Bath Time HELL!

[LynnC]

Hi - I know there has probably been a million threads like this but I have had a quick look through and nothing is jumping out at me so hoping someone will have advice for me.

DD always loved her baths, then started screaming getting her hair washed (which is only to be expected I suppose) now....she cries as soon as a bath is mentioned. I cant understand what has happened. She cries from the moment I start to undress her until I eventually lift her out. I hate it and dread having to do it now especially when it used to be so much fun and looked forward to getting home from work to play and bath her. I put all her toys in and she just keep saying no,no,no, and picking them all up out the water as if she is saving them??

[Twiglett]

stop bathing her for a month or so

just wash her down with washcloth

she'll be fine

it's turned into an issue for her .. it happens

my nephew was the same

[LynnC]

thanks twiglett - I have cut down her baths a lot because I just cant face the screaming but I've been scared to cut them out altogether incase it got worse the longer I leave it.

Can I ask how long it took your nephew to get over his fear?

[Twiglett]

he did it as a baby for a couple of months (but that was about 2- 3 months)

he then did it again sporadically throughout pre-school years .. probably stopped doing it about 3 or 4 but I definitely remember an instance of it when he was 18 months old

the GP said not to push it (yes she took him to the doc about it)

HTH

[USAUKMum]

My DS did this at about 2 -3 mths. Think We stopped bathing him for about 6 mths I think. He was happier again around 11 mths. Top & tailing is fine, they don't get too mucky (except at mealtimes obviously but that requires a hose not bath).

[CJinSussex]

My DS1 did it from around 2.5 until he was 3. It started with the weekly hair-wash and then became total bath phobia. He'd ask during dinner whether he was having a bath and kick-off about it when I said yes.

We perservered with the baths, reduced to maybe only once a week rather than nightly - we bath all 3 DCs together usually and they love it. After a few months he started asking if he could get in with his sisters and since then it's been fine. EVEN THE HAIR!!!

Faced with it again I'd probably take Twigletts advice.

[morningpaper]

Glitter

Very fine holographic glitter, available from craft shops

Say that you went to the bathroom and there were fairies in the bath! Look at the mess they made. Does she want to get in and play with the fairy dust? It will coat her skin nicely.

Reduce glitter quantities over time or you will end up with a £60 a week habit

[BettySpaghetti]

DS did this for a while at about 20m.

We gave him strip washes instead of baths wherever possible, made sure he had fun with water elsewhere (paddling pool and swimming pool which he still went in without any real problems)and lured him in with exciting bath toys (light-up rubber duck and bath crayons).

They do get over it

[Peridot30]

my dd hated the bath for a few months.Stopped putting her in it and washed her in kitchen sink instead. goes in the bath ok now (she is 2.11) but we have to get her out it before taking the plug out-which is the problem, she thought she could go down it!

[dreamteamgirl]

DS did this too at 17 months, it took 6 weeks to get him back in. I just tried every 3rd night, but if he said no, I didnt push it

He loves it again now, but who knows how long for LOL

[upandaway]

Get in with her for a while. Nothing's scary if mums there is it!

Mine love the Tropical rainforest showers (But this does involve collecting every plant from around the house to put around the bath sides).
Draw the shower curtain, create lots of steam and take all the plastic animals you've got in with her!
Or is just our house that's mad?

[curlew]

Mine both hated baths for a while - just don't bath them! Their hair only needs washing with shampoo very rarely, and a warm damp flannel will do for quite a while, particularly if you go swimming every week or so!
My top bath tips that mine still love - even the hypersophisticated 10 year old - lots of bubbles, lights off and cheap waterproof torches. Food colouring - the really concentrated ones so that you can have a dark blue bath (it doesn't stain skin or the bath provided you dilute it in a jug of water first. Or you can put some of the colour paste in a straw and let them blow bubbles in the bath with the straw. A big handful of ice cubes.
Lots of little bottles and pots to make potion.

[LynnC]

Thanks for all the responses and good to know by not forcing it hopefully she will be back into the bath very soon. She is 20m and have put everything I could in beside her and have gone in myself too but nothing stopped the crying. She tried to lift all her toys out as if she was saving them from the bath too!

The fairy dust and coloured things sound good too. I will just take all your advice and leave her to come round and just keep sponging her down until hopefully whatever fear she has disappears.

Thanks again everyone.

[Kif]

We've been through this too.

I sponged her mainly for months.

What turned her around, is that my husband likes long lie downs in the bath. She would play in the bathroom while he had a bath, then moved onto playing with her toys in the bath but her out of it. Eventually she started asking to go in the bath with him - and its now a big big favourite activity.