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Behaviour/development

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

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Original poster

Help needed with bathing 19mo

12 replies

Kayzr · 20/08/2010 18:29

My 19mo DS2 hates having a bath. He screams as soon as he gets in the bathroom, let alone getting in the actual bath. He throws himself around and screams so much that he practically can't breathe properly. I end up getting him out so quickly he hasn't had his hair washed.

My XH has threatened to go for custody for the boys because of this and I'm terrified.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Denny185 · 20/08/2010 18:32

Have you tried getting in with him? One of mine went through this and it took about 2 weeks of getting in with him.

Original poster

Kayzr · 20/08/2010 18:36

Yeah and it seems to calm him down slightly until I try to wash his hair. He has a habit of rubbing his dinner in his hair so I really need to try to wash it.

OP posts:

mumoflittlemouse · 20/08/2010 19:46

Our 14mo loves her bath but hates having her hair washed too, maybe it is this more than anything else that your DS fears? I have taken to beginning singing in as jolly a fashion as I can muster, at the moment I rinse her hair. When I first wet and shampoo it, I try very hard not to let water run down her face, by using a sponge to wet it.
To rinse I tip her back and support her head so that it is only just in the water (ears mostly out) and use a sponge to rinse the shampoo out. I do it all as quickly as I can and the singing usually provides enough of a distraction to let me (more or less), get away with it.
Maybe a bit of a combo of bathing with him and trying to modify the hair shampooing could begin to improve things?

Good luck, they are slippery little monkeys in the tub aren't they?!

Latootle · 20/08/2010 22:39

can you still buy those flat plastic things with a hole in the middle that you put on around the hair line this stops all water in the face etc. mind you I had to wear one as well!!!! not even in the bath!!!!!! what about lots of bubble bath so masses of foam so sometimes you can get away with out actually using shampoo?

maxxymoosmummy · 21/08/2010 08:38

i had this with DS not so long ago KAYZ, as you may be aware. he wouldnt go in the bathroom without kicking off just like your DS, it is very hard, but you just have to persevere. hard as it may seem i know. but if he realises it doesnt hurt and he has to have it done, he will soon calm down im sure.
you tried new bath toys? bubbles? bath mat? i found that bathing M with my cousins little boy he seemed to enjoy it more, then at home he had a new colourful bath mat, and he was fine that day on. now he loves the water bath paddling pool swimming its fantastic.

maxxymoosmummy · 21/08/2010 08:40

forgot to ask ... how long has this been going on for?

Original poster

Kayzr · 21/08/2010 14:15

He has hated it since he was born, he has always screamed his head off and thrown himself around.

I've got him quite a few toys that after a few minutes he might look at and play with. He is even worse when DS1 is in there too so I've had to start doing it separately now.

I think you can still get those things you put round their head to stop water going in the eyes, think I saw one in my local chemist so I'll have a look.

OP posts:

tinktellyaddict · 21/08/2010 15:12

good luck kay
hopefully it is a phase and he will get better guess you will just have to do his hair etc very quickly

Kayzr · 21/08/2010 16:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

Kayzr · 21/08/2010 16:58

wrong thread lol

OP posts:

whydobirdssuddenlyappear · 21/08/2010 17:11

Can you put a shower cap on him whilst he's eating? It'll keep most of the mess out of his hair, and then you should be able to wash it with a flannel or sponge most nights. Maybe if he doesn't have his hair washed for a few days he'll relax a bit about the whole process.
I sympathise. DD was so bad when she was a baby that I used to worry about what the neighbours would think. She'd also throw herself backwards while I was trying to lift her (wet, slippery) body out of the bath. That was fun.

Mousieme · 22/08/2010 09:54

DD now six was a shocker till she was four and DS now 20 months very similar to your little one. Sometimes I find we need to be a little creative. What we ended up doing is getting a little plastic cup and putting some holes in the bottom, almost like a shower head. I starting bathing with DS and used the cup in front of him putting the water in and letting him watch it come out the bottom. We have a song that started with "this is the way we wash our hands" etc over a few days we moved onto the back of his head. It did take awhile ...a few months but finally he now showers himself on the head with the cup.

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