Bathtime blues

[Matilde]

I just don't know what do now!

Clarissa has always loved having a bath, playing with her duckies, splashing etc etc and we have never had problems at bathtime. She was a fantastic good sport when we washed her hair too, never crying and just getting on with it.

But suddenly, in the last couple of weeks she screams like a banshee as she touches the water, refuses to seat down in the bath at all and cries her heart out while trying to give me a hug (so I can lift her out) while I try to wash her.

Dont even ask about washing her hair. I just do it quickly and holding my breath now.

What's changed? what am I doing wrong?

[bisy backson]

HI Matilde,
sorry you're having this problem :-( I doubt you're doing anything wrong though, it might just be one of those phases. Splashy also loved his baths from the word go, but a few weeks ago started acting up at bathtime, not wanting to get in, screaming etc. It lasted a week or so and then he was back to normal. He's still sometimes funny about having his hair washed (might be related to teething in hindsight, is that likely for C?).

I have been playing the distraction card lately - and not just in the bath, but with everything - in the hope that he forgets what he was crying about and focuses on the new thing. Maybe get her some fiddly new toys for the bath that require concentration to work (like those water wheel thingies) or a wind up toy, or, our latest trick, putting shampoo & water in a plastic cup and blowing through a straw to make bubbles, or just anything to take her mind off the 'bath' bit of it.

Do you think its anything more deep rooted? If not, then probably just one of those things - which doesn't help much I know, but i know with splashy it passed, so maybe in a few days things will change?

Or maybe try a shower for a bit instead of a bath?

Good luck, its so tricky when they can't actually tell you what's wrong isn't it

bbxx

[Mad Madam Mim]

You're doing nothing wrong, nothing has changed :happyno: honest!

Its a toddler whim (even a baby whim) I recall Pikey doing a thread on this and it was just after D doing what you described this is when he was a bit younger than now; not sitting down, refusing to, screaming, clinging, shouting mame, mame, mame and clutching at me. So Jen was doing the same.

Anyway D went through a couple of weeks or more on this and then stopped, went back to splashing etc and loving the bath. About 3/4 weeks ago he hated the bath again, now he loves it again :doh:. It's so hard to keep up.

Sometimes the introduction of a new bath toy can make all the difference it did to Dylan with his ducks but its best not to go down that route - but only becasue it could get exxpensive if she kept doing it like Dylan - no harm to try it this time though.

All I did was bathe him standing as quickly as poss and get him out and hope it passed - it always has passed so far.

Not very constructive advice I'm afraid but I hope it puts your mind at rest.

[Matilde]

Hi ladies, thanks for the replies. I didnt realise there had been a thread about this recently. I struggle to keep up with all the posts!

:shower:

So.hmmmmm this is just a phase , right? I havent bathed her for a couple of days..well make that three. My excuse is that the water dries her skin, nothing to do with being lazy!. I can't think of anything that has scared her or any incidents that she may asociate with bath time, so i dont think it's deep rooted but it's just so sudden I thought something must have happened at some point!. But I REALLY REALLY trust you girls :bowdown: and have faith in that it will go soon as quickly as it started! fingers crossed!

Maybe I will get her another toy, perhaps something from the kitchen and not the shop. :witchcool:

[Princess Fiona]

I agree with what the others have said. Lucy went through a bit of a phase like this but much earlier, just after we came back from holiday last year so she was 9ish months. She would scream and go all ridgid in the bath and anyone would think i was trying to drown her :-( it was so horrid to see her so scared of the bath and i admit that on a few occasions i just cleaned her with a wet flannel because i didn't want to put her through it again.

It sorted itself out though and just as quickly as it started she liked her baths again, now she asks for them, sometimes 3 hours before bath/bedtime :rolleyes:

[Mad Madam Mim]

Hi ladies, thanks for the replies. I didnt realise there had been a thread about this recently. I struggle to keep up with all the posts!


Thread was aaaaaaaaaaaaages ago in another place so you haven't missed it! It was just me giving another example :wink:

Since you trust us - I really really hope it does pass very quickly :wink:

[bisy backson]

oh no! pressure! :brainache:

bbxx