5 Genius Hacks To Grip A Slippery Newborn During Bath Time

This first hack is my absolute favorite because it’s so simple, yet so effective. It uses something you already have in abundance: towels! The secret is not just using a towel for drying after the bath, but using them for grip and comfort during the bath.

The Setup:

You’ll need two items: a standard hand towel and a smaller washcloth.

• Towel One (The Liner): Before you even add water, place the folded hand towel on the bottom of the baby tub or sink. This creates a soft, non-slip surface for your baby to rest on. It prevents them from sliding around on the hard plastic, which immediately makes them feel more secure and less likely to startle or squirm.
• Towel Two (The Gripper): This is the real game-changer. Keep the washcloth dry and nearby. Once your baby is in the water, lay the dry washcloth over their tummy and chest or across their back.

Why It Works:

When you place your non-dominant hand on their back or chest to support them, you’ll be holding them through the washcloth. The fabric, even when it gets a little damp, provides a fantastic textured surface for your hand to grip. It completely eliminates that skin-on-soapy-skin slipperiness. As a bonus, the washcloth helps keep the part of your baby’s body that’s out of the water warm and cozy, reducing fussiness. It’s a win-win for comfort and control.

You might have learned a ‘football hold’ for breastfeeding or carrying your baby around, but a slight modification makes it the gold standard for bath time security. This hold gives you amazing control over your baby’s head, neck, and upper body with just one arm, freeing up your other hand for washing.

How to Do It:

1. Gently slide your non-dominant arm under your baby’s back. Your baby’s head should be resting securely in the crook of your elbow.
2. Spread your fingers wide and wrap your hand around their side, gripping them firmly but gently under their opposite armpit. Your thumb will be on top of their shoulder, and your fingers will be securely holding their ribcage.
3. Their body will rest along your forearm, and you can use your arm to gently lower them into and lift them out of the water.

Why It’s a Game-Changer:

This hold is incredibly stable. By gripping their opposite shoulder and armpit, you create a secure ‘lock’ that prevents them from twisting or slipping sideways. Their head is fully supported, and their body is cradled. It might feel a little awkward at first, so I recommend practicing a few times with a doll or even just outside the tub before your first attempt. Once you master it, you’ll feel like a bath time superhero. Your other hand is now completely free to lather, rinse, and play.

Safety First: No matter how secure your grip feels, never, ever take your supporting hand off your baby or leave them unattended in the water, not even for a split second.

Sometimes, the best hack is a simple piece of gear designed specifically for the problem. If you find your hands are the main issue, becoming slippery as soon as they touch soap and water, then grippy bath gloves might just be your new best friend. Think of them like gardening gloves, but for bathing a baby!

What Are They?

These aren’t your standard kitchen cleaning gloves. Baby bath gloves are typically made from a special, quick-drying material like textured cotton or nylon that provides significantly more friction than bare skin when wet. Some even have little silicone nubs on the palms and fingers for an extra-secure hold.

The Benefits:

• Enhanced Grip: This is the number one reason to use them. They are designed to cut through the slipperiness of soap and water, giving you a confident and firm hold on your baby.
• Dual Purpose: The textured surface is also great for gently washing your baby’s skin. You can lather up the glove and use it as a washcloth, meaning you don’t have to juggle a separate cloth while trying to maintain your grip.
• Peace of Mind: For many parents, just knowing they have this extra layer of security is enough to reduce their anxiety and make the whole experience more enjoyable.

You can find these online or in most baby supply stores. Look for a pair that fits snugly so they don’t slide around on your own hands. It’s a small investment for a huge return in confidence.

Before you invest in a fancy baby tub, let me let you in on a little secret: for the first few months, the kitchen sink is often the best bathtub you can ask for. It’s a classic for a reason, but we can make it even better with a simple addition.

Why the Sink Rules:

• Perfect Height: Bathing a baby in the main bathtub often means kneeling on a hard floor and hunching over, which is a recipe for back pain. The kitchen sink is at counter height, allowing you to stand comfortably and focus all your energy on your baby.
• Contained Space: The smaller, enclosed space of a sink can make a newborn feel more swaddled and secure than the vast expanse of a regular tub.

The ‘Hack’ Part:

The secret to upgrading the sink bath is to use a cushioned, non-slip insert. You can buy specially designed ‘flower’ or ‘cushion’ inserts that fit right into your sink. Alternatively, you can create your own non-slip cradle by taking a thick, plush towel, rolling it into a log, and forming it into a ‘U’ shape inside the sink. Your baby can nestle right into the curve. This prevents them from sliding on the slick sink basin and provides a soft, comfortable surface for them to lie on.

Remember to thoroughly clean and rinse the sink before every use, and be mindful of the faucet—you don’t want your baby to bump into it. But with these precautions, the sink can be your secret weapon for a safe and comfortable bath.

This final hack is a mental one. It’s a system, a simple rule you follow that dramatically reduces the chances of a soapy, slippery hand losing its grip. It involves assigning a specific job to each of your hands and sticking to it. I call it the ‘Dry Hand, Wet Hand’ system.

The Rules of the System:

1. Designate Your Hands: Before you start, decide which will be your ‘Dry Hand’ and which will be your ‘Wet Hand’. Typically, your non-dominant hand becomes the ‘Dry Hand’ (or, more accurately, the ‘Support Hand’), and your dominant hand becomes the ‘Wet Hand’ (the ‘Washing Hand’).
2. The ‘Dry Hand’s’ Job: This hand’s only job is to support the baby. It holds the baby securely using the modified football hold or by gripping them through a washcloth. This hand should not touch the soap. It does not do any washing. It is purely for support.
3. The ‘Wet Hand’s’ Job: This hand does everything else. It gets the soap, lathers the washcloth, gently washes the baby, and rinses them off. If you need to grab the shampoo or a towel, you use this hand.

Why This Is Genius:

By consciously keeping your support hand free of soap, you ensure it maintains the best possible grip throughout the entire bath. The hand holding your precious cargo never becomes the slippery one. It’s a simple mental trick that builds a powerful safety habit. It also makes you more organized and efficient, as you’re not switching tasks between hands. You’ll feel more in control and the whole process will feel smoother and safer.