Summer Infant Warming Waterfall Bath

When we received the Summer Infant Warming Waterfall Bath our daughter was almost 8 months old. We had been using the Summer Infant Right Height Bath Tub since she was a newborn, so we were very used to the Summer brand style. We’ve been really pleased with the Right Height Tub so we were excited to try the new one!

As far as the manual goes, reading and understanding the language in it is so easy! Most of the manual is dedicated to assembly, which is largely described in easy to follow pictures.  Short phrases accompany each picture to further explain how to put it together. To be honest though, you may not even need the manual to put the tub together. It’s pretty intuitive. All in all, assembly requires a Phillips-head screwdriver and two C batteries; it only takes about 5-10 minutes, and then you’re ready to go! The bath looks great when you’re done putting it together.  The patterns and colors are definitely trendy and work well for both girls and boys.
Once it was assembled, we tried out the bath that same night. Even though our daughter isn’t a newborn anymore, we still used the newborn bolster just to try it out. It’s definitely a nice feature, and the supportive padding seems comfortable. The mesh in the center did rub against our daughter’s back whenever she moved. She didn’t seem to mind, but we noticed that her back was a little red when the bath was finished. It is meant for newborns, though. So, maybe if your baby is smaller and less wiggly, you won’t have to worry about that.

If you don’t want to use the bolster, you can still use the waterfall sling. It’s great for babies who aren’t quite able to sit up by themselves yet. The best feature about it, and a really smart move by Summer Infant, is the addition of the warming waterfall. When on, the water from the tub circulates up and flows down onto your baby’s back, keeping him or her rinsed and warm—definitely a bonus feature with this model!

The one thing that my husband and I noticed about the sling was the angle at which it drops seems a little steep. Our daughter sometimes slides when she’s playing in the bath. If the stability lip at the bottom of the sling were taller, the angle may not be as much of an issue and she would most likely be able to stay in the right position. The waterfall sling is definitely useful, but may not be necessary or best for older babies.
Most of the time, we just use the infant tub by itself. She sits well in it and can play and move around as much as she wants. We’ve noticed that the coating applied to the inside of the tub helps to keep her from sliding around when she’s playing, too.
The bath comes with a nice, large washcloth that offers a couple of different functions.  Sometimes we use it to drape over our daughter’s body to keep her warm, and sometimes we use it to wash her. No matter how you choose to use it, it definitely comes in handy. And as an added bonus to the trendier moms out there: It has a cute white and gray chevron pattern on it!

There’s a rinsing cup that comes with the bath as well, which is really nice for us because we were previously using a plastic drinking cup (haha!). That is definitely a step up for us. What is truly great, though, is the parent assist tray that hooks on to the back of the bath. It’s designed to store the rinsing cup and shampoo or any toys you’re using—perfect for keeping the bath organized and free of clutter.

One thing we’ve noticed is that it doesn’t drain completely. The bath’s plug is situated away from our tub drain, so I think the angles of each level each other out and prevent the plug from effectively draining all the water. We end up having to just flip the whole tub and sling upside down in order to make sure all the water is emptied. It’s not a huge deal to have to do this, but it would be nice to be able to simply pull the plug and let it drain on its own.
The bath and waterfall sling are super easy to clean. Just wipe them down with soap and water, and you’re finished. The newborn bolster needs to be hand washed, but the washcloth can just be thrown in your washing machine.
The price is definitely reasonable and is comparable to other baths on the market. All in all, my husband and I like the Warming Waterfall Bath, especially the parent assist tray and the waterfall features. It is a safe and sturdy product, and we will continue to use it.
Price: $50
Where to buy online: summerinfant.com