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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Tips to get baby/toddler out of bath!

25 replies

kirbs · 26/11/2007 19:39

My daughter is 18 months, so not really a baby (oops time for another one then). Anyway, unlike a lot of the problems on this forum to do with baths, she doesn't hate them, she loves them!. So much so that I can't get her out. By the end of bath time, she is usually on her front splashing around (only 4" or so of water). As soon as I reach in to pick her up, she turns into a jellied eel. No amount of coaxing or convincing works. No "milk time" or "wheres Iggle Piggle".....both meet with a resoudning NO, and Bye Bye. The only thing that has worked is my husband ringing the door bell, and then a "oh quickly lets see who that is"!. DIfficult on your own though!

Any tips welcome!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

RubySlippers · 26/11/2007 19:40

let the water out

smeeinachristmastreeinnit · 26/11/2007 19:42

pick her up and wrap her in a towel....

Pennies · 26/11/2007 19:43

let the water out and the moment she starts to feel cold she'll welcome the towel.

RubySlippers · 26/11/2007 19:43

i ask my DS if he wants to get out - of course he says no, but he also says no if i ask him if he wants a million pounds

Weegle · 26/11/2007 19:46

Do you let her know bathtime is coming near to and end? DS 17 mo loves his baths and would scream at getting out. Now 5 min before getting out we start talking about getting out and bedtime story etc. Then I involve him in clearing away his toys: "can you get the yellow ball?" etc etc. He's been much better since I talked him through it. I also make getting dried a very exciting game where the towel has to "catch" his left foot/bottom/tummy/ear - he thinks this is hilarious so is a good distraction for having to get out of the bath and something else to look forward to. If he's looking particularly like we might have a scream on our hands then I go and get his teddy and pretend he's having so much fun getting dried, this usually works.

Sleepdeprived72 · 26/11/2007 19:59

Bad mother admission - even when I let the water out my DS would refuse to come out without a scream so I told him that once the water is out IncyWincy spider can come up the plug hole - have never had a problem since. I feel terribly guilty even typing this now. Maybe the less extreme measures are a better bet.

WriggleJiggle · 26/11/2007 20:22

We were having the same problem about a month ago. For a couple of weeks I was able to distract her by placing nappies on the floor and asking her to choose one. Then we had a nightmare week when she would only wear particular nappies eg the fish one, the rabbit one ....

Now she seems to have outgrown it, although I occasionally let the water out then leave her to play in an empty bath.

Flibbertyjibbet · 26/11/2007 20:30

This was on supernanny once and what she recommended works for us. Children like to know what to expect. So tell our two that, for example, he can play with ducks (or drown his brother etc etc) for two more minutes and then it will be time to get out. Or that when they have had their hair washed they can play for another two mintues etc etc When the two minutes is nearly up (he can't tell the time) we say 'are you nearly ready to get out now, tidy up the toys'.

Original poster

kirbs · 26/11/2007 21:47

Thanks all, I shall try some of those tactics, especially talking her through putting toys away etc.

I have done the emptying the bath, but unfortunately she still lies there, naked, face down, simulating splashing.

OP posts:

dd666 · 26/11/2007 21:50

dd 18mo she too hates getting out the bath so i pull the plug sometimes she will sit in till all water gone others she will ask to get out as soon as she realises the water going!

emmaagain · 26/11/2007 23:27

I'd get my book and enjoy a good read till the child has had enough, myself

theslownorris · 26/11/2007 23:40

I always say a rhyme when it's time to get out (sad,I know )
"Fishes in the water,fishes in the sea,
We all jump up with a 1,2,3!"
at which point you lift them out of the bath .

hunkermunker · 26/11/2007 23:46

We "do ten" with the boys - DS2's 22mo, so a bit older than your DD, but it's working with him (well, mostly...!). When the bath's coming to an end, we say "right, just do ten with the watering can/boat/jug, then time to go and have milk and stories" then count to ten. When you get to ten, if there's protesting, you say "Come on, we said we'd just do ten".

We often use this to give them just a bit longer playing, but with a finite limit - they don't understand "one more minute" at this age, but they do understand counting to ten (after a few goes!).

gigglewitch · 26/11/2007 23:47

i'm afraid i am another plug-taker.
then we 'race' against the water to get all of the boats, ducks and stuff out of the bath before all the water goes!

terramum · 27/11/2007 10:17

DS loves his baths as well. We ask him to pull the plug out & let him play in it until all the water has gone which helps - gives him the control iyswim.....explaining where the water has gone seems to alleviate any stress or anger about the bath being gone as well. Then we ask if he wants to be wrapped up like a sausage ....it was something DH did once & he loves it so much he can't wait to get out of the bath once it's been suggested so we've been doing it ever since. Basically DS stands with his arms by his side & we wrap a towel firmly round the tops of his shoulders, tucking it in to hold it in place - so he looks like a little sausage with legs...& then DS runs round & jumps up and down like a mad thing trying to get the towel to fall off....at which point he asks us to make him a sausage again...and this continues until he is dry.

andaPartridgeinClareV · 27/11/2007 10:45

Ds also protests at getting out of bath sometimes, so i tell him "if you want to stay in, then mummy can wash your hair" that usually gets the desired "me all done bath mummy" response

Dumplings · 27/11/2007 10:52

I'm afraid I am with the "Pick her up and wrap her in a towel" suggestion. I save my clever manipulations for the hefty four year old I can hardly lift!

sweetkitty · 27/11/2007 10:55

Give them 5 minutes warning then pull the plug out, grab them and lift them with a towel, cue some screaming but usually say "is that Night Garden I can hear downstairs?" and off they go.

Flamesparrow · 27/11/2007 10:58

I alternate between the read a book suggestion and the "just pick her up" - She's 18 months old, not 8! Give warning (hunker's 10 more etc), then just pick her up (under one arm if necessary), shove a towel round her, and take her out of the room.

Ignore yelling... tends to stop within 2 seconds of leaving the room

JoyS · 27/11/2007 19:50

I have solved this problem by making DH do the bath.

Daffodilly · 28/11/2007 13:50

We taught DD (13 mths) to pull the plug out herself and watch the water go - which she loves. Problem is now convincing her to save this fun game until the end of the bath - or at least after hair washing...

nannyL · 28/11/2007 19:23

sing

"zoom zoom zoom, were going to the moon
zoom zoom zoom, we'll be there very soon
5 4 3 2 1 blast off"

and lift them high out of the bath on blast off...

currently working for my 2 year old charge!

mummymagic · 28/11/2007 19:36

Hee hee, my dd likes to play around in the empty bath too! Her current fave is to pretend to go to sleep in the bath (we have to turn off the light and she says night, night ). We go along with the game a couple of times and then say 'last one' and then time to get out and go to sleep in your bed!!

Agree with giving lots of warnings and recommend teaching 'last one' - it works for everything (reading books hundred times, crisps, games, last swing before leaving the park). You obviously only say it when you really mean it as you have to be consistent (and not do another one) but my dd has known the phrase for months and it stops lots of tantrums (she often takes a looooong time enjoying taking her last crisp or whatever though!).

yomellamoHelly · 28/11/2007 19:50

We used to do a countdown of "the plug monster" - so 5 then 2 then 1 minute and count to ten. Then I pretended to be a monster gobbling up the plug. Ds1 got hauled out as soon as the water had gone.
Not really necessary now he's four.

Acinonyx · 28/11/2007 20:59

Well dh usually does the bath - that helps. But to get dd out (hates to get in then hates to get out...) we pull the plug, then offer to wrap her up 'cosy warm' on our fluffiest towel and in one of those fluffy toddler bathrobes. Like a pp - being wrapped up is the key for her - and has to be fluffy stuff - not our skankier old scratchy towels.

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