Help me make bath time less disastrous!

[bisous]

DS3 has never been super keen on baths. He sobbed hysterically for the first nine months of his life. Then magically liked baths once he could get in with DS2. We had an incident about a month ago when his head was all soapy when he decided to poop in the bathtub. I just took a (clean) glass of water I had reserved to rinse him out and instead of very carefully rinsing his head, I doused him so that I could get him out of the water and clean up the tub. Since that time bath time has been SUPER dramatic. I finally coaxed him back in the water by not washing his hair for several days in a row. That worked but the minute I start washing his hair, he starts shaking and sobbing and is totally inconsolable.

SOO, I've been really avoiding washing his hair and now he has cradle cap. I feel terrible about that and it totally grosses me out.

What can I do? Anyway to make bathtime less dramatic? Should I worry about the cradle cap? Usually (for my babies) I use olive oil and a soft brush but this then requires lots of sudsing and rinsing to get out which DS3 will NOT appreciate.

WWYD?

TIA!

Jen

[lalasmama]

Do you have a sprayer at the kitchen sink? When DD fought the hair washing, we laid her, tummy up, on the kitchen counter, with her head over the sink, and used the sprayer from the kitchen sink. That way, we could show her that she wasn't going to get splashed in the face, which was her fear. We did that for ages, whenever we couldn't get her otherwise in the tub... we also did the kitchen sink for other times too--way into toddlerhoo--when she was tub-freaking.

[bisous]

I would try that but I think he would FREAK. (This technique worked great for DS1 but DS3 is so, so different!) As it is (and I know this is totally nontraditional) we used to let him STAND in the tub when we did his hair (I'd kind of hold on but he has freaky good balance). He does not like to lay back at all! Maybe I need to get one of those showerhead attachments though? I can see him liking the precision of the spray but he is still so traumatized.

[PunkyBoo]

Is it the water in his eyes and face that bothers him? If so you can get those bath visors. I used one for Punkin for about 3 years. With Boo I just give him a clean dry washcloth that I fold up for him and have him hold it against his forehead and tell him to pour his chin up when I rinse his hair. Also what about new/ different bath toys that might distract him while you quickly get him clean?

[hillview]

I found letting my boys hold a DRY washcloth over their eyes helped a lot then they just tip their head back a little.

[bisous]

Is it the water in his eyes and face that bothers him? If so you can get those bath visors. I used one for Punkin for about 3 years. With Boo I just give him a clean dry washcloth that I fold up for him and have him hold it against his forehead and tell him to pour his chin up when I rinse his hair. Also what about new/ different bath toys that might distract him while you quickly get him clean?

We tried those hats but they didn't work for us. Which one did you use? Maybe I had a bad product?

I've only been washing his hair once a week. I've found that I have to wash FIRST (he sobs and shakes) but he can be distracted by cool toys. That just might be what we have to resort to!

[bisous]

I found letting my boys hold a DRY washcloth over their eyes helped a lot then they just tip their head back a little.

This totally works for DS2. I'm not sure DS3 would go for it but I'll try.

I should mention he's only 20mo and he is completely and totally unable to be reasoned with!

[hillview]

This totally works for DS2. I'm not sure DS3 would go for it but I'll try.

I should mention he's only 20mo and he is completely and totally unable to be reasoned with!

sometimes we just have to do it :(

With one of the boys I would just get DH to help me and we would just make it happen. Not fun but it would be the last thing we'd do and baths were weekly. Not fun but well.

have you tried it in the sink? might it work if he is NOT in the tub?

[bisous]

sometimes we just have to do it :(

With one of the boys I would just get DH to help me and we would just make it happen. Not fun but it would be the last thing we'd do and baths were weekly. Not fun but well.

have you tried it in the sink? might it work if he is NOT in the tub?

We have a pretty small kitchen sink. I don't see it happening. Maybe I'll try on the weekend when I have DH there to help out.

I think you might be right about having to "just to do it". I'm wondering if we just keep doing daily baths (he seems to need this--his hair is not looking good!) and just wash the hair and then let him play if he'll just get over it eventually.

[hillview]

We have a pretty small kitchen sink. I don't see it happening. Maybe I'll try on the weekend when I have DH there to help out.

I think you might be right about having to "just to do it". I'm wondering if we just keep doing daily baths (he seems to need this--his hair is not looking good!) and just wash the hair and then let him play if he'll just get over it eventually.
well that'd be my style :) I mean I try a bunch of other stuff but if it doesnt work, it just happens. Tooth brushing is another example. Neither of my kids appears scarred for life about this :)

[PunkyBoo]

We tried those hats but they didn't work for us. Which one did you use? Maybe I had a bad product?

I've only been washing his hair once a week. I've found that I have to wash FIRST (he sobs and shakes) but he can be distracted by cool toys. That just might be what we have to resort to!

I don't know I got them from BrU probably 7-8 years ago. Punkin still had to put his chin up for the visor to work. But I agree the quick distraction and momentary upset it's not fun but sometimes necessary. I tried everything with Punkin- bath crayons, blowing bubbles, even using a turkey baster to rinse his hair... but he still cried in every bath until he was almost 4. I just got really good at bathing him lightning fast.

[cookiemonster80]

How old is he? Dd started doing this when she was about 2.5 but I think our solution would work for you too- dd has long curly hair so bath time was just a nightmare with shampoo, rinse, conditioner, comb though, rinse, wash body. The whole time was a screaming fest- so we only gave her a bath every 10 days or so because of the trauma.

So- we take a small pack of Annie's gummy bunnies- but use whatever works for you- and I put one on the edge of the tub and if she gets her hair wet happily then she gets it, then I put another one on the edge of the tub and she gets it if she don't fuss during shampoo, and repeat for each teeny step of the process- she still sometimes misses her treat but we talk about trying hard on the next step. Somehow having the treat right there and breaking the process down into more manageable steps seems more doable than the whole bath time.

[cookiemonster80]

I found letting my boys hold a DRY washcloth over their eyes helped a lot then they just tip their head back a little.

This too-

[BabbyO]

Ok...this may not work at all...but you mentioned that he likes getting in the tub with older sib....

That was the cure to the water in the face/eyes problem for Peanut. I let the boys play. They have a boat that has a spout and they can fill it up with water. They were pouring water on each other's heads before I could do anything about it. So now we use that to rinse the hair and neither has an issue with it. Peanut is 20 mo, too...and generally doesn't like water in the face...but if his big bro is the one to start it and he gets to pour water on Stachio...some how that makes it all better!

[Philly Mom]

So we do a full bath every night. I think if we did less, there would be more of a fuss. DD used to cry and sometimes still does but I find a quick bath every night has helped her get over her fear of bath time. This week I need to sing old MacDonald and row row row your boat throughout the bath to keep her calm and distracted. I let her pick the animals at first and when she runs out I add some.

[happymom]

Not PP, but we have this visor-
http://www.amazon.com/Lil-Rinser-Splashguard-Yellow-Blue/dp/B001B1FHK0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1369173900&sr=8-2&keywords=bath+visor

It works like a dream. Read the reviews to make sure its small enough for little ones though because my DD is 4.

FWIW, my DD has hated having her hair washed since she was a baby. We tried every trick- the washcloth worked, but would be hard with a toddler who cant hold it in place on their own. Plus, although it was helpful it wasn't fool proof so DD still fought hair washing.

Now with the visor, we have it down to a system. DD holds the visor and I use the shower head (detached) to wash her hair. No more water in her eyes period.

I should probably mention that when DD had an OT eval they asked how she is at bathtime (in regards to sensory concerns) and I mentioned that we had just gotten a visor and it was an amazing help etc. The OT told me it's better to have DD get used to the water in her eyes...I was like- "Um, if you want to come wash her hair every night while she shrieks, you are welcome to!" Anyways the OT said I should try to wash without the visor every so often, but I have't been brave enough to do that yet.

Good luck- I know how frustrating and tiring it can be!

[bisous]

He's really so upset that all of these things (hats, washcloths, etc.) I think will work eventually but right now I literally hold him still and pour to his loud protestations!

But I think I'm really feeling like bathing LESS frequently is not working for me. First, we're having that cradle cap problem! Second, it seems to just make him dread baths MORE. So I think we'll try to do daily. Do hair first and see if THEN we can distract him with toys. Maybe if we do it daily too we can just wash part of his hair--I'm thinking that way we'll be really fast.

I'm hoping that (as before) he'll protest for awhile but then he'll be okay. Then I can try the hat or the washcloth. I do think that getting the shower attachment is a good idea, though.

DS3 DEFINITELY has some sensory stuff going on. Different sensory triggers than DS1 of course but he's very sensitive

[hillview]

Good luck!!