Bath Time

Lately, bath time has become more and more difficult. Our daughter used to love bath time, no matter if uit took place in the sink or the mini-tub. Since she turned about 19 months, things have changed. Now she goes into hysterics when we try and bathe her, and I am afraid she will hurt herself. What do you do to make your toddler more agreeable to taking a bath?

Still haven't solved this one... any answers?

Perhaps your baby is afraid of the water. Now that she is older, her fears are becoming more evident. I know it can be difficult because your little girl needs to be clean yet you don't want to continue to force her into the bath. There are ways to relieve her dislike of bath time.  Take her to pick out some toys she can play with in the tub, add some bubbles to the bath, or bath finger paints. You can also try playing some fun, upbeat music. Try giving her a bath at the same time because it offers a routine. Try getting her used to playing in the tub without putting water in it. If your baby still struggles with bath time, have one parent bathe with her. Another thing you can try is to help her give a bath to her favorite doll. Lastly, reward her after her bath by letting her color or by playing her favorite video. This will help her look forward to bath time.

PediNurse made some great suggestions...the only thing I might add to try is to bathe her in a bathtub with just an inch of water.. It might just be that the depth of the bathtub water is scaring her. If she still fights the bathtub, you can simply sponge bathe her with a good soapy rag each night. This should get her clean until she ougrows this phase. Encourage her to splash in the kitchen sink or even offer to let her play with a water table.

If she continues to resist bathtime or if you notice that she resists lots of "sensory" situations, talk with your pediatrician to rule out any sensory problems. Most of these problems are easy to correct with Occupational Therapy if they are caught early enough. My son had a mild sensory behavior that we treated with OT for a few months...it helped tremedously.

That's helpful advice. Lately it's been better, and she is a little more comfortable. If the same problems pop up again, we will definitely give your suggestions a try. Thanks!