10 week baby bathtime

[kisaki333]

Hey all, turning to you again for advice! My 10 week old baby doesn't seem to enjoy bathtime at all. We try to do it each night as part of the bedtime routine but rather than being something relaxing, i think it just stresses her out! The entire time in the water, she just sits there, not moving, not making a sound (obviously she doesn't sit, her dad suppots her while i gently wash her ). Her eyes are wide open and she looks straight at me. My gut feeling is she's afraid (hence the dead silence instead of crying) . I don't know how to make her feel safer? Any tips?

Is she in the big bath or a baby bath?
How about a baby bath support seat of some sort - might feel more secure than being held?
Have her in the bath with you?

I was still bathing them during the day at that age - they were far from relaxing!

My DD hated baths in the big bath. We bought a baby bath and she was much happier in that.

Sorry, i should have mentioned, this is in a baby bath. I don't evwn have a proper bathtub to use. Although my baby is very small so the babybath is twice her length at least. It's just the basic one from John Lewis. I will look into a bath support, maybe that will help. Otherwise she's a very curious and brave baby, it's just puzzling to me that baths seem to petrify her !

Our youngest hated Bath time for ages, once she could sit up she started to enjoy it.

Do you play with her while she is being bathed?

@eddiemairswife

Do you play with her while she is being bathed?

I mean, i try but it's one sided as she doesn't respond. Normally she loves playing and responds with smiles etc. But once she hits the water, it's radio silence. I hope she grows into liking it...

If she doesn't like it then stop doing it. She's only 10 weeks I doubt she's covered in muck, just give her a wipe over with a flannel. Daily bathing isn't great for their skin anyway.

Daily bath is too much. Have you got a shower ? Could you rinse her quickly while your in the shower and just let a little bit of water on her as gradually for longer periods every few days? What about your kitchen sink would she feel less out of her depth there ?

Our LO was the same. I was gutted because I’d really romanticised this lovely calming bedtime routine 🙄

She’s now 5 mo and bathtime is now lovely and relaxing every night! Things that helped us were doing shared baths where we all got in together once a week, then we gradually added in another bath in her own small bath mid week. We also took her swimming a couple of times and I’m sure this helped! She goes to classes now and loves being in the water

One other thing we found is that she cried getting out the bath, so we started to unplug the water and drain it a bit before getting her out to ease the shock.

We now do bath every night just to waste time (they are awake for so long now!), but this has only been since about 4mo.

Hope your little one gets there too!