screaming fit when getting out of bath.

[FreckleyGirlAbroad]

My little ds is 2 months old and finally is enjoying his daily bath. The problems start when we take him out. We have stated warming up the towel to avoid him getting cold which helps but as soon as I take the towel off and start to dry him and put his nappy and pjs on he goes totally hysterical crying and screaming until he gets picked up and cuddled. Anyone have any wise ideas to stop this happening every bath time??

No advice really but your post has made me really broody! Little wriggly screamer.

My DS is 2 and only very recently stopped his screaming fits when getting out of bath. So er, not much help I'm afraid. But on a more holistic parenting of babies note, my top advice is stay calm yourself and if your baby cries and screams, as they get louder, you get quieter. Sing softly, smile and tell them each step as you're doing it, keep doing what you have to do and cuddle them throughout. You're showing them that it's all ok, that they are safe - that's your role. Baths must be fucking scary and stressful when you're all new and shiny - just remember that if he cries, you're not doing anything wrong, but it's your chance to do something very special, to guide him through something he finds scary. If he's not immediately soothed, it doesn't mean that what you're doing isn't working.

Plus, routine is a magical thing. Sing the exact same song to him as you dry him, every single night, and before long he'll stop crying as soon as you start. Even if you're crap at singing

I know it's not easy but have you tried keeping one hand on him when he's naked? Sometimes they freak out about lack of feeling anything on them and you act like you're 'grounding' him so he feel safe and secure?

Otherwise have everything ready beforehand and go fast fast fast!

Thanks for your lovely words
Wriggly screamer just about sums it up!!!! Luckily the bath part he seems to enjoy now but I was planning on doing some baby massage with him every night after bath time but clearly that's not going to happen when he's screaming and going red in the face!!!

I'd've really interested to know if anyone's baby doesn't scream when taken out if the bath. It's a horrible experience. The best you can so is keep LO as warm as you can, go quick and soothe him as PO's have suggested.

Congratulations!

Make sure there are no draughts. We started putting something on the floor by the door and DS stopped crying from then on. Also our DS tends to get ravenous in the bath so we need to make sure he's not too hungry.

My baby is the same age and does the exact same thing.
I just have all his little clothes ready etc to keep the drying/dressing stage as quick as possible!

No advice but just wanted to let you know my DS did that too. He's now 6 months old and doesn't do it any more. I can't remember when he stopped but I think it was a few months ago. I think it's just a weird phase / thing babies do.

Dd is fine now if she's not too tired with getting out of the bath and getting dried, it's the getting dressed part that makes her scream now!

Have you tried doing bath time slightly earlier than normal? Dd gets bathed every other day and we take her up at half 6 instead of 7 then as otherwise it guarantees a meltdown as she's overtired.

Mine does this too, she always has done, she's 5 months. Makes me laugh when the HV tells me to bath her before bed to calm her down for the night! Things I do to make it a little less of a screamy experience are bathing in the morning after her nap, with the heating cranked up, the towel warming on the radiator. I dress her in the bathroom (used to take her through to the bedroom and think the change of air upset her) on the warm towel on her playmat. Lots of silly noises and faces and tickling to distract her. Then I give her her bottle or dummy and a cuddle.

Also making the actual bath quite a quick one, I think she enjoys it too much and is furious that I take her out!

Mine does this too. We find that singing her favourite song and giving her a toy to distract her helps. She's 6 months now and beginning to scream a little less so it does get better but it's completely normal.

My DS does this too! He's 14 weeks now and he doesn't do it every time now. But does more often than not. I just see it as he enjoys his bath and doesn't like being taken out