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Attachment Parenting
wintersong
member
Bath Time Troubles
wintersong
member
Right on schedule, Mr. 14 Months has decided he is TERRIFIED of the bath tub! He will thankfully let us give him showers, but he does NOT want to touch the bottom of the tub. He pulls up his little legs like we are lowering him into hit lava. This has been going on since Easter weekend, so I guess only a couple of weeks. We don't want to force him since he is obviously so afraid and since he'll let us wash him other ways. There doesn't seem to be a specific incident that caused this, something just clicked into pace resulting in fear.
My question is: what would you do to help ease him through this phase?
Here is what we have done or are doing:
- when he acts uncomfirtable, assure him that I will keep him safe, and I will listen to him. (example: "You are saying no bath! I hear you." "I can hold you when you take a bath. You are safe.")
- continue to draw a bath every three or four days and offer it as an option
- physically get in the tub and hold him on my lap or even nurse him in the tub (wouldn't stay latched, just whimpered, poor guy)
- buy a special toy that he picked out that he can only play with in the bath tub ( he is totally willing to stand by the tub and play with it but does NOT want to get in)
- put him in the tub while it's dry (nothing doing)
- do it anyway and hope he sees he is fine (This was our first solution. oy, the screaming. I will not be doing that again!)
My husband seems to think he needs a full bath every day (babies don't get tat dirty, lol), so we are definitely feeling different urgencies about the issue...hence my searching for ideas. I would normally just wait it out.
Does anytime have an idea for a book with a bathing theme? I already have shown him the Daniel tiger bedtime episode a few times and we "talked" about it.
Edited for typos. Darn autocorrect!
My question is: what would you do to help ease him through this phase?
Here is what we have done or are doing:
- when he acts uncomfirtable, assure him that I will keep him safe, and I will listen to him. (example: "You are saying no bath! I hear you." "I can hold you when you take a bath. You are safe.")
- continue to draw a bath every three or four days and offer it as an option
- physically get in the tub and hold him on my lap or even nurse him in the tub (wouldn't stay latched, just whimpered, poor guy)
- buy a special toy that he picked out that he can only play with in the bath tub ( he is totally willing to stand by the tub and play with it but does NOT want to get in)
- put him in the tub while it's dry (nothing doing)
- do it anyway and hope he sees he is fine (This was our first solution. oy, the screaming. I will not be doing that again!)
My husband seems to think he needs a full bath every day (babies don't get tat dirty, lol), so we are definitely feeling different urgencies about the issue...hence my searching for ideas. I would normally just wait it out.
Does anytime have an idea for a book with a bathing theme? I already have shown him the Daniel tiger bedtime episode a few times and we "talked" about it.
Edited for typos. Darn autocorrect!
Re: Bath Time Troubles
Is it being lowered down into the big, shiny, slippery tub that is the problem, or is it actually being dipped in water?
If it's the tub itself, maybe get a baby pool that looks different and hit him with a little soap while he's in the baby pool? If it's water, try just sponge baths for a while. Let him hang out naked in the bathroom and just wipe him down with a wash cloth?
This, too, shall pass.
Update: we pretty much just have him showers for a few weeks to prvent the tub from becoming a thing. Then I have him a couple of baths a week sitting on my lap. He love's baths again now.