Today was the day for Veronika’s first bath in the tub! With the umbilical stump behind us, I could now fully submerge her in water, which meant it was time to pull out the infant tub.

I highly recommend having a tub that’s sized for an infant at this stage. You’ll need to simultaneously support the head and neck while rinsing with water, plus making sure that the water is the right temperature, so that’s a lot to manage if a baby is in a full-size tub!

I have what appears to be a discontinued infant bathtub from 4Moms, but it worked great with Travis and it was time to see if Veronika loved it too!

A temperature gauge is helpful to avoid scalding an infant’s sensitive skin, but not necessary. You want it warm, but not hot. Always test with your own hand, first!

Once I’d filled up the well with water, Veronika went into a shallow layer of water, where I could wash and rinse, and use the vents to drain soapy water away.

When it comes time to shampoo, I’ve found that both my kids love being held over the sink instead of doing this part in the tub – like a day at the hair salon!

Looking for a good baby shampoo? I’m partial to organic options like California Baby and Earth’s Best, the latter of which was rated the #1 organic pick in a reviews.com sampling of baby shampoos.

What are your bathtime faves with a newborn? Please share in the comments!