Help with Sudden Bath Fears.

My son went through this also when he was I want to say around 22 months. I too had no idea where it was stemming from or anything. Before that he LOVED the bath and even got in when I was getting things ready with his shoes still on. But then one day he was suddenly terrified of it. It lasted for maybe a couple months and then he was fine again. Now he's 2.5 (will be 3 in March) and loves the bath. He runs up there and turns the water on and starts undressing at the word bath. When he was going through it, we just tried to be real calm and quick with washing him, as he screamed and fought it. We just did very rushed baths then to get it over with and tried to reassure him he was alright and it's just water to clean him up. I wonder if it's maybe a stating their will thing...although it seems like genuine fear. I don't know. Best wishes to you!

Has she ever had an "accident" in the tub. Made a stinky or known she's pottied? She's a little young, but not too young to be aware of potties coming out and perhaps that has scared her and she's afraid she'll do it again. I had that trouble with 2 of my kids. They made stinkys in the tub and were freaked out to take a bath again. We just helped reassure them that everything was okay and that it was an accident and if it happened again, it was okay. Just a thought...

Both of my boys (now 2 and 3) went through this as well. They loved the bath would play very well in the tub, and then all of the sudden they wouldn't want a bath anymore. It went on that way for a couple of months for each boy, and then all of the sudden they were fine again. You could try getting a special bath toy or a bath visor for washing her hair or something like that. Try making washing up a game. Have her wash herself or wash your hand. Could the temperature have been too warm or too cold one time?

I wish I knew what to tell you. My daughter will be 6 in 2 weeks and she too is also terrified of taking a bath. This started about a yr. ago. So I switched from bath to a shower a couple months ago and still she is terrified. I have talked to several mothers who have said to give it some time and it will improve. She is improving but you can still see the terror in her eyes when the shower starts. I'm sure your daughter will get over this phase as so will my daughter. Good Luck to you.

M.

I haven't had expereience with this yet, but it looks like I may also have to fight it.... BUT from what I have read in books is that once that imagination kicks in that babies/kids start being afraid of the noise the water makes when the tub fills or when the drain is lifted and the water starts disappearing (they think they will be sucked down, cause if the water disappears, then why couldn't they disappear?).... Maybe try and fill the tub without her in the room and make sure that you don't empty the tub until she is out of the room..... I am not sure of your routine, but just an idea.

or have you accidently gotten soap in her eyes? she may be afraid of that happening again.

I have a 19 month old who has been in swimming classes since four months old, so he too loves the water. But one day, he screamed when I put him in the bath and like you, nothing had changed and there were no accidents or anything scary that happened. It lasted only a few times for us, and the way I got around it is I would sing some of the songs they sing in swim classes to distract him while I quicky washed him. He still was slightly uneasy during the songs, but it was enough to distract him so I could get him clean and out of there as soon as I could.