Baby bath time is a great opportunity to introduce your baby to new games and toys and is also important in terms of establishing water confidence and preparing for swimming.

Here at Bathshop321 we understand the importance of the family bathroom. So here today we have Jo from Cuddledry, makers of the award-winning baby apron towel to provide some advance on how to make baby bath times special and safe. Dragon’s Den fans may recognise the name from their appearance on the show a few seasons ago!

Baby bath time is a great opportunity to introduce your baby to new games and toys and is also important in terms of establishing water confidence and preparing for swimming.

If you can, sharing a bath with your baby is a lovely way to enjoy bath times together. When your baby is small, you can lay them on your chest and enjoy lots of skin to skin contact – not only does this promote water confidence, it is also great for bonding.

Small babies love kicking in the water too – you can help with this by lying them on their back, either on your chest or on their own in a shallow bath, and gently supporting their head, leaving their legs free to have a good splash about!

As they get older, you can have lots of fun blowing bubbles and generally just enjoying being in the water, in a different environment. There are all kinds of lovely toys you can buy for playing in the bath, but toddlers also enjoy just pouring water and watching it move about, so a selection of plastic cups and bowls are always fun. Encourage your child to pour water on themselves – or on you – to show that water isn’t anything to be scared of.

Finally, make sure that getting out of the bath is just as fun as getting in! Babies and small children love massage, and fresh from the bath is the perfect time to give it a go. Make sure you keep your little one warm and snugly, and you will both be able to enjoy lots of relaxed cuddles before bed. Hopefully they’ll even sleep well too!

To make sure you enjoy bath time safely, bear in mind these top tips:

• NEVER leave your baby unattended in the bath, ever. Don’t rely on an older sibling either to keep them safe.
• Small babies only need a few inches of water. Support their neck and shoulders with one hand, leaving the other free for washing.
• Don’t put your baby in the bath while it is still running – the water temperature can change, or the water could become too deep.
• Put the cold water in first, then the hot to make it warm, but not too hot. Check with your elbow, not your hand, as you hand can withstand higher temperatures.
• Always talk to your baby when you are bathing her even if she is very new. Tell her what you are doing. Babies love to be talked to.
• Before you take her clothes off make sure you have cotton wool, shampoo, any toiletries you are using, her flannel, towel, nappy, and clothes you are going to dress her in. It is so much easier if you have everything to hand before you start.
• Use only very gentle baby toiletries on delicate young skin.
• Baby bath seats are nice for older babies, but are not a safety product – don’t leave babies unattended in one.
• After the bath, minimise body heat loss (especially in these colder months) by wrapping your baby in a large, hooded towel. We love the Cuddledry apron towel. A brilliantly simple idea, it fastens around your neck like an apron, keeping you dry and leaving both hands free to easily lift your baby out of the bath. It’s also super big and snugly!

Happy splashing!