bathtime :-(

[peachyuk]

hi all

am hoping for some more advice on bathing my 9 week old (had great advice about reflux)

anyway long story short, she hates having a bath. she will scream the house down, but she likes having her hair washed

i've tried all sorts of different things, like using a baby bath - not using the baby bath. tried at different times of the day, after a sleep and/or feed and doing it before sleep and feed. i've got a bath thermometer so i know the temp is right.

cuz she likes her hair being washed i've washed it first then tried washing it last

yesterday i even got my sister to watch while i bathe her (she has had 2 kids) while she is my first.

most times i top and tail her but she does need to have a good wash as she has bad reflux so smells of sick most of the time. also when i top and tail her i have to lay her down so as soon as i pick her up she is sick

anyone got any ideas as i've tried everything

take her in the bath with you

I second bathing with her. The other thing is that the 'correct' bath temp is often too cool, you could try it a little hotter. Have you got a bath seat for her to recline in? A folded flannel is also nice to rest her head on in the seat.

Yes get in with her. My son was exactly the same, hated the baby bath, hated being held. I found it very difficult to hold him easily when wet and I think he picked up on that and was very apprehensive about the whole thing.

In the end we got a bath support and climbed in with him. Cue smiles from that day on.

Now at 8 months he's very excited when he sees the bath running.

None of my kids were bathed properly until they were sitting up themselves. I used a top n tail bowl, laid them on a soft towel, and washed them down like that once a day.

Once they were sitting up, I would run very shallow baths and let them play at splashing to accustom them to the idea. No hysterics here.

Dunno if that helps.

we bought this bath (www.mothercare.com/Mothercare-Foldaway-bath/dp/B003W2SI6G?ie=UTF8&ref=sr_1_20&nodeId=44536031&sr=1-20&qid=1305580079) and the inflatable insert seemed to make a world of difference. I wouldn't say he enjoys his baths but he doesn't cry through them anymore and he seems much more relaxed. I also feel safer bathing him this way as opposed to holding over some of the larger baby baths. hth.

thanks for the replies - i'm scared of bathing with her incase i drop her

will have a look a the bath supports

So was I, Peachy. I used to make DH do it because I felt so unsafe holding a wet slippery baby. Its much easier with the bath supports, until they can sit up by themselves.

Hi Peachy, my DS also hated his bath (as well as reflux he had eczema which got worse in the hard London water). I gave up on it completely and got into a routine of sponge-bathing him every other day. Found that the evening was best, about mid-way between feeds, or at the latest half an hour before bedtime feed. Never earlier than half an hour after a feed, because then he'd be very sick (although with reflux you can't really avoid that at any time!). After a while he began to enjoy that time, especially as he got songs and a massage (if she likes her head being washed she might like a head massage -- the things we do for our pfb's!). I've found that Simon & Garfunkel and Lou Reed songs are great baby-soothers (especially S & G).

If you can't face a sponge bath, have you seen these? They were in a goody bag at the Olympia Allergy fair -- wish I'd known about them sooner! Maybe you can give her a clean all over with those...?

I wouldn't stress about not giving her baths, especially if she hates them. She doesn't need them so young, and maybe in a couple of months it will be different.

How is the reflux? Have the docs prescribed any meds?

I was worried about bathung with my baby too-and although I still feel nervous about it she does love it!!

I know you say you have a bath thermometer but have you tried making it a bit warmer, still not hot obviously! My baby does not like being cold and when we added a bit more warm water she has always loved her bath. Go by instinct not thermometer!

Good luck.

Agree with bathing with her. Our DS hated the baby bath, only tried it once mind, so started to have family bath time. My DH and I would take turns getting in the bath with DS while the other one helped from outside the bath. He loves it....well, as much as you can tell with an 8 week old.

Then one day DH wasn't home to help so tried the baby bath again, water temp at body temp and a good amount of water in it. DS was great!

I don't have reflux to contend with though....