Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Behaviour/development

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

Flip

Original poster

12month old refusing baths

13 replies

johana · 12/02/2009 15:40

My ds has always loved bathtime and suddenly he screams the place down when I try to put him in the bath. What do I do? I'm trying not to make a big deal out of it and after 4nights of trying to coerce him I have now given up and just let him play next to the bath as I wash him before he goes to bed. Is he just being assertive? Do you just go with it? Or be insitent?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

cmotdibbler · 12/02/2009 15:41

He doesn't need a bath everynight, but why not try having a bath with him, or taking him in the shower with you

ilovetochat · 12/02/2009 15:43

i agree, bath with him, dd loves that. and she will only wash her hair in shower or else she screams.

Original poster

johana · 12/02/2009 15:45

He screamed even more when I tried that the other night, such a shame as he used to love his baths. Will he come around? At this rate he won't be having any baths...

OP posts:

LaTrucha · 12/02/2009 15:54

DD is going through a phase liek this. Going back to newborn baby temperature water has helped, and DH and I bathing ehr together too - one to wash and one to distract. She still sometimes screams though.

drjane · 12/02/2009 16:12

Try taking him swimming during the day. This usually cures bouts of bath-phobia in my ds.

GrapefruitMoon · 12/02/2009 16:21

It's in the dim and distant past but I have a feeling that a couple of my dcs did this around the same age - but it may have coincided with a visit to their grandparents, different bath, etc.

Maybe let it go for a few days and then get a new bath toy or bubbles and he may forget his fears in the excitement?

GreatDadinTraining · 12/02/2009 17:15

I'd run the bath anyway, every night.
Place a few enticing toys in, bubble bath etc, but be chilled and not insist he gets in, just wash him alongside as you are doing.
Kids cannot resist water (=mess/chaos) so he will jump in eventually!
Small, not big battle, IMHO
Good luck
GDIT

IdrisTheDragon · 12/02/2009 17:16

Both DS and DD had phases of this. They stopped having the phases after a while. Don't force him into the bath.

Original poster

johana · 12/02/2009 21:19

Greatdadintraining - thats exactly what I've done each night. Tonight he was trying to cock a leg up to get in but when I lifted him over he got hysterical. Its obviously a phase from what I can gather....

OP posts:

tumtumtetum · 12/02/2009 21:22

Ours did exactly this as about 14 months.

She suddenly was screaming and desperate to get out.

It lasted about a month then suddenly she was back to normal.

We didn't fuss or make a big deal or anything, and the first time she came in was when I was in there and she was watching and decided she wanted to join in. i was playing with her toys and stuff.

It didn't seem like such a big deal as well as we don't bath her every day by any means

GreatDadinTraining · 13/02/2009 10:30

That's great, Johana
Play the long game, you will win with time!
Keep calm/relaxed (obviously much easier to say than do!)
GDIT

MiaMamma · 13/02/2009 16:08

Sounds like my DD! At 18months started suddenly screaming seeing the bath. I tried all the suggestions from wise mumsnetters - new toys, getting in with her, being calm with her, shower instead of bath - nothing made the difference. Bath crayons were slight improvement, she would stand quietly in the water and draw but no sitting down. It took about 5-6 months (!) when the crying gradually stopped (to get to wash her hair took even longer). Now she's nearly 3 and is ok with bath.
It just takes time and try to be calm and relaxed with him because he still needs a wash Hope he'll be better soon!!

MiaMamma · 13/02/2009 16:10

Oh, and we always went swimming - DD loved that (still does). So I used to go then about 3 times a week, so she could at least get the shower after swimming -one way to get her washed!

Flip