Checklist · 13 picks · 5 categories

baby bath checklist

Edited by Zach · updated Oct 30, 2026 · How I pick

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Budget tub The First Years Sure Comfort Deluxe Newborn-to-Toddler Tub with Sling Best for a cheap tub that lasts past the newborn stage$15-25Shop on Amazon
Gentle wash Burt's Bees Baby Shampoo & Wash Best for one bottle for hair and bodyunder $15Shop on Amazon
Hooded towel Natemia Ultra Soft Hooded Baby Towel Best for a cute animal-hood towel for bath time$25-50Shop on Amazon

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The first bath is equal parts cute and terrifying. Tiny, slippery, mad about it.

The right gear makes it way calmer: a tub that holds them in place, a gentle wash for hair and body, a hooded towel that's ready the second they're out, a thermometer so you're not guessing, and a rinse cup that keeps water off their face. Babylist's bathtub guide, medically reviewed by a doctor, picked the tubs. BestReviews and Baby Bargains, which reviewed baby shampoos with real kids, picked the washes. The towels, thermometers and rinse cups come from BestReviews. Babylist's number one rule: never leave your baby alone in the tub. Each card shows the drawback the outlet called out, so you can get to the snuggly towel part faster.

Who this is not for. Skip this if you only want a newborn bath seat; the New Baby Registry list has the Angelcare bath support.

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Estimates based on typical prices, checked Oct 31, 2026. Prices change; see the store for today's price.

The must-haves

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01 Tub

the first pick is the one I would start with

Compare these 3

Pick	Tier	Price	Best for	Evidence
The First Years Sure Comfort Deluxe Newborn-to-Toddler Tub with Sling	budget	$15-25	a cheap tub that lasts past the newborn stage	1 outlet
Skip Hop Moby 3-Stage Bath Gift Set	mid	$50-100	counter baths now, big-tub baths later	1 outlet
Lalo Bathtime Starter Kit	splurge	$50-100	a sleek tub with a second life as storage	1 outlet

Best baby bath

budget pick · Birth to 25 lb

The First Years Sure Comfort Deluxe Newborn-to-Toddler Tub with Sling

Best for a cheap tub that lasts past the newborn stage

Babylist's best baby bathtub value: a three-stage tub that grows with baby and fits in most sinks, so newborn baths are easier.

Heads up. The sling may lose support over time and must be dried carefully to prevent mold

1 outlet. Babylist best baby bathtub value.

$15-25

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mid pick · Birth to 25 lb

Skip Hop Moby 3-Stage Bath Gift Set

Best for counter baths now, big-tub baths later

Babylist's best basin bathtub: support from infancy to toddlerhood, on the counter or in the big tub, with a built-in hook for storage.

Heads up. Smaller babies may slide down in the mesh insert, and it has a large footprint

1 outlet. Babylist best basin bathtub.

$50-100

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splurge pick · Birth and up

Lalo Bathtime Starter Kit

Best for a sleek tub with a second life as storage

Babylist's longest lasting baby bathtub: multi-stage, made from non-toxic materials, and it can become a sensory bin or storage container later.

Heads up. Heavy, harder to store, and the plug can be tricky

1 outlet. Babylist longest lasting baby bathtub.

$50-100

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02 Wash

Compare these 3

Pick	Tier	Price	Best for	Evidence
Burt's Bees Baby Shampoo & Wash	budget	under $15	one bottle for hair and body	2 outlets agree
Aquaphor Baby Wash & Shampoo	budget	under $15	sensitive skin on a budget	1 outlet
California Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo and Body Wash	mid	$15-25	dry hair and natural-ingredient fans	1 outlet

Best baby wash

budget pick · Bottle

Burt's Bees Baby Shampoo & Wash

Best for one bottle for hair and body

BestReviews' best of the best baby wash and Baby Bargains' best plant-based pick: a gentle, tear-free formula with no added fragrance.

Heads up. Doesn't lather as well as some others, has a thin texture and no pump

2 outlets agree. BestReviews best of the Best baby wash. Baby Bargains best Plant-Based baby shampoo.

under $15

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budget pick · Pump bottle

Aquaphor Baby Wash & Shampoo

Best for sensitive skin on a budget

BestReviews' best bang for the buck baby wash (best for sensitive skin): a fragrance-free pump bottle that lathers well.

Heads up. Works well as a body wash, but not as well as a shampoo

1 outlet. BestReviews best Bang for the Buck baby wash.

under $15

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mid pick · Bottle

California Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo and Body Wash

Best for dry hair and natural-ingredient fans

Baby Bargains' best for dry hair: an easy-to-rinse, tear-free formula with no sulfates, parabens, phthalates or dyes.

Heads up. Baby Bargains says the tear-free formula didn't work for everyone, and not everyone likes the scent

1 outlet. Baby Bargains best For Dry Hair baby shampoo.

$15-25

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03 Towels

Compare these 3

Pick	Tier	Price	Best for	Evidence
Natemia Ultra Soft Hooded Baby Towel	mid	$25-50	a cute animal-hood towel for bath time	1 outlet
NovForth Kids Hooded Bath Towel Wrap	budget	$15-25	everyday towels with a fun hood	1 outlet
Little Tinkers World Premium Hooded Towel for Kids	mid	$25-50	bigger babies and toddlers	Limited evidence

Best hooded towel

mid pick · One size

Natemia Ultra Soft Hooded Baby Towel

Best for a cute animal-hood towel for bath time

BestReviews' best of the best kids' bath towel: an absorbent Turkish bamboo towel that covers little ones head to toe so they dry quickly.

Heads up. BestReviews flags reports that the material is thin and pills easily

1 outlet. BestReviews best of the best kids' bath towel.

$25-50

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budget pick · Hooded wrap

NovForth Kids Hooded Bath Towel Wrap

Best for everyday towels with a fun hood

BestReviews' best bang for the buck kids' bath towel (best for everyday use): soft polyester that absorbs water quickly, in lots of cartoon designs.

Heads up. May be better for the pool, per BestReviews

1 outlet. BestReviews best Bang for the Buck kids' bath towel.

$15-25

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mid pick · Extra-large

Little Tinkers World Premium Hooded Towel for Kids

Best for bigger babies and toddlers

On BestReviews' kids' bath towel list: an extra-large hooded towel that fully covers kids to keep them warm.

Heads up. The hood takes longer to dry, per BestReviews

Limited evidence. No outlet has named this one yet. It is here as a reasonable option, not a reviewed one.

$25-50

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04 Safety

Best bath thermometer

budget pick · Floating

Dreambaby Room and Bath Baby Thermometer

Best for checking the water before baby goes in

On BestReviews' first-bath list: it quickly and accurately measures the water temperature and doubles as a room thermometer.

Limited evidence. No outlet has named this one yet. It is here as a reasonable option, not a reviewed one.

under $15

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budget pick · Lighted

Famidoc Baby Bath Thermometer

Best for an alarm instead of guessing

On BestReviews' first-bath list: an updated reading every five seconds and an alarm when the water is too hot or too cold.

Limited evidence. No outlet has named this one yet. It is here as a reasonable option, not a reviewed one.

$15-25

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05 Bath

Best rinse cup

budget pick · Cup

Skip Hop Moby Tear-free Waterfall Rinser

Best for the very first hair wash

On BestReviews' first-bath list: a whale-shaped cup whose soft rubber lip rests against the forehead to keep water out of baby's eyes.

Limited evidence. No outlet has named this one yet. It is here as a reasonable option, not a reviewed one.

under $15

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budget pick · Cup

Frida Baby Control The Flow Bath Rinse Cup

Best for newborns who hate water on their face

On BestReviews' first-bath list: a gentle rain side to drizzle water over a newborn's head and a waterfall side for later.

Limited evidence. No outlet has named this one yet. It is here as a reasonable option, not a reviewed one.

under $15

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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me

Questions people ask

How do you keep a baby safe in the bath?

Babylist's guide says never leave your baby unattended in the tub and always keep them within arm's reach, since drowning can happen in just one to two inches of water. The water should feel warm, not hot, so test it with your wrist or finger first, and don't fill past your baby's waist when seated. Make sure the tub can't shift around.

Which baby tub lasts the longest?

Babylist's longest lasting pick is the Lalo Bathtime Starter Kit, which can become a sensory bin or storage container later, but it's heavy. Its budget pick, The First Years Sure Comfort, has three stages and fits most sinks, and its basin pick, the Skip Hop Moby, works from birth to 25 lb.

Is tear-free baby wash really tear-free?

Not always. BestReviews calls Burt's Bees truly tear-free, but Baby Bargains says California Baby's tear-free formula didn't work for everyone. Keep wash away from the eyes anyway; a rinse cup with a soft lip like the Skip Hop Moby helps.

baby bath checklist

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The must-haves

01 Tub