My DD has developed a sudden fear of the bath

**sweetums89** · 10-08-2012 16:50

Well my DD always use to love baths, if she heard it being run she would be the first up there. Now shes scared and will not even want to be undressed for one. I think I know the reason but don't know how I can solve it. When DD and DS get in the bath, like any kid, dirt is going to come off, and you get dirt floaties. My DD is TERRIFIED of these. The few times before her complete refusal, after i put her in the bath I had to scoop them out as fast as possible otherwise.. well she would start screaming. Now she doesn't even go in even when theres none. How can i try and encourage her back into the bath. I don't want a smelly toddler, i want my clean girl back

Any advice is much appreciated.

**Raising Leprechauns** · 10-08-2012 16:56

My DS went throug a bit of a bath aversion. The solution for me was food colouring. A couple or drops of his colour of choice and you have a lovely coloured bath. It doesnt stain anything and colour mixing can be fun!!

**Melbmummyof1** · 10-08-2012 16:59

Hi op!!

Bubble bath may help or alternatively can she have showers until things settle down?

Hope things settle down for you

**Fox in Sox** · 10-08-2012 18:55

Do you think that some role play stuff with a doll might work?

Like give her doll a bath in a doll's bath (or mixing bowl or whatever), and maybe she could take the doll in the bath with her. Might distract her from the "scary" stuff?

**Theophania** · 10-08-2012 18:59

Can she shower until she gets over her fear? Otherwise I think the food colouring idea is great. You could also try taking her to the shops and letting her buy a special bath toy and then spend the rest of the day getting her excited about having a bath with it that night and maybe she will be too excited to be scared??

**Eko** · 10-08-2012 19:02

You could always try that gelli baff junk. Sounds horrid to me, but apparently kiddies love it! Lol.

**lucymoo** · 10-08-2012 19:56

My bub recently became afraid of the shower. It lasted about a month. Now bub is not happy in the shower if I'm not in there too. But it is getting better. I wonder if its just a phase?

**jo7** · 10-08-2012 20:23

Have u seen the colored bubble baths? Awesome stuff!!

**tubster** · 11-08-2012 00:13

DS went through a stage like that too. I did a bit of research and apparently sometimes they are afraid that they might go down the drain with water! Anyway what we did was I hopped in the bath with him. I cuddled him for the first few times, then tried to distract him with balls and toys. It took us a week to get him to stop crying an willing to take his clothes off. According to what I read online, it's best not to force them.
Good luck