My baby hates bath time

[Reecex]

Hi. I was wondering if anyone has any tips to help me relax my son when in the bath? He's 7 weeks old and cries in the bath everytime, not just a wee cry like full blown breaking his heart. The water is the right temp, I talk to him, smile at him, dip his bum in first to get him used to the water and it's a very quick bath. I get so upset when he breaks his heart and I want him to enjoy bath time but it's becoming very stressful for him and for myself. Any tips at this point would be greatly appreciated x

If I were in your position I would take it back a few steps and ease him in more slowly.

You could first try a few weeks of daily washes with a warm flannel, then progress to an inch of water in a baby bath, gradually increasing the water each day. Then once he is happy go back to the full on bath.

Some babies need time to adjust to things.

Go in with him. If breastfeeding then feed him in the bath.

Mine's 16 months and still hates the bath unfortunately! Since she was able to pull herself up she stopped laying or sitting down and she still screams through most of it. She's been the same since birth. Hopefully someone has more useful words..!

My DD was like this, in the end my DH used to take her in the bath with him. She settled and began to enjoy bath time.

Don't bathe!

Try washing and rinsing with a cloth.

And try the bath again later.

Don’t bath him very often and just have a bath with him whenever he needs one so you can cuddle him.

I second going in with him. Mine is ok in the small baby bath for a few minutes, but much happier in the tub with me, and will tolerate a much longer bath that way.

My DS was like this. Absolutely hated the bath from the get go and screamed the place down. Sometimes so much that he vomited. He’s now 7. Turns out the reason was he’s extremely sensitive to water temperature and likes a very, very cool bath. Of course, he couldn’t tell me that til he was about 3 and I tried EVERYTHING. May be worth a try?

Are you bathing her in the 'big' bath? DD hated the bath so we just used to put a towel down in her room or the living room & use a baby bath until she was bigger. And actually we bathed her in the sink many times with no issue too. I don't think she went in the big bath until she was around 4 months after the initial horrifying episode.

Are you holding him up? My DD screamed blue murder for weeks and weeks, until we lay her flat in the bath (hand still under her shoulders of course). The first-time we did it she was instantly quiet! The last few times we've nearly had smiles but no more screaming! She's 13 weeks now so she could also just be growing out of it - but worth a try maybe? Good luck! Xx

Honestly, I don’t think babies need a bath at that age. Just give him a little wash as other Pp have described. Mine hated the bath to begin with and only started liking it once she could support her own head (so not lying down at all). She sits up herself now. I would add that swimming lessons actually helped us as she likes water now!

Try wrapping in a towel before hand and lowering him in, in the towel and then the next bath do the same and unwrap the towel and keep doing that till without the towel.
It's his my DS had a bath before leaving NICU. And we carried it on and he is now a water baby!

My DD used to cry to, someone suggested putting a square flannel on her chest/tummy and it makes them feel more covered up.

I tried it and it worked, worth a try!

Our baby screamed blue murder in baby bath. We run a big bath every night and lower her in and she loves it. We also put the temperature at 38 degrees exactly as she cries at anything colder. DH lifts her out and I stay in the bath for 5 minutes and wash myself in there (the only opportunity I get!)

My little one didn't properly like going in the bath until he could sit up on his own. It did get better and better tho. Your little one is still very small. I would stick with just a little wash for a while

We used to crank the heating up, put a warm, wet flannel around DD's chest and shoulders to keep her warm in the bath then have her towel on the heated towel rack for after. Basically anything to stop her getting cold, but she also cried through nappy changes for the cold for a while. Bath time gets the odd smile but she's less sensitive to cold now she's older and adores being naked.