The tub splash is the second (optional) part of a cake smash session. After your little one is done getting messy with the cake, we fill up a tub with warm bubbly water and let them enjoy a good old splash around while they get clean and we take great photos of them having fun.
If you’re going to add the tub splash to your session (it’s all included in the same £95 session fee), you do need to let me know in advance as I need to get the water ready at the studio.
You make your choice from my two tubs when you arrive at the studio – I have a rustic tin tub and a miniature white clawfoot. You also get to select from one of my accessory sets to go with your tub splash set up.
When the cake smash is over, I’ll get you to start getting your little one out their (most likely icing covered) clothing. While you’re doing that, I’ll be having a clean up and moving to the tub and your chosen accessory set into position. Then we simply add the bubbles, top up the hot water to a good temperature and get your little one in.
Nappies aren’t necessary while your baby is in the tub but you’re welcome to bring a swim nappy if you’d like to.
If you’d like bubbles in your bath, bring along a bottle. I don’t have any at the studio as I don’t want to aggravate any skin allergies but if you’d rather go bubble-less that’s fine too – it won’t make any difference to your finished photos. The bubbles aren’t necessary to protect your baby’s modesty in the tub (I only ever take pictures from the side not looking down into the water). Bubbles are just for fun.
When we start to tub splash, I’ll get you to give your baby a good clean around the chops to get rid of any leftover icing. A flannel can be useful for clean up operations but, again, it’s not essential.
Generally speaking, I don’t recommend bath toys and that’s not because I’m a killjoy. It’s just that they have a tendency to end up in your baby’s mouth and hide their face. Then it can be difficult to get them to give them up without upsetting them. That said, I do have some little toys at the studio if we’re having real trouble getting them settled in the bath. As a rule though, I find that babies enjoy the splash even more than the splash part of the session and where parents know that they really hate bath time, we just skip that part of the session. Most folk love a good splash in the tub!
Bubbles (in the air as opposed to in the bath) can make the perfect tub splash accessory and I have a bubble machine and a plentiful supply of bubble juice at the studio. It saves a lot of puffing on our part. In my experience, bubbles can go one of two ways. You either end up wit a lovely photo of a smiling child surrounded by a cloud of bubble s or your baby can look utterly fascinated and kind of hypnotised by the bubbles. We’ll know pretty much straight away which way it is going.
Splashing in the tub is actively encouraged so you don’t need to worry if they’re a big splasher at home. All of my floors are vinyl so dry up really well. The only downside is that we quite often end up with wet socks so you might want to bring along a spare pair if you’re planning on going out straight afterwards.
When we’re all done, then if time to get them out, dry and dressed so don’t forget to bring along a towel!
