The anticipated arrival of a newborn leaves parents-to-be with mixed feelings. While some days you would be ecstatic about meeting a mini-you, you might also feel anxious and worried at the same time.
Are you making the right decisions to prepare your home for your little one? If that’s what’s on your mind, you’re not alone. Thousands of parents struggle with choosing basic amenities for their newborns, and many brands don’t make the decision easier.
To ease your dilemma, we’re here to help you make bath time comfortable, easy, and safe for your newborn. Here are some tips for purchasing the perfect baby bath towel.
Does Your Baby Need A Special Towel?
We know what you’re thinking. Why can’t my baby use the same brand of towels we currently use? Do babies need unique bath towels, or is it just a new trend?
Believe it or not, low-quality towels can adversely affect your baby’s health. The wrong towel can become a nightmare, from defective materials leading to skin conditions to bacterial accumulation exposing your little ones to diseases.
Think about it this way. A baby has recently arrived from the safety of your womb and is still developing the immunity to fight bacteria and ailments in the outside world. Moreover, you wouldn’t want that baby-soft skin to be scratched or damaged in any way, right?
The best way is to invest in a high-quality anti-bacterial towel like Mizu towels.
Also read: How a Japanese Bath Towel Could Be the Best Gift for This Christmas Eve!
What are the Tips to Buy a Perfect Baby Bath Towel
Now that you have added a unique baby bath towel to your shopping list, you’re probably searching through all the potential options online. However, with each brand marketing itself as the best possible option, it can get tricky to make the right purchase.
Don’t worry; these five tips will help you evaluate each option so you can easily select the right towel for your baby.
1. Go for High Quality
Most people make the mistake of shopping cheaply and regretting later. So whenever you come across an astonishingly cheap baby product, remember it costs less for a reason.
On the other hand, quality comes at a price—for example, Mizu towels from premium Japanese craftsmanship techniques from Imabari.
So, if you have enough means to invest in impeccable quality, you should choose the best products available for your baby. Here are the main aspects to look for when assessing the quality of a baby towel.
Material
Whatever you do, don’t go for those synthetic polyester bundles for your bundle of joy. Instead, go for natural fibers that treat your little one’s sensitive skin with love and care.
Besides that, it is also essential to look for the finishing products used on natural materials. For example, some companies use harsh chemicals and silicones that soften their towels only before the first few washes.
However, some towels, such as Mizu towels, are made from soft fibers that have antibacterial properties and become softer after every wash.
As a rule of thumb, go for a hundred percent pure cotton yarn towel finished with eco-friendly products for your baby.
Weight
Another way to assess the quality of a towel is by checking the weight or GSM. GSM, or grams per square meter, lets you measure the density of a towel. This way, you can even check the feel of a towel when ordering online.
A good towel should have a GSM of atleast 420-600. Also, ensure the towels aren’t too heavy, as they can be strenuous for your baby’s delicate body.
2. Get The Premium Feel
Come on; it’s your baby we’re talking about. Of course, you want your baby to love bathtime. Otherwise, it becomes a daily ordeal.
Softness
Softness is a primary aspect of getting a premium feel from your baby bath towel. If you’re purchasing online, check customer reviews as well. This way, you can be sure how soft the towel remains after a few washes.
Besides that, if you’re looking for luxurious materials that feel velvety soft, you should go for Japanese cotton, Pima, or Rayon. As mentioned above, ensure that the towels are finished with skin-friendly products so that the softness lasts long.
Absorbency
A towel with a subpar absorbency rate simply won’t do its job correctly. Along with that, it won’t feel as good on your baby or toddler’s skin. That’s why you ensure you check the manufacturing details of each towel you check out so that it has a reasonable absorbency rate.
Towels made out of organic and high-quality materials glide over the newborn’s skin and skim away any access moisture so you can treat them with protective moisturizers. However, low absorbency can leave a layer of unwanted bacteria and water droplets that can harm your little one.
3. Choose Protection
This is another vital feature of your baby towels. This ensures your baby’s optimal health. Why does a towel need to have that? Believe it or not, where there’s moisture, many bacteria breed on the surface.
If these organisms contact your baby’s skin, they can lead to skin irritation and even expose them to new diseases. Here’s how to check the protective properties of a baby towel.
Anti-Bacterial
The ideal baby towel should have good anti-bacterial properties. For example, Mizu towels are woven from natural silver-infused fibers that make them antibacterial. Similarly, color-changing strips alert you when the towel is contaminated and needs to be washed.
This way, you can protect the weak immune systems of your babies by providing optimal care. Remember, you don’t need to wash your towel every day. With good antibacterial properties, your towels can repel bacteria long enough to reduce washing and help them last longer.
Quick-Drying
A wet towel can become a breeding ground for bacteria and foul odor. So, the best bath towel for your baby is the one that dries quickly and smells fresh during subsequent use.
Towels made of polyester and other synthetic materials have difficulty drying out quickly, while organic materials can rapidly dry off.
4. Select Form with Function
Apart from completing your due diligence about the functionality of your baby towel, it is also essential to check its design and making. Whether you want the towel to fit your nursery decor or merge it into your baby shower theme, you must select the right design.
Here are some things to consider when selecting baby-friendly towel designs.
Prints
Baby towels should be colorful, but you should avoid highly vibrant colors as they’re usually achieved with a high amount of dyes. Instead, go for soothing pastels engraved with your baby’s favorite characters.
Attractive towels can catch your baby’s attention and help tame them for the after-bath routine.
Dimensions
Should a baby towel be the same size as an adult towel? Unfortunately, no. Apart from the GSM, you should also choose a small-sized towel that covers your baby entirely while providing a snug fit.
Hooded Design
A hood is the most underrated feature found in most baby towels. While it may not make a difference for some parents-to-be, it can make bath time easier for you.
The hood can fit onto your baby’s head right out of the bath and protect them from the cold draught. Not only can this protect them from catching colds, but it can also help dry their hair quickly and keep them snugly covered in the towel even if they’re moving around.
5. Go for Easy Maintenance
Taking care of a baby is easy. If that’s the ONLY thing, you do all day. It might seem insignificant, but choosing an easy-maintenance towel to minimize your everyday labor will go a long way.
Machine Wash Friendly
The downside of organic materials is that manufacturers mainly mention handwash instructions with their products. Unfortunately, that won’t do if you’re looking for a solution that could save you time.
Meaning you’ll need a premium-material towel that is machine washable, just like Mizu towels. Besides that, ensure you can wash the towel with any detergent. This way, you won’t need to buy special detergent for washing delicates and throw the towel with all your other dirty baby clothes.
Highly Durable
Buy the wrong towel the first time, and you’ll be scrolling on the internet whenever your baby needs a new towel. Therefore, selecting a durable and reliable towel reduces restocking, so you can be concern-free for long periods.
Apart from the material, the construction of the towel also plays a vital role in helping it last longer. Rather than the usual one-ply towels, you can use two-ply designs that are more durable and last the test of time.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, you should consider the quality, feel, protection, maintenance, and design of a towel to make the right purchase. In addition, you might need help selecting a product that ticks all the boxes within your budget.
However, if you’re determined to settle for nothing but the best for your baby, some brands care for you as well. So, assess the manufacturing details, weight, dimensions, and product reviews if you’re shopping for a baby bath towel online. Happy parenting!
Also read: Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Antibacterial Bed Sheets In This Festival Season Sale