You pull a clean towel from the bathroom cupboard and lay it beside a diaper and pajamas. The baby towels online have little hoods and animal faces. The one in your hand is plain, but it may already be all you need.
I would start with the towel you already have. If it is clean, intact, comfortable against your baby’s skin, and a size you can handle easily, there is no need to replace it just to get a hood. A hood can be a preference without becoming another thing every baby must have.
If you do need a towel, the useful differences are quite simple: whether you want cotton, how much fabric you want to handle, and whether you need a spare while the other towel is being washed. A small cotton two-pack, a larger viscose square, and a wide cotton rectangle answer different versions of that question.
A quick way to choose
| Your preference | Towel to consider | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Smaller cotton towels and a spare for the newborn months | Burt’s Bees Baby Hello Moon Quarry — two 29 × 29 in towels | Thin; limited room to grow |
| A larger square with a soft viscose feel | KeaBabies Cuddle Duck Regular — one 35 × 35 in towel | Not cotton; inspect hood and seams |
| Cotton with more width across a rectangular wrap | Lalo Oatmeal towel + mitt — 46 × 27 in towel | Higher bundle cost; short side is 27 in |
Burt’s Bees Baby Hello Moon: smaller cotton towels for newborns
For a newborn, my first pick would be Burt’s Bees Baby Hello Moon Quarry if you specifically want smaller cotton towels and a spare. The set contains two 29-by-29-inch towels made from organic cotton knit terry. You can set one out before the bath and keep the other clean and dry in the cupboard while the used one goes through the laundry. Burt’s Bees product details.
Look closely at the size before adding it to a registry: Burt’s Bees Baby recommends this style for newborns through four months. That is the brand’s guidance, not a promise of fit for every baby.
These are thin towels. Owner feedback on Hello Moon includes a towel becoming wet through quickly and lint after the first wash, alongside positive reports about softness. If you want a thick, plush towel, I would pass. I would also skip this set if you are buying for a toddler or hoping to avoid another size decision as your baby grows.
KeaBabies Cuddle Duck: a larger viscose square
Once a small towel starts feeling awkward to wrap around your child, KeaBabies Cuddle Duck in the Regular size is worth a look. Choose it if you want a larger square and are happy with viscose rather than cotton. This version is a single 35-by-35-inch towel, so both sides are longer than the smaller Burt’s Bees towel.
The material is 100% viscose derived from bamboo. If you like the soft feel associated with that fabric, it may suit your preference, but owner opinions about the feel are not unanimous. The word bamboo would not settle the choice for me. It describes the source of the material; it does not mean the finished towel is unprocessed bamboo fiber or naturally antibacterial. FTC guidance on bamboo-derived textiles.
The soft feel can be a reason to try it. It is not proof that it will soak up more water than cotton. If cotton is what you want against your child’s skin, skip this one rather than letting the duck hood talk you into a different material.
There is a practical drawback to keep in mind. Owners of other animal designs in the same Cuddle range have reported hood or seam tearing. That does not tell us how often it happens with Duck, but it is a reason to inspect where the hood joins the towel and to stop using a damaged one. The care instructions call for cold machine washing and low-heat tumble drying, so check that those settings fit the laundry you actually do. KeaBabies care instructions.
For this recommendation, look for Cuddle Duck, Regular, in the single-towel pack. The smaller Petite size and the Luxe printed towels are different choices; their names and photos can make browsing more confusing than it needs to be.
Lalo Ribbed Hooded Towel: a wide cotton wrap
Lalo’s Ribbed Hooded Towel + Bath Mitt in Oatmeal is the one I would consider for a family that wants cotton and likes a wide wrap. The towel is a 46-by-27-inch rectangle, with the hood centered along a long edge. With the hood at the top, the fabric extends sideways for you to bring around your child. Lalo product details.
Pay attention to the second measurement. At 27 inches, the shorter side is shorter than either side of the Kea square. The rectangle gives you a different shape to work with; the long measurement alone does not tell you how much of your child’s body it will cover. Before paying more, hold up a towel you already use and think about where you want more fabric.
The towel is made from organic Turkish cotton, and the set includes a bath mitt. The mitt is optional for your bath routine. If you already have a washcloth you like, I would not count the extra item as a reason to upgrade. This set makes more sense when you want the towel’s cotton material and hood position enough to accept the higher bundle cost.
I would be more cautious about buying it for long-term durability. Feedback available on the current Oatmeal set is limited, and Dani Wolfe’s 2025 towel test for The Bump lists different dimensions for the towel it tested. That older review cannot tell you how this set will wash and wear. The cotton and wide shape are the reasons to consider it; better absorbency or a longer life would be an assumption.
Lalo calls for a cold wash with like colors, low-heat tumble drying, and no bleach or fabric softener. If that means remembering to pull it out of your usual towel load, decide whether the shape is worth that extra attention before you buy.
Start with the size of the towel you already use
The easiest size comparison starts in your bathroom cupboard. On a dry surface, unfold the towel you are using now and measure both sides. Think about what is bothering you: the sides do not reach where you want them, the towel is awkward to handle, or you simply need a clean spare. Each points to a different purchase, and the last one may not require a new size at all.
Treat the published measurements as a starting point. A hood’s position changes how you orient the towel, and children of the same age can need different amounts of coverage. I would not buy on an age range alone or assume that the towel with the longest edge will be the easiest one to use.
Cotton and viscose are useful things to know before ordering, but neither label chooses the towel for you. Texture, thickness, and the way a towel behaves after washing matter too. An organic label is not a promise that a towel will prevent irritation. Keep the choice focused on what you want to use and how you will wash it.
Let your laundry routine decide how many to buy
How many you need comes back to the gap between baths and laundry. A towel that is still in the wash cannot be the dry one waiting beside the bath. A two-pack can cover that gap, but so can a suitable household towel you already own. Check your cupboard before ordering a matching spare.
You do not need to buy all three types or stock up for every stage now. For most families, a towel that suits the child and enough clean, dry spares for their laundry routine is a reasonable place to stop. Add another only when you can name what is missing.
When your new towel arrives
When a new towel arrives, unfold it before washing it. Check the size, care label, edges, and hood seams, and read the seller’s return terms before removing tags or putting it through a wash. Burt’s Bees lists its towels as machine washable; use the label on the towel you receive for the wash and drying settings.
After washing, check again for opened seams or unusual shedding. Set a problem towel aside and contact the seller about your options. Washing it again is not a guaranteed fix, and return conditions can differ after laundering.
Before the next bath, put the dry towel and other supplies within reach. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises keeping a hand on your baby during the bath and taking your baby with you if you have to leave. Once bath time is over, gently pat your child dry and keep the towel clear of their nose and mouth. AAP bath guidance.
Take it off before sleep; a bath towel should not become a blanket or padding in an infant’s sleep space. The AAP recommends keeping soft objects and loose bedding out of an infant’s sleep area. AAP safe-sleep guidance.
Before ordering, unfold the towel you already have. Decide whether you need a different size, a different feel, or simply a clean spare. If it already works well and you have the laundry covered, leave the shopping for another day.