Bath

I am always a sucker for cute hooded towels.  In all honesty, I never end up using them much after the earliest infant days, but I am always drawn to them, especially when they are cute and attractively packaged.  I find this organic hooded elephant towel from 3 Sprouts to be especially appealing.  First of all, the towel is made from organic cotton, so you can feel extra good about wrapping it around your little one.

As your child gets older, he or she will no doubt appreciate the cute little elephant as much as you do.  I for one love his little button eyes and polka dot ears. They also come in chicken and frog patterns

The towel, which is a favorite of celebrity parents, comes folded up neatly and tied with a ribbon, making it perfect for gift-giving.  You can buy one for $36 at BellyMaternity.com.

The Baby Aspen Bath Time Gift Set is a wonderful way to help your baby enjoy his bath. The set features a plush washcloth, hooded towel, terry slippers, and comes in a precious, reusable hat box container. I love the little terry slippers that will keep baby’s toes from being chilled after a bath.

The set comes in motifs for boys and girls. Perfect as a baby shower gift as well. This is priced at $27.95 at Babyexquisite.com.

I’m a sucker for bath products, especially if they are baby-safe and have cute packaging.  My latest discovery is this great line from Grandma El’s.  All of the products are made from all-natural and organic ingredients, so you don’t have to worry that you are exposing your little one to potentially harmful chemicals.

This gift set includes a sampling of the company’s products.  You receive a jar of Diaper Rash Remedy and Prevention ointment, a bottle of Tear-Free Gentle Baby Shampoo, and a bottle of Tear-Free Gentle Baby Wash.  The set also comes with an organic washcloth so you can pamper your baby in eco-friendly luxury.

These products are sure to leave both you and your baby smiling.  I love the cute little bottles, too.  Whether you buy this as a gift, or keep it for your own family, you won’t be disappointed.  You can buy this set, or other Grandma El’s products at babyuniverse.com.  The set retails for $36.96.

I have never been a big fan of the grooming tasks required for infants–especially when it comes to clipping and caring for little finger and toenails. This cute little set from Tweezerman, the Children’s Care Kit, promises to make the job a little easier.

The set comes with a nail clippers, a nail file, a nail brush, and stainless steel scissors. All of the products are designed to meet the special requirements of tiny fingers and toes. Moreover, they are awfully cute, featuring cool colors and fun patterns.

You can definitely buy a grooming set for less than the $30 that this set costs, but I don’t think I have ever seen a set that was quite this appealing. It would also make a great shower or new baby gift. You can purchase the set at Nordstrom.com.

A favorite with numerous celebrities such as Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Little Giraffe makes blankets and towels that are designed to be the ultimate in comfort for little ones. This Little Giraffe Luxury Hooded Towel, an adorable bear ears hooded towel, is a great example of the kind of quality products that the company designs.

The towel is made from 100% cotton terry, and is made to be super-soft. It measures 24″ x 41″–a perfect size for a baby. As your child gets older, he or she will no doubt enjoy the pretend play that the sweet little ears inspire.

The towel is available in blue, chocolate, and pink, all of which are absolutely adorable. You can purchase one for $43.95 at Bugsandblossoms.com. I think it would make a very sweet little gift.

Sooner or later the daily sponge bath just isn’t enough for bathing baby. He or she has got to get into a bath! I was always a little nervous trying to keep my baby’s head and face above water while trying to bathe their little slippery body. And if I was feeling nervous then I was probably transferring my fears over to my baby, making him uncomfortable and stressful.

Now here is a product worth trying –The Prince Lionheart WashPod. It’s been recommended by physicians and midwives as one of the best ways to bathe your newborn baby. It provides a safe and secure environment, similar to that inside a mother’s womb. When you provide a familiar and comforting environment your baby is most likely going to relax and even enjoy his new experience.

Appropriate for age 0-6 mos, the Prince Lionheart WashPod is priced at $25.00 @ TinyTots.com. Try it!

Both of my girls had problems with cradle cap early on. I never enjoyed caring for it, especially when the pediatrician suggested that Vaseline was the way to go (I promise, it wasn’t). Last time around, I discovered a mainstream “remedy” for the condition, but I wasn’t particularly impressed by that either.

Although I haven’t yet given it a try, Dermasense Newborn Bath with Tea Tree Oil appeals to me for several reasons. This all in one soap can be used to clean delicate infant skin and hair. Tea Tree oil is a perfect natural remedy for all kinds of things. Plus, it has a pleasant scent and I don’t find it to be as greasy as many other oils. The product is designed to be both gentle and effective in cleaning newborn skin and combating cradle cap dry skin early on.

This cleanser is completely hypoallergenic and soap-free. It comes in a handy self-foaming dispenser. It has been my experience that products packaged in this kind of pump last quite a while. I think it more than justifies the price of $14.99. You can buy a bottle at Firstbabystop.com.

Bath toys are great because they are often all it takes to lure a reluctant bather into the tub. The downside, in my opinion, is that they are wet, messy, and tend to cause clutter in your bathroom. The designers at Kuster are clearly familiar with this problem, and their stylish Bath Toy Store sets out to solve it.

The Bath Toy Store provides a two-in-one solution: it alleviates clutter and helps keep wetness to a minimum. The inner tub can be used to scoop toys out of the tub at the end of bath time. The colander-style bottom drains the water away so toys dry, eliminating mess and halting the growth of germs and mildew. This then sits inside another tub for clean, compact storage. Best of all, the system is sleek and modern looking, and comes in color combinations that will suit just about any bathroom decor imaginable.

You can check out the entire line of innovative Kuster products at kuster-usa.com. To purchase the Bath Toy Store for an affordable $24.99, visit barebabies.com. Best of all, you can use the code up10offkuster to receive a 10% discount on your purchase of Kuster products from barebabies.com.

Complete with a hatbox for storage, the Finley Bath Time Gift Set couldn’t be any cuter. I’m a fan of many things frog and this set takes the cake. The bold colors are not over-the-top but they are attractive and would fit very nicely into a blue, white, or green bathroom or nursery.

I’d keep random items like nail clippers and washcloths in the hatbox. The only thing that irks me is that the slipper size isn’t listed, but the towel measures in at 30” with a 6” deep hood. Perhaps ordering the set right off the bat, or even before baby is born, will save fretting about sizing.

Though the set is $32.95, an additional $12 will get you a personalized towel. I discovered it at allbaby.com.

When you’re helping your children in the bath they think it’s play time and you need it to be bath time. The Flo Water Deflector & Protective Faucet Cover will help you do both!

Depending on your little one’s temperament you may or may not be able to wash her hair under the tub faucet. I used to try to connect a spray nozzle (you know the kind - a small spray hose for indoor use) to the bulky tub faucet, but it would usually slip off because it didn’t fit right.

The Flo Water Deflector is made to fit over the oversized tub faucet and holds on with a spring-activated grip that requires no assembly or special installation. When the water is turned on, it’s diverted into a stream that extends up to 12 inches in front of the faucet, creating a gentle waterfall and making rinsing hair easy.

Another plus is the soft material on the front edge of Flo that helps protect against injuries caused by bumping or scraping against the faucet. And it has a bubble dispenser built in! Get yours for $19.99 at cheekymonkey.com.

I like the design of the AquaBaby Bath Ring because it supports the baby and keeps them within arms reach. But it also allows for plenty of movement for splashing! What’s a bath without a few good splashes?

The AquaBaby Bath Ring is recommended for ages 7 months to 16 months. It looks like it fits snugly in your bath tub and also comes with suction cups to secure to surface. This is the best of both worlds for moms and babies: movement and support that gives moms an extra hand!

The AquaBaby Bath Ring comes in white or blue and priced at $29.99. Visit the Right Start Web site at www.rightstart.com.

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s your kid! Children seem to have a thing for making towels into capes so now with BoBo Brooklyn’s Superhero capes, they can really look the part! These great “capes” double as towels with a soft, terry-towel material on the underside that makes it perfect for bath time, a trip to the beach or a fun dress-up session.

They’re available in pink, blue and red so you’ll be sure to find a color that suits your little superhero. I already order two pink ones for my girls. Up, up and away! You can get one at lalaling.com for $50.

The first bath tub my son had he quickly outgrew. He would kick the other end and then slide himself into the water. Well, that didn’t make bath time too much fun. So we decided to go get another tub. After checking reviews in my trusty Baby Bargains book I decided on the Primo Euro Bath. This extra large tub certainly makes bathing baby much easier.

Since my son is 4 months old we put him in the 0-6 month side. There is a safety post which goes in between baby’s legs that help him from slipping into the water. The same post is used to help your toddler when you switch to the other side of the tub (after six months).

This is the largest tub on the market so any size baby can fit. It also has convenient shampoo/soap areas with built in drainage. There are even holes to be used to hang the tub up when not in use.  I also called the company to make sure they are not using BPA plastics, so Baby is safe.

Celebrity moms such as Kate Hudson, Nicole Richie, and Courtney Cox Arquette are big fan’s of Nature’s Baby Organic’s line of natural childcare products. Developed by a mom who wanted an alternative to the highly perfumed and chemical-laden products that were giving her daughter a rash, Nature’s Baby products are made from organic ingredients to be gentle for little ones and friendly to the environment.

The company’s commitment to creating quality products has garnered them a lot of positive press from publications such as People Magazine. The line includes shampoo, diaper cream, moisturizer, and powder, and several other innovative products. Most products retail for around $12. You can buy them at naturesbabyproducts.com.

My daughter has several Kathe Krusse butterfly dolls, and now apparenty, she can become one herself, with a little help from this bath towel. Hooded towels have always been a big hit in our house, and I’m sure this one would be no different.

They are great for bath time (and for luring kids out of the tub when bath time is over). This one is especially sweet. I love the little antennae on top, and the tie closer makes it a good swimming pool towel, too. The color scheme is also very eye-catching.

I’m thinking this would make a great birthday or Christmas gift. The towel measures 34″ x 60″. You can buy one for $41.99 at oompa.com.