Bath Time Delimma

She probably does take after her father. If she dislikes it that much, just stop putting lotion on her.

I would just stop putting the lotion on her and use a bath wash that is good for her skin, like Aveeno.

C.,
My son cried because of the cold after he got out of the tub @ that age, however have you tried putting the lotion in the tub so it becomes the same temp. as the water? I let me son put some on his fingers. I promise it will pass, in the mean time try putting it on as quick as possble and move on to the clothes. I even waited to do the back after I got the clothes on so it doesn't become hard to put the clothes on. Maybe a song or a light will get her attention long enough to put the lotion on.
Good Luck, and sorry I wasn't to much help but just know it will pass.
T.

Why do you feel that you have to put lotion on her to begin with?? My MD strongly advocated that we NOT put ANY lotion of any sort on our son at that age. She felt that lotion often caused more problems than it solved. It seems like if she is happy in the bath and doesn't mind toweling off that perhaps you should leave it at that. If the bath water is not too warm she shouldn't need extra lotion. If you are really worried or honestly believe that she needs something Burt's Bees makes a nice apricot oil you can add to the bath water- this might keep you both happy! Best of luck!!!

My son used to do the same thing. He was nervous about what was going on, and all of the quick movements I was making. It helped when I used one hand to hold his hand, and the other to rub lotion on him. Holding his hand gave him some security, and made him more comfortable. Once he got used to it, he wasn't nervous anymore. HTH.

Unless she has skin problems, she probably doens't really need lotion. My daughter was the same way, she wouldn't let me put anything on her, so I just used moisturizing and/or sensitive skin wash on her and she never had a problem with dryness or or anything. Ironically, I can't keep her away from lotion now, since I have eczema and since she sees me using it she simply MUST follow suit lol.

I have four kids and I never used lotion on them as babies. All of my kids had sensitive skin and I didn't ever put anything extra on their skin.

I would definitely stop trying to put lotion on her, it is NOT worth traumatizing her. She is soft enough! Try again in a few months.
Good luck!

Hi. I am not sure whats going on.. but one possibility is that she is sensitive to the feel of the lotion in general. I am going from personal experience! I hate the feel of lotion.. it feels so slimy.. Once I wipe it off.. I am fine..

If she is responding to the feel of the Lotion. I would recommend a Lotion from J.R. Watkins. It has a different texture. One I can tolerate. You may want to check in and see if what inside it is baby friendly :o). I have no idea.

GOod luck!
K.

Hi C.,
My son is the same way at 2 years! Just do away with the lotion for a while. If her skin isn't dry, then she probably doesn't need it anyway. It is probably just cold as the lotion dries on her skin- most of these are made with alcohol.

I have three children and I really never lotioned them as babies. It wasn't until eczema appeared that I would "spot" treat them specifically. I have to say, she's really little still at just 11 weeks. She's just happy to have a warm bath and snuggles with her M.. Lotion, even after warmed and applied turns cold. I hate that part myself and I'm in my 30's! But anyway, I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sad this experience made you upset. Just all in learning about our babies I guess. It's so hard sometimes trying to guess about what makes them tick. You're doing great in asking!
Best wishes.

I never once put lotion on my son...and his skin was always soft and smooth. Babies don't need lotion unless they have some type of condition (eczema, etc.) She just doesn't like it...and very well may get that from her father. Stop wasting your money on lotions...

There's a very easy solution to this problem, don't put lotion on her. Babies and young children don't need added mosturizers to there skin, since their skin is so young and not damaged yet. Studies have shown this and doctors will tell you the same thing. So, instead of rubbing lotion on her, just carress her softly so she still gets the benefits of touch!!

Our daughter was the same way when she was that age. We finally decided that, instead of torturing her, we would take a break with the lotion. We would try it about once a week and see how she reacted. Eventually, when she was around 5 months old, she stopped screaming and seemed to enjoy getting the lotion put on. Not really sure what changed, but now we have no problems. Give her a break on the lotion for a little while and then try it again.

If she doesn't like the lotion and she doesn't need it, don't put it on. My kids do not get lotion because they react to it and their skin is just fine. Some soaps have moisturizers in them already so maybe you could use them.

Hi C.,
I would seriously question whether or not your daughter "needs" the lotion at 2 months old. Many so called "baby" lotions contain toxic chemicals and additives that could be doing much more harm than good to her tender skin. Right after getting out of the bath, her pours would be wide open allowing the maximum absorbtion of those chemicals into her tiny body! If you haven't been aware of this, please go to www.ewg.org/skindeep and check out their "Skin Deep" cosmetics safety section. They have it sorted out in order of catagories so you can look up the Baby Care to find baby products. It will shock you to find the most popular lotions are so toxic and with the proportion of body size a child has, it isn't hard for them to accumulate a toxic level. I use pure Grapeseed Messenger Oil and pure Lavender oil blended if my daughter needs anything on her skin. That way, I KNOW there's nothing in there I don't know about. I hope this helps you. ;-)

Babies don't need lotion anyway. She obviously doesn't enjoy the sensation.

Why do you have to lotion? Because you want to? Don't traumatize her like that right now. It is not necessary. Bathe her in the most mild soap you can, my doc recommends, dove, not baby soaps. Good luck, you want this to be a positive experience.

My daughter also hated the lotion at that age. At about 4 months she started to enjoy her feet and legs, a month or 2 later she enjoyed the rest of the body. Lotion really isn't necessary ( I personally like it and the smells) and a lot have parbans that may be harmful. A baby massage therapist told me to just go slow, they need to get used to the touching and rubbing and most babies your daughters age just aren't there yet. My daughter is now 11 months and loves her feet and legs being massaged- tolorates the rest but still doesn't love it.

All of the suggestions might be a possibility but one thing you could do is to put the bottle of lotion in some hot water before you give her a bath and it should be warmed to body temp or so when you are finished with her bath.

Another thing is to put the towel in the dryer and if your DH is home allow him to get it just in time for you to get her out of the bath.

She might just not like the lotion... do you try to put it on at other times.. maybe she is tired and doesn't want to be rubbed...

Remember to do what is best for you and your family.

im not sure why you are trying so hard to put lotion on her. if she doesnt like it dont do it! if theres a dry spot try putting a little there and leave the rest of her body alone. my oldest daughter loved to be lotioned up but my youngest didnt. not a big deal

C.,

Does she really need lotion everytime? If you are bathing her every day she might, but a baby of this age normally can skip a day without one. Some babies and children do not enjoy their skin begin massaged; I had one of those babies. She is now 12 and has somewhat grown out of it.

You could also keep her covered except for the part that needs lotion; this way she doesn't feel as exposed. I don't think she's cold, since you have tried the space heater; she may feel insecure at that moment. Just uncover the part of her you want to put lotion on, and maybe just put lotion on her every other time.

I wouldn't put lotion on her for awhile and see how her skin does. Ask your pediatrian if the lotion is neccessary. My 5 year old doesn't always like the lotion, so I occasionally will put it on her, but not offen.

I would stop putting lotion on her; that would solve the problem. She will be fine without it.

My daughter is 2, and we never used lotion on her skin. The pediatrician said it's completely unnecessary. It only causes their skin to be naturally dryer in the end.

Note: I misread the child's age I thought she was two years old not two months old. Keep this in the back of your mind if odd behaviors persist throughout her coming development.

If your daughter is oversensitive to touch and exhibits any of the symptoms below, you may consider having her evaluated like we just did with my almost three year old. We had First Steps (it is a service provided to Ky residents until the child hits three) send an OT to the house. She is coming back on Tues and we will get more information as to which senses are involved. I won't be surprised if she is hypersensitive in the auditory dept. (my nephew has that kind). The OT said our daughter has Sensory Integration but wanted to come back this Tuesday and let our daughter get lots of physical input outside first, then try to have meaningful interaction with her, and see how she does. I am sure there is more than one sense involved. The speech pathologist will come for her third visit this Monday. We will pay next to nothing for her OT and Speech. Once she passes three she may be eligible through JCPS for free daycare with these services provided.

Regards,

Sensory Integration Dysfunction

Topic Overview

What is sensory integration dysfunction?

Children with sensory integration dysfunction have difficulty processing information from the senses (touch, movement, smell, taste, vision, and hearing) and responding normally to that information. These children typically have one or more senses that either over- or underreact to stimulation. Sensory integration dysfunction can cause problems with a child's development and behavior.

What are the symptoms?

Children with sensory integration dysfunction cannot properly process sensory stimulation from the outside world. Your child may:

Either be in constant motion or fatigue easily or go back and forth between the two.
Withdraw when being touched.
Refuse to eat certain foods because of how the foods feel when chewed.
Be over-sensitive to odours.
Be hypersensitive to certain fabrics and only wear clothes that are soft or that they find pleasing.
Dislike getting his or her hands dirty.
Be uncomfortable with some movements, such as swinging, sliding, or going down ramps or other inclines. Your young child may have trouble learning to climb, go down stairs, or ride an escalator.
Have difficulty calming himself or herself after exercise or after becoming upset.
Jump, swing, and spin excessively.
Appear clumsy, trip easily, or have poor balance.
Have odd posture.
Have difficulty handling small objects such as buttons or snaps.
Be overly sensitive to sound. Vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers, hair dryers, leaf blowers, or sirens may upset your child.
Lack creativity and variety in play. For instance, your child may play with the same toys in the same manner over and over or prefer only to watch TV or videos.
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Congratulations on your new baby!
I agree with all the responses that recommend not applying lotion to your baby's skin at this age. Unless your pediatrician specifically instructed you to do it, lotion is not necessary.
Having said that, you can put some lotion in her rinse water or on her washcloth before removing her from the water.
You can also try smearing it on her towel and warming the lotion and the towel before "drying" her off with them, thus applying the lotion with the towel.
Good luck!

I never put lotion on my boys and their skin is naturally balanced and seems to not need it, so I guess I've been lucky. I'd try not doing it for awhile and see if she experiences dryness and if not you just spared both of you the drama and if she is dry she will have her first "ah-ha" moment about the fact that you actually know something she may find valuable. Good luck and good bathing, N.

Don't worry about it too much. Like you, I loved the idea of infant massage and had this pic in my head of me smiling at baby while I rubbed in the lotion and her cooing back at me. Nope. My daughter HATED it, just like yours she loved the rest of bath and was fine once her clothes were on, but hated the lotion part. I decided that it was important to me to put the lotion on to keep her skin soft, but I just did it as fast as possible (still gently of course, but FAST), kept her covered as much as I could, and got her clothes on quickly. No massage, no enjoying it, just slather it on and go! Not what I wanted but it got the job done. I got my cuddles and lovey face time in other ways. Good luck! Remember, your daughter won't remember a thing from this time period. If she cries about the lotion, it is not going to scar her or harm her emotionally, as long as the other 95% of the time her needs are being met and she feels loved. (My daughter who hated the lotion is now almost 5 years old, I am about to have another and wondering if she will act differently about it or not!)

My daughter is now 15 months old and she was like this until she was at least 10 months old, but during that time it slowly got easier and easier. I always warmed the lotion up in a sink of hot water while she was bathing hoping it would make it easier but it didn't. Eventually she just got used to it, and now when she gets fussy during lotion time I just sing twinkle twinkle little star very calmly and that works. It took a while though! I don't think anything is wrong with your daughter, she is probably just one of those kids that hates sitting still for lotion and will grow out of it. As long as she doesn't have any irritation or signs of allergy to the lotion I would just wait it out. It will get better I promise!

It could be a sensory issue and be painful. My oldest son says he can't stand lotion. It feels aweful on his skin. Luckily he can talk and tell me. Babies can't. Try not putting the lotion on for a while. Your baby prob doesnt need it unless her skin is very dry. Does she scream if you try to massage her without lotion? If so then she does not think it feels good to be touched. If she only does it with the lotion then that is your culprit.

Maybe you should stop the lotion for a few weeks. Then try again.

she may just not like laying there being lotioned up. my son was the same way. this might sound crazy but you gotta do what works... I sing the hokey pokey while putting the lotion on each part. I dont know how that came to me but ive been doing it for forever. He thinks its a game. Maybe you can try that and see if it works. i know there at the beginning he didnt like it still so i would just hurry and do it real fast but after time he got used to it. hope this helps!

skip the lotion unless there is a specific reason as to why you are using it (skin problems, etc...). It's not necessary to use lotion. Also, if she's not enjoying the infant massage (wasn't sure if that was part of the problem), skip that as well until she is older or just skip it altogether unless it's something you're really tied to doing - in which case, wait until she's older to start that. Stop the lotion and the massage for a week and see if her demeanor changes for the better, and if it does, honor what she'd prefer right now and hold off on the lotion/massage routine.

If you must use lotion ... have you tried the gels?

She will probably grow out of this pretty quickly. I would just skip this until she's older, especially now since it's summer time and they don't get as dry as they do in the winter. You can also try to find some type of mosturizing soap, where you won't need lotion as much. The feeling is just so foreign to her right now, she's probably just not comfortable with it.

Hi, my son is 4 months and he was the same way. They grow out of it, now he loves it and laughs when I lather him up! My advice is just to do it quickly, just get the job done, meaning just cover them up quickly, and move on. Eventually they will let you do it longer and one day she might love it.

Unless your pediatrician says she really needs lotion, just skip it! Just about all those "solutions" being sold for babies (and adults) have no real value to our physical well-being. They're just another way of someone making a buck off of well-intentioned parents. I give my baby a massage in the mornings (it's just too much of a hassle before bed) before getting her dressed with no lotion or oil, just gentle, smooth mommy skin. She loves it!

Hey C.! Hope you are well. Your daughter my actually have an alergic reaction to the lotion. It may be burning her skin. Babie's skin is so. . . sensitive. Try not bathing her in tub everyday. Babies are not like us, they do not need to bathe every day. Try just sponge bathing her and no lotion and see if she has a different reaction. My child was, as an infant, and now as an 8yr., very sensitive to anything that goes on her body. Try products that have sheabutter in them instead of petroleum based products. These are avaialale at Whole Foods, Target carries "California Baby" products also ask a pharmacisit. That lotion could rally be hurting her. I did not knw about this until a friend who is all organic told me and it mage a huge difference. Hope this helps.

its not worth it...the lotion....share some peace and quiet instead.

Use a 'warming' massage oil if you must 'grease her down'. (I raised 4 kids and never used lotion or oils). Sounds like a torture session instead of the calming ritual you wish it was. Your next baby will probably love it!

She might not like the feel of lotion. I know when I put lotion on I fel smothered and feel like my skin cannot " breathe" since your husband hates it maybe it is a heredity thing because in my family my mom hates it too. Maybehold off till she is a little older and reintroduce it to see if you get the same reaction. Good Luck!

Could her delimma be that she doesn't like her cloths on and it isn't really about the lotion at all? Maybe she associates the lotion with the cloths come next. Just a thought as my daughter doesn't like to get her cloths on either. From other parents that I talk to, that must be pretty standard for babies.

You may not want to hear this but, do you have to put lotion on her? I never put it on either of my children unless they had a dry spot and then you can just rub it on that spot or you can put Aquafor on that particular spot and it works great! You don't want to freak her out about it b/c if she gets weird about it, you may never get sunscreen or anything on her later.

If you just rub her, but with no lotion in your hands, does she scream? It may be the act of rubbing it on her b/c you are in a way holding her down.....try it w/ out the lotion and see if it is that or the lotion.

Lotion is not so good for them much anyway b/c it can clog their pores, they are so young that bathing every other day is all you need and no lotion unless necessary.

Good luck! W. M

I would say skip the lotion. Unless of course there is a reason you are using it. We never used it with my daughter and never had a problem with dry skin.