Fisher Price Aquarium Bath Center -- Bathtime fun for mom and baby!!
Written: Apr 05 '06
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Easy to put together and clean, infant is secure in hammock, neck pillow, toys
Cons: Costs about $5 - 10 more than other infant tubs
The Bottom Line: If you are looking for a bathtub for your baby, look no further. Once again Fisher Price exceeds expectations with their Aquarium Bath Center.
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| gatorgirlie's Full Review: Fisher Price Aquarium Bath Center |
Those of you who have been reading my recent reviews know I have been on a research-o-rama for about a year (since I found out I was pregnant). This product had yet to hit stores when I registered for a bathtub, so I just decided to pick First Years Tub-to-Seat Bath Complete (review to come). Someone bought it for me, and I eagerly put it together while waiting for my expectant bundle to arrive. Short story: it sucked. Aidan moved a lot during bath time (even sponge baths) and he slid all over that darned tub. I hated it, he hated it... we both dreaded bath time.
Finally I gave up and threw the thing in the trash and went searching for another bathtub. On Fisher Price's website (http://www.fisherprice.com), I found the Aquarium Bath Center and decided it was the tub for me. About a week later I finally located the stupid thing (it was brand new at the time) and brought it home. Let me tell you, the Aquarium Bath Center has made bath time a fun and enjoyable experience for Aidan and I -- I wish I had it from day 1!!!!
Company and Bathtub Information
Website: http://www.fisherprice.com -- this website is great!!
Retail price: $29.99
Available at: Wal-Mart, Target and Babies R Us (among the many stores that have it)
From Fisher Price: Make bath time more comfortable for you and baby with the Aquarium Bath Center that grows with baby from newborn to toddler! The unique hammock supports and cradles your newborn comfortably and safely. As baby grows, the hammock can be adjusted to hang from the narrow end of the tub to provide reclining support. When your toddler needs more room, he can sit at the wider end of the tub. Soft arm rests provide extra comfort for mom or dad. Lots of bathtime accessories and an infant head support included.
INCLUDES:
**Two bathtime toys that can attach to the bathtub
**A hammock to provide support for even the littlest of babies
**A neck support pillow
**Soft arms on the edges of the bathtub to make life easier for mom
**A drainage spout on the bottom of the tub
My Opinion
I love this bathtub -- it's what first attracted me to the Fisher Price brand. I'm going to go through and compare it to the First Year's Tub...
This is a very basic product -- a clear blue plastic tub that includes a hammock (in the Aquarium design), pillow and a few water toys that can attach to the side of the tub. Installation is quick and simple. You have to attach a bar to the bottom of the tub (to keep the tub stable if you use it in a sink), you have to attach the rubber toy holder (this just snaps into place), and you have to hang the hammock. The hammock is a breeze to hang and unhook -- all you have to do is slide clips onto the side of the tub and viola! Hammock hung! Installation of the First Years tub (hereafter referred to as FYT) was a pain because you had to attach a pull-out tray to the bottom of the tub, as well as a lap bar.
So lets talk about safety and ease of use... As I said before, Aidan has always been a little wiggle-worm. Throw in some soap and a little water, and viola... you have a very slippery, slidey, movey little munchkin. He was a breeze to wash while holding him and spongebathing him, but once his umbilicle stump fell off... whew. The FYT claims to have a matt that prevents your little one from sliding all over... they lie. In addition, the FYT was difficult to use on sinks because it rocked (very unstable) and the tub was tall (which meant that my 5'4'' frame had a hard time reaching in to wash Aidan). So what is different with the Aquarium Bath Center?
First off, they have that little hammock which can be strung up two ways. You can attach all four clips to the tub and have it completely suspended (as in the picture), or you can just use the top two clips and have the top part propping your little one up. Once your child gets old enough, you can ditch the hammock and use the wider part of the tub to bath your baby. The hammock can be used in the suspended position until your child is around 10 pounds (according to the manual). This is one of the best ways to bath your newborn -- Aidan was always safe and secure in the hammock. I didn't worry about having to prop him up and hold his head while he was squirming and sliding around the tub. This truly made bathing him a breeze. When he outgrew this method, I simply started using the hammock in the sitting (reclining) position. The Aquarium Bath Center's hammock still keeps him in one general spot -- I've never felt scared or nervous that he was sliding around. In addition, it has a great little pillow so he stays comfortable and his neck stays supported.
The Aquarium Bath Center is a breeze to use on sinks because of the bar on the bottom that provides a stable surface on your kitchen sink. The tub also has lower sides than the FYT, so it is easier for shorter people to use. Fisher Price has also been considerate enough to include soft cushions on the side of the tub so it won't hurt your arm when you are leaning in (especially when you place the tub inside your bathtub).
How about the drainage plug? The FYT had a little nozzle on the side of the tub that Aidan kicked out at LEAST three times during every bath. That was royally annoying. The Aquarium Bath Center has a flat plug on the bottom that is impossible to kick out. However, if you are using the bath center in your tub (like me) it is IMPOSSIBLE to drain it. The drain is on the bottom of the tub, so you just have to dump it out at the end of the bath (hey, at least I don't have to refill it three times).
The toys are cute -- one is a little fish-shaped cup, and the other is a little cup with holes poked in it. They aren't really "toys," but Aidan giggles whenever I use the "shower cup" on him... and the fish-shaped cup makes it easier for me to bathe him.
How about easy to clean? You betcha! All you have to do is rinse the tub out after each use, rinse the hammock and hang it to dry. No bleach, no chemicals, no washing machine... just rinse and dry.
Final Thoughts...
Before I switched tubs, bathtime was filled with anxiety. Aidan screamed the whole time, he slipped he slid... he went ballistic. Once I bought Fisher Price's Aquarium Bath Center, he stopped. Now bathtime is filled with giggles and splashes rather than screams. I believe he didn't feel safe and secure with the First Years Tub and was letting me know it. Seeing as he hasn't cried ONCE since I switched to the Bath Center, I think he feels MUCH safer in Fisher Price's model.
Pros
*Easy to clean
*Easy to put together
*Nice hammock that safetly and securely holds your child during bathtime
*Soft pillow for extra head and neck support
*Bath toys
*Soft cusions on the sides of the tub for mom's arms
*Tub will last for a while, until the baby is ready for the real bath tub
*Felt very safe and secure while using it in the kitchen sink
*Baby can't kick the drainage plug out
Cons
*It does cost about $5 - $10 more than other infant bath tubs (but completely worth the cost)
*The drainage plug is on the bottom. This is fine if you are using the sink to bathe baby, but you can't drain the tub if you are using it IN a bathtub.
Overall Recommendation
If you have an infant and you need a bathtub, this should definitely be the one you buy (or register for)!!
Recommended:
Yes
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gatorgirlie
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Location: Orlando, FL
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