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Older toddler bathing issues

HelenahhandbasketHelenahhandbasket member
in Parenting

DD has always loved her bath/ shower until recently.  She won't get in the tub voluntarily-- I have to physically pick her up and place her in the tub.  She screams the entire time I am bathing/ washing her, and it's upsetting/ exhausting.  She especially hates having her hair washed rinsed (also never used to be an issue).  We have tried both baths and showers (thinking maybe one would be preferable to another- this is not the case).

I have tried the following:

Letting her pick out her own bubble bath

Letting her bring toys/ blow bubbles in the bath

Using a "shampoo shield" for hair washing (it's a plastic visor type thing that protects the eyes form the water)

Getting in the shower with her

Using a hand held shower head (and letting her use it/ play with it herself)

Anything else I can try?  Any advice?  Is this just a (hopefully) short lived phase that I am going to have to wait out?

 

 

BFP 1- EDD 2/09/11 Missed MC DX @11 weeks D&C- 7/25/10 BFP 2- EDD 12/22/11 Natural MC @ 5w 2d BFP 3- EDD 1/25/12 DD Josephine born 1/16/12

Lilypie - (TUWi)

 

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Re: Older toddler bathing issues

  • HelenahhandbasketHelenahhandbasket member
    dozensofus said:
    We went through this a few months ago. It came out of nowhere. I stopped making her get into the tub and did sponge baths for a few nights. Then I started getting into the tub with her for a few nights and that helped make her feel comfortable in the bath again. It probably took about 10 days to get her back to her regular routine and loving the tub again.

    I had not considered a sponge bath- what do you do about hair washing?  (DD has practically waist length hair but it's really fine and looks dirty quickly)

    @dozensofus

     

    BFP 1- EDD 2/09/11 Missed MC DX @11 weeks D&C- 7/25/10 BFP 2- EDD 12/22/11 Natural MC @ 5w 2d BFP 3- EDD 1/25/12 DD Josephine born 1/16/12

    Lilypie - (TUWi)

     

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  • RayRay007RayRay007 member
    We went through a phase of hating the bath but she was quite young still- less than two? We sponge bathed her and she got over it. I didn't want to traumatize her. Every once in a while we'd force it to wash her hair. Now she is going through a refusing to wash her hair phase. She really doesn't need it done that often (1-2x week) so we don't force it, and when it's time, I give her choices like to wash it at the beginning or end of bath and whether to get her hair wet with a bucket, under the faucet or by laying down. I find giving her some control over it helps.

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    bfp#4 3/19/2014 edd 12/1/2014 please let this be the one!

    beta @ 5w0d = 12,026! u/s 4/22/14 @ 8w1d it's twins!

    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker

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  • Bythebeach09Bythebeach09 member
    We has this phase too with DD. I just trudged through it and didn't make a deal about it. I didn't give in song just went fast and furious. Then it was over and she's back to living loving baths. Some things are just non-negotiable for me and have to be forced. My kids are on a constant power trip. Hope it passes soon!
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  • carrotcake06carrotcake06 member
    My oldest went through this phase as well, but it was a while ago - maybe a bit before 3yo?

    H bought these little color tabs that dissolve and turn the water different colors and he thought it was the coolest thing ever. He also bought a tub crayon and that worked too.

    We struggled for a long, long time w hair washing. He still doesn't love it. We started washing every other day and still do.

    Overall he likes playing w toys in the tub and will sit and play for a while which is great considering he's a maniac most of the time.
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    image
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  • Spin313Spin313 member
    DS went through it, too. It lasted a few weeks and the best thing (for us) was to just rush through it as quickly as possible.

    One thing that worked (temporarily) was to pretend the bathtub was a car wash. We'd soap DS up and he'd walk through the shower spray...we'd even play the "working at the car wash" song.
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    image

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  • TrickPixieTrickPixie member
    We went through this phase.  DD was much happier about her bath when she was in charge of it.  She got to wash herself, wet her own hair, and rinse her own hair.  I "checked" to make sure she didn't miss any spots (washed her myself), scrubbed her hair, and "checked" to make sure she was properly rinsed (rinsed her hair myself).
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  • HelenahhandbasketHelenahhandbasket member
    Thanks ladies-- I think I might try the sponge bath idea, and hair washing in the sink for a bit to see if that helps.  Good to know most LOs seem to grow out of this!

     

    BFP 1- EDD 2/09/11 Missed MC DX @11 weeks D&C- 7/25/10 BFP 2- EDD 12/22/11 Natural MC @ 5w 2d BFP 3- EDD 1/25/12 DD Josephine born 1/16/12

    Lilypie - (TUWi)

     

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  • tbmadeamistaketbmadeamistake member
    Dd did this at about 18 months. I started having baths at her bath time, left the door open and would talk to dh about how warm and cozy it was, how much I liked the bubbles, etc. Night two she came in and had me put her the tub as well. The next bight we got in at the same time, and after that she didn't need me anymore.

    Married DH 7/30/11

    CSC arrived 5/7/12 

    CHC arrived 6/2/14

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