DD, 2, Terrified of Bath

[Wholelottalove]

Help! DD (just turned 2) has always loved her baths, but about a month ago now she accidentally pooed in the bath - she farted and followed through. Now, she screams and cries every time we put her in the bath, refusing to sit down as she keeps saying she will poo. If I get in the bath with her she is a bit calmer, but is now refusing to sit down even if I'm in the bath with her.

Tonight I lost patience and shouted at her telling her to sit down and sitting her down myself. She got hysterical and we ended up getting her out. I know I shouldn't have shouted, but I am 8 weeks pregnant, feeling very sick and tired and just don't want to have to get in the bath with her every night. We are down to a couple of baths a week - mainly to wash her hair which is a nightmare within itself as it is very curly and hard to brush. Again, she used to be fine with hair washing and would tilt her head back. Now she screams and thrashes and the water goes everywhere and in her eyes which makes her even less likely to want hair washed next time.

What can we do to reassure her? She loves swimming and will happily have a bath with her older cousin when at his house and sit down fine which I think is why I lost patience with her tonight. I was wondering whether we could try a star chart.

She's not potty trained yet but interested in sitting on the toilet and has done a wee in the toilet the other day, and a wee and poo in the potty (all instigated by her).

Stop bathing her.

Just give her a stand up wash.

if she loves swimming I'd give her a shower afterwards and wash her hair

have you got a shower?

we hose down our two if they don't fancy a bath

we also only bath them every other night

Yes, as others have said take the pressure off (you and her)

Unless her hair is actually dirty (food in it or similar) then wash it once a week after swimming.

In a low key way let her choose some new bath stuff (toys, bubbles, flannel etc) and tell her she can play with them when she next wants a bath.

If she will bath with her cousin then focus on making those baths really relaxed and good fun.

Hope your sickness eases soon.

Not necessary to bath her every night, every other is more than enough at that age.

I'd stop giving baths and give her showers if I were you.

Get a water spray bottle for her hair, curls are much easier to brush when wet.

I reckon the problem will most likely disappear when she's potty trained and feels more in control.

Definitely agree with previous posters. Don't bath her. Wash her, shower her, wipe her hair over with a flannel, wash it after swimming. She will just get more frightened if you force her.

Get her to come and play with toys when you're in the bath so she starts to associate it with pleasure and relaxation again. It might take a long time but don't push it. She'll come around when she's ready.

You have my full sympathy for the morning sickness and the tiredness. I hope it passes soon.

Got it, thanks all Will chill out and just let her stand and be hosed down when she gets too dirty/smelly. Such a shame because she used to have such a great time in the bath, but hopefully she'll get over it soon.

Randomly, she will go in the shower at the swimming pool but gets very upset when we try to shower her at home.

When I read the title of this thread, I thought the op meant her dd was terrified of Bath, the city. Now that I would find strange.

But getting wet in the tub, well, just try not to make an issue of it. Children don't need a lot of washing (or hairbrushing for that matter). I would reduce it to once a week (I have dc with severe eczema so we can't bathe more often than that at the best of times)

Another thing I have done when ds1 had a time of not liking the bath (because he had had a skin infection and it stung for a while) was to have the bath in the middle of the day when he wasn't tired (and nor was I). He was much more likely to be cooperative then.

Or speedy showers, food colouring in the water, bubbles, toys etc. Or she could get in with her swimsuit on just for fun. Maybe she could get in the bath with you. My dc always try to strip off and get in with me if I ever (rare) get the chance for a bath.

Anything to reduce the anxiety.