bathed with love

All day I've been seeing pictures of babies in buckets on various websites but didn't have time to check it out. It almost looked like some kind of Guiness Book of World Records event.

Now that I've had some time to investigate, it turns out those aren't normal buckets - they're actually tubs that are supposed to recreate the womb for newborns and infants and make bathtime easier. They're being sold in the US now, but will parents buy them? Janis McKellar, mother of four and founder of Bathed With Love, started looking for a better way to bathe babies when she was pregnant with her fourth child. She came across a Dutch product that was called Tummy Tub.

Its purpose is to recreate the womb for newborns and actually puts them into the fetal position when placed inside. It's warm and safe, and reportedly loved by babies and parents. While quite popular in Europe and used in many hospitals, Tummy Tubs had yet to make their way to the United States. McKellar got hers from a dealer in Canada and soon began giving them as gifts. Eventually she got the idea that she should sell them from her home, thus creating Bathed With Love.

The tub costs $45 and is made of non-toxic materials. Lest you worry that baby might slip once inside (although it doesn't seem that there is enough room to do so), is has anti-skid material inside. It comes in clear plastic and blue- or pink-tinted plastic. It even has a stand that can be purchased as an accessory so that moms and dads can sit on chairs behind the tub to wash babies.I have to say, it sure does look cute! I don't remember the brand of tub I used when my kids were newborns but I remember it had a hammock that they laid in and dipped into the tub water because of their weight.

I was never comfortable giving them baths until they were several weeks old - they seemed so fragile! When my second child was six months old, we were on a vacation and I had to give her a bath in a bar sink. It was actually ideal: a small, enclosed space that forced her to sit upright. She loved it because she could still splash around and I felt safe because there was nowhere for her to go. The only drawback was a slippery bottom. So yes, if I were to have another baby, I would definitely look into buying a Tummy Tub!