With my first child, I scorned the idea of a baby bath. I ran a bath with a low water level in the regular bathtub and sat in it with her in my lap, her head on my knees and her feet against my belly. This worked great and saved the space a baby bathtub usually takes up, especially in our tiny house. Unfortunately, with my second child, I just don't have time for this everyday and so I ordered this baby bathtub. All in all, it's worked out better than I hoped.
Even though my baby was a whopping 21" long at birth, I used the sling that comes with it for the first five months and it was fantastic at keeping my daughter from sliding around. She was too long to have her feet in the sling, but was comfortable enough with one foot in it and the other hanging over the edge into the tub. Now that she's 6 months, 15lbs & 26" long and can mostly sit up, she's okay sitting in the tub itself with a low water level - her feet can easily reach the foot end to kick or brace against it.
I understand it has some kinds of notches cut out to fit on the rims of sinks, but that was almost useless for the sinks in my house; it fit awkwardly on the half-double sink in our old kitchen and not at all on our new Ikea bathroom sink. (I might have been able to squeeze it onto the pedestal sink in our guest bathroom, but the bathroom is so small, I didn't even bother to try it.) Most of the time I use it in the regular bathtub and and envy the people with sinks. :-) I usually just flip it over to empty, but the little plug in the bottom was handy the few times I used it in the kitchen sink so my mother wouldn't have to bend over. I also used it out on our deck on a hot day while my toddler was playing with her water table, which made for great baby water play.
The little cup area at the feet seemed silly at first, but I have actually used it quite a bit. Most of the time it holds a small cup for pouring water and a washcloth or two, sometimes soap. The latest tip is that I can aim the bathtub faucet for it and pour warm water into it at a trickle; it fills up with slightly hotter water and then slowly overflows into the foot end of the main bath, a great way to keep the water warm if it starts going cold. It should go without saying, but ALWAYS monitor the temperature of the water!
Perhaps the only downside still is the size. I usually prop it up to fully drain and dry at the foot of the bathtub, and then toss it out randomly on the bathroom floor until we next use it. I know my aunt figured out to prop hers up hanging on the wall over the bathtub on two hooks, which would be a good idea to try since my daughter will still be using it for another 3 to 6 months.
Pros:
* Easily supports slippery infants
* Grows with your small wiggly one
* Drain plug for easy emptying
* Great for grandmothers and less nimble caregivers
Cons:
* Space gobbler, if you have a small bathroom
* Yet Another Baby Item, to some extent
| Color | Pink |
|---|---|
| Material | Plastic |
| Brand | The First Years |
| Product Dimensions | 30"L x 9.5"W x 15.75"H |
| Style | Deluxe Tub |
| Finish Type | Plastic |
| Item Weight | 1 Kilograms |
| Installation Type | Freestanding |
| Capacity | 25 Gallons |
| Shape | Oval |
| Item model number | Y7135A8 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Minimum weight recommendation | 5 Pounds |
| Maximum weight recommendation | 25 Pounds |
| Material Type | Plastic |
| Number Of Items | 1 |
| Batteries required | No |
| Dishwasher safe | No |
| Is portable | No |
| Item Weight | 2.2 pounds |
| Country/Region of origin | USA |
