DS, 20 months, developed fear of the bath :-( (sorry bit long)

[AlexanderPandasmum]

I'm hoping I can get some advice here from people with experience of this! DS has always been fine with the bath up till now. He was in a baby bath (in his bedroom) for quite a long time due to our bath being huge (jacuzzi/corner bath thing), stepped and difficult for me to reach while I bathed him - so I didn't try it until he was nearly 13 months. I used one of those blue bath seats with suction pads on the bottom (the swivel ones). He was prem so is small for his age and was only just crawling at 13 months so developmentally it seemed ok. I carried on like this for a bit, then about 6 weeks ago bought a large bathmat to enable him to sit on the bottom of the bath (would have worried about him banging his head otherwise. He was fine with this the first 2 times I used it and sat happily in 4-5 inches of water while I washed him and rinsed his hair etc.

Well, a few weeks ago I dropped a glass when unloading the dishwasher and it went EVERYWHERE. I spent ages cleaning it up but later that day DS got a little bit in his foot - but not too bad just a pinprick-sized injury. Well that night he went in the bath and all hell broke loose I don't know if it was because the water made his foot sting or what. Well I called DP for backup (to distract him etc) and he took him and then (due to DS's struggling and tantruming) ended up putting him in the bath on his side with his head half in the water . This made him worse. I (very annoyed at DP for doing something so daft) shooed DP downstairs and tried myself to get him in - eventually putting the bath seat back in and him in it to wash him. I didn't want him to end the bath not having been in iykwim?

Anyway, since then he has screamed and screamed when he sees the bath. I lift him in and he is like an octopus, kicking and crying. He tries to climb out if he's standing. He won't sit down. Each time I have had to resort to calling for backup (DP) and/or washing him briefly while he screams and struggles (usually standing with one leg over, trying to climb out.

Has anyone got any advice? I tried buying him a bath toy (the big boat that has lots of bits that M and S sell) but he still has the same reaction. Once he's out he looks over the side and yells "Bye Boat! Bye Bath!!".

[AlexanderPandasmum]

Sorry - I don't seem to have been able to use the end bracket!

[gigglewitch]

all three of mine went through a no-baths phase, just as you describe with screaming, climbing out, paddys galore. to this day i have no clue what started it.
we just avoided bathing them for a week or two, did assorted washes / play with water in bowls and stuff, then decided when and got back to it with no fuss or particular attention just as if we had been doing it all along, massive routine going on, and heaven only knows why but the issue had gone away
I remain baffled about it all - yes all three times

[gigglewitch]

btw we used the baby bath inside our similarly huuuuge corner bath, in DD's case it was until she was beyond 2yo

[AlexanderPandasmum]

Thanks for the reply - will give it a couple of weeks then!

[NorbertDentressangle]

I think all children go through a phase like this at some stage. Sometimes you can pin down the reason why (with DS it was when he pooed in the bath and his sister freaked about it !), other times you can't.

Have you got a shower? That might work, it did with DS. We showered him until the bath-hating phase passed.

Or take him swimming?

[minkybetty]

My DD went through this around same age (think I may have got some soap in her eyes) - we stopped bathing her everyday and then reintroduced it - I also had a few baths with her to show her that it wasn't scary and we played with lots of toys. She's still not a huge fan of bathing but at least we can get her in now

[AlexanderPandasmum]

Yes, NorbertDentressangle, we have a shower cubicle type thing. I will try it. He did go swimming with me every week but it's not the most inspiring class and we have had a run of illness so we haven't been since September.

I really did hope the boat would impress/distract him but it's evidently a bigger thing than I previously thought.

I could try to use the bath seat again maybe? But tbh he's getting a bit big for it. It could just be a delayed reaction to having to bathe without the seat (bath might feel scary now it is so big?).

Thanks for responses anyway . Of course, any more ideas welcome .

[tracyface]

You are not alone! My dd who is 21 months has also been petrified for about 2 months. She is not so bad about getting in the bath its the hairwashing that seems to start her off. I was blaming her christening in september!
WE also still use the bath seat as I think it makes her feel more secure. I bought some peppa pig foam bath toys which stick to the side of the bath and these have really helped encourage her into the bath and keep her there long enough for a quick wash. Its quite a struggle and so for now we are just bathing twice a week until hopefully this phase passses.I dont know what else to suggest as I have four other children and dont remember them doing this either.

Hope it sorts itself out soon for you.