8 month old terrified of bath

[Boomerwang]

I've posted about this before, back when my girlie was about 4 months. She hasn't had a bath for weeks because she screams the place down if we try. We've checked the temperature and varied it from 36 to 38 degrees, kept her head above water, tried putting a towel in the bath for more comfort, tried giving her the dummy, playing with toys, talking to her, distracting her... she screams herself sick, literally.

All I keep hearing is how babies love having a bath... what am I doing wrong? What can I do to get her to enjoy warm water? She's on solids now so her poos can be all over her body after a bounce in the jumperoo. Flannel wash and baby wipes just aren't going to get into every nook and cranny - and she hates the flannel too.

Before I decide to just put earplugs in and make her miserable, I'd like to know if you have any tips for us to try out next. Thank you so much if you do!

[ThwartedbyMum]

My DD wasn't very keen on baths until one day i bathed her in the sink due to a poonami and it was easier than filling the big bath. She loved it. The sink was quite big though and she was 6 months old at the time. After a while we put her in the big bath with one of us and now at 8 months she is happy to sit in the big bath by herself. Hope you find a solution soon.

[Jalopeno]

Are you letting her sit in the bath rather then lie down? Just you mention keeping her head above water. Babies of that age don't like lying on their backs in the bath.

DD went through a phase of hating the bath. I happened to have one of those chairs that look like a potty. I can't remember the name but you can buy them cheaply in Argos. She felt secure in her chair and loved the bath from then on.

[QTPie]

We went through a rough patch (at 12 months), but only for a few days. Way we got round it was me being in the bath and DH handing DS into me. Have you tried that? You could even try it in a dry bath to begin with - just cuddle her (you both naked) in tha bath with no water in it.

[Boomerwang]

Hmm we don't own a bath and the shower is tiny, BUT we are moving to a new place soon which does have a bath, so I'll try that.

I do have a bath seat for babies but like I said, no bath, and I do not want to introduce her to a shower spray in case it accidentally sprays her face and makes her panic.

It never occurred to me to get her to sit up, probably because I always lie down in the bath myself. Even just the sight of the bath being out of its normal place makes her cry, but it'd be pointless asking for help and then not trying anything offered, so I'll give that a go.

Thank you guys :)

[ThisIsYourSong]

Will she sit in it without any water? Or with just a tiny bit of water? One of my twins went through this, albeit briefly. We just reduced the water down to about a centimetre until he got over it

[Boomerwang]

She visited her grandparents these last few days and they gave her a bath. They sat her up in the bath, with about three inches of water in it. She still screamed and screamed, and no amount of distraction worked. It pulled my heart out to hear her.

The next day she was drinking water from a glass being offered to her by her grandmother. She dipped her fingers in the water and seemed to like it. I took it as a good sign, so I dripped some water on her arm. I got a shriek and a bit of crying for my trouble.

I like the idea of putting her in the bath with no water in it. She'll cry a bit but when she sees there's no water coming she should calm down. I'll get her to play on a towel in there or something. I could steadily introduce perhaps just a wet flannel, or put warm water in stacking cups and see what she does with them.

Hmm!

[QTPie]

I would try it, he two of you, with no water...