bath time hysterics from 3 month old

[raggybaggy]

My lovely 3 month old boy is getting rather smelly because he won't have a bath!

Up until he was a month old he seemed to really enjoy his bath but overnight he changed his mind. Now whenever I even put his toes into his baby bath (having carefully checked the temperature) he gets completely hysterical!

As he won't have a bath, I lie him on his change mat and wash him with a sponge and warm water every day and he cries when I do that too. It's really hard to get into all the creases in his skin especially as he's getting quite good at wriggling and pushing my hands away.

He hasn't had any bad water experiences. Does anyone have any idea how I can get him to have a bath???

I wouldn't push it. My DS2 wasn't fond of the bath for his first few months, and now he loves it, it's all I can do to stop him flinging himself into ponds, washing up bowls, and any other sort of liquid.

I think DS2 became more fond of the bath when he could sit up. At that point, all the bath toys start to be real fun.

Raggybaggy,
Have you tried getting one of those seats they can lie back in so you don't have to hold him? You can also just put a small amount of water in and lie them on their backs unsupported - they =have some freedom with arms and legs then.
With my first son, I DREADED bathtime at the beginning - then my sister came and did it one day and =she was really relaxed, smiling and singing to him, and he was absolutely fine. I hadn't realised how my own tension was affecting him.

thanks for the advice. Are these bath supports any good? I'm a bit wary of buying more baby stuff as I've already bought stuff that we don't use (£50 on nice baby play mat that my baby hates and another £50 on electric breast pump which is a horrible horirible thing!!!

Has anyone used the baby baths that look like a bucket? I looked on a website just now and they cost £20! think might just buy a new bucket for 50p and see if he likes it....

I tried a special bath bucket thingie, but it lasted about two bathtimes before it became a laundry basket! In theory they are meant to like being upright, but you still have to hold little ones so it's no easier. But with the supports, I bought a really cheap thing from Mothercare that's literally some towelling stretched over a wire frame. My second babe really liked it because he felt supported but was free, and it was much easier for me.

RG - I put my husband in the bath, and then plonked my son on his lap - all of a sudden, my son thought that baths were FANTASTIC (and now a year later, expects to get into every bath that either one of us is in

MY DS was the same. Have you tried him in the shower? DS loved the shower as he was being held (by my DH BTW) and could 'touch' the water. It seemed quicker as well. You do need two of you though.

Raggy, have you tried putting him in the big bath? Maybe he finds the baby bath too small now?

Bath supports etc aren't essential IMO - it only takes one hand to support them and it's not as if you can leave them in the bath at this age anyway.

Have a bath with him? IS the water warm enough - both my babies liked the water the same temperature (ie pretty hot) as I do.
Otherwise just leave it. Babies don't get very dirty lying in prams and being carried.

im still having this problem was very kindly sent the tummy tub form a mumsnetter and on 1 occasion she loved it and cried whenm i took her out but its just been that once and have no idea why it was different.

raggabaggy my dd started to get scared of bath around 2/3 mths old so I bought one of those baby baths that fit over bath...don't use it now but you can have it free if post isn't to expensive!!!