the water isn't too warm or cold is always a nice feature. Moving parts, while they provide useful features, should be considered carefully; hinges on folding tubs can catch tender feet if they close accidentally, and shower sprays that aren't secured out of your baby's reach can tangle when pulled down by curious hands. Thick, sturdy plastic ensures that the tub won't buckle under the weight of water and your baby, and smooth, finished edges prevent accidental cuts or chafing.

Shower sprays, though they seem to be a great feature, seem to be more trouble than they're worth. I've investigated a half-dozen baby tubs with this feature, and in almost every case consumers complain that they work only for one or two uses, and then are waterlogged and useless. Even if they do work, the fact that you can't drain them properly can lead to mildew, another problem when you're trying to keep your tub clean and safe. Besides, if you really want to use a spray, a shower spray or sink spray is just as effective, though you have to watch the temperature on them.

Comfort may also be an issue, and many baby tubs come with a soft, spongy insert that can make hard plastic much easier on your little one's back. However, in humid conditions this insert may never dry properly, leading to molding and mildewing. It might be wiser, if you know this is a possibility, to look instead for a contoured tub and just put a folded towel under your baby each time you bathe him. It's cheaper to wash towels than to buy new baby bathtubs because the old one is hopelessly mildewed.

One feature you must have is a plug in the bottom. When you're picking the baby up out of the bath, it's a lot more convenient to just pull a plug and let the bath drain than to tip the tub over.

If you're using the baby bath in the bathtub and you plan to join him there (a real back-saving method, trust me!) make sure the tub is small enough to fit your legs - or at least feet - on either side of it.

I haven't found a baby bath that I like enough to buy yet, unfortunately. However, there are hundreds of options out there. My choice will be strong plastic, with no liner (I plan to use the towel method) and with a plug in the bottom. I'd like to have one with a thermometer, but I'll have to read Consumer Reports or parent reviews on the tub model first; many thermometers only work for a short period of time before breaking. And I'll be looking for a baby bathtub that will fit in the tub with me - or with my baby's father. Otherwise, price will be my only concern.