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Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Behaviour/development

Bath time hell

14 replies

shomes · 02/08/2009 20:17

Hi there all
Ever since we came back from holiday our 16month old ds refuses to go in the bath and seems genuinley scared of the water. hE WAS OK with going in the sea and was upset when splashed a few times but has now decided no baths at all. I still have to wash him though....what do i do has anyone else had this problem????

OP posts:

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PestoMonster · 02/08/2009 20:18

Go in with him?

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MadMazza · 02/08/2009 20:23

I agree with PestoMonster try going in with him. Otherwise if it's warm outside could you put an old baby bath or clean kitchen bowl full of soapy water outside and encourage him to play in it like it's a game to get him used to the water again?

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TurtleAnn · 02/08/2009 20:25

Does he swim?

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CloudDragon · 02/08/2009 20:25

and at that age they only need a bath every few nights. Mine did a similar thing
we washed his bottom in the sink and didnt give him a bath for a week or so.

I then had a bath, let him play in the room and he asked to come in!

good luck

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LovelyTinOfSpam · 02/08/2009 20:25

Go in with him.

Use extra toys as a lure.

I think this is a phase a lot of them go through at this age. DD certainly screamed and put her feet on the side and wouldn't have it, I think she was around this age. It lasted about 2 weeks IIRC. We didn't press the issue and soon enough she was happy to get in again.

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TurtleAnn · 02/08/2009 20:26

The baby swim classes can help with water fears.

Sorry, pressed 'enter' before I finished the post.

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jeffily · 02/08/2009 20:26

I'm no expert, DD is only 4 months and still likes the bath at the moment, but a friend's DS went through exactly the same phase at about the same age. She let him make that decision, but explained to him that she did have to wash him still and so stood him in the bathroom and washed him down with a flannel at bath time. He carried on like that for about a week, then decided that a nice warm bath was better!

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Confuzzeled · 02/08/2009 20:30

Bubbles and getting in together.

I also make a voice like my cat to wash dd's hair and face.

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ellagrace · 02/08/2009 20:38

yep. seduce, cajole, do whatever, if not leave it a few days and repeat. isn't that the whole game from now till -what? about 3? now the bath, now food, next the potty etc.

my son's 2 and 5months. loves his bath, has hated water going over his head for washing it for about a year now. i just have to go as quick as possible with lots of reassurance and back to playing as quick as poss after.

think i read somewhere that around that age is when fears that couldn't be expressed outwardly at earlier stages suddenly come out - water stuff being one of them - hence why they say don't dunk young babies under water, they don't show the fear then but it emerges later on. can't recall where i read it.

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Supercherry · 02/08/2009 20:40

Agree with other suggestions, especially not forcing the issue. Probably just a short phase, just run bath as usual but if he doesn't want to go in don't stress. Get lots of toys and bubble bath and play in the water instead.

I always found my DS not liking the bath concided with him being poorly or about to get a cold.

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GColdtimer · 02/08/2009 20:48

DD went through this about the same age and we didn't push it. What helped coax her back in was one night I bathed her doll instead. I ran the bath, asked her if she wanted to one, she said no and I said "OK, Annabel needs one, I will bath Annabel instead". Surprise surprise, DD came toddling into the the bathroom and jumped in!

Perhaps you could try something lke that?

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Confuzzeled · 02/08/2009 21:48

Oh Oh, and just remembered, we have a Rolly Mo / Fimbles book about a bath that my dd loves.

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waitingforgodot · 02/08/2009 22:10

I remember this phase. We let my DS play with a basin of water outside and also put him in the bath with his favourite toys with no water in it. We did this for a few days then put in the smallest amount of water. Each day we put a bit more in. It seemed to work!

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shomes · 04/08/2009 18:28

Thanks guys thats really helpful, i've just kind of been blase about it with him and said, 'if you don't want to go in thats fine' and he is getting a bit better. Going in doesn't seem to help either but i will definitely try the other ideas as well. I'm sure its just a phase....as with everything else. Plus he has just got a tummy bug so maybe that was coming too!! Thanks for all the support x