While Ashley is getting ready for baby number 2, she’s revisiting all her favorite things for pregnancy, baby, and toddler. To kick things off, she’s sharing a few of her favorite clean and nontoxic formulas for bathtime.
As you know, I love a good ritual. I think rituals are important for babies and toddlers, too. Having a bedtime routine helps them wind down after a busy day of play and learning, and it’s an opportunity for family bonding. In our house, Jupiter’s bathtime is a highlight of the evening. No matter how busy I am, I always make an effort to be there for bathtime — it’s always a highlight of my day. These are a few of the clean bath and body items I love for babies and toddlers.
Since I personally love a good spa bath, I make Jupiter’s bath time as spa-like as possible, and that means eucalyptus. Frida Baby’s BreatheFrida Vapor Bath Drops are really helpful when Jupiter’s congested from a cold, but I use them even when she’s well. A few drops in the bath make the whole space smell amazing.
We use Wiley Baby Body Bubble as body wash and shampoo—I love a multitasking product. Then, since Jupiter’s hair is becoming curlier as she gets older, we use Tubby Todd conditioner. After applying it, I brush it through with a wet brush that we picked up at Disneyland. It’s shaped like Forky from Toy Story, which is genius. No curly-haired kid likes to get their hair brushed, but Forky makes it more of a playtime thing than a chore. We finish things up with a few sprays of Pipette Leave-In Detangler.
After Jupiter’s bath, she gets a little massage with Tubby Todd Everyday Lotion. We’ve been doing this since she was really little, and it’s just the best. Also, Jupiter has eczema, which can flare up after her swim class or a bath. We use Tubby Todd All-Over Eczema Ointment —it’s super rich and creamy, and made with colloidal oatmeal — for a soothing spot treatment.
By far, one of my favorite lines for babies and toddlers is bāeo. It’s a company founded by moms, and their formulas are clean and beautiful. We use their Bare Kiss lip balm and Bare Face balm. Right now I’m stocking up on Bare Butter in advance of the baby’s arrival. It works really well as a diaper rash cream because it’s transparent, so you can see if your baby has any irritation. What’s really cool is that the products are gentle enough for babies but useful for the whole family. (I used Bare Butter as a nipple cream when I was breastfeeding.)
We have a few daytime getting-ready rituals, too. In the mornings, I apply Pipette Mineral Sunscreen to Jupiter’s skin. It has SPF 50, so I feel confident that she’s getting good protection. We’re very loyal to it. Once, Jupiter actually got a rash by using someone else’s toddler SPF. I don’t know what was in it, but we stick with Pipette now.
And finally, Chris and I are teaching Jupiter how important it is to wash her hands. When we’re heading to the park, I toss a set of Goodnest Magic Wash Sheets in my bag. All you have to do is add water and it becomes a gentle but effective hand soap. It’s a great way for her to feel like a big kid who’s “in charge” of keeping her hands clean—even if she’s still young enough to do bathtime with Mom every night.