19 month afraid of bath

[MeAndVee]

I went to give my DS his usual evening bath and I go to put him in and he screams.  He wouldn't even sit down.  He just clung to my arms and cried.  I took him out and he just cried and cried until we left the bathroom.  He loves his baths and looks forward to tub time every evening.  Just that morning he was playing with a bucket of water in the driveway {painting with water}.  We have had a few nights now with him just crying in the tub.  I am perplexed.  Nothing bad happened in the bathroom that would trigger this sort of reaction.  The water wasn't too hot or too cold.  I didn't do anything differently.  What can we do to get him back to loving his baths?

[momofgab]

My first DS went through several episodes of similar reactions. For the bath, I realised he was afraid of the sound of the water going down the drain...

To get him to enjoy his bath again, I had to help him get secure in it again by going in with him for a few times, then start with him and get out before he would, and a few days later he was fine. I made sure I would empty the bath when he was out. I actually had a lot of fun playing in the water!

[skatty]

Here is recent thread with lots of links with the same problem, it is very common and it's best not to push it and the phase will pass 

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=146666.0

[Qaytbey]

Mine has sometimes been reluctant to get in and I have used the following:  Let her get in in her nappy, shouting "Oh no!  Oh no!  Don't let her in the bath with her nappy on!  etc, etc.  I think that she liked feeling that she was winning a point off Mum ;-).  Slippers and socks off and get in with her.  Bubble bath. 

Hope this helps!

[MeAndVee]

Tried the diaper trick this evening.  He got the biggest smile on his face when I started shouting about not letting him in the tub with the diaper on.  Even talked him into washing up with his ducky wash cloth while I washed his hair.  Sure he was standing the whole time in an inch worth of water but atleast it is something.

[skatty]

Something that has worked for us is daddy gets in and starts dramatically throwing water on himself, Leorah is always happy to get in and throw water over him too! Taking her little people in a bucket with a sponge and sponging them down usually gets her in to help too and the other one is letting the tap run and having lots of cups and jugs if they are in a pouring phase, you just have to make it look exciting 

[flutie]

We went through this stage too.  I got in with DS for a few times and then he was fine.  Blowing bubbles always gets him in now!!

[michaeljacknnugg]

Hey girls, just thought I would report in as I've been reading your thread to make me feel better! My DS suddenly got terrified of the bath too in April and we've been working through it ever since. Tried bathing with us, with friends, going to play in a dry bath...you name it we tried it! Then we hit on playing with water outside and found he loved it...so what was the problem then??? A bit more observation told me he only had a problem with the getting into the bath bit. He was still scared at this point, but OK once in. I started playing 'hunt the chocolate button' in the bathroom and after several times he was happy to go in the bath and sit down - a big step. Then I concentrated on making it so much fun in there that he doesn't want to get out. Anyway, yesterday when I asked him if he wanted a bath he headed straight up the stairs!!
So anyone else who is going through this right now, there is hope :-)

[Texomamama]

I am going through this a bit as well, but DD loves the bath and water in general, so I quickly realized the issue was not the bath itself, but developmental and her realization that the bath meant a signal that her day was over.

And, the bedtime stalling routines have begun.