Bath time screaming

Stephanie - posted on 05/28/2009

The same thing happened with our daughter!! My daughter Mia, has a head full of hair, so one evening my husband thought of using the blow dryer. We put it on medium heat and held it a safe distance away from her. Voila!! No more crying!! I don't know if it was becasue of the white noise or if it helped warm her up, or even a combination of both. All I know is that the crying came to a halt and it's a much more enjoyable experience for all of us!! The only regret that we have was not doing it sooner. She is 7 mon. and we still use the blow dryer.

Cathralynn - posted on 05/28/2009

I also bathed with my daughter until she was able to sit on her own. I never had the crying experience until after we took the towel off! I used music to calm her. She didn't like the lotion, but I still did it. One idea. Babies get dry skin if you bathe them every day. They don't need daily baths until they get dirty (meaning crawling or walking and getting into stuff). Maybe only bathe her every other day or every two days. It worked for me!

Sarah - posted on 05/28/2009

Finn did exactly the same thing till he got a bit older and was just more able to cope in the evening with the trials and tribulations of hectic days!!! Might just be over tired - has she always done it since you started the routine or a recent problem???? We just used to do everything as quickly and calmly as possible - now it's his best time of day and loves his bedtime routine. A lot of my friends had similar problems. Finn used to sound like he'd just been born again, always happy in the bath whip him out and all hell would break loose! Stick with it sounds like you're doing all the right things ;0)

Melissa - posted on 05/28/2009

I don't know if this will work with your routine, but I try and do this as often as I can. I actually have a bath with my daughter. The first reason was because I found it easier to wash her and didn't have to bend over the bath and break my back each time. Call me lazy, but I don't care. I have now found that as she has gotten older (she's 20 months now) she actually enjoys having me in the bath with her, and always attempts to cover my face with her bubbles. But in your situation, if your little girl sees you getting out of the bath, she may think that it's not such a bad thing to get out. I don't know if it will work, but they tend to like doing things that we do. I hope it helps, but if it doesn't, good luck with your little one. And be patient, they do eventually learn what the routine is.

Mel - posted on 05/27/2009

with regards to Lara's post we have the heat on in the bathroom, no fan so it keeps nice on warm and i get her change mat and clothes and powder in there, either that or i put the heater on in the lounge and get her dressed out there. dress her quickly as well especially in the cold weather you dont want her to get sick

Lara - posted on 05/27/2009

she's probably just cold. perhaps, if you could keep the bathroom warm and have all her pajamas in the bathroom so she's dressed right after her bath.

Morgan - posted on 05/27/2009

My Daughter was a screamer at bath time too!! My doctor said that it was probably because of it was so close to bed time and it just overstimulated her so we started bath time earlier. Also just because we as parents establish a routine doesnt mean baby likes it... My daughter switches our routine alll the time!! Kinda like thier feeding schedules and sleep patterns.. Maybe your little girl just wants a new routine?? How is she while she is in the bath?? If she likes it she may just be upset that its ending because she is having fun!! I tried so many changes and eventually bath time became fun again and we are back to doing it at night before bed. Dont know if this helps.

Kim - posted on 05/27/2009

yes i agree my son has screamed since he was about two months old, he loves the bath he screams with delight when hes bathed so i think he knows that his fun is over. I sit him on my legs in his towel while hes drying and i put his favourite music toy next to him so it distracts him from the fact that he wants to cry it seems to work.

Gina - posted on 05/26/2009

maybe u can have the bottle ready sooner for as soon as she's done with bath.She can be comforted thru the transition, or maybe she's like us and loves her bath never getting enough...i know sometimes i wanna scream because i have to get out...lol

Mel - posted on 05/26/2009

use the shower. ours had a shower for the first 6 months of her life and now her dad showers her most nights rather then bath its so much easier because you can get in there with them

Cheryl - posted on 05/26/2009

For two weeks the grandbaby decided bath time was a major felony, and now she is fine again. Sometimes there is no real explanation.

Caroline - posted on 05/26/2009

my little girl, stopped this as suddenly as it started, no explanation I am affraid but it only lasted about 4 weeks. xxx

Shelagh - posted on 05/26/2009

I think it's quite common for babies to do this - there is a change of temperature, and if she enjoys her bath she knows it's the end of the fun. Try wrapping her quite tightly, and make sure her head's covered, as that's the bit that feels coldest. Then give her lots of cuddles, sing, rock. Sometimes babies just cry, and we never really know why - then one day they just grow out of it.

Holly - posted on 05/26/2009

Hello! With our little boy (who is now 6 months) he would scream when we took him out of the bath, and it was always so stressful. What we found was that after his bath his skin was really dry, so we got some great lotion prescribed from the doctor called Double Base and I take him into his bedroom, keep him wrapped in his towel so he stays warm, and warm the lotion between my hands and massage it into his skin under the towel. All the while I'm singing him our favorite songs we sing all the time that distract him (Wheels on the bus, 12 Days of Christmas *haha*) and before he knows it he's all lotioned up and in his jammies. I then sit in the rocking chair and sing his bedtime song which I've sung to him every night since he was about 8 weeks old, and feed him a bottle, then lay him in bed awake with his paci. He'll call out two or three times for reassurance and then drift off! Works for us! :):)



(Another idea may perhaps be that she's overtired/stimulated with a bath that close to bedtime...maybe start earlier? Or give her her bath in the morning instead if it's very stimulating for her?)