Hellish Bathtimes

[BeCleverMintFox]

Hi, looking for some general advice here. My DS is 14months and has never EVER liked being washed or in water. He just screams and cries endlessly. Obviously I know I need to bathe him but I’ve tried everything, baby tub, sink, I’ve got in, his brother has got in, water warm, water deep, water shallow, wearing a swim nappy until the last minute, playing with toys, holding him in the shower etc. pretty much anything! We also went on holiday this summer and he screamed and cried when we took him anywhere near the pool.

Because he hasn’t ever been near water it’s not like there was a traumatic event or anything, but has anyone else had the same experience? Or can give me any advice on helping him to enjoy it? We currently just have to shut the bathroom window, be quick and pray no one reports us 😂😂

Have you tried just standing/sitting in the bath and wash with a flannel? Is it water over his head or the sound of running water? If he was scared of the pool before you got near it is it all the noise?

Can you get him used to playing with water not in the bath, playing with toy boats or ducks or a diver in a bowl of water, splashing, washing up? Get him used to interacting with water on his own terms.

Is the room warm enough? Does he not like the noise of the taps?

Try playing in the bath lots with no water- bath pens, you get in too. Play cars in there. And try some water play downstairs in a large tub or bowl. Switch it all up.

I think this is just a phase some of them go through. I remember my eldest doing this, he used to scream the house down having a bath - and the less said about washing his hair, the better. He's 3 and a half now and he'll happily have a bath/shower now. We tried pretty much everything you have. Nothing really changed the situation but time and perseverance and keeping calm about it. He still doesn't like getting his face wet, or having his hair washed. But he'll stand under the shower with his head back now so I can do his hair.

Thanks for this, I will try the other ideas above and I’ve asked the nursery to help him enjoy water play too. I guess I just needed to know it passes 😂 my eldest DS who is now 8, I never had this with him!