Primo Euro Bathtub: WHY Did I Always Talk Myself Out of This?

You know the story; you pick things out for your baby shower when you are clueless and inexperienced and get something that you end up hating but live with it just because you don't want to replace it. Such was the case with my previous baby bathtub, but I stuck it out through three kids until my now-two-year-old Bug was done with it, when I promptly wished it good riddance and tossed it. Of course, when I discovered I was pregnant yet again unexpectedly, I realized that I could finally get a decent baby bathtub, but didn't find anything I liked. Having read tons of reviews of the Primo Euro Bathtub online over the years, I decided to take the plunge and order it online sight unseen.

::: Large and In Charge :::

As anyone will tell you, the Primo Euro Bathtub is huge. Gigantic, even. This is no slim-line folding space-saver tub, so if you have a one-bedroom in Manhattan, you might want to see what you can toss out to make room for this tub, because trust me, you want it. It's made of a lightweight plastic so it's easy to lift for its sized, but it measures a hefty 36 inches long by 21 inches wide by 10 inches deep. It comes in three colors that I've seen (a sort of pearlescent white, translucent blue, and a green that pops up here and there), and has two basins for storing soap, shampoo, and other bath needs, as well as a built-in drain.

::: It's GIGANTIC! Why Do I Want Such a Huge Tub? :::

Here's the issue with baby bathtubs in general: they are unwieldy, they are annoying, and to cap it, most babies seem to outgrow the tub before they outgrow the need for it. You really need something to help out with baby's bath until baby is sitting REALLY well on his or her own, and odds are that will happen AFTER they outgrow a tub. In the old days, we used to be able to use a plain old bath ring, but those days are gone and if you think that the Primo Euro Bathtub is unwieldy, try out the bath ring/tub kneeler combo that's out now.

What's unique about the Primo Euro Bathtub is its design; the entire tub is one piece of molded plastic that can be used in two different ways. One side of the tub has an inclined back rest for tiny infants, while the other side is just a regular tub. In the center is a molded support that serves to keep infants from sliding down too far in the water, and also helps keep older babies sitting upright when they are a bit too unsteady to be in the big tub without help. The Primo Euro Bathtub has high sides to help keep infants' heads above water, while also providing good support for older babies who are sitting up.

Now, when the Primo Euro Bathtub first showed up, I was horrified. Our house is way too small for a family of six to begin with, and here was this plastic monstrosity that was going to take up more room than the new addition!!! However, I popped the baby right into it (yes, with number four it took me so long to order it that she was ready for her first tub bath by the time it arrived), and was amazed at the difference! Even with our high-sided tub, the incline kept her at a comfortable height for me to bathe her in the Primo Euro Bathtub inside the big tub, rather than trying to coordinate the tub on the counter set-up I'd used in the past. This also allowed all her older siblings to get in on the act, and the support was enough that I didn't have to have my hands on her at all times to keep her from falling into the water.

However, what works for an infant doesn't always work for an older baby, so I decided to really give this tub a work out. At two, my third child is clinging to the bottom of the growth charts, so while developmentally he doesn't need a tub like this, size-wise he fits right in. So with a "Mommy needs you for an Epinion," Bug was tossed into the Primo Euro Bathtub WITH HIS SISTER. Yes, you read that correctly; I tossed a 25-pound two-year-old into an infant tub along with his infant sister. While he was reluctant to put his legs out in front of him and risk girl cooties, I was pleased to note that even if Tattoo ends up the same gargantuan size as one of her cousins (who was wearing a 2T by the time he was 9 months old), she will comfortably fit in the "older baby" side of this tub. When she starts to sit up, I won't have to worry that I have to hold on to a slippery baby in a deep-sided ancient tub, and I don't have to go out searching for yet another product to try to help with bath time.

The only thing I regret about the Primo Euro Bathtub is that I didn't bite the bullet and replace my old baby tub with this one when I was suffering with the older kids. Even the size isn't so much of an issue anymore; as long as you have a tub, you can buy those suction-cup hooks and hang the tub from a hook at the far end of the shower to dry and store (it even has a convenient hole in the lip for just such a purpose). It may seem ridiculous to go on and on about a baby bathtub, but this is one tub that's absolutely worth it, and I wish I'd had it sooner.