Rub-a-dub-dub — your baby hates getting into the tub. Is your little one terrified of bath time and hates being given a bath every day? Don’t worry as you are not alone in this battle. While a lot of babies love bathing time, many others dread their bath time and start wailing whenever it’s time to take the plunge. Overcoming a baby’s bath time fears is very important.
Baby’s bath time fears make bathing time quite stressful for both the baby and the mom. Read ahead to know how to say goodbye to those baby bathtime melancholy.
In This Article
- Why Do Babies Dislike Baths?
- Bath Phobia: Points To Ponder
- 10 Useful Tips For Overcoming Baby’s Bath Time Fears
Why Do Babies Dislike Baths?
There are umpteen reasons why your baby may develop a fear of baths.
- Little babies feel totally tensed and fearful during bath time as they are not accustomed to sudden changes in temperature
- They may dislike the floating feeling that bathing brings about
- Others are fearful of water entering their eyes
- Some others hate getting their hair wet and even cannot tolerate soap getting into their eyes
Whatever the reason, it is best if you do not force your little baby to have a bath if she seems extremely tense or upset. Wait for them to calm down a bit before cajoling them to be taken for a bath
Baby’s Bath Time Fears: Points To Ponder
Here are some points to remember when your baby fears bathing:
- Do not try to minimize your baby’s fear, take it seriously
- Never try to overdramatize it
- Praise and encourage your little one so that she will overcome her fear
- Look for ways to overcome this fear in small manageable steps
- It is very important to reassure your baby that she is safe
- Read out storybooks to your baby that discuss the fear
10 Useful Tips For Overcoming Baby’s Bath Time Fears
Here are 10 wonderful tips to make bath time enjoyable for babies and help them get rid of their fear of bathing
1. Massage Rather Than Bathe
Babies enjoy being massaged. If your baby doesn’t like the idea of splashing water, it will be a great idea to gently massage her so that she doesn’t feel frightened. Wash her with long, gentle strokes so that she feels she is getting a wet massage and not a bath
2. Introduce Water Gradually
It would be a good move, to just leave your little one in the bathtub with no water at all and give them something to play there. Maybe you could add just a little bit of water at the bottom. Once you find that the little one is settling down, try adding more water gradually so that the little one does not suddenly react to getting wet
3. Step Into The Bath With Your Baby
This is another trick that you could try out for a few days so that your little one gets over the fear of having a bath. Try making your baby sit on your lap or between your legs while having a bath so that your child develops a feeling of security about having a bath and getting wet
4. Wait Before You Drain The Water
Some babies get terrified by the sound of water running out of the drain when the plug is pulled. So make sure your little one is out of the bathroom before the plug is pulled
5. Ensure The Right Temperature
Little babies hate the sudden change in temperature while they are given a bath. So ensure the temperature of the water is close to your little one’s body temperature and they do not feel that sudden drop or increase in water temperature
6. Do Not Use Very Large Bathtubs
A small bath space makes the little one feel safer and more secure. So rather than opting for full-size bathtubs where the baby may feel quite lost and fear that they will get drowned, look for smaller bathtubs. Also, if you have a big bathtub, you can keep a smaller tub in it to give a bath to your baby. Use a bathtub that is comfortable for your baby and just right in size
7. Cover Up
A lot of babies hate getting shampoo into their eyes and it becomes one of the main reasons for their fear of having a bath. Getting a bathing cap or a visor is a good idea. It helps to keep your little one’s eyes protected from shampoo getting into their eyes and is now available at all the leading baby stores. Try using one for your baby to deal with this fear and also shampoo only at the end of bath time.
8. Entice With A Toy
Bath toys, bath crayons, and funnels are some of the things that your little one will love and have fun with during bath time. These toys help to divert your baby’s attention. You can easily give them a bath while they are busy playing with their toys
9. Make It A Ritual
Make bath time a part of a ritual like after you bathe her, you give her a nice massage and read out a story followed by lots of snuggles before you put your baby to sleep. This trick takes advantage of the fact that when babies start seeing bath time as a ritual, then they become more open to the idea
10. Be Patient
Even after trying all the above tips, if your little one doesn’t like taking bath, don’t get frustrated. Just be patient and keep on trying. Till the time she gets comfortable with taking bath, you can just bathe her twice or thrice a week, and on the rest of the days just give her sponge baths.
If your baby does have a fear of baths, just remember that “this too shall pass” and before you know your baby’s bath time will be the most cherished time of her day. Keep in mind that most babies overcome the bath fear as they grow. We hope the above-mentioned techniques will help to take a step in that direction.
Did your baby fear bath time? What techniques did you use to help your baby to overcome bath time fear? Do share your experience in the comments section below.
