Bath Time Blues

Lady Heather - posted on 05/31/2011

Our daughter went through the same thing. Good thing is as suddenly it started, it also suddenly stopped. I had her in the bath with me a lot during her phase. We got her tub stickers which seemed to keep her happy for a while. Now she's loving it more than ever and even rolls around on her tummy and back and gets the water all over her face. Fickle fickle toddlers.

Leah - posted on 05/31/2011

take a bath with her...put her in the shower with you and hold her. she may be feeling insecure? she is at the age when she is observing more!! you could also get a seat made for the bathtub. she may feel more secure that way!

Alysha - posted on 05/31/2011

Thanks guys. I'm glad I'm not the only one that is having or has had this issue. She does have toys that she can play with while in the tub, I have these light things that you can stick anywhere in the tub and they'll flash and glow (it's really cool) she just doesn't like them as of right now.
I have started to put her back in the sink, which makes her sit down finally. But otherwise she just continues to cry.
I have always unplugged the tub while she was still in it so she wouldn't be afraid of it and she's always laughed at it and even put her hands over the drain to feel the cool way that the water drains.
I hope that this will end soon. :( :)

JuLeah - posted on 05/31/2011

Yah, kids go through this .... don't know why.

Bath her in the sink :)

Put food coloring in the water.

Put bathtub sticker on the floor of the tub .... get her fun toys

Let her play there with no water

Bath with her

Bath her in a shallow pool outside

Let her wash her baby dool while you wash her

Let her play there by washing her dolls in the afternoon

Morgan - posted on 05/31/2011

My daughter did the same thing at 14 months, one night I put her in the bath and she loved it, the next night she screamed bloody murder the second her toes hit the water!! She's 16 months old now and will still not sit down in the tub, but it's better than not getting in at all lol, Funny thing is she loves swimming!!I just keep doing the same thing over and over and she gets a tiny bit more comfortable every time.

I know how you feel it is a stressful situation but don't force her, it might take a while but she will get better :)

Gwen - posted on 05/31/2011

Yep! Been there, done that! It's a phase. Keep bathing him the way you always have. Eventually he'll come around again. Try and distract him with a toy or song while scrubbing as fast as you can :-) My daughter is currently in the "wear her bathing suit for every bath" phase.

Krista - posted on 05/31/2011

A couple of options -- one is to get in the bath with her. That might help.

Another option would be to just put enough warm water to cover one end of the tub, leaving the other end dry. Sit her in the dry part, and put a bunch of toys and cups in the water. That way, she can get as wet (or not) as she wants, and might become more comfortable with the water now that she's a bit more in control of that.

And in the meantime...sponge baths.

Jennifer - posted on 05/31/2011

Maybe she accidently pulled the drain plug one time and the sound scared her, or a million other things. Try getting a bath with her a couple times. My 3 year old used to be absolutely terrified of getting sprayed with water, which meant no showers. I finally talked him into getting in the shower with me a couple times, and for the most part, he prefers showers over baths now.