Spa Baby

Bathing your baby can be as simple and old-fashioned as a large kitchen sink. But for safety and security ― and convenience ― using a bath support is important. Then the question becomes: which one?

There are so many types of baby bath supports using innovative designs and materials. Some are meant to be used inside a bathtub, while others can be used in a sink or on the countertop. Some infants and toddlers need additional support in the bath as they get older due to physical limitations and challenges.

(Always consult with your child’s pediatrician or therapist if your child requires special equipment in the bath. This post is not meant to be medical advice.)

Here's what I chose for my newborn son, and why…

When my son was born, my sister told me about a concept called “Spa Baby.” I thought that sounded very luxurious, and had visions of bathing my baby by soft candlelight, with soothing music and essential oils drifting through the air!

Well, I guess you could still use candlelight, music, and aromas, but the “spa baby” theory builds on the swaddling concept in which swaddling infants after birth helps give them that same sense of snugness and security they were used to in the womb. But now you’ve got a baby that is lying naked, cold, and unswaddled, flailing about in a small tub with water being poured on them. No wonder newborns scream at bath time!

“Spa Baby” is about keeping your newborn lightly swaddled during the bath

while you gently wash them.

My kitchen sink is small, and I didn’t want to lean over the bathtub to wash my tiny newborn, so I chose a baby bathtub that I could put on my kitchen counter and drain into the sink. I laid down a soft towel on the counter next to the tub where I could change my son and dry him off after the bath, and put the bath caddy on the counter for easy access to the lotion and diapers.

I wrapped my son in a small cotton blanket and slowly poured warm water over him, then used a soft wash cloth and natural soap to wash his skin and hair. Worked like a charm! “Spa Baby” became a favorite bedtime routine. I’m not going to say that my baby never cried during a bath, but swaddling him as a I transitioned him from the towel to the bathtub kept him calm.

I loved this Munchkin® Clean™ Cradle Infant Bath Tub. You can see how easy it is to transition it from countertop to bathtub as your baby grows. It has a ventilated top and base drain to funnel the water into the sink or tub. It comes apart for cleaning, and is made for ages 0-6 months.

You can purchase it at Walmart or Amazon.

Munchkin Clean Cradle Infant Bath Tub

Luvable Friends Baby Flannel Receiving Blankets

These Luvable Friends Baby Flannel Receiving Blankets are 100% cotton and make ideal spa baby swaddles. The flannel fabric is breathable, yet soft and warm, and at 30 inches square they are just big enough to quickly wrap and unwrap a newborn during the bath. (Some pattern options are 28" square.)

The blankets come in sets and multiple colors at Target and Amazon.

Hudson Baby is another brand I love and has flannel receiving blankets in even more colors and patterns, in a 30" square size.

Hudson Baby Cotton Flannel Receiving Blankets

The Danica flannel receiving blanket is 100% cotton, has multiple colors and patterns, and is a larger size at 30” x 38” for more coverage.

Danica Cotton Flannel Receiving Blankets

The "Spa Baby" technique is an effective and cozy way to help your newborn feel safe and secure as she takes her first baths. These small receiving blankets will keep her lightly swaddled as you transition her to the Munchkin Clean Cradle Infant Bath Tub can help reduce her trauma and stress at bath time by providing a snug and secure tactile sensory experience.

Affiliate links are included in this post, from which we may receive a small commission from purchases.