13 Month Old Suddenly Cries Hysterically When Given a Bath

I have been reading that babies between the ages of 12-15 months develope fears of things they once loved, baths for example. So I don't think it is uncommon. The article I read recommended trying new ways of approaching the bath. For example if you have the water running while she is in the bath you may try filling the tub before you bring her into the bathroom...
I sounds like is just another one of those stages that will eventually pass.
Good luck,
Liana

My daughter has always been a little quirky...

My daughter never liked baths when she was a baby, but it got much worse around this age. She hated baths, but loved "swimming". I'd put her in the bathtub fully clothed, and tell her she was swimming. She'd often end up shedding clothing as it got wet. She had a great time, and I've got some really funny photos :-).

L.

Im not sure if this will help or not but my kids sure love it. They make bathtime water dye and when my kids aren't lovin the idea of bathtime I just throw in a colored dye into the water and it's a hit!

My son was a little older when he went through this. He had had a poo poo accident in the bath, and though we were not at all upset with him - he was quite upset, and associated getting in the bath with an impending incident. It took a couple of weeks for him to get over it. We just stayed strong and kept him in the bath even though he protested. He was then back to loving it again. Sometimes something simple like water up the nose, or soap in the eye sets them off to have a negative association that they overreact to. Just be reassuring and she will get through this. There is always the option of fun new bath toys, foam, or those bath crayons to entice her.

Best wishes! :)

This happened with my son around the same age. He was suddenly completely unsure of himself and would have to hold on to the bottom or the side of the tub. Even if I got in with him he cried. We talked to our pediatrician and she assured us that it was completely normal and he would grow out of it, which he did after a few months. It was a hard few months, but it did get better. Try showering with her. That helped with my son.

my daughter went through this until I realised that she was afraid of the water going down the plughole.
someone (me) had probably taken out the plug before taking her out once and that was enough .....!
then all I had to do was make sure she came out first, before even a drop of water left the tub
it may not be the same thing for your daughter, but if carry on being a detective hopefully it will come to you
good luck

So, my two year old has started doing this in the past two weeks - she always loved her baths, even since the first one she had as an infant!
She's never really liked the water in her ears, and I think that is half of it - however, with my daughter, I believe the bath time aversion is just another one of those "lets test mommies limits" sort of toddler game. She'd much rather play or spend her time doing something else than take a bath, and I suppose the fun that lies outside the bath overrules any possible fun she could have IN the tub.
Now, she screams when I bathe her, bath OR shower, like Im murdering her. Im sure the entire neighborhood must think I am beating and torturing her - she refuses to even sit down in the bath and stands there, attempting to fight off my washing with fists and nails. Unfortunately for her, I am one of those old school parents that believes that I am the parent and in charge, and I bathe her anyway through the screaming and crying, regardless of what SHE wants. Like you, I checked her for scratches or scrapes, bug bites, had her ears looked at to make sure she didn't have an ear infection, etc. Nothing. I think it is just one of those phases for her - perhaps for you child too?

Try the shower. Our son loves the shower with us.
You could try new toys. They sell those cool color bath tablets at Babies R US, you can change the color of the water.
Also maybe she can go into the bath with her swimsuit on for a while. At least she'll get clean!

Don't worry, this is totally a phase! My son went through the same thing at about the same age, and everyone with children that I asked about it said that they went through it as well. With my son it lasted about two weeks, and then he was just over it! All I did was remain calm and reassuring, but firm that baths were going to be taken. I didn't try to make him stay in and play, just in, see if he wants his toys, and if not, clean and get out. This age is when they start to develop some fears, so it could be something like thinking she is going to get sucked down the drain like the water, it could be the sound of the water rushing into the tub, there's just no telling. Don't worry though, it will almost certainly just phase out on its own.

My daughter recently did the same thing. She is 20 months. One day she just broke out into screams in the bath. I thought something had happened. I tried a shower, but that didn't work. She was so challenging, it took all my strength to give her a bath as quickly as possible. It was horrible. I still gave her a bath everynight with her sister while she screamed. Then, after about a week, she just switched and now loves the bath and shower again. Plays longer than my 3 year old. I can't figure that one out.

This happened to us with our daugher too about at that same age. She grew out of it for the most part within a couple of weeks. We bought some new bath toys for her and brought in music she liked and that seemed to help calm (distract) her more. She still doesn't love her hair being washed, and tells me "no, mommy", but she deals with it much better.

We went through this with my oldest. He was afraid of going down the drain. We made sure we stopped pulling the plug when he was in there, and he eventually forgot about it. We also got in with him a few times, making sure it sit closer to the drain than him. Also, if I needed to be quick and didn't have time for a struggle, we just gave him a shower. He felt like a big boy taking a shower, and still loves to take a shower like his dad (he's 4). For us, it only lasted about a month, and after three weeks, it was hit and miss, but by a month, he had completely gotten over it. It was a long month, but we also started bathing him every other night instead of every night unless he really needed it. He loves the water now, bath and pool, and when he asks if he is getting a bath tonight and we say no, he is really disappointed. Lots of patience and this too shall pass.

Hi K..
Fortunately, this is just a phase.Once it passes there will be another one right behind it. My oldest went through the same thing. I just had to get creative. Letting her pour in the bubbles, taking a bath in the sink like her baby sister, and bringing a doll or stuffed animal in and asking her to wash it was a big hit. The tricking went on for a month or so then before I knew it, she was over it. Then she didn't want to eat what I cooked...a whole different story. Not making a big deal about it and not letting it get me mad was difficult. I had to remind myself she is just testing her limits.I just tried making it as fun as possible and that worked for us.
A.

I went through this with my son. He LOVED his baths, and suddenly he started screaming, kicking, crying when it was bath time. My husband thinks it was because he slipped one time in the tub when he was being rinsed and the pediatrician said something like that could cause the sudden scare. Anyway, we bought him more interactive bath toys, like the wind up ones that swim and foamy bath numbers and letters. All of a sudden, he forgot he was scared of taking baths, and now he loves bath time again. Hope this helps!

My son did the same thing when he was just about the same age as your daughter. I'm not sure why. I think it lasted a few weeks, and then finally he enjoyed bathtime again. I can't remember any special tricks we did to get through it. I think we just rushed through each bath - just get him clean and get him out. Of course we would still act excited and try to make it fun, but he was still unhappy. Eventually I think he just got through it and enjoyed his baths again. (We did try having him shower with Dad, but he hated that even more than the bath!)I wish I had some real advice...Good Luck

Sometimes toddlers get strange ideas and fears, like they will get sucked down the drain and never come back like the water does. I recommend the book "The Emotional Life of the Toddler" for talking about the fears that go along with toddlerhood.

What is your routine just prior to and following her bath? Perhaps she sees it as and end to play time or the signal that all the fun is over and she's going to bed.

We went through this for a short time with my godchild and helped her through it with toys, bubbles and snuggle time after bath. She so looked forward to snuggle time that she eventually again looked forward to bathtime. Having a "bath doll" who she could wash seemed to help, as well.

It's a difficult transition, but with patience you'll all get through it!

Best of luck,

V. T

Try doing it at different times of the day. Is it the bath, or is it that she knows she is going to bed after that? Dreams? Have a ritual prayer that her guardian angels or spirit guides or dream time friends (what every you feel comfortable calling it) are there the whole night to hold her hand during dream time. If it's dreams, the landscape of dreams can be consciously altered by intending on a regular basis what you want the outcome to be. If it doesn't help right away, keep up with it or choose different words. Have the focus be on something she likes.

Love, L.
Teacher of New Consciousness

My son did become quite upset during bathtime, and I was concerned. I wondered if he had a bad experience during a bath that I was unaware of. I asked his father and babysitter if they could remember anything that could explain his new "fear" of the tub. Our sitter mentioned he did not like water running down his face. I was interested to see the "method" of bathing she was using. To my surprise, Our sitter would soap up his hair while he was occupied with his toys, she would take cups of water and pour them directly onto his head. She did not tilt his head back, or use her hand or cloth to shield the soapy water from his eyes, nose or mouth. I calmly showed her a few ways to keep him dry faced and smiling. After about a week he began to enjoy bathtime a little more.

Hi,
So my daughter is 17 months and she started doing this probably a month ago. I had no idea why because she has always loved the bath. And, like your daughter, she has always loved to swim. So, I figures if I turned the 'bath tub' into a pool she would like it better. Well, she did! I put in some of her pol toys in the water and tel her that its time to go swimming instead of its time for a bath. She seems to really injoy it now. Now my only problem is that she never wants to get out! Hope this helps.

All the replies are great so far!!
My 14 mo old daughter started screaming when I lay her back to rinse her hair out, about a month or 2 ago. She loves swimming, and so far had loved bathtime too. I usually bathe w/ her, so I just try to get it done quickly and tell her what a good girl she is, and when we're done rinsing her head, I clap and say Yay and all that. She really likes it when we praise her, and I think this helps her get through this phase!
Good luck, remember it's just a phase :)
A.

If it came on so suddenly it tells me she had a bad experience in the bath recently. Maybe she went under and she now knows the danger. Are you the only one who gives her a bath? Make sure she is safe with others who bathe her. If grandparents give her a bath sometimes their sense of hot and cold is different with age.

Get her a new special toy she only plays with in the bath.

Hi K.,

We went through this with my son and my daughter.

At some point for some reason they just suddenly have an aversion to all kind of things that they loved before - who knows why? But it is most frustrating and usually passes and is just a phase.

For my son: the solution was bubbles! We introduced bubble bath which he did not normally have and so it became time for "bubbles" versus "bath".

My daughter just needed some new toys and a bit of fun time running around in prep for bath (usually naked!)

Filling the bath with the shower head (the type that can be hand held), also introduced the concept of a "tickly bath" which both kids like. It also makes a lot more bubbles and also clues them in to help clean the bath at the end, because this is fun.

Sometimes they like to bath alone and sometimes together - and trying to work that out can be a bit of a challenge. Sometimes they like Dad, sometimes Mom, so a different person (if available), may work too.

Trying to find a new way to make it fun, seemed to do the trick. We have a few old shampoo bottles for filling and emptying. They bubble up under the water and that seems to be entertaining for all ages. We put part of my daughters tea set in the bath and they both love to pour and fill and empty and serve bubbles.

My son was fine with anything but I had to switch bubble baths for my daughter as she has sensitive skin. Now I have to use Rainbow Organic Herbal Bubble Bath for Kids which I get from Whole Foods.

Hope this helps.
S.