11 weeks suddenly hating bath

[flipper99]

Over the last week or two my 11 week DS has suddenly started to really hate his bath. Initially he didn't like it much - for the first 2 weeks or so - but then he started to enjoy it as it became part of our bedtime routine. Recently though he has started howling and it's getting worse - last night it was crying like I've only heard when he had his injections, and he is starting to cry during his "nappy off" time before the bath, which he also used to really love, as though he's anticipating the bath horror.

We have tried giving him a couple of nights off having baths, different temperatures of water, taking him in the bath with me, having him leaning forward in the water. The room I think is warm enough (21 degrees) and he doesn't have any nappy rash or anything which might be causing him pain on contact with water.

It's starting to really upset us now as he just gets so angry almost as though we're inflicting pain on him. But unfortunately he does need to get clean from time to time and we used to really enjoy the family time in the evenings so it would be great if he could learn to love it again.

Maybe he's overtired after a long day? He's only little after all. DS only really liked baths when he was older.

Try skipping the baths altogether - you can spend time together in the day. The bedtime routine should be a way of calming things down and bathtime can be so overwhelming for a little one, especially as they "wake up" at that age and take more in so get overstimulated. Stick to low key things, feeding, cuddling, lullabies etc.

Don't bother giving him a bath, he won't be very dirty. Also apparently it increases the risk of eczema if babies and children are bathed too often.

this was happening to my ds2.1, he strat to hit a bath nearly at the same time, but at the age of 18/19months he liked it, actualy he ask for it now. just relax as he will change, good luck.

perhaps try bathing him in the morning. A friend of mine did this with her child and it turned out the child enjoyed it in the morning but not at night. Not sure why!

Boy has always hated baths, he's only just now at 6 months starting to relax a bit in them, because he can sit up.

I have tended to wash him on his changing table with cotton wool and water instead which he likes, and only have a bath once a week.

Thanks, I think I'll just give him a proper break then and try again when he's a bit older. Will still have to have a quick dunking after major poo incidents though!