Discovery Home & Health

Hi Ladies

My little boy for the 2 weeks has screamed the house down when it gets to bath time, he starts shaking and crying as soon as we get to the bathroom door!!! I have now taken to bathing him very quickly in the baby bath downstairs but he even cries his little heart out me doing that.

He absolutely loved having a bath beforehand and enjoyed sitting in it whilst I filled it up cos he liked splashing the water as it came out of the tap. I used to be able to lay him down to give him a wash and do his hair but now he just won't have it and even tries scrabbling out of the bath. I have tried sitting in with him and that didn't work. I can't think of anything that I have done differently in the last 2 weeks to make him change like he has.

He is even really funny about laying on the floor to have his nappy changed, I have to change him laying on the sofa!! He had a really bad chesty cold a fortnight ago which is just about when this started, but it seems to have gone now although he is still a bit chesty. He has also just had his 3rd molar come through which has resulted in a blistered bottom which may be the cause of why he doesn't want a bath but that has only appeared 3 -4 days and is loads better now.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Becky
x

hi becky
my little boy alfies going through exactly the same at the moment shaking as he goes through the bathroom door and screaming the house down i think its a phase they go through and should grow out of it (well alfies my 4th and iv not experienced anything like this with the others)
have you tried just a simple wash using a top and tail bowl to get him used to bathing again sorry im not much help but hope things sort themselves out soon

Hi becky,

Sorry to hear callum as been like this with the bath, it must be upsetting for all of you when it gets to bathtime in your house!
The only thing that i would suggest is to try and remain calm and relaxed, i would imagine at the moment as bathtime approaches you start to get tense as you know whats going to happen next! callum would probably pick up on this and it might make him more anxious about the whole thing. i would say to sort of try and ignore what he's being like and try to carry on as close to normal as you can and try to show that bathtime is nice and relaxed and not rush things. I know its probably very easy for me to say as im not in the same situation as you!

I hope things get back to normal very soon for you!

Hi Becky,

Did Callum ever have one of those bath seats because when I took Ellies out of the bath she went mental screaming and trying to get out as if she didn't feel safe without the security of the seat! When I out it back in she was fine again!

Also, she hates being changed in baby changing rooms. Wherever we go I cannot change her in there because she absolutely screams the place down until your finished and pick her back up. Is Callum the same with him not liking being changed on the floor?

x

Hiya Becky

Poor Callum has been through it recently with his cough & cold & his blisters hasn't he! The last time Ben has a cold he got a bit funny at bath times too and hated them, I put it down to him not being able to breath properly when he was laying back having his hair washed, he seemed to get in such a state but you know what its like yourself when you have a cold & lay back, everything just feels so blocked doesn't it. Maybe something like that scared him a bit?

You could try bathing him in the kitchen sink with some toys around for him to play with until he gets used to the water again & then when he goes in the bath again take the same toys up with him so he sees something familiar there what he likes. When Ben was ill with his blisters & things I ended up top & tailing him more often than the bath because he didn't like it and when i did bath him he got in the bath with OH & I was at the side of the bath playing & washing him so he got used to it again by sitting on OH's knee. He loves the bath now though & his phase didn't last too long, hopefully Callum's won't too.

Michelle x

I think it is a phase they go through when something is wrong. I would try just washing with a flannel for a few days, then try the sink and maybe try having a bath with him?
Good Luck

Thanks girls for all your really helpful tips, the first few times I did it I agree that I felt a little uptight but now I know what to expect I just carry on and talk softly to him whilst giving him a very quick wash down.

He is having horrendous nappies at the mo as well and a lot more than normal (on average 4 dirty a day!!) so I am having to wash his bottom half with water and a sponge and he has now got used to that albeit still not on the floor but that I can live with.

Have decided to pop him to the doctor's tomorrow just to get his chest sounded out as I think he has another cold on its way, and as we are going away for the week I wouldn't mind getting him some antibiotics just to get rid of it once and for all.

Thanks again girls, I'm sorry I don't post very often.

Take care

B xx