FAQs

Why use the TummyTub® ?
For nine months your baby feels safe, comfortable and secure in the womb. After birth everything changes for your baby, who suddenly experiences bright lights, new sights and sounds, hunger, gravity and an ever-changing world. The TummyTub® has been developed in cooperation with physicians, midwives and nursery nurses, to ease the transition from the secure environment of the womb to the new world. The unique womb shape helps your baby to relax, and become calm in the familiar fetal position.

How much water should I use?
You decide on how much water you need to bath your baby. The water level markings on the tub are intended only as a guide, as not every baby is the same size. However, in the first few weeks after birth it is important that there is sufficient water to cover your baby's shoulders. This will ensure your baby does not get cold.

How do I hold my baby?
In the "sitting" position the rounded shape of the TummyTub® helps to support your baby. You only need to support your baby's head under the chin. The advantage is that you always have one free hand to wash and comfort your baby. In the "floating" position you have one hand under your baby's chin, the other at the back of the head or you can place both your hands under your baby's armpits.

Is it safe?
Yes! The tummy tub is perfectly safe. It has the TUV German & the UK British Standards safety certifications. It has been designed in such a way that the water creates the stability. It is important to remember that you should never leave your baby unattended while in the TummyTub®. You must always be there to give support and reassurance.

How do I wash my baby in the TummyTub?

Wash your baby from the top down, with the face first, then hair and down from there. You can do the whole bath right in the tub. Use plain water for their face. Use a gentle or organic baby wash that has a pump top for easier dispensing and a natural sea sponge. Use a small cup, sponge, or washcloth to rinse baby's hair. Some parents have told us they prefer to just use a very small amount of a bathtime wash and put it directly into the tub. Then you don’t require any further baby wash and simply use the tub water for hair and body. For washing the groin area, scoop the baby and wash the groin area and then gently seat the baby back in the tub. When your baby is a newborn, make sure the head is well supported on your forearm in the crook of your elbow. As an alternative for the folds in the groin area, especially for those roly poly babies, you can give them a wipe with a damp soapy washcloth before placing them in the tub. Then after you have done their face and hair you can gently wipe the folds while in the tub to complete the bath. This tub is great for getting those notoriously hard to wash folds around the neck. Gently tip your baby’s head back a bit and wash under chin

Is it bad if my baby wants to stand up in the TummyTub®?
No, because as your baby develops the buoyancy of the water will encourage your baby to learn to stand.  It is now being realized that children who are bathed in the TummyTub are learning to walk quicker. It is important to remember that you should never leave your baby unattended while in the Tummy Tub. You must always be there to give support and reassurance.

Is the TummyTub® too narrow?
No, babies enjoy the feeling of security and confinement that the TummyTub® affords.

Is it possible that some bath supplements could destroy the surface of the TummyTub®?

No, this is impossible.

Does the TummyTub® help with gas and colic?

Yes, first you should massage your baby's tummy with some oil in a clockwise direction. Then give your baby a relaxing bath in the TummyTub®. This will certainly help to relieve any pain.

Does the TummyTub® help with sleeping problems?

Yes, a warm and relaxing bath is always soothing if sufficient water at the correct temperature is used. Ensure the water covers your baby's shoulders.

What are the most suitable surfaces for the TummyTub®?

With the TummyTub®, bathing is easy on most surfaces: on a table or counter, on the floor, in any room in your home, at the beach, on a boat, even when camping. It is also perfect to take with you when you go away on vacation. The TummyTub® can also be placed on Two-Step Stool while you sit comfortably in a chair to bath your baby. This will help to prevent you developing backache.

Why can I not use a household bucket?

A household bucket is not designed, and the overall shape is not suitable, for bathing babies safely. Normal buckets don’t have an anti-skid bottom.

• The bottom is not curved and therefore does not give the baby any support. 
• Babies discover their new world by touching with their hands and tasting with their mouths. The pigments in plastic buckets will most likely contain toxic elements, as normal buckets aren’t meant for bathing babies. 
• You can view your baby from all sides, because of transparent material of original TummyTub®. 
• The handle of the bucket can easily hurt the fingers of the baby. It also brings an extra risk, as an older brother or sister could – by holding it – pull the bucket from the table. 
• Normal buckets are too low and narrow. The water level is therefore also too low and the children can’t stay warm. Apart from that mother and child are hindered in their movements.
• Yet, simply using a bigger bucket doesn’t give the child the support and a comfortable sitting position. 
• A normal bucket would never have the TÜV and BSI approval for babybathing.

How do I clean the TummyTub®?

Very easily, with a mild detergent, as you would any baby bath tub. This will also remove any remains of bath oil from the walls of the tub. Do not use abrasive cleaners.

Is the TummyTub® suitable for bathing newborn babies?
Yes, the original The TummyTub® is uniquely designed to make your newborn baby feel secure when bathing. Like in the womb, your baby can still move freely while feeling safe and protected.  You only need to support the baby’s head under the chin with one hand while having the advantage of washing & comforting the baby with your free hand.  In the floating position you have one hand under the baby’s chin, the other at the back of the head, or you can place both hands under your baby’s armpits. After approximately 12 to 16 weeks the baby will have enough strength to support their own neck and you are free to use both hands.  The original TummyTub® is highly recommended for premature babies.

To what age can the TummyTub® be used?
The therapeutic benefits of the TummyTub®, such as easing colic, gas, and giving the reassurance and confinement of the fetal position, are applicable up until about 6 months of age.  However, the practical aspects of the tub last well beyond this stage, and it is the only baby tub one needs before transitioning to the household bath tub.  As with a conventional baby bath tub, many babies prefer using the large tub once they are up and walking. The TummyTub® is safe for babies and toddlers up to age 3. 

What can I do with it when my child grows out of it?
Use it for storage, plants, washing the car – unlike normal baths the TummyTub® can be kept and used for other purposes and it is very easy to store away proving to be a great space saver.

How ecological is it?
Very ecological. It uses less water, saves energy (heating of water), is made out of environmentally friendly materials, +and it is fully recyclable.  The original TummyTub® uses only 1.3 gallons of water on average, approx. 2 1/2 gallons less than conventional baby baths. Therefore, the original TummyTub® saves water and energy! It is easy to carry and kinder to your back (1 1/2 gallons weighs about 11 lbs!). The TummyTub® is lightweight even when full, very important for new mothers, especially after caesarean delivery. After bathtime you can easily carry the TummyTub® outside and water your garden or lawn – no waste of water!

How long will the water remain comfortably warm?
The water will remain at a comfortable temperature for about 20 minutes.

Where is the TummyTub® used?
The Tummy Tub is used extensively in Holland where the idea came from, Germany where it is manufactured, the UK, France, Spain, Poland, Ireland, Canada, Mexico and others.  In fact, in Germany doctors can prescribe the TummyTub® to babies suffering from colic!   It is now being adopted in many maternity hospitals around Europe.

How long has the TummyTub® been around?
The TummyTub® was first introduced in 1996.

Why should I pay extra for the optional stand?
The stand allows you sit while bathing your baby and will help in preventing backache. The stand is multi- purpose in that it can later be used as a stepping stool with two levels for your child as they get older to get up to the bathroom sink and toilet. It can also be used as a storage device for little bathroom items. Just recently some Irish midwives have spotted another use for it – they say it is good as a foot stool for breastfeeding mothers to raise their knees while feeding their baby.

How does the TummyTub® compare to similar European baby tubs?
The Original TummyTub® is the first of its kind and only patented upright baby bath tub in the US. There are several copy-cat European style baby bath tubs now available. Some of these tubs are made in China and the quality cannot come close to that of the German made TummyTub.  The design of the TummyTub is unique in that it closely mimics the shape and confinement of the mother's womb, and is tall enough to keep the baby warm at all times.  Other tubs are too wide or too short, and thus the benefits of the tub are not fully realized.  The TummyTub has unsurpassed safety ratings, comes in 3 colors, and offers a stand....no other "clone" offers these things!