To bath DS every night even though he hates it?

[Onlymydogunderstandsme]

My DS is 14 weeks old. Since he was about 8 weeks he has had a bath every evening as part of his bedtime routine and has always enjoyed it, splashing and smiling etc.

That was until about a week ago, he now screams as soon as his feet touch the water. I don't really understand why, nothing has happened to make him frightened and I think it's a shame seeing as he used to enjoy it so much! I have continued to bath him hoping he will start enjoying it again but I don't know if that's a bit mean as he seems so upset? He has to be bathed I know that but probably not every night?

So AIBU to continue bathing him every night?

I bathed DS every night as part of his routine, until I realised it was totally drying out his skin, and so switched to every other the night. Problem cleared up in a week.

It probably is a phase - DD goes through anti-bath phases every now and then - but you definitely do not need to bath a baby that young every night, and in fact it probably is better to be bathed less often.

My DD also liked it much hotter than other people (MIL, DM, DF etc) could believe. She also at some point went through a phase of hating it. During that time I bathed her less frequently and also did it during the morning when she was generally more cheerful.

Later on, when she started to like baths again, I made it part of the bedtime routine again.

At this age he won't need bathing every night. If he hates yabu to make him get distressed or no good reason.

Bath him every couple of days for the time being.

We bath out boys every night but they love it.

If you have a DH/DP, pop them in the bath together and then run away and have an uninterrupted cup of tea DS always hated baths but loved bathing with Daddy :)

HV told us every night was too drying - DDs now 6 and 4 and still use her advice as good excuse to bath alternate nights. Most people I know do it every night for "routine" which I think is bonkers what unnecessary effort.

I had this - DS never really liked baths but I did want to set up a bedtime routine so I wanted to keep the bath. Started bathing with him which he LOVED and after a couple of months I was able to stop doing that. Maybe try a baby bath or the sink insread of the big bath, or wrap him in a muslin whilst you immerse him. DS went into a bath chair at 4.5 months which he preferred hugely over lying on the foam wedge thing.

The only good advice my HV ever gave me was about baths.

Something about putting them straight in and something about it they didn't like (falling backwards maybe?)

She told us to lean him forward while lowering him in so he could see where he was going and touch his feet on the bottom before lying/sitting him back. It really worked wonders (which I was amazed at as my HV was a complete loon).