13 Month Old Refuses to take baths

Debra4869

my 13 month old has suddenly started refusing to take baths. As soon as she hears the water starting, she throws herself on the floor, arches her back and screams in tears. When I pick her up and put her in the tub, she has a full freak out. Tears, screaming, swinging her body back and forth, arching her back, banging her head on the tub wall - it's really bad. Nearly impossible to give her a bath at this point. The only thing I know that may have started this was we tried to transition her out of her infant bath tub (a little inflatable baby bath tub that sits in the real tub) when she turned one. I think she got scared and now she refuses to go in either tub. It's horrible. Is this a phase? Should I not force it or shoudl I just keep trying in hopes that she stops. It's really stressful because she needs a bath almost every night (she puts her food in her hair, etc. at dinner). Help!

melissa0726

Can you try to get in with her?  Say, you run the tub and get in first, and have her stay with YH in another room so she doesn't freak out.  Then have him bring her in to the bathroom and say, look how much fun mommy is having! while you spla

LatteLady5

We went through this stage too. It lasted about a month or so and now DD is back to love baths. Not forcing it is obviously not an options because, well kids need baths. You could just give her a bath every other day/2 days and clean her with a wash cloth

MisN

Below are my suggestions.  I also would try to avoid making bath time a battle ground  so if the below aren't working leave it for a while (shower or baby tub for a bit) to get out of the cycle.  Ideally, you want her to go in on he

MisN

Below are my suggestions.  I also would try to avoid making bath time a battle ground  so if the below aren't working leave it for a while (shower or baby tub for a bit) to get out of the cycle.  Ideally, you want her to go in on he

clussyK

We've gone through this on and off. Currently we're going through it again. What has helped us is introducing fun toys that can only be used in the tub: Bath tub crayons (these are a quick 'look, shiny colorful object!' distraction to pull her out of her

sunnyday016

We went through this with DD around this age and it lasted a looooonnnnggg time

I would either bring her in the shower with me, or give her a bath as quickly as possible. It really can be done in about 30 seconds if it needs to be. Sucks thoug

ASmallWonder

Try adjusting the temperature.  I found right around that age that my son liked his bath a lot hotter than I was making it.

genekelly

We went through something like this when DS was ~1.  He was and still is in the infant tub.  It took a couple weeks to get past it.  We kept bathing him(part of bedtime routine so every day) and tried to allow him to stand while we did it.&