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Parenting

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Original poster

Why is my 15mo suddenly petrified of water?

12 replies

thecatwiththesilveryfur · 03/04/2023 18:31

She's always enjoyed baths and swimming; a few days ago, I put her in the bath and she screamed and stood up, asking to be taken out. (It wasn't too hot.) Since then, she's cried every time

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Original poster

thecatwiththesilveryfur · 03/04/2023 18:33

Ugh, posted too early!

Since then, she's cried every time I've put her into the bath, and whimpered so pitifully at swimming that I took her out after ten minutes. Tonight, she started sobbing and clinging to me before I'd even undressed her.

Any thoughts? And how do I handle it? She really does need a bath: she gets absolutely filthy at nursery and is hard to clean both after dinner and a nappy change because she is so mobile and so strong willed! But I don't want to traumatise her!

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StarsandStones · 03/04/2023 18:36

Did they wash her at nursery? Did she have a change of clothes recently whilst there?

NotAHouse · 03/04/2023 18:54

Shower?

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HappiDaze · 03/04/2023 18:57

Get in the bath with her ?

Franklin2000 · 03/04/2023 19:01

I remember DS doing this, completely out of the blue. It was real screaming in terror. I didn’t have any choice but to bath him as he was filthy so had a couple of nights with him stood crying in the bath while I quickly washed him. Then I started bathing with him and it was so much better!! I think he must have slipped or something and scared himself. He soon forgot about it thankfully.

cherrybakewell24 · 03/04/2023 19:02

Both of mine suddenly did this around this age after loving baths! For my daughter it was a known cause, we'd put a bath toy in with her that was a swimming fish that we didn't realise she was terrified of! Son, no clue.

With both I'd get in with them and sit them on me if needs be, it was a phase with both lasting a few weeks then they were fine again.

SErunner123 · 03/04/2023 19:30

She might have wee'd in the bath on that occasion without you realising and is now panicking about doing it again? Our daughter had exactly the same reaction one day totally out of the blue and I realised she was weeing. We had a week or so of her totally freaking out every time we put her in the bath, but it passed. She is still hyper aware of weeing or pooing in the bath though and often mentions it. We just say not to worry and we've introduced the concept of a potty as she seems to have some awareness of when she is going to wee and poo. I think this probably happened a bit later than 15 months for us, but before 18 months.

Original poster

thecatwiththesilveryfur · 03/04/2023 21:46

It sounds as if getting in with her is the answer. I've been reluctant to do that as she is the ultimate limpet baby and screams if taken away from me, so getting dressed after a bath isn't the most practical! - but if it helps her calm down while we're in the bath, I suppose it'll have to be!

I don't think they wash her at nursery, @StarsandStones - she has changes every day because they do a lot of messy play, but I'd be surprised if they wash her. Why do you ask?

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thecatwiththesilveryfur · 03/04/2023 21:46

Thanks everyone for the suggestions!

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SRK16 · 03/04/2023 21:52

My son had this around that age, or slightly older. I was really stressed! Like you, no obvious reason, totally out of the blue. I did have to back off a bit and just do a sponge bath and wipes for a few days because it was becoming more of a thing and traumatic for him, and dangerous as he was so upset and wriggly it wasn’t ideal when he was slippery! I let him play in the empty bath with new / novel toys, and to play with water in a Tupperware in there, and with the tap running but no plug. Also did lots of baths together. I think the phase lasted a week or two and then just got better. He loves a bath now!

peachgreen · 03/04/2023 21:58

Ugh DD did this around the same age, it was awful.

I lined the bath with towels and let her play in it with no water a couple of times. Then I ran the bath with her in it, just a few inches of water deeper each time. Eventually that worked and she was fine with baths again. But it took weeks and it was hellish!

437Applepie · 03/04/2023 22:27

As with yourself there was no obvious cause for us. We tried to go as long as possible without a bath and just accepted she would be a bit grubby. We didn't even mention a bath during this time. Maybe we did a sponge clean if that was considered acceptable, I can't remember. After about 5 or 6 days I ran a bath like it was the most normal thing in the world but made it the best bath ever with loads of bubbles and a few new toys and blowing bubbles and music. Then just got her ready and popped her in like it was no big deal. Think she just needed to break the chain

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