Tummy tub opinions, please?

[Kitty81]

Online shopping while pregnant, with large box of chocs and glowing hot debit card... I really like the look of the tummy tub bath, especially as I have a bad back. Friend who knows everything had a baby 5 months ago says they don't look safe, but she thinks nothing looks safe and is a nutter very protective and so I take her with a pinch of salt. Has anyone used them, and could I canvass some opinion? Thanks :)

Both of my two used one although I never trusted to let go of the babies in it.

I loved mine and found it a very calming way to both them, especially DD who had serious gastric reflux but I am talking a fair while ago now as DS is 11 and DD is 7.

DS1 (now 2.6) loved it - he was a very colicky baby in the early months and it always provided a respite from the crying.

DS2 (5 weeks) loves it too.

I reckon it's worth the money and does save your back compared to conventional baby baths / leaning over the side of bath.
Quick, easy and relatively light to fill and empty.

Can't see why it wouldn't be safe, it's not as if you leave the baby bobbing about on their own.

Also pregnant and buying random tat now as we have inherited most things from friends so keen for a few things of our own!! I've just got a tummy tub, at great expense over here in Singapore, but it was the one thing my husband reeeeaaally wanted for bub!! I'm happy to use it as lots of friends loved them, but I was just wondering if anyone who's got one can tell me if you need a baby bath too?! We also have an inherited bath mould thing which baby lies on in our bath apparently, but as complete newbies not sure if those 2 options are ok? Summary of ramble: tummy tub alone ok? Or baby bath needed?!!
Thanks!

I don't see the need for a baby bath as well, the mould thing is useful for if you go away anywhere (although the tub is a useful transport container at times too) but the baby bath just gets in the way.

It was something I was going to buy when I had my first son but never got around to doing it. I never used a baby bath, but bought a moulded bath support it was the best thing I bought.

We have a tummy tub and my DD (4 months) loves it. She jumps up and down and waves her arms in the air! I just gently support her under her chin and use the other hand to give her a wash. I really recommend it.

I looked at the tummy tubs but resisted temptation and used the loaned moulded bath support. It was great. It means you have 2 hands free to wash the baby, grab the towel etc.

wouldn't a bucket be just as good?

I got my tummy tub for around half price on eBay and sold it on again afterwards. It was brilliant and DS loved it straight through from very newborn until I could hardly cram him in it and actually get him washed at the same time. The water surrounds them up to their neck so it's much warmer for them, and babies like to be sat rather than lying on their back which often makes them feel vulnerable. You do need to keep a hand on them at all times, but I would have been doing this anyway so it wasn't an issue for me.
Go get a cheap used one!

DC2 absolutely loved it. Really wish I'd had one for DC1 as he was terrified of the bath.

Had one for DS1 and he loved it from a really early age- DS2 loved it too - great for really colicky days. Kept hand on them under their chins at all times when they were tiny - went from that straight to sitting in bathtub on a mat both times.

I've always bathed with my babies - great way of ensuring the water is a sensible temperature too :) and requires no paraphernalia whatsoever :)

Makes the baby feel really safe too - to be skin to skin with a parent (my OH OFTEN bathed our children when they were small babies - just fab skin-to-skin bonding time for a parent who doesn't have lots of it anyway through breastfeeding

PS Hi Dinky Stinky - haven't seen you on MN for ages - I hope you are all well :) It's 2 years since we were fab febbers - can't believe how fast it's flown by!

Hi Ommward - nice to see you too. Hope your little ones are doing well - it is indeed scary how quickly time has flown by...

I loved mine with both my children and was quite sad to sell it when they were too fat to get into it! Got £10 for it second hand - not bad for a baby bucket.

So is there any reason not to buy a new bucket for say £5 instead?

They are fantastic.

TBH there's no reason why you can't just use a new bucket if you can find one that doesn't have any sharp (to a baby) moulding marks on it. The main advantage of an actual tummy tub over a bucket is that they have a rounded bottom on the inside which must me more comfortable than a flat bottom.

Good points.

Actually, a small tubtrug would probably be ideal, as well as infinitely reusable later. Not sure if they make the right size (about 9 - 13 liter I suppose). We don't have a bath so I use the massive ones for the DC and they are excellent, no sharp bits at all ad reallyt easy to empty.

Ah, here.

Glad I stumbled across this - ESPECIALLY the link to the feed bucket! Combines my two passions nicely! I was thinking £20 odd for a bucket was expensive. Probably one of the only times the word equestrian in a sentence hasn't doubled the price of something!

I love mine and inbetween babies it was a very handy size for soaking clothes covered in bolognese/strawberry juice etc etc.