What we think about the Papillon Baby Bath Ring

After reading several favorable reviews of the Papillon Baby Bath Ring, we thought we'd give it a whirl...

Papillon Baby Bath Tub Ring =

While the price seemed a bit high for something that was a combination of polyester, spandex and polystyrene beads, the thought of Vivian having the freedom to goof off in the bathtub was more appealing.

When the Papillon ring arrived, I was somewhat disappointed in the color.  I had ordered pink and this was a salmony-coral color.

Of course, this didn't bother me too much, as she doesn't care what color it is, and for photo opportunities there is always Photoshop!

Okay, here are the basics on the Papillon:

It's made of Fabric: 92% Polyester, 8% Spandex

Filling: Polystyrene beads

It's basically bathing suit material filled with styrofoam that is ingeniusly arranged in just the right way to keep baby comfortable moving about the tub or sitting in one place.

It's made in Israel, so subsequently, the "official" website is actually in Hebrew.

What the packaging says:

I have found numerous claims online that this product was "designed by a chiropractor" or "designed by a therapist" but every time I ask these folks what their source for this information was, I come up empty handed.  Either way, it is a fantastic product.

Several sites also claim that it has been "tested and approved by the U.S. Consumer Public Safety Commission", so I did a search:

And I obviously came up empty.  Now, again, I will tell you that this information did not deter me from buying and loving this product, I just don't like passing along misinformation and I will never do that.  What their site does say...when translated from Hebrew is,

 "All products meet the requirements of Apompetes Israel Standards Institute, matching the European standard and manufactured in cooperation with experts in the field of therapy and healing."

The Test:

The product has simple instructions written on the packaging..."simply tie the Papillon around the baby's waist and let the fun begin!"

There are no disclaimers, instructions, etc. which quite honestly came as kind of a relief after buying even the smallest teething toy and having a stack of paper with it!

So...we tied it on!  Vivian was a little hesitant at first, but remember, she had previously been in the Munchkin inflatable duck tub (and loved it).

At first, she was a little gun shy...plus she's teething and exploring everything with her mouth these days so her number one priority was to taste the bath seat, as well as reaching for her toys which she could taste too!  The first time she lunged forward for some toys I got a little freaked out but quickly realized that the Papillon Baby Bath Ring actually somehow shifts position to be under the baby.  Yes, I can't explain it but I have seen it happen!

We are still adjusting to this product, but in general, it is easy to use, well-made, and does what it says it does.  I am excited to watch Vivian learn to use it and enjoy it even more.

We filled the tub about 3 inches...right now while she is in the beginning stages of crawling I would not fill it any more.  Also, I want to stress the importance of staying with your child at all times during bath time.  I have nightmares about the woman who left her child alone in the tub so she could play a game on Facebook..."he really wanted to be left alone; he was a very independent baby".

Do NOT leave your child alone in the tub...EVER!

I did wash the product before using it, and it washed well.  I have been hesitant to hang it from the ties because I don't want to stretch them out or pull them from the main ring.  When I finish with the Papillon Baby Bath Ring I hang it from the spigot from a side that isn't the tie side.  It dries relatively quickly and of course you can re-use it when it's wet (think bathing suit).

It was a little harder to wash her nether-regions while she was in the ring, but worth the trouble.  Also, she had a brief reddening of the skin where the product was tied, I chalk that up to a new fabric on her skin and brief adjustment period.

Total thumbs up on this one...I would not use it if your baby is not yet even attempting to crawl.  I would also say that it requires more supervision because your baby will be so excited to explore the tub he/she will get a little zany in the tub.