Toddler afraid of plughole in bath!

[Hellohowareyou112]

My toddler has developed a severe (and I mean severe) fear of the plug hole in the bath. I think he thinks he’s going to be sucked down it. Bathing him is impossible. Anyone know of any toddler baths that don’t have a plughole and you empty by just tipping them out? Or anyone have any other tips?

I had the same phobia when I was very young. My sister, who was a year younger, solved the problem for me by volunteering to sit in the bath while the water drained out, demonstrating to my satisfaction that she was still there and perfectly unharmed by the experience.

She also cured me of my phobia about injections by again volunteering to be “injected” before me to prove she was fine afterwards.

Would a small paddling pool within bath work?

There's some good advice here - I think this fear is not al that uncommon, I've definitely heard of it before.

Well from a toddlers perspective, he’s having a grand time in a lovely warm bath splashing about, then you pull the plug, a gaping chasm appears sucking down all the water with loud blubbering noises and he ends up sat naked and cold in an empty bath. Totally understandable fear. You’ve had some good advice, hope something works for you quickly, ultimately it will work out you just might need to try a couple of different approaches.

Yeah, toddlers are rational like that...

I used to just leave the water in the tub when I bathed mine when they were toddlers. I would come back later when they were all tucked into bed.

I realise you're having problems even getting your LO into the water at this point, but if you can convince her to go back in, try just leaving it there when you take her out.

One way to introduce the idea that water going down a drain is safe is to let her play with water in the kitchen sink or even in the bathtub with the plug out, or get a water table and let her pour water with cups and funnels. A water table can be unplugged and she can see the water coming out underneath.

I'm a bit like that after watching a 999 Rescue type programme in 1990's where a toddler got their finger stuck down the plughole and had to be rescued by the Fire Service.

I would try putting a big baby bath in the bath and hide the plughole with a facecloth.

I think fear of the bath plughole is very common - the water suddenly starts to swirl away and makes a noise

Especially scary if you're a toddler in a big bath - I'm 71 and stay clear of the plughole and tap end!

In an old rental the plughole didn’t work properly. We had flexible plastic disk that worked by suction so we could fill the tub. Throw one of those on there and over it up.

I had this with my eldest extreme phobia and I did this flannel over it and playing and washing a well behaved dog

this is so cute

I have horrific anxiety that led to psychosis but it was from things very very different rom this.

I never feared thigns like this - do you really still avoid it?

What a lovely sister she is. DS3 sometimes reassures DS2 who can be more anxious.

thats so sweet. my sister was a horrible bully who was so nasty to me