Summer Deluxe Baby Bather Pink Butterfly

I had decided upon using one of these deluxe baby bathers before my daughter was born. I had thought about using a normal baby bath, but I couldn't get to grips with the thought of only holding my daughter with one arm whilst trying to wash her. The thought actually scared me. I was so worried that she would slip out of my arm, being a first time mum I didn't know what it would be like but I was terrified.

I decided to try and find an alternative to the normal small plastic bath and opted for the deluxe baby bather. The colour I chose was pink and it was embellished with flowers in a darker shade of pink. It was very pretty to look at but I wouldn't have been bothered what it looked like as long as it protected my daughter.

The bather does not require any form of assembly; it is all put together in the box and is small and compact for ideal storage. It folds in half and once opened to form the bather it is securely fixed open so there are no risks of the bather closing once the baby is inside. The bather is made from a mesh material to allow water to come through the underneath. Despite it looking like a rather thin material it is very strong and feels sturdy. There is also a detachable head rest for the baby this provides comfort as well as having the ability to protect the baby's head and keeps it from slipping to the side. This is made from a different material to the initial bather; in the middle there is a soft and almost spongy material which resembles the texture of a flannel. Around the outside of this is cushioned to keep the baby's head in place. This is covered with a plastic type material.

The bather is designed for newborn babies up until they are able to sit unaided, this age can vary but generally it is around 6 months old. Ours cost £15 pound from babies R us, however the price can vary depending on the type of bather you buy as they come in different ranges and styles.

Once my daughter was born I didn't use the bather immediately, whilst in the hospital the midwife's shown me how was best to bathe her and they suggested that we were best using the bog standard plastic baby bath. I had a go at bathing her for the first time in the hospital and I was literally unable to let go of her to wash her, it was like my arms were locked in place. If I had gotten any closer to her I would have been in the bath with her. She just felt so slippery and I was really scared that I was going to drop her. I don't know if this was because of my panics about this before she was born or if she really was slippery but in the end I had to let the midwife finish of her bath.

Once home I did not take the midwife's advice of using a plastic bath as I didn't feel comfortable with those. I had seen those tub things, but personally I didn't like the look of them, I can't deny that they look safe but I actually thought it looked awkward. For the first couple of weeks I opted for sitting in the bath with my daughter whilst my partner washed her. This worked for me but was not totally practical.

After a couple of weeks I was starting to relax and started to feel a lot more comfortable holding my daughter, I think really that it just took a couple of weeks for my motherly instincts to set in, she was just so small and fragile I would panic about everything.

One night I decided to give the bather a try, I wasn't really worrying or panicking or anything like that so I felt comfortable using it. I didn't fill the bath up too full so the water was just starting to show through the mesh material. Upon placing my daughter in it I was rather satisfied at the security it provided her. She felt secure in it, her head was held in place and the mesh sinks into the baby's shape so it's not like lying flat or sitting up either it was just secure. I kept hold of her with one arm just to be sure but I was easily able to wash her and for the first time she was able to see the pretty pink duck that her nana had kindly bought her. She had both of her arms free without mine being in the way to be able to hold (and try to eat) her duck.

The bather has two seat positions, they are not that different but one is a little bit lower than the other. It also has a none slip base which works incredibly well as ours never slipped, it does have to be pressed down securely however before you put your baby inside.

After a few more weeks I was able to put my daughter in the bather without holding onto her, I have never had any problems with it quality and safety wise. I do however have one small problem with it. Like I previously mentioned the water just covers the base of the bather and does not cover a baby like a normal bath would. This is not a huge problem but as my daughter was a January child it was extremely cold. This was easily dealt with though as we would heat the bathroom up for at least an hour before bath time to ensure it was warm enough.

I would definitely recommend the deluxe baby bather; it is safe, easy to use and keeps your hands free making washing a lot easier. It also means no fuss of introducing to your baby to the big bath if they are used to being in a smaller one as I have been told by a few people that this can be upsetting and scary for babies.