11mo suddenly hates the bath - and I mean really hates it

[rootypig]

11mo DD always loved the bath, until a month ago, when (seemingly) overnight she became what seems like terrified. She screams as soon as she is taken into the bathroom and stops as soon as she is taken out of the bath and the room. Getting in with her and holding her doesn't help. Holding her and showering equally bad. She seems to be distressed even by the sound of running water or toilet flushing.

A couple of other details that may or may not be relevant (I am trying to turn every stone!): the change coincided with a big move, across the world, though we had travelled with her a fair bit before that. It also coincided with her learning to crawl well. Around the same time she started holding her ears a lot, though every doctor I've talked to says not an ear infection as she has no temp and doesn't seem to be in pain. She has absolutely no problem with the pool.

Has this happened to anyone else? any ideas why? ideas for how to build her confidence? She plays outside a lot (we live in a hot place) and is still crawling so really needs to be bathed regularly, at least every other night as a bare minimum (to do her hair, I sponge bath her otherwise).

[Rosa]

Get a washing bowl a big one and start bathing her in that .. Maybe first outside like a paddling pool but wash her as you do with the sink. Then tub in bathroom , then tub in bath . And also have 1 or 2 bath toys only brought out when the tub comes out

[Feli6490]

Hi,

My son just turned 11 months old and the same exact thing is happening. Including the tugging at his ear.
Just curious if her ears ended up having anything to do with her fear of the bath?