Baby hates baths--advice?

[alexmommy]

My 5.5 mo DS has started hating baths. Any advice is appreciated.

Background:
At 4 mo he graduated from kitchen sink baths to tub baths with DH (more comfortable for us than leaning over the tub). We don't use an insert, and would prefer not to spend the $. The water temp is the same as what the kitchen baths were. We make sure the air temp is warm (78 F). I don't think DH has splashed him (at least not inentionally...), and the water isn't that deep (not covering DH's legs). DS is okay on my lap, but as soon as I pass him to DH and his feet feel the water he starts his mad cry. This continues straight until he is out of the bath. He refuses to be distracted by toys, singing, etc. He is fine once his is out and dried off. We do bathe him before bedtime, so he is tired, but I'd prefer to keep his bath at night for logistical reasons. What seems weird to me is that he used to like baths (at least he didn't fuss), up until this week. :shrug:

[misshollygolightly]

Ok, so no real BDTD (DS usually likes his, but not always), but I just wanted to suggest maybe taking a couple of nights off. Babies don't really get all that dirty--maybe drop down to one or two baths a week for a while. Hopefully your kiddo will get past this phase quickly, but in the meantime this might help reduce the stress for everyone. On the off nights, I'd just give your child a good hand cleaning with soap, a quick face wash with a warm rag, and maybe a quick toothbrushing (if you do that).

[brittone2]

DS went through a bath-hating phase. We only bathed him 1-2x a week unless *really* needed and it worked out fine. He eventually outgrew it. You could also just wipe him down but not put him in the tub to stretch out the need for baths.

[Momof3Labs]

He might be overtired by the time you are bathing him. Try moving up his bedtime (and thus his bathtime) or bathing him at a more agreeable time of day. I know that you want to keep baths at night for other reasons, but if it doesn't work for him, then it's not the right answer for now.

[Clarity]

My kids always loved to be cuddled in my arms in a warm shower. I wouldn't use soap just a warm soothing rinse. For tub baths as infants, I actually used to fill the tup up deeper so that dd's could float a bit while I held their neck and heads. Have you tried a few tub toys? He's getting old enough for those.

[DrSally]

I guess if it were me, I might look for a used baby bath. He might feel more secure in a more enclosed environment?

ETA: I agree with pp's that baby might be overtired and they don't need baths every night.

[Ladybug47]

Our pediatrician suggested baths only about twice a week so the baby's skin doesn't dry out, so we do a Wed. and Sat. schedule. Also, after our son didn't enjoy his first bath we talked to the pediatrician and he said to make sure the water is deep enough to cover the baby's chest, so that he doesn't get too cold. We use the Primo Eurobath and make sure that his arms, legs, and chest are all submerged in the warm water, and he enjoys bathtime now. :bighand:

[alexmommy]

We are currently bathing DS every other night. We could try 1-2x/week. Just have to use a washcloth in between--his deep fat folds (neck and thighs) get cheesy-smelling otherwise. Might try deeper water too. Not sure about moving bathtime up--DH's schedule is pretty tight and I like to encourage their quality time. Hopefully he will grow out of this.

Thanks for the thoughts! :) And if anyone has more, keep 'em coming!

[Momof3Labs]

Not sure about moving bathtime up--DH's schedule is pretty tight and I like to encourage their quality time. Hopefully he will grow out of this.


If he is too tired for the bath, it's not quality time for either of them. There are other ways for daddy to spend quality time with him, and when he can stay up a little later, daddy can start doing baths again.

[athompson]

No advice here, but reassurance that he will probably grow to like baths once he is very comfortable sitting. My little one hated baths too, screamed and everything and then like magic once she was stable and secure sitting, she began to have a ball. She really enjoyed moving from the baby bathtub to the regular tub. Poor kid gets bathed once every week or two at 10 months old. What can I say? She's my third:p Good luck!

[happymom]

At one point DD started crying at bathtime and Dh insisted the water wasnt hot enough. I was hesistant to try because I thought the water was plenty warm, but I made it a bit warmer anyways and she stopped crying!

Also, if your DS is sitting already, there is a great inflatable ducky tub by munchkin that is inexpensive and fabulous. That is what DD has (we go it as a gift actually) and she loves it!! Its like a little pool. The beak squeaks which she finds to be hilarious (some babies are scared of it though) and it is the perfect size. This one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000066665/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B002BFTO1S&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=06T2C9DEH2VTM31N0XBE

One last thing- and this may be totally off, but just wanted to throw it out there- it *could* be a sensory issue. Is your DS fussy with other sensory related things or just bathtime?

[Katigre]

Have you tried showering with him instead?

We've always showered with our kids ever since they were newborns and it works really well (and is a lot easier). DH does the majority of the showers with our babies so it's still bonding time, just in the morning instead of at night.

We clean the folds of the neck every day with a washcloth when they're young and it gets gross, but otherwise just clean the kids head-to-toe once or twice a week (unless they get super dirty).

[KpbS]

Have you tried distracting him with bubbles? They are a hit in the bath here. DS1 went through a bath hating stage (after really enjoying the bath). He eventually outgrew it--we just tried to make them as short as possible.

Another thought, does he take a pacifier? DS2 liked to have a pacifier in the bath sometimes when he was that age.

[jenfromnj]

I agree that you may want to try filling the tub a bit more--we did that with DS and it seems to keep him warmer and happier. I also don't wet his head to wash his hair until the last possible second b/c that seemed to make him cold and cranky quickly. We've also introduced some tub toys, which has seemed to keep him happier, too.

[KrisM]

Yeah, to what others have said:
deeper water
warmer water
a different time of the day
not as often

[shawnandangel]

I'm agreeing with the 2 previous posters who have suggested showers. DD likes bathtime, but LOVES the shower. She loves to cuddle up against DH or I (whomever is giving the shower) under the warm spray. She'll fall asleep sometimes.

I find that her baths invigorate (sp?) her while her showers calm her down.

If I am home alone and taking a shower I just sit her in the bottom of the tub until I am done washing and she plays with the little bit of water that is in the tub or with a toy. If DH and I are both home we wait until the person is done showering and then hand her in.

She very rarely gets baths anymore because the showering is so convenient.

[JTsMom]

I agree with a lot of the pp's. Deeper, warmer water, and consider experimenting with some of the following:
-try climbing in there instead of having DH do it (he could always do pj's afterwards)
-try dimming the lights
-try white noise- like a fan

[Melaine]

My kids also hated baths for quite a long phase, after loving them when teeny. (Now they like them ok). I just say, make the baths super quick for now and hopefully it won't be a long phase.

[mousemom]

Around that time my DS went through a phase of hating baths as well. We just did showers with Mom & Dad once or twice a week for several months and it was much easier.

[happymom]

Dont mean to hijack, but just curious about all of the people who say they shower with their kids- I'm trying to figure out how this works. Isnt the baby slippery- how do you hold them and wash them at the same time without them slipping? Doesnt the water spray in their eyes? Do they just not care?

[mousemom]

Dont mean to hijack, but just curious about all of the people who say they shower with their kids- I'm trying to figure out how this works. Isnt the baby slippery- how do you hold them and wash them at the same time without them slipping? Doesnt the water spray in their eyes? Do they just not care?

For us, we actually found it worked best if both Mom and Dad showered with baby. I normally held/rinsed DS and DH would soap him up, so that way my hands were not soapy when I was trying to hold him. Other than when we were washing his hair, we kept his face out of the spray. Hair washing we'd just quickly dunk him under the water and he seemed to be ok with it. Not terribly convenient, but since we were only doing it once a week or so, it worked.

[elephantmeg]

I'm thinking not enough water may be the issue

[Clarity]

Dont mean to hijack, but just curious about all of the people who say they shower with their kids- I'm trying to figure out how this works. Isnt the baby slippery- how do you hold them and wash them at the same time without them slipping? Doesnt the water spray in their eyes? Do they just not care?

I don't recommend using "all over" soap during a shower. I tried that with dd1 and it's too SLIPPERY. Babies don't need soap all over their bodies so I use a small washcloth to wash their bottoms. Otherwise, no soap.