Let’s face it, your bathroom isn’t exactly set up for comfort. While the tiled floor and other hard surfaces may be easy to clean, they offer little in the way of cushioning. Especially if you need to kneel on the floor.
And once your baby moves from his plastic baby bathtub to the big tub, that’s exactly what you will be doing.
I remember the first time I knelt alongside my baby as he happily played with his bath toys in the bubbly water. I knelt there quietly, speaking up every so often when his inner Spiderman would emerge and he would attempt to climb the edges of the tub. keeping your baby safe in the bath is a full-time job!
While my little one probably only splashed about in the bathwater for about 15 minutes, kneeling there was almost unbearable. I would constantly shift position, trying to take pressure off my achy knees. But no matter how I positioned myself, I was unable to be both comfortable and be in a position where I could see my baby. Kneeling was the best compromise.
And to top it all off, the next day I woke up with bruises on my knees!
Okay, so my bruises were not as bad as in the picture above, but they were still pretty darn tender.
Turns out that all my body weight pushing down on my knees combined with the tiled floor did a number on my knees. The bathmat did nothing to help cushion them.
Following this painful experience, I would roll up bath towel to provide my knees with some extra padding while bathing the little one. My knees immediately felt relief.
But there was just one problem…
My baby is the CEO of water distribution. And he is VERY good at his job. Each and every bath time he makes sure at least 50% of all water that started in the tub is splashed all over the floor.
My extra absorbent towel did its job and soaked up every last drop of water that came its way. At the time I didn’t have a dryer and I had to replace the towel after each and every bath. And it left me with a pile of wet towels to deal with. More work. And as a new mom, I didn’t need it. Plus, wet towels just feel gross.
See... Look at all that extra work!
So, sick to death of listening to me complain; my clever hubby surprised me one day with a bath kneeler. It was a Cushnee branded one (I don’t think they are around anymore). And the difference it made on my knees was amazing.
The padding was soft, it dried quickly and it had a clever non-slip underside so that it wouldn’t slide around even with an inch of water on the floor.
And the best part is, you will still find a use for a bath kneeler once your kids have grown. My neighbor actually uses one for bathing his dog! I plan on using mine for kneeling in the garden, so I don’t get dirt on my knees when I’m weeding the plants.
A bathtub kneeler is designed to provide you with a comfy area to rest your weary knees alongside your bathtub….
Then when I was out shopping for a new hooded towel for junior (Yes, I am that mom that dresses her kid’s up cute while they are little.)
After using the Puj Bath Kneeler, I became aware of a problem with all the other kneelers I had tested. Their kid-friendly colors. Which is odd. I mean, a bath kneeler is for Mom or Dad. And baby barely looks at, much less use it. So what gives with the mishmash of colors that would clash with even the most flamboyant bathroom décor?
The plain design of the Puj bath kneeler just makes sense. Whether it is on the floor or hanging up to dry, it barely looks out of place in the bathroom.
And isn’t it thick and luxurious? Out of all the kneelers I tested, Puj offered the most padding.
Like with all bath kneelers, it has a non-slip back. The Puj bath kneeler wouldn’t go anywhere, even with me wiggling around in the flood zone that my bathing baby had created.
The outer surface is made from neoprene (like what a wetsuit is made from), it is somewhat water resistant and dried quickly – I wasn’t worried about mildew forming! And to aid the drying process, a small loop allows you to hang the kneeler on your towel hook.
Even my husband loved it. He complained that my previous bath kneeler did not have space for him to spread his knees, which was important because he is carrying “some extra equipment down there.”
Whether you are male or female, the Puj Pad gives you room to spread your knees. Measuring 19.5” at the longest point gives you more than enough room to get comfortable.
The Puj Bath Kneeler is my top pick. There is a whole lot to love with an adult-friendly design, sturdy construction, and comfortable padding. Highly recommended!
Okay, I know cute is subjective. And I might be a little biased because I also own the other whale themed items in the skip hop set. But gosh darn it if this isn’t the cute bath kneeler around. Short for Moby Dick, the Skip Hop Moby promises your knees a whale of a time.
Again, made from neoprene (odd how all my top picks are made of the same stuff), the Skip Hop Moby Bath Kneeler is comfortable and dries quickly. A yellow strap allows you to hang the kneeler from your towel bar or shower bar to encourage drying.
Flipping the kneeler over reveals a non-skid surface which, like the Puj Pad, prevents it from sliding around your wet bathroom tiles.
Now there is a downside to the cute whale design. This bath kneeler asymmetrical, that is to say, one side of the bath kneeler is not the same as the other.
I found that I was much more comfortable resting my knees on the whale's face than the tail side. And if I wanted to face the other direction I would have to flip the mat around.
While Skip hop also makes a penguin bath kneeler which is a little more symmetrical, I just didn’t find it as cute.
If you are a new parent who is trying to make every room as cutesy and baby appealing as possible then the Skip Hop Bath kneeler is more than up to the task. And it cushions your knees too!
A Bath Kneeler caddy combines an elbow rest, storage area, and bath kneeler into one handy product. This is the Rolls Royce of bath kneelers.
At the top, you have an elbow rest. While it isn’t padded, it does soften up the hard edge of your bathtub, giving you a comfortable area to rest your arms.
In the middle of the Aquatopia Deluxe are three storage pockets. When it comes to bath time, there are three products I use don’t want my baby to play with. Shampoo, soap and bubble bath.
By hiding these essential bath time products in the pockets, my baby isn’t tempted to play with them (out of sight, out of mind) all the while being within easy reach.
And at the base of the Aquatopia Deluxe is the padded kneeler. At 23” wide it is one of the most generously sized kneelers around. And the padding is soft enough for even the frailest of knees. Grandmas included!
You can even fold up the kneeler using the Velcro loops allowing you to leave the kneeler attached to your bathtub without it being a tripping hazard.
Like my top pick, the Aquatopia deluxe is made from neoprene and dries quickly and you don’t have to worry about it slipping off your bathtub, it attaches with large suction cups.
But there are a couple of flaws that I feel are worth mentioning. While the design is great, it definitely isn’t a “one size fits all product”. While it works fine for standard tubs, deeper bathtubs don’t work so well. Fortunately, you can separate the kneeler from the elbow rest/pocketed section if you need to. Oh, and the piece that hangs over the edge of your tub can even be machine washed.
And while the fold-away design does help keep an otherwise bulky product compact, it prevents you from storing anything large (such as shampoo bottles) in the pockets.
Even so, the Aquatopia Easy Kneeler is a worthy investment for those of you looking for an all-in-one comfort solution for your bathtub.
Now a bath kneeler is definitely “nice to have” rather than an essential baby product. But if you find yourself kneeling alongside your splashing baby during bath time then you’ll wonder how you ever got by without one.
Before I wrap up my guide, I will offer one piece of advice I learned about bathtub kneelers the hard way…
Hang your bath kneeler out to dry after every bath
If you leave it on the floor, it’s going to get mold and mildew. Water will get trapped under the kneeler and doesn’t get a chance to dry out. And when this happens, your kneeling pad is going to stink!
Do yourself a favor. When bath time is over, dry it out!
Do you use a bath kneeler when washing your baby? Let me know in the comments below!
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