Sudden fear of bath!

[mashedpotsandbutter]

My 11 month old DS has previously been a really good bather- he usually can't wait to get in the bath and has been an enthusiastic swimmer since the age of 3 months. In the past week though, he has developed a sudden fear of going in the bath. He's happy to hang on the side and look in, but screams when I pick him up to put him in it. I tried getting in with him and he stood on my lap and wouldn't even put his feet in; I have also tried putting him in the dry bath, which he also hated. It's not just the bath at my house either- we stayed at my sister's on the weekend and he was just the same there. Any tips?!

DS went through this when he was nearly 2 - after a plug hole where we were staying made a strange noise at him. We tried being firm - he became hysterical and the fear got worse.
So we just washed hime for a couple of weeks - then reintroduced baths with me in the bath as well for a while.
It worked for us.

DD went through a stage at about 14 months of not sitting down in the bath and just paddling - went beserk if we tried to sit her down. All of a sudden after about 2 months she just sat down and has been ok since (she's now 19 months). I've got no idea what caused it.
I agree with Donk - if the bath upsets him, take it away for a while and don't push the issue. Just give him strip washes and then try again in a week or two.

I've now established that it's not water that's the problem, it's definately the bath/ shower. We went swimming this morning and I was prepared for DS to start screaming when I tried to put him in the pool, but strangely enough he was delighted to be there and was going under the water and splashing about as usual. However, when I tried to give him a shower afterwards, he was scared and started crying! Think I'll lay off the bathing for a few days and try again later. At least he had a good dunk in the pool today!!

Dd went through a period of hating the bath at about this age - think it's very common. We stopped bathing her every night and the nights she did have a bath one of us got in with her which seemed to reassure her. She got over it eventually.

DS got scared of the overspill drain a couple of weeks ago. Now not keen on baths either!

my daughter went through this for about 8 months! from the age of 14 mnths to 22mnths (now. We tried everything to no avail.she would be hysterical but still loved swimming! what worked for us was watching Finding Nemo for a few weeks, buying some nemo bathtime toys (from superdrug £5.00)and letting her play with them for about 2 weeks downstairs. This made sure she loved the toys berore introducing them to the bath. I cant believe the change in her she cries to go in the bath now!

i had this with dd2 at 18 mths for bout 6 months (seemed to never end) worked out it was when she had stayed at grandparents they had been giving her a shower which she hated, i tried bathing in sink a bowl, a baby bath nothing worked she screamed at everything like youd put her in scolding water, i just kept going in the end the fear changed in to a fear of my friends henry hoover!!!

same here at the age of 11 months only for a month though. it still broke her daddy's heart hes he believes she'll be the youngest channel swimmer ever.