The Mommy Goods: The First Years Sure Comfort Newborn to Toddler Tub Review and Giveaway

When having a new baby, all parents are overwhelmed with the LENGTHY list of items that you need for a new baby. In reality, we all over buy clothes, gear, and other baby items. But the one thing that you just cannot do without, is a good infant bath tub. For the first few weeks, you will sponge bath your newborn. Then once the baby's cord falls off and heals completely, you can start to bathe baby in the infant bath tub. These tubs are designed to be safer for baby and easier for mom and dad during these itty bitty stages, well before most parents feel comfortable plopping their kid in the big bath tub!

I was contacted by The First Years to review their Sure Comfort Newborn to Toddler Tub. I was thrilled to get this opportunity, not only because I love reviewing items and sharing my knowledge, but because I actually OWN this tub and it is the tub that we used with Miss A. So I actually have a TON of experience with this tub and can speak as to how it performed from the itty bitty stages to the nearly toddler stage when we stopped using it!

When I was pregnant with Miss A, I spent a lot of time on Consumer Reports and reading reviews trying to pick the best and safest baby items for my baby. The bath tub choice was a no-brainer. No other tub got higher reviews or recommendations. Click! This tub was instantly on my registry! Also, infant bath tubs can range in price from $12 to $50 or more! This tub retails around $18 and is available at readily available stores such as Walmart, Target, and Babies R Us. Who can argue with that price and availability!!?? Many people think that the higher the price tag, the better the product, this is one case where that is absolutely not true!!

So on to the tub! This tub comes in Pink or Blue color (love choices!) and comes with a removable padded mesh infant sling. The bottom of the tub is molded so that you can sit the tub in a single or double sink or have it on a table or counter. There is a drain plug in the bottom of the tub which is perfect to easily let the water out of the tub without having to lift/flip the tub to drain and it is made of a special material that changes color to let you know if the water temperature is too hot. On the one end of the tub is a holder for your soap, shampoo, rinse cup, etc.

Using this tub with a brand new baby, with cord stump still on that cannot be submerged.

You can still use this tub for those first baths before baby can actually be in the tub. Many parents, including myself at the time, do not realize this! I laid Miss A on a bath towel on the counter to sponge bath her during those first baths. You can do this, or you can sit baby in the sling in the tub. This way baby is more secure than laying on the counter, and all of your rinse water is just going into the tub. Much less messy!

Using this tub with an infant who's cord has fallen off and can now be in the water.

Since tiny infants lack the head, neck, and back strength to sit up and hold their head up, the infant sling works perfectly to support them and keep them safe in the water. The sling is very stretchy, so when you are filling the tub, be sure to account for the baby sinking into the sling and into the water, do not fill the tub too high. You will slowly learn how much water to put in, but it is always easier to add water than it is to quickly dump some out! The straps are adjustable on the sling so you can raise/lower the baby as they grow and adjust to bath time. The sling also has a padded headrest to keep baby's head comfy and in an ergonomic position. Think hammock, only stretchier and comfier! Our only issue with the sling was a poop issue. We had a couple times when Miss A decided to poop in the tub...oh what a mess! The sling makes for an additional thing to clean before you can get baby back in the bath after an "incident" but it cleans and rinses quite easily and is no trouble to get back into use!

Using the tub for an infant who is too big for the sling but isn't sitting up on his/her own.

One end of the tub is slanted with rubber padding on the back. This is the next step in the tub for infants who are too big for the sling but need to recline. The rubber padding makes the tub comfy and non-slip so that baby doesn't slide down into the water. Miss A loved it when she made it to this step and she could really be in the water and splash! I love the rubber padding and I love that baby can finally stretch out and finally enjoy the water once they get to this phase!

Using the tub for a baby/toddler that can sit up on their own.

This is the last step before graduating out of the infant tub. On the other end of the tub is a seat that sits straight upright with that same non-slip rubber where the tush goes. This is when the fun begins! Miss A loved sitting in her tub, looking around the kitchen, splashing, and having a good time! The rubber padding made it comfy for her to sit in and kept her tush from sliding around! Also, you can place the infant tub into your larger bath tub so that you can fill it higher and still keep them a little safer/comfier than putting them into the big tub. We did this for a long while until she was ready for the big tub.

All in all, this is a great tub! I have recommended it time and time again and I have bought it for numerous baby showers! I only have two complaints, and they will stand true for most any infant bath tub and cannot be counted as specific to this tub. One, the drain plug is a little small and it can take a little bit for the water to drain. Also, not all of the water will drain, and you may have to flip the tub to finish emptying it. And two, the tub is rather large for storage between kids. But again, both of these would be true of most tubs.

I do love the option of using this tub as early as birth. I love the sling that comes with this tub. I love that the tub has so many different options for different ages. And I just love the versatility! This tub sits perfectly in our kitchen sink, it was comfy for Miss A, and easy for both my husband and I to use!

I just got this tub out today (been in storage since we used it with Miss A) and cleaned it up...it looks brand new! No signs of wear or tear. The sling needs washed before Baby J arrives, but it is still in perfect condition! Cannot complain about the life of the tub one bit!!

Total Stars: ★★★★★

Miss A enjoying all stages of her tub...back in the day... *tear*