So this isn’t an item I see talked about very much but it is one of our most loved and appreciated baby items. It’s not one I ever see on the list of “must haves” or registry checklists but truthfully I would never want to give it up. I got the recommendation from a friend when I was newly pregnant. I was at her house during bath time and she let me know I would definitely want one of these. My husband does bath time any night that he’s home and we both agree it was a suggestion worth its weight in gold.

Alright, alright I won’t leave you hanging anymore, my unexpected must have is…

A bath kneeler and elbow pad!

Are you surprised? Do you have one of these yet? If you do, then I’m guessing you know why I love it but if not let me share.

Why We Love Our Bath Kneeler

1. Our Knees are Grateful. Even with a typical bath mat that goes in front of the tub, your knees still take a beating during bath time. Sitting next to the tub trying to scrub baby, getting up and down holding a baby, it’s tough! But this extra cushion makes it so much better.
2. Leaning Over/Into the Tub is More Comfortable. Having somewhere comfy for your elbows, forearms or let’s be real, sometimes your armpits, to rest while you wrestle a slippery baby is much appreciated. My husband and I aren’t getting any younger and all of our joints are grateful for the extra cushion.
3. It has storage! Our bathtub has the narrowest edges and so it’s hard to have a place to rest the shampoo or soap, and not to mention all the many toys that we have accumulated for bath time. The elbow pad portion has a few mesh pockets on the side to stick whatever you need in.

So I’ll admit…it’s not truly a “must have”. You can certainly get by without it. Many of you probably didn’t even know it was a thing you might want, let alone put into a category of need. But sometimes parenthood is hard and I think anything that makes it a little easier (even if it’s just easier on your joints) is worth it. And I’m not kidding when I tell you that my husband and I talk about how glad we are to have this ALL the time. Especially when we do bath time at a house other than ours and don’t have it. So do your knees a favor and get one of these ASAP!