Prince Lionheart washPOD

“Look at our new baby bathtub!”
“It’s a bucket?”
“It’s a bathtub that simulates the feeling the baby has inside the womb.”
“So, it’s a fancy bucket.”

That was the conversation my husband and I had when I first brought the Prince Lionheart washPod into the house. I knew I’d have a hard time convincing him that this bathtub was worth trying out, but I’m always up for an adventure.

The washPod has many more features than the standard 5-gallon bucket you can buy at your local home improvement store. It is sturdy, with ergonomic handles on the sides, a cushion for the bottom, and a hard-to-tip design that makes it look safe and comfortable. It comes in either white or blue. The label says it’s made for babies 0 to 6 months, and the size seems to reflect that—my 2-month-old fits in it comfortably, but a friend’s 7-month-old is a little too big for it to be effective.

The directions come with pictures, but you’ll still want to read the instructions first (especially if you’ve never used a pod-like bathtub before). It took both my husband and I several minutes to determine that the water needs to be at nipple-level when the baby is in the washPod.

The bather comes with two water-level stickers that you can place on the outside of the tub to determine how much water to fill it with next time, which I found helpful. However, as your baby grows, the level will have to change, so two stickers may not be enough. One of my favorite parts is that It’s easy to dump out the water once bath time is over without spilling a bunch of water all over the counter or bathroom floor.

The washPod has some benefits over a “standard” infant bathtub: The water stays warmer longer, and the baby is held in an upright position with a foam pad underneath. It’s easy to bathe the baby quickly and safely. My 2-month-old fit comfortably in the pod and really seemed to enjoy it.

The small size of the tub makes it easy to fit into the kitchen sink (and also easy to store!), but doesn’t lend itself to using any bath toys. The picture on the side of the tub has a woman sitting on the floor while bathing her baby, but my back began to hurt when I tried to use it in that position.

Overall, I think this is a unique baby tub that’s easy and efficient to use—what more could you ask for?

Price: $30
To buy: amazon.com