I Gave Over 500 Baths in This Baby Bath Tub, and Here’s Why I Recommend It to All Parents

Kids crave routine. As a mother of two, one I’ve sworn by since my girls were newborns is a solid bedtime schedule that starts with a bath. A bath can be soothing and relaxing or fun and playful; most importantly, though, it lets my children know that it’s time to wind down for bed. When both of my daughters were babies, we introduced them to bathing with the Fisher-Price 4-in-1 Baby Tub — one of the parent-picked winners of Cubby’s 2024 Nursery Awards! — and used it well into toddlerhood for each girl.

I recommend this tub to all my friends, as it is an incredible value. It’s well-made, long-lasting, and grows with your child from day one, to, in my case, day 400 or so — and again for a second go-around.

Here’s my review and why I think it should be a go-to item for any new parent.

Let’s start with what I look for in a baby bathtub.

• It has to bathe a newborn baby safely. Safety was my chief concern when selecting a baby bathtub. If you’ve ever bathed an infant, you’ll know they are squirmy and super slippery when wet. I wanted something where I’d be able to bathe my baby effectively and without worry that she’d fall or slouch down too far into the water.
• It won’t slip or move around. Other popular baby bathtubs include little seats with suction cups that adhere to the walls of a larger tub. I thought about buying one, but some of my mom friends warned that it can be a big headache to stay secure. I knew I wanted something different.
• Features that will grow with the baby. Too many baby items are tossed quickly when an infant inevitably outgrows it. I wanted a bathtub that would go the distance, and have features that can work for both infants and toddlers.
• A plug for draining. A drain allows you to empty dirty or cold water while filling it with new, warm water, and to safeguard against what me and my husband call a “code brown,” which is when your baby poops in the bath. When that happens, you’ll want an easy way to drain the water without spilling its full contents out and dirtying another space.

• Name: Fisher-Price 4-In-1 Sling ‘n Seat Baby Bath Tub
• Model: SEE NOTE
• Material: Plastic
• Max weight: 25 pounds
• Dimensions: 30 inches (H) x 18.5 inches (W) x 8.5 inches (D). Will fit most adult tubs and large sinks.
• Features: Drain plug, newborn sling, seat, non-slip
• Also includes: Two toys
• Current price: $37.98 from Walmart

I’ve used this tub countless times over the past four years, for two babies who started in it as infants and bathed daily until around age one. The four-in-one options include a sling that safely cradled my tiny newborns, a chair where they could learn to sit and play securely, an option to lay back against the tub with feet atop the chair, and, finally, using it standalone without the chair. The bathtub always worked exactly as I needed. It never moved or slid around, and truly did grow with both my girls until they were big enough to sit in a regular bathtub. 

I liked that it came with toys, too, adding value to an already long-lasting product that can be used from birth to a year, give or take a few months.

So many things I purchased for my kids were used for months or, worse, weeks only. A brand-new swing didn’t hold interest, play mats were ignored, and clothing outgrown by fast-growing babies.

This bathtub, on the other hand, was used every single day for both kids. That’s a collective two years of use, and in baby furniture terms, about as good as it gets aside from big-ticket items like a crib or dresser.

Here’s what else I loved.

• It’s safe for newborns from birth. For me, giving a baby a bath for the first time was nerve-racking. Babies are so small and wriggly, and placing them into a tub of water had me worried that something might go wrong. Luckily my fears were erased, as this tub came with a soft mesh sling designed specifically for infants. I didn’t have to try and awkwardly position her in a larger tub or strain to hold her under running water.
• We didn’t outgrow it quickly. This tub grew with my children. From the infant swing to the supportive seat that can be used two ways, this bathtub works for infants, babies, and toddlers up to 25 pounds. Each of my children used this tub from birth, for a full year.
• It has clever features. For example, a padded cushion on one end of the tub protects the baby’s neck and head so they can lay back with their head against the tub with their feet propped up on the chair. This creates almost a mini tub for kiddos who are too small to sit in the seat or tub but too big for the newborn sling. I also like the small green hook. I’ve used this to hang up the tub in the shower to dry it out after using it.
• The toys are a fun addition. No kid wants to bathe without toys, and the addition of two as part of this purchase was a real perk. One is a little whale that drains water, and the other is a squeeze bottle for rinsing or playing. My kids have graduated from the tub, but still play with the accompanying whale toy, and the large squeeze bottle remains helpful when washing off both girls.
• The tub never slips or slides. All I had to do was place this tub inside my regular bathtub and it was good to go. It’s so sturdy, we’ve even put the baby bathtub into a filled larger bath where our older daughter was bathing so they could “take a bath together.” Even with the larger tub half full of water around the Fisher Price one, the baby bath didn’t move. Likewise, the sling and baby seat insert have never scooted an inch while in use.
• I can use it anywhere. While I primarily used it inside my large spa tub, I’ve also brought it along on travels and placed it in the shower or even on the bathroom floor. It’s highly portable.
• The tub is well-made. After two kids, some toys show their age or break down. Aside from some water staining (see below) this tub works just as it did on day one.

Overall, I loved this tub. I wouldn’t have used it for two kids if I didn’t. But there are a few things I noticed that I’d tell any friend thinking about buying it. 

• It was susceptible to mold. The two included toys are cute, but the lid for the bottle broke off pretty quickly and the bottle grew mold somewhat easily. To avoid mold, be sure to dry it completely after bathing. We also cleaned it in our dishwasher when it got grimey.
• The baby tub became easily stained from hard water. We cleaned it thoroughly but were not able to remove it entirely. Keep this in mind if you’re worried about aesthetics and your home has hard water.
• After several years, the warning signage has worn off with bits of paper coming into the water. This isn’t totally uncommon, given that the tub gets wet regularly, and it’s also likely because we submerged it into another water-filled tub to have our girls take baths together, but it’s worth noting.
• The tub itself is fairly large. We place it inside the large spa-like adult tub in our primary bedroom, but it might be a snug fit inside smaller bathtubs. We’ve used it in a standard tub, too, but I definitely prefer using it in a larger one, when possible. And we’ve brought it on road trips where we had extra room to throw it in the car, but it’s too large to travel with otherwise.
• The drain can be a bit slow. Most of the time, because we were bathing babies inside another tub anyway, we’d just flip the entire thing over rather than rely on the drain to empty all the water.

Buy it: Fisher-Price 4-in-1 Sling ‘n Seat Tub, $37 from Walmart