Baby in a bathtub

Baby bathtubs buying guide

Forget about the towel-lined sink you might have been bathed in as a baby. Although that's certainly still an option, there are plenty of portable bathtubs on the market these days that make bath time a whole lot easier and more fun for you and your baby.

Types

Bathtubs range from $7.99 (for a bath sling) to $40 (for an infant tub—with a built-in digital thermometer—that allows "dirty" water to drain and fresh water from the faucet to circulate as baby bathes).

Here are a few types of tubs you'll see on the market:

Basic

Basic tubs that are flat on the bottom.

 

Foam lined

Foam lined

Tubs with a foam-lined, contoured interior that allows a baby who can't sit up to relax in a semi-upright position.

 

Tubs with mesh slings

Tubs with internal nylon mesh support slings featuring padded headrests that cradle newborns.

 

Inserts

Inserts that don't include a tub—they're little more than a sling that can be used in a baby tub and a sink to prop your baby up.

 

Convertible

Tubs designed to fit in the sink, and then convert to a tub that can be placed in a regular bathtub when your baby can sit up.

 

Large

Large

Tubs that are designed to fit in a regular tub from the start.

 

Foldable

Tubs with many of the above features that fold for more compact storage.

 

Inflatable

There are also inflatable tubs that fit inside a regular bathtub to give your baby a padded space to bathe in, but we don't recommend them because they can be dangerous. Parents might put them into a regular bathtub with water in it. The inflatable tub can then float and tip, spilling the baby.

 

Bath seats

These are designed to be used us a regular tub by a baby who is able to sit up. We do not recommend them. The seats present safety issues and can induce a false sense of security, leading parents to think that they can turn their back on the baby for a short time.

 
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