Splash Bath FAQ’s and Details

First Birthday Splash Baths

First birthdays are loads of fun here in the studio and families can select from 2 fun options to celebrate after their child’s nice portraits.

Cake is the most popular, but splash baths are quickly becoming a favorite as many kids have food allergies, haven’t had sweets yet, or parents simply want something less messy.

Hello, Splash Baths!

Splash baths are the perfect answer for first birthday festivities as babies are old enough to sit unassisted and let’s face it, all kids know what a bath is by this point.

How does it work?

Toddler sized claw foot tub

I have an adorable little tub that’s perfectly sized for babies and I fill it with warm water and a little powered organic milk right before we get your child in the water.

Babies get to splash and play and I toss in a few rubber ducks and bath toys that make it exciting.

Top Splash Bath Questions

1) Does the bath cost extra?

For all first birthday sessions, you can choose either a cake smash or splash bath in the included package price. So if you know that cake isn’t your thing, select the bath upon booking and you’re all set!

2) Can I do both a cake smash and splash bath?

Yes! Adding both adds $100 to your session package and increases your gallery by 10 images.

3) Can I pick any background to match my first birthday theme?

Yes you can! I have a large selection of baby sized backgrounds in various themes and colors, and you can view those options on my Available Backgrounds webpage.

4) Can I do a different background from the cake for the splash bath?

The short answer is “it depends”.

I always recommend planning on just 2 total backgrounds for the entire session - one for the nice portraits and one for the cake and bath. That way when your child finishes their cake, I can quickly get the warm water in the tub and they don’t have time to grow fussy while waiting for the bath.

However, some background changes are faster than others and we can do a quick adjustment between the cake and bath.

It never hurts to ask and I’m happy to lend my expertise on what is possible. Share your vision and we can tweak things to make it work, keeping in mind that we may need to pivot the day of if your child is growing fussy toward the end of our session.

The goal is always to have a happy baby throughout our time together so share your ideas, we will make a plan, and then in true parenting-style we can make adjustments as needed on session day!

5) Why do you add powdered milk?

The powdered milk makes the water opaque so it’s not transparent for little ones sitting in the water. It also doesn’t stain skin or create any odd color casting when photographing.

4) Do I need to bring anything specifically for the bath?

No - Most babies splash in the tub in their birthday suits (diapers absorb so much water we just take them off) and I have a clean towel on hand for afterwards. I also have small bath toys for during their splash time.

If you want your child to be clothed while in the tub, you can bring an outfit understanding that it will get wet. I still recommend no diaper, but a swim diaper can be used if desired.

And you’re welcome to bring a towel from home but I will still have mine available just in case.

Want more details on a baby session? Feel free to contact me via the form below!

I can't wait to personally share these with you and your little one!

Check out a few video peeks below from splash bath sessions and get in touch to book one for your own child!

Thinking of booking a session for your child or baby? Contact me with any questions or to learn more about these unique offerings.