Baby registries and “must-have” lists can make bath time look like it needs a whole shopping trolley of gear. In practice, the essentials list is much shorter than it looks.
The genuine essentials
- A baby bath or bath insert — supports a newborn safely in a small amount of water, until they’re steady enough for the family bath.
- A gentle, tear-free wash — one good all-purpose formula like our Soft Bath covers hair and body for a newborn.
- A soft hooded towel — keeps baby’s head warm the moment they’re out of the water.
- A washcloth or two — for face and top-and-tail cleaning between full baths.
- A bath thermometer (or your elbow) — either works, but a thermometer takes the guesswork out early on.
Nice to have, but genuinely optional
- A dedicated shampoo — handy once there’s more hair to manage, like our Baby Shampoo, though a 2-in-1 wash covers this early on.
- Bath toys — more useful once baby is older and can sit up and play.
- A specific baby moisturiser — useful if skin runs dry, not something every baby needs after every bath.
What you can skip
Most newborns don’t need bubble bath, scented products, or a large collection of different washes. A single gentle formula, used consistently, does the job for the vast majority of babies — you can always add something more targeted later if a specific need comes up.
You can see everything mentioned here on our shop page.
