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For some parents, bathtime is one of the most stressful times of the day. As your child gets older, he or she might do better during their baths, but infants and especially newborns can be a little much when it comes to taking a bath.
Granted, newborns simply have to lay there as you sponge them, but most newborns don’t like the feel of water being poured on them and being cold without clothing for 10 minutes or less than a newborn bath typically is.
If you want to find a bath that can grow with your little one, however, and may help make them feel a little more comfortable, you might want to consider the First Years Sure Comfort Deluxe Newborn to Toddler Tub or Fisher-Price 4-in-1 Sling ‘n Seat Tub.
Both baths are designed to transition with your baby from the infant stage to an older baby or even toddler. And sometimes, if your baby can stay in the same bath for a long time, it can help them feel a little more comfortable with baths in general.
There is a lot of fear of the unknown for babies and toddlers, but going with one of these baby bathtubs can help them eventually look forward to baths rather than fear them.
The beauty of these kinds of baths is also the fact that with each stage, there are details meant to keep your growing baby safe and comfortable. Instead of using the same style of a bath for your tiny newborn and eventually your 12-month-old, these tubs transition to each stage to accommodate your growing child.
Since the goal here is to choose between these two bathtubs, though, there are some differences that set them apart from one another.
The more affordable tub is the First Years Sure Comfort Deluxe Newborn to Toddler Tub, but if you can get past the higher cost of the Fisher-Price 4-in-1 Sling ‘n Seat Tub, you’ll get a spacious and soft sling that is a little bigger and more comfortable than the one featured on the First Years tub.
On the flip side, though, the First Years Sure Comfort Deluxe Newborn to Toddler Tub is a little larger so it can give your toddler more room to play once they reach that stage. Both of the bathtubs certainly offer a lot, but when it’s all said and done, only one will be the stronger option.
First Years Sure Comfort Deluxe Newborn To Toddler Tub
In one way, when it comes to the First Years Sure Comfort Deluxe Newborn to Toddler Tub, what you see is what you get. It has a simple normal design and there’s a removable sling that is used for bathing newborns. But when you look a little closer, you can see all that it offers. It has a little built-in compartment for bath soaps and supplies and it can be placed in most kitchen sinks for easy access.
This means that you won’t ever have to go through the famous parenting stage of bathing your infant directly in the kitchen sink.
And when you’re ready and when your little one is ready, you can easily place the tub directly in your bathtub. When your baby is ready to transition from the sling stage, they can lay comfortably in the tub with their back leaning against the curved side.
There’s even a little bump on the bottom to keep them from sliding down in the little tub. When your baby graduates to the toddler stage of life, you can turn the tub around and have them lean against the straight backside for support.
Since this particular tub is larger and longer than the Fisher-Price one, your toddler will have ample space to splash around as you help them learn to actually enjoy bath time.
When bath time is over, you can easily drain the water out by using the plug. In between baths, the tub is easy to clean and you can wash the sling and non-slip pads in the washer. Besides that, they are mold and mildew resistant to give you added peace of mind.
Features
- Different Stages: This tub has three stages — newborn, infant, and toddler.
- Child Age Range: It’s designed for little ones up to 25 pounds.
- Size: It is 29 x 15.2 x 9 inches.
- Where To Buy: You can find it on the manufacturer’s website and on Amazon or in-store at Target.
- Has This Item Been Recalled?: There are no recent or current recalls on this baby bath.
Pros
- It’s spacious enough to comfortably fit even bigger toddlers.
- The little ridges in the tub make it easy to support babies as they grow into toddlers.
- You can machine wash the sling, which is convenient and useful for keeping it free from bacteria.
- It has a drain plug to pull out after each bath so you don’t have to flip over the entire tub to get the water out.
- It can be placed in the tub or in single or double kitchen sinks.
Cons
- The bump in the middle of the tub is useful for keeping babies from sliding down, but it can sometimes get in the way when using the sling with the tub.
- Although you can technically hang the tub up to dry, when it’s not in use, it can be hard to find a spot to store it because it’s relatively large.
- You can’t really adjust the sling, so it may not be the most comfortable for all newborns.
Reviews
“Started out with one of the new expensive flowers and our baby hated it after a few tries and fails decided to get this and worked great. We have a large stand-up shower with various shower heads and she loves it. We set it on the shower floor with some of the streams coming down. It’s very comfortable and holds the .baby up well even when newborn.” – Luisa F. Cardona on Amazon.
“This has been an ideal place to bathe our baby since she was born. The sling contraption worked really well to keep her out of the water when the umbilical cord was still on, and it was great for new parents to have the tiny newborn stay comfy in one place while we bathed her, since it would have been hard to hold onto her! Once the sling comes off the bathtub is very well built to provide support under the little one’s bum and avoid them slipping forward and down into the water.” – Romina C. on Amazon.
“This is great! I’m tall and when bathing my LO it’s such a pain in my back to lean over the tub. Now I can use this over our sink and have quick and easy access to the water source in the process! And she likes being closer to my face while getting a bath. I love the quick drain plug and the mesh hammock is easy to clean.” – Christina W. on Amazon.
Fisher-Price 4-In-1 Sling ‘N Seat Tub
The Fisher-Price 4-in-1 Sling ‘n Seat Tub also grows with your child from the newborn stage up to the early toddler stage. In this case, however, it comes with some changes to really help your little one transition every step of the way.
Like the First Years tub, it has a sling, but the Fisher-Price newborn sling is a little bigger, which can be helpful for larger babies.
It also comes with sit-up support that can be removed when your baby no longer needs it. But because the support has a contoured back and little stopped between the legs, your little one can feel supported on all sides with no danger of sliding down in the tub.
The tub also has no-slip support attached to one side of the tub to prevent babies from sliding and to give them comfort at the same time.
As with most baby baths, the Fisher-Price is definitely all about a combination of comfort and safety. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to fit this tub in all sinks, but there are safety legs on the bottom to allow you to get it situated at the right angle when bathing your infant in the tub on top of your kitchen sink.
It even has a convenient hook so you can hang it to dry between uses. While the First Years tub can be hung if you get creative, it is lacking in this area. Drying out your baby bath can be a headache, so any little details like this can really make a difference.
Features
- Different Stages: The tub has four stages — newborn, an infant with the baby stopper, supported sitting, and toddler.
- Child Age Range: It’s suitable for children up to 25 pounds.
- Size: The tub is 18.5 x 30 x 8.5 inches.
- Where To Buy: You can buy it on Amazon or in-store at Buy Buy Baby and Walmart.
- Has This Item Been Recalled?: There are no recent or current recalls on this tub.
Pros
- The accessories, like the removable support seat and sprinkle water bottle, make bathtime a lot easier.
- You can hang the tub to dry from the attached hook.
- The tub can grow with your baby every step of the way until they are ready to be placed in the bathtub without a baby bath.
- Not only is the sling and tub comfortable, but the green support seat is also comfortable and doesn’t have any rough edges.
- You can drain the tub afterward without needing to flip it over to get all of the water out.
Cons
- Since the drain plug is under the green sea, you have to first remove the green insert to take the plug out and drain the tub.
- Actually taking the green seat out of the tub can be tricky.
- While some tubs offer adjustable features on the newborn sling, this one does not.
Reviews
“We never used the green insert that is giving people trouble; the baby could sit up fine without it. The sling is sooooooo helpful with a newborn, and we still use the blue bottle for rinsing shampoo. Easy to clean and no nooks for mildew to live. Well worth the price for ease of use and quality construction. Definitely keeping this for future babies!” – C. Crow on Amazon.
“This is a great tub. My son loves it and I love that it can grow with your baby so it is not just for one use and then you have to buy something else. The hook is nice and I use that as it fits over the “handrail” in the tub once I dump the water out each night so it can dry.” – Rebecca B. on Amazon.
“This was the perfect tub for my long baby. He was too long to fit in our other infant tub and not sitting up yet so the seat section was perfect. He sits up now and we still use it for him. Little toys were extra bonus.” – Linda Polasek on Amazon.
FAQs About Baby Bathtubs
Question: Do you need a baby bathtub?
Answer: Yes. Baby bathtubs are really a must, especially since infants cannot sit on their own. There are bathtubs that easily fit in bathroom and kitchen sinks and independent ones which you will have to put on the ground or have a standing one.
Most of the bathtubs will have a supporting net that will be of essential help, especially if you are going to bath your little one alone.
Question: When can I give my baby a bath?
Answer: Babies can be bathed from day one, the only thing you should pay attention to is the water. The infant’s skin is very sensitive and should be bathed at 100F water temperature while the room should be cozy enough in order to prevent chill.
Question: How do I know if the baby’s water is too hot?
Answer: When making bath water for your little one, thermometers always come in handy and will let you know the exact temperature of the water. You should never put the baby directly in their tub without first checking the temperature, as the water can cause them serious burns on their sensitive skin.
The Verdict
There’s no denying that both baby baths are useful and practical for infants and toddlers alike. But when it all comes down to it, the stronger option between the two is the First Years Sure Comfort Deluxe Newborn to Toddler Tub.
You can’t really get past the price, especially when compared to the Fisher-Price tub. Plus, even though the sling on the Fisher-Price tub is more spacious, the First Years tub has more space overall. It can still fit in most sinks while also allowing plenty of room to grow inside.
This can give your infant and, eventually, your toddler plenty of space to enjoy their nightly baths. Maybe your baby won’t actually start enjoying his or her bath until they reach the toddler stage, but even if that’s the case, you will still have a comfortable and safe bath that will grow with them.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right baby bath might not seem like the most important thing in the grand scheme of things. Especially when there are so many other baby necessities out there. But there’s no getting around giving your baby a bath.
Whether you give them one every evening or every other night, it’s an unavoidable task, even if it’s one that annoys your baby more than comforts them. But with the right baby bathtub, like the First Years Sure Comfort Deluxe Newborn to Toddler Tub, in this instance.
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