Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Behaviour/development

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

Flip

Original poster

Ideas for calm hairwashing!!!

15 replies

bluesmile10 · 08/02/2011 20:35

My 8 and half month old son hates having his hair washed. He has his little aqua pod seat in the bath, but gets so distressed that he throws himself back and forth, bruising himself on the plastic seat. We have tried a little hat thing, but really wasnt very good as kept falling forward and then he tried to pull it off.

Can anyone recommend anything to make it less traumatic?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

jkklpu · 08/02/2011 20:36

It's a nightmare when they're that small, isn't it? We just tried to do it as fast as possible, eg with big jug to slosh the water on them. When he's a bit older, swimming goggles can be a real help.

MadameCastafiore · 08/02/2011 20:36

I may be mean but just ignored the tears and tantrums - they soon got used to it.

Original poster

bluesmile10 · 08/02/2011 20:40

A friend of mine said the same MadameCastafiore. Do wonder if that is the way forward for us as we probably drag it out longer by trying to avoid face. I just feel so mean!!!

OP posts:

helloitsme · 09/02/2011 05:39

have you tried lying him down with his head supported on your hand? Then the back of his head would be in the water anyway and with his face up, any water you pour is less likely to go in his face. This used to work for us, but our bath is too small for that now.
Also, we sometimes do the hairwash with two adults. Have your baby sit in the bath and someone holds up toys high in the air until baby looks upwards. The second adult can then pour water while face is pointing up so water is much less likely to go in eyes. Having said this, we are still struggling and very pleased to hear the goggles suggestion.
Did anyone find that getting babies used to water by going swimming helped? We haven't done that, but was thinking of it.

itstheyearzero · 09/02/2011 06:29

You could try warning him when the water is about to go on his head. They do this at Waterbabies classes. So you say 'name, ready, GO!' and on the 'GO' you put the water on his head. It turns it into a bit of a game and he will learn to expect the water and close his eyes. Worked for us.

Misfitless · 09/02/2011 06:55

Just wondering why he's in an aqua pod seat at 8 months? Can't you remove the seat and then support him with your hand? That way if he does fall back he won't bruise himself on the seat. Perhaps the worry of hurting himself on the seat is actually part of the problem and in his mind he perhaps equate hair wash with water in eyes and the pain of seat.

I put a flannel on my 1 year olds head and laugh and say 'funny hat' (also could put in on your head at the same time). It lets little trickles of water on her face which are quite gentle and she loves.

What about getting in the bath with him and letting him splash water in your face and you laughing?

Play gentle splashing games and get him used to water as a gentle splash rather than a jug of water...? Also I agree that letting him lie down might help. This is easiest of all becasuse if he lies down to rinse the shampoo off it wont't go in his eyes.

If he can get used to water coming at him from different angles eg you splashing it up gently towards his chin and chest and then progress from there up to his face that might help.

I'd also suggest maybe doing the hair washing first and then his memory of bath are more likely to be fun playing times rather than the end of the bath being the hair washing.

Make as little fuss as possible about his crying and once the hair wash is over move straight to playing, blowing bubbles etc.

Hope this helps - I can remember being terrified of hair washing as a child - when the water went on my face I felt like I couldn't breathe my mum fussed so much that looking back I'm sure this fuelled my anxiety. Good luck with it

notevenamousie · 09/02/2011 07:07

Time, time and more time. I bathed/ showered with DD at that age which helped me have more control because you aren't trying to leap out of the way of the water. Do you take him swimming? That's good for getting used to water on their hair/ face etc. My 4yo can now negotiate about the least traumatic hairwash and co-operate a bit, but mostly I do a weekly hairwash at the swimming pool as she's already wet then.

KenDoddsDadsDog · 09/02/2011 07:16

They sell little jugs in Mothercare with a flat side for hairwashing. Brilliant!

Confuzzeled · 09/02/2011 07:19

I still have this problem with dd who's almost 4. I've found giving her a flannel to hold helps but that might not work with an 8 mo.

One thing that did work with my ds is to make the bath really bubbly on hair wash night. So he loved the bubbles and didn't mind the hair wash bit. I washed his head with a sponge as well, so I could control the water better and not get much running down his face.

The bubble bath I used was Infaderm, you can get it in boots, it's hypoallergic so fine for sensative wee ones.

Original poster

bluesmile10 · 09/02/2011 09:57

Thank you, some really good tips to try. Notevenamousie, yes, we do go swimming and he doesnt seem to bothered about the water there strangely!!
Misfitless, we've kept the aqua pod seat because he's a bit lethal in the bath and throws himself around!! Should we taking it away now?

OP posts:

sethstarkaddersmackerel · 09/02/2011 10:03

you don't need shampoo on an 8 month old IME.

onepieceoflollipop · 09/02/2011 10:05

At your ds's age only wash hair when absolutely necessary. (once a week at most imo unless it has food/dirt in it)

Don't wet it initially with shower/jug, wet it with a flannel. It will be wet enough to lather up shampoo. That way you only need to do the cascade of water once rather than twice. Dab face immediately with dry flannel/towel.

Imnotaslimjim · 09/02/2011 10:46

we had a nightmare with DS from his very first bath. He would shriek and scream the house down!

Then DH brought him to me while I was in the bath after he'd covered himself in dinner. He didn't make a peep even while having his hair washed. We ran his bath a little warmer after that and no longer had issues! We now have problems getting him out as he doesn't like to get cold while getting dry!

I'm not saying that is your problem, but it could be worth a try!

Misfitless · 09/02/2011 14:25

Yes because he's throwing himself backwards whether he's in the seat or not by the sounds of it. At least if the seat's not he won't hurt himself on it. I've never used one - I've just let mine sit up in the bath from as soon as they can - aided and supported by me at first and then not supported by me when they can sit up independantly. Mine have thrown themselves backwards in the past but only once or twice and I've caught them so they were startled but not hurt - they soon learn not to do it.

Not sure what you mean by 'wild' - is he just excitable and splashy (if so encourage him!)

DOes our DS have siblings? They might be able to help in that he can watch them pour water over their hair if they are not afraid of doing that..?

Original poster

bluesmile10 · 12/02/2011 16:35

By wild, mean a bit lethal - we have handles on the side of the bath and all he wants to do is grab them and pull himself up, except he's not steady enough - just slips and slides everywhere even with bathmat!!!! We want him to be keen to explore and enjoy experiences, but sometimes he's a danger to himself!!

No, no siblings as yet!!

OP posts:

Flip