Baby suddenly hates bath!

[Purple89]

Hi all, wondering if anyone has any experience of this or any tips?

My 5.5 month old has loved having a bath from around 10/12 weeks. She kicks her legs and flails her arms and giggles. She has her baths in our big bath with a reclined back support.

Starting 2 nights ago, she suddenly starts crying as soon as we put her in the bath! She has stopped kicking and giggling and just looks upset.

The temperature is fine (checked 37 degrees with thermometer), and I wouldn't think she was too tired (she goes in 30 mins before bed time and this hasn't changed).

I wondered if perhaps the bath support we were using wasn't comfortable, so I've since bought a different bath support from Amazon and tried it tonight but it made no difference. I also tried holding her in the big bath with no support (I.e. just supporting her myself) and she cried more.

Has anyone else had experience of this issue or any tips? Is it just one of those phases that will pass with time? In the meantime we can make baths a quick wash only, but I do miss the giggles!

Thanks all.

This is something that happens and I've no idea why. My 16 year old did it for a time. It passes quite quickly. I'd totally forgotten about it til your post! Just do what you can to gently encourage until she's over it. But nothing to worry about.

By quite quickly I mean days/a couple of weeks.

Yep! With all of them!
I still kept up the routine just had to think hard about how to distract them every night. Eventually it passes hang in there- mine loved a bit of peek a poo behind a towel. They also used to have a bath standing up too at a certain point!! That too passes.

Thank you so much @NashvilleQueen and @Partyballoons for your speedy and reassuring responses. It's good to know this has happened to others, as I've been racking my brain wondering what I'm doing wrong!

As you suggest, we will just keep baths quick with distractions until the phase passes. My husband did manage to get a few reluctant smiles when he pretended to hide behind the door!

All of mine hav done this at various points, have you tried getting in rh bath with then? For all 3 of them a few days if mummy baths seemed to reset them and they would be happy to go back in their own again

Oh yes, had this with both of mine. Swapped to bathing in the kitchen sink for a few weeks and they both were fine with it, and then reintroduced the bath and it was fine again. Now idea why they suddenly went off baths, but it was just a phase!

I haven't tried this- good idea thank you, will give it a go!

Thank you for the reply, this is helpful and may give this a go! Going to try a mummy bath first and see if this might reset things...

Was searching on this, my 13 month old is screaming every time we try and put her in the bath (only just started). Did it get better?! I'll try a "mummy bath"

My just turned 2 year old who used to love the bath has started going hysterical if we try to put her in the bath and if I get in she gets even more upset!

I'm pleased to report that it did indeed pass! I think it lasted a couple of weeks and suddenly she got over whatever was upsetting her and started loving the bath again! We introduced some new bath toys for distraction and kept baths very quick whilst she was in this phase but she just stopped being upset. It was so weird!

Mummy bath also seemed to help.

Hopefully yours will get over it as well.