What's the point in a top and tail bowl? Do I need one?

[Madratlady]

Basically what the title says. Is there a point in them that I'm missing?

[LillyofWinchester]

I think most people agree this is a big waste of money. First time mums often buy one and it never gets used. I'd wait until you have your baby, use a plastic tub or bowl instead & save yourself the money to buy your baby a cute outfit instead.

[StormBird]

Sounds to me like just another way to get mums to be to spend extra dosh on things they don't need.
We used a clean mixing bowl or even a clean cereal bowl for DS1.

[Madratlady]

But what's a top and tail bowl for? Why is it divided into two?

I have no intention of buying one by the way but someone is giving one away free on facebook so I wasn't sure if I should ask for it.

[ShadowMeltingInTheSun]

DH bought one when we had DS and it was a complete waste of money.

Normal bowls work just as well.

[ChunkyChicken]

No idea what the purpose is, although I bought one for #1. I used it, although I suspect not 'properly'; I filled one bowl with water & put used cotton wool in the other.

Tbh I wanted to buy a bit of baby 'stuff' as I had been quite level-headed & tried not to get swept up in the hype, carried away with all the magazine essentials, so bought a matching bowl, pail & changing mat. But I think it was a cheap 'mistake' really, as everything else we bought got used over & over...

A normal bowl works just as well though!!

[ilovepowerhoop]

had an unused one with dd and never bought one for ds - waste of money

[Madratlady]

I get that it's a bum wiping thing by the way, I just don't see why it needs to be in two parts.

[ilovepowerhoop]

I think you are supposed to put water in both sides and then one side of water is for the bottom area and the other is for the face area. I used baby wipes instead!

[Munxx]

One side for top and the other for tail, so you are bit putting bits of dried poo on your baby's face.

[ShadowMeltingInTheSun]

What they're for is essentially giving the baby a sponge bath.

The idea is you put warm water into the two parts of the top & tail bowl, wash baby's head / top half with water from one bit of the bowl (using cotton wool or a small cloth), and then wash baby's legs and bottom with water from the other bit of the bowl.

[intheduskwiththelightbehindher]

Agree with shadow - keeps the water separate for washing each end. Any old bowl/two bowls will do.

[ShadowMeltingInTheSun]

Also I don't think the two part thing is necessary so long as you make sure to clean baby's head first and leave baby's bottom till last.

[ChunkyChicken]

If you wash their face first, there isn't any chance of poo going near it.

Unless you use a sponge repeatedly I guess.

[fluffandnonsense]

I used mine all the time! Clean water on one side and dirty used cotton wool on the other.

If you can get one for free then why not have it to hand in case you need it

[FruitSaladIsNotPudding]

One bowl, wash face first, bum last.

[LittleBearPad]

You do NOT need one. I used to put dd on a towel and use wet cotton wool to give her a wipe.

[AnnieLobeseder]

1. to make you spend money uneccesarily
   
2. no
   
   Just use any old tub and wash the top end first.

[flatmum]

god no. just use wetwipes from day 1 (nice ones obviously)

[RunningBear78]

I've seen them used as very convenient receptacles for storing cotton wool balls and other baby cleaning equipment, although I know that isn't what it is for.

Our maternity unit tells people not to bother with one and to use a plastic tub instead.

But if there is one going free ... I reckon it could be good for holding water in one side and cotton wool balls in the other? Depends how far you are washing from a sink/bin etc?

[FoofFighter]

I've got one, cost £2.50 in Tesco, I will be using cloth nappies and cloth wipes though so maybe have more of a use for it than others would. I don't think a butter tub would work for me as it'd be a tad flimsy, this bowl is solid.

If it's free go for it :)

[Madratlady]

i've asked if I can have it. She's giving some left over open packs of breast pads and maternity pads away too. I plan to use reusable nappies, wipes and breast pads in the long run but there's no point turning down free stuff.

[Wibblypiglikesbananas]

Absolutely no idea! On my second PG now and have no idea why these are manufactured in the first place when two small bowls will do the exact same job.

[Quenelle]

I can't understand why people are so against them, I used mine a lot.

My sister recommended it to me. She's a midwife who has had four children and is definitely not the kind to buy all the gear for the sake of it. For example, she advised to wait before getting a changing table to see if we really needed it, and we never did.

I don't know if I used the bowl 'correctly'. I used to have water in one side and the used nappy and liner in the other to take to the toilet and flush away.

[Panzee]

I used baby wipes for cleaning between baths.