So up until maybe a month ago, Liv LOVED her baths. She would get pissed if we took her out of the tub too early, and was a happy camper splashing around and playing in there. Then a flip switched, and she started getting fussier and upset in there, and now its a full blown scream-fest while shes in the tub. The only thing I can think of that happened was that one night while we were getting ready to go out, the nanny was giving her a bath and she dumped a cup of water over her head (we tipped her back so water didnt get in her face.) She LOST it that night. Has anyone else had this sudden protest, and was it brought on by an event? Or do kids just do this? And how do I get over it? I want to sign her up for swim classes starting in May but if she stays like this I dont know....
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I don't have any experience .... but have you tried bath toys? I think mrbee also mentioned that Charlie does better if they get in the tub with him.
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@LivsMama: This happened to us too! We discovered a whole slew of tricks to coax him back into the bath, which really helped:
http://www.hellobee.com/2012/01/13/how-to-get-a-reluctant-toddler-to-take-a-bath/
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Awww, the same thing happened to us only my LO is much younger. He was really enjoying bathtime from about 1 month old - 2.5 mos or so, and I think I traumatized him by taking him in the shower with me. I just wanted him to have different experiences, but ever since then he SCREAMS when we put him in the tub, he's 3.5 mos now. I was hoping that if we waited like 10 days without a bath he would forget but that didn't work. I'm just hoping he'll outgrow it since he is still pretty young and hasn't discovered bath toys yet.
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@artbee: she has TONS of bath toys. And she loves them all as long as shes not IN the bath. She used to love them in the bath...not anymore.
@mrbee: Thanks for the link! Ill have to try some of those. Shes only 8 months old so only a few of those might work, but theyre worth a shot.
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We had the same problem with the water in the face, turned bath time into a total struggle.
What worked for us was slowly reintroducing water via a tiny watering can, to show our son that the water wasn't scary. Then we used the little hand held shower, which he now loves.
As far as swimming lessons, we started those too, around 10 months, and they've helped a lot with the fear of water in the face. He now lets me pour a small trickle over his head in the pool, which he didn't allow 6 months ago.
Good luck!!!
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Yes, I think a traumatic event can be a trigger. My LO has hated the bath for most of her life but she was finally getting into it when ....she pooped in the bath. Her floating poop scared her and it has taken maybe a month for her to get back into bathing again. Hopefully time heals all wounds. In the meantime, I have gotten her a few new bath toys that have helped on some nights. Good luck!!
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This happened with RJ as well. We switched to stand-up showers and it has helped a lot. We used to still fill the baby tub in case he wanted to sit down, but now we don't even bother. We put a fun no-slip bath mat on the bottom of the tub and one of those inflatable faucet covers, and he likes to look at and play with those now.
We also let him bring whatever we coaxed him upstairs with into the bath. Usually a small sheet of stickers or a "lollipop" (fruit snack on a stick). We've also turned a lot of the bath into a game, or more of a process: as soon we lift him into the bathtub we ask him to open and close the shampoo... when we're done soaping him down we ask him to wash himself... and when we're rinsing him over the head we count one, two, three... then again, one, two, three... and one last time. For some reason he finds this hilarious and actually laughs through the rinses when before he used to almost start crying every. single. night.
All of these things did NOT work about a month ago. Haha. With RJ it's really just trial and error... and when something stops working, try all the things that didn't work before and usually something all of a sudden works again. Kids.
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@looch: Im glad to know swimming lessons helped. Maybe I shouldnt wait that out then.
@Andrea: LOL who'd have thought that a poop would traumatize a kid right?!
@mrs. wagon: I think Ill have to keep trying. Since shes only 8 months old, I cant really bribe her or reason with her. She used to love playng with the shampoo bottle, but even that isnt working lately.
It just makes me sad. She had SO much fun in there. Now its traumatic.
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@LivsMama: well, that may have been DH's fault, too. he may or may not have screamed.
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@Andrea: LOL! I dont know why, but that made me laugh SO hard. I had this mental image of my husband freaking out seeing the same thing lol
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We went through a period around that same age where LO screamed bloody murder during baths, and we had no idea what triggered it. It lasted a couple weeks, and then he was fine and baths are no problem now!
Friends of ours experienced something similar at about 10 months old- sudden hating of baths, lasted for a month, then she was fine. Might just be a phase? -
@Lozza: i hope so =o)
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@LivsMama: yes, it was the weekend so he gives her baths and they were upstairs, i was downstairs. i heard DH scream and then the LO crying hysterically. so yeah....probably more of his fault than the poop!
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