Help my two year old enjoy the bath again!!!

[2beornot]

My dd is suffering and I'm at a loss as to how to help her.

Almost a fortnight ago we had a poo in the bath incident. Since then she seems to be so afraid that she's going to do it again that she hates going in the bath. One time she was relatively calm but then broke wind and that started her off again. She cries as soon as I try to take her clothes off and tells me she doesn't like the bath anymore. She clings to me as we walk to the bath and I feel awful putting her in. Once she's in I try lots of distraction and chatting in a happy voice. It works temporarily.

Has anyone had this and come out the other end? My next thing to try is to get in with her, but does anyone have any ideas I could try?!

We had this at the same age but it was down to an unfortunate hair washing incident rather than a poo.... It took a while for us to work through it and for DD to regain her confidence in the bath, but she's fine now.

Following advice on here I chilled out we didnt have baths for a while and that took the pressure off enormously, I found DD used to get stressed as the run up to bath/bedtime routine started.

She also enjoyed the variation - A wash in the sink, a bowl or a wipe down with a flannel. Then we gradually started talking about reintroducing the bath and said that we'd let DD choose a new bath toy for her to play with, took her shopping, made a big fuss over her and then introduced the bath again.

Bit hesitant to start with, but worked like a dream! Good luck!

We also have been the victims of poobathgate! DD gets very agitated if she drops one in the bath, but has been enticed back in again for a shower, which she seems to love!
Perhaps you could try taking her baby doll (or whatever she has) in the bath with her and pretending that it's pooed to show her it's okay?
My sister pooed in the bath when I was sitting in it with her once (approximately 30 years ago)! I recovered...just.

I jump in the bath with DS and tell his bath toys are too much fun not to.

Sorry - fell asleep last night.

I think it probably is just time. I'll try getting in with her tonight but I have a feeling she'll just cling to me.

Just occurred to me, is your bathroom colder then the rest of the house as that's also an issue here. So I crank the heater up beforehand..

I had exactly the same.

I reassured her that she didn't need to get in the bath, I got her a step and she could lean over the edge and play with her toys. I tried getting in with her and it didn't work. I tried forcing her in and it didn't work (I realise now that was a mistake). Loads of reasurrance that pooing in the bath doesn't matter.

It lasted weeks, I can't remember exactly, maybe 6 weeks. Eventually I got in again with her and next time she was fine on her own. Just like that.

2 year olds are weird

Can u play with the sink or baby bath in the kitchen? Maybe bathing a dolky? Or and I know it's freezing so maybe an idea for a few weeks but swimming? Unsure if that would be fun or worse.....? :0/

Poor mite.