Baths & Stands
A baby bath tub is one of the few things you use every single day for the first year, so it has to feel steady in your hands and safe under your baby. Babyhood makes bathing gear for real Australian bathrooms: a folding baby bathtub that hangs on a hook, a contoured tub that carries a newborn through to toddlerhood, and bath and stand sets that lift the whole job up to a comfortable height. Start with the tub that fits your space, then add a stand or a towelling support to suit the way you bath.
Which baby bathtub is right for your family?
Most baby bathtubs fall into one of three types, and which one suits you comes down to the bathroom more than the budget. Parents in a small unit go folding. Parents with a sore back go straight to a stand.
Folding baby bathtubs for small spaces
The Folding Baby Bath opens out to 78cm long and 49cm wide and folds down to 10cm high, with a hook so it hangs behind a door. It is bigger inside than most folding tubs, so a newborn is not cramped and an older baby still has room to kick. The base and the folding legs are non-slip, there is a drain hole and plug so you are not tipping a full tub of water over the edge, and a cavity holds a lightweight showerhead. It is tested to EN 71-1, EN 71-2 and EN 71-3, and it is rated from newborn to 24kg including water.
A contoured tub that grows with your baby
The 2 in 1 Contoured Bath is moulded inside so a newborn lies back against the slope, and the same tub lets a toddler sit upright once they can hold that position on their own. Plenty of parents use it instead of buying a separate bath seat later. It empties through a drainage hose, so there is no lifting, and it pairs with the universal deluxe bath stand, which also converts to a change table or a laundry stand.
Bath and stand sets that save your back
Kneeling on hard tiles turns bath time into a chore. The Ergo Grouper Bath is a wider, deeper tub with a non-slip ripple surface, easy-grip handles, rubber pads underneath and a drain plug with a hose. On the Ergo Grouper Stand it sets at 102cm high, so you bath standing up instead of bent double. The stand has non-slip caps on the feet and folds flat when you are done. Buy the tub on its own, the stand on its own, or the baby bath with stand as one set. Both are rated newborn to 24kg including water, and both are multi award winning.
Bath supports and bath slings: what is the difference?
A newborn is slippery, and holding a head clear of the water with one arm while you wash with the other is the part new parents worry about most. A bath support fixes that. The Babyhood Towelling Bath Support is a steel frame under a soft micro towelling cover that cradles the head, neck and back, so your baby is held at a safe angle and you keep one hand free. The cover comes off and goes in the machine, and it is tested to the Consumer Goods (Baby Bath Aids) Safety Standard 2017. There is no pillow, which keeps it usable for tummy time bathing.
A bath sling does the same job with fabric stretched across a frame. Some tubs have a sling built in and some take one as an add-on. If you are weighing a sling against a moulded support, the things worth checking are how well the head is held and how fast it dries between baths. A moulded support will not sag like wet fabric can, and a sling that stays damp is a nuisance in winter.
Baby bath tub safety, from the very first bath
- About 10cm of water is enough for a newborn, or enough to cover the shoulders once your baby can sit up.
- Test the water with your elbow or a thermometer. Around 37 degrees is comfortable.
- Run the cold tap last, and never top up with hot water while your baby is in the tub.
- When you fill the bath tub, baby should never be left alone, not for a second. Take them with you if someone knocks at the door.
- Put a non-slip bath mat down if you are using a tub inside the family bath, and wipe the rubber feet before you set up so nothing shifts.
- A baby bath tub is not a sleep surface. Lift your baby out once the wash is done.
Bathing by age: what changes over the first months
For the first three months, most parents find a newborn only needs a proper bath two or three times a week, with a top and tail wash in between. Use a support or a sling so you keep one hand free, warm the room first, and keep it short.
Somewhere between three and six months, babies start enjoying the water. A deeper tub earns its keep at that age, because there is room to splash without soaking the floor.
Once your baby sits unaided, usually around six months, a contoured tub or a bath seat holds them upright and bath toys come into their own. Bath seats and supports are aids, not a substitute for your hands.
By about twelve months most toddlers move into the family bathtub. At that stage a bath mat and a tap cover make the step safer, and a lot of parents keep the folding tub for travel or for the second bathroom.
What to look for when you buy
- Measure the inside length and depth rather than the outside footprint, and measure where the tub will live between baths.
- A plug or a drainage hose means you empty it without lifting anything heavy.
- A non-slip base and stable feet matter more on wet tiles than anything else on the spec.
- If your back already complains, height beats every other feature. A baby bath stand brings the tub up to about waist height.
- Smooth plastic wipes out in seconds. Fabric covers should be machine washable.
- Tubs like ours are rated newborn to 24kg, which covers roughly the first two years. Judge the price per use over that time, not the number on the tag. Something you use twice a day for two years is good value at almost any figure.
Making bath time fun
For a lot of babies bath time is the calmest part of the day, and the last thing that happens before sleep. Bath toys help, though pouring water from one cup to the next is usually fun enough on its own. A little bubble bath is fine once your baby’s skin can handle it, but keep the bubble bath mild and occasional if there is any dryness. Warm the towel, wrap them straight up, and finish with a cuddle. Choose toys that drain and dry properly, because the sealed ones grow mould inside where you cannot see it.
Baby bath tub FAQs
Do I actually need a baby bathtub?
No. You can bath a newborn in a clean laundry tub or in the family bath. Most parents buy one anyway, because a baby bathtub uses far less water, sits at a height you can reach, and holds a small body at a safe angle without you crouching over a full sized bath.
What bathtub is best for a baby?
For a newborn, the best baby bathtub is one that supports the head and neck, either through a contoured shape or with a separate support. For a small bathroom, a folding tub. If your back is the problem, a bath and stand set. Beyond that, look for a drain, a stable base and a size your bathroom can actually take.
At what age can a baby take a bath in a tub?
From birth, once the umbilical cord stump has healed, which is usually within one to two weeks. Sponge baths are the usual advice before that. Babies can move into the main bathtub when they sit confidently on their own, generally somewhere between six and twelve months.
What is the 3 in 1 bathtub for babies?
It usually means a tub designed to do three jobs across three stages: a reclined newborn position, a sitting position for an older baby, and a use beyond bathing such as a paddling tub or a storage tub. The 2 in 1 Contoured Bath works on the same idea, with a moulded newborn recline and a toddler sitting position in the one tub.
Still not sure which tub to pick?
Every baby bath tub, stand and support in this range is designed for Australian homes and Australian bathrooms. If you are not sure which tub suits your space, get in touch and we will talk it through.
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