Parenting is a twenty-four-hour vocation. You will not just devote 100 percent of your time on feeding and putting the baby to sleep alone. You too have to spend the same efforts and care on the little one's bathing ritual.

Since good hygiene is important in keeping your baby less prone to skin diseases and infections, giving your little one a shower is not as easy as dipping the tiny tot in a tub of water and then wiping him dry. No, bathing your baby is not a piece of cake. Apart from gentle handling and toweling, here are a number of essentials you should invest on to maximize your baby's bath time experience.

• BABY WASH. Unlike the body wash for adults, the baby wash is an all-purpose bathing product that serves as baby shampoo, body soap and moisturizer at the same time. Many baby washes sport the milky and creamy look, while some others are thick transparent but colored solutions.

Although some variants are mildly scented and packaged in attractively fruity flavors, the determining factor that the product is baby-friendly is a marking attesting that the wash is hypo-allergenic. Still, do not let your guard down. Observe your baby's reaction to the baby wash. If your little one's eyes begin to water and rashes start to surface, you may have to switch to another brand.

• BABY BATH SUPPORT. Perhaps it is your baby's skin. Perhaps it is just your baby's size. One thing is for sure, bathing your little one is a very slippery business. When you find a baby bath too cumbersome to use, a baby bath support is your best solution. It keeps your little one from accidentally slipping off your grip while your hands are busy. Moreover, the supports eat up lesser space than the entire baby bath equipment.

• TAP COVER. Do not permit the slightest accidents to happen, especially when the hot water tap is involved. Unintentional slips can scald your skin and give your little one a shock. To stay on the safe side always, cover the hot water tap with a tap cover. The cover not only keeps the hot knob locked, but also minimizes the chances of your little angel from sustaining painful bumps and bruises.

• TOWEL OR ROBE. Soft, thick enough and absorbent, the towel is the essential item for your baby's bath time finale. Avoid such descriptions as “dripping wet,” “out cold” and “au naturelle” by wrapping your little one with a towel or bath robe.

The towel comes in a plain rectangular cut, while the bath robe is fashioned to be worn like a dress (and sometimes with a hood). Both may be made of the same material, however, and also sport the same purpose: to absorb dripping water and to keep your little one from an attack of cold air. You may use the same robe to swab the baby dry, although some moms prefer to use a separate towel for wiping.