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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

anyone elses baby hate the bath??

16 replies

traceyshep · 14/12/2003 12:09

hi all, my DD is 5 months and still hates the bath! We've tried doing it at different times, and I'm pretty sure the water temp is ok, bathroom not too cold, but she only tolerates it for a minute then starts crying! And I thought babies were supposed to love the bath?!

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ponygirl · 14/12/2003 14:15

Have you tried getting in with her? Not a lot of fun for you (too cold, too shallow!) but might be reassuring? Or maybe not bath her too often and keep it quick to start with and build up slowly? My ds1 and dd loved it from the first, but dd2 took a while. Loves them now though (10 months). Good luck!

twiglett · 14/12/2003 14:21

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Lou33 · 14/12/2003 14:25

Dd1 was like that, from about 3m to 6 m. We just used to wash her with flannels, then tried again at about 6 1/2 months, and she loved it. Just give her a bit of time without, then she will probably gain more confidence. Or have you tried getting in the bath with her?

Original poster

traceyshep · 14/12/2003 15:02

My dh tried getting in with her a couple of weeks ago, but she didn't like that either. We could maybe try that again, then if still no joy have a break for a while. My MIL keeps saying to carry on, she has to get used to it, but I don't like seeing her distressed! She doesn't mind being washed outside the bath with a sponge/flannel.

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Lou33 · 14/12/2003 15:32

I'd be inclined to leave her for a bit rather than persevere. Forcing the issue may just make her hate it more.

Evita · 14/12/2003 16:06

My daughter didn't exactly hate the bath but she certainly didn't enjoy it until she was about 7 months and could sit up in the water and play with some toys. Then as soon as she could stand it became the high point of the day and still is. She's now 14 months. I think it's probably quite scary until they have some sense of autonomous balance / movement.

bobthebaby · 14/12/2003 18:34

Shower?

Lara2 · 14/12/2003 19:48

DS1 hated the bath for ages. DS2 loved it because (I think) he never went in the baby bath - just got a quick sloosh around in the deep water with his brother. He never touched the bottom or the sidea at all, just floated in the warm water - being supported of course!!

handlemecarefully · 14/12/2003 20:44

Well, I hate to tell you this but my dd hates the bath with a passion and she is nearly 17 months old....so I don't think its just small babies...

Consequently dd is bathed just once per week and throws a hysterical crying fit during the process.

Davros · 14/12/2003 23:22

I've got a Tomy bath seat thing which certainly makes bathing easier and safer. We also leave the tap running a little and she likes to play with the water and sticks her head under! A seat might be worth a try and some toys if you haven't got them..... or its just a phase

JeniN · 15/12/2003 10:50

I'm having the same problem, except DD (13 weeks) loved the bath until the last two weeks, now she cries and arches her back and can't get her to calm down at all. We wondered if she's got scared one time, or the water had been too hot? Also it was about the time we took her swimming for the first time, and I guess that was pretty scary.Have decided to leave it for a few weeks then try again. I was wondering about one of those bath seat things, but not sure if she will arch her back as usual and then not be able to sit in it properly and will have wasted our money..good luck with your DD traceyshep.

aloha · 15/12/2003 11:45

I wouldn't push it either, but also, my son likes a nice hot bath - ie I have the temperature that suits me and he's fine with that. I used get in with him a lot and even breastfed in the bath . So I had it quite deep and quite hot (obv not boiling!) and he preferred that.

Freddiecat · 15/12/2003 11:49

My DS used to love the bath until he was 17 months and then he HATED it (but loved deep swimming pools). We didn't bother for a month and he had baths with DP occasionally.

Now 20 months he LOVES the bath again and tries to get in at any opportunity and won't get out again even if I let all the water out!

It's a phase so don't worry too much.

Original poster

traceyshep · 17/12/2003 11:35

well at the mo poor DD has a cold (like nearly all my friends babies, dh and I have it too!) so we've not tried the bath again for the past few days. Maybe at the weekend...

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cords · 18/12/2003 02:18

Hi , my DD hated the bath for two weeks after having loved it , but suddenly at 9 wks she screamed and screamed. I think that insisting she went ahead with it for two weeks made her fear it more. Then I decided to "decondition" her ... so starting from day one , I just dangled her feet in, had ducks in water, a mirror to distract her ect ect ... her feet recoiled from the water on day one,. Then gradually, over the next few days, I submerged more of her in until she became fearless of the water again. I made sure that she was out before she cried so she would not associate crying with the water. IT WORKED and now she enjoys it again !

The method worked for me because it was apparent that something happened to make her become scared and so it was a matter of teaching her that there was nothing to be scared of ... J

Original poster

traceyshep · 23/12/2003 17:48

well today we tried the bath again, but I went back to using the baby bath! I made the water a bit deeper than before and held her in it in a sitting position. Either she'd forgotten why she hated it or liked just sitting in the deeper (not that deep) water - not sure, but there were no tears. Fingers crossed for tomorrow!!

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