Sudden bathtime phobia

[sarah13h]

Hi all.  Am really hoping someone out there is going to tell me this is just a phase and that my 1yr old lo will soon get over it!  Bathtimes have usually been really lovely & enjoyable experiences; Stephen usually has loved having the chance to splash & kick about in the tub.  Up until the weekend, that is.

Suddenly, as of Saturday night, bathtimes are absolute baby torture!  He hates them now.  Well, to be specific, he hates being laid back to have his hair rinsed.  It's so bad now that he's even started crying & screaming as I finish washing his face because he knows what's next!  And I mean serious screaming - he's even tried climbing out of the bath this evening, and this from a boy who won't even pull himself up to stand! (and I hadn't even tried to lay him back, or mention the words /lie back/).

Any thoughts on what I can try?  Or what you've found that works?  Please!?!

[Asia P]

Hi Sarah,

We have had a similar problem with our DD recently. There is thread in Heath and medical forum about the exact same problem.

Here is the link:

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=112979.0

If the link doesn't work you need to hit quote on my post and you should be able to copy it from there. Sorry, I don't know how to make this link work
 

[linfran]

This happened to ds when he was 16mo.  Loved the water one night, hated it the next.  We had to start right from scratch, sitting him on the bathroom floor with a basin of soapy water and some bath toys.  At first he wouldn't even splash but we managed just to wash his face, hands and bum.  Eventually he started putting his hands in when he could see we were having fun playing with the water (bit messy but wth).

After a couple of weeks we were able to sit him and the basin in the empty bath.  After a few days we put a little bit of water in the bottom of the bath hidden with plenty of soap suds and then just added a little more each night till eventually we were back to normal and we could do without the basin.

I was recommended letting him take a bath with me and making a big deal about how fun it was but it didn't work for us - what did took a lot of time and even more patience but I felt if I forced the issue it would freak him out completely about water.

It is fixable though!

[mum6791]

We have this problem every time dd is teething - I think her ears are a lot more sensitive so lying her back with her ears in the water doesn't feel great.  We keep the tub shallow so that when we lay her back her ears aren't in the water.  It seems to work pretty well.

[sarah13h]

Thanks for all the ideas, folks!  It's beginning to look like it's less of a bathtime phobia though, and more of a refusal to lie back in the water.  But I do think it's probably linked to the fact that all he wants to do at the moment is stand and/or walk.  We've now had 2 tear-free baths, both without him lying back, and in both he tried desperately to climb up to a standing position.  Although slippery, I can live with this as it's the only time he tries to get up on his own (lazy boy)!  lol

[Jonahs Mom]

Has anyone tried showers with theirs?

My ds is 21mths and just last week decided baths are not fun.
I think it started when he pooped in the tub and got scared of it floating around. 

DS wasn't a fan of showers when we did swimming lessons, so I am a little scared to make bathing a scarier issue.

I think I'll try the 'start from scratch method' as well though.