Fear of the bath

[curlyrebel]

My DD has just turned 18mo and she's suddenly protesting about getting in the bath! She's been enjoying her bath for a long time. There's a tea set she loves playing with and ducks and all sorts.

Yesterday she watched as I ran her bath and she was happy to be stripped off but when I tried to put her in the tub she started kicking. So I sponged her down and thought maybe she was too tired or something. But exactly the same thing happened this evening except she was in tears when I tried to put her in.

It's like she's suddenly got this fear of it that's come from nowhere. I understand toddlers can sometimes get irrational fears but how long can they last? Has anyone had anything similar? I'd like to be able to wash her hair at some point!

I remember my godson going through this. We bathed him with baby wipes and in the kitchen sink for a while and then reintroduced the bath with toys in but no water. He was fine after a few weeks.

Thanks @Goldmandra. Oh no I hope it will take less than a few weeks. My daughter has a lot of hair on her head so needs that washed properly. She's too big to put over the sink too!

We had the same struggle! My daughter also hates to take a bath. We replaced her old toys with new ones and she is doing fine again.

Use the sink or buy a huge plastic storage tub. Get some new, exciting bath toys or have her in with you.

Try getting in with her? It may help a lot. Generally mine love the bath but have developed strange little phobias of them bath time over the years (luckily they didn’t last long).

You could maybe try some fun new toys. You can buy them pretty cheap.

I wouldn’t avoid the bath though for obvious reasons and because she will never get over her fear.

Both my D.C. have experienced this. They would scream hysterically refusing to get in. It got better after a few days of being persistent snd bathing with mummy or daddy!

Thanks for all the advice! She loves her bath toys but maybe I'll get some new ones. She was ok to stand up in the actual bath this evening (I held her hand whilst her daddy washed her) so maybe it's the tub she had taken a dislike to. I agree it's best to keep persisting. Hopefully she will get over it very soon!

We have this from time to time with DS1 who’s now 2.5. I find getting in with him stops it. Annoying for me but he joins me happily.

Our son was exactly the same. I've lowered the amount of water in the bath so it's below his hips when he's sat and I've taken foam bubbles away. It's worked a treat.

Oh thank you. She seems ok now. Got over it in a couple of days!

My DS went through this at about a year old and wouldn’t go in any bath alone or with me or DH for a few weeks but was happy if I held him in the shower. Then a few weeks later we tried the bath again and he went in it no problem. No reason for it but from reading, I’m seems very common. DS is 2 now and loves his baths or showers

My niece went through a phase of not liking the bath we took her to lush and made a fuss of trying out the bath bombs the staff are usually very lovely. She picked a couple of bath bombs to take home and that helped.

This happened with my 18 month old just last month; when put in the bath he would suddenly scream and try to climb out. It stopped after about 2 or 3 weeks and now he is fine again, no idea why it happened! Must be developmental by the sound of things