My almost 16 month old used to love his baths. He had been bathing in the same bathtub in the same location since he was a baby. Well, we remodeled our bathroom and had to move his bathtub to another bathroom. He hated bathtime. Then we tried in the shower downstairs. He complained a lot about that as well. But the worst time was when we put his bathtub back into the original big bathtub (no longer orange but white now) and he screamed and cried like I had put him into boiling oil. He does not want to stand or God forbid sit in his tub. The room now looks completely different and he is very excited to go in there and touch all the new things but bathtime was a nightmare last night. Should I try putting him into the big adult tub and ditch his baby bathtub? New toys?Please! Suggestions to help!
I think you are right, time to ditch the babytub. Just so you know, its not little, it's almost the size of the bathtub, it just had a slant to one side when the baby is little. I think new toys are also the way to go. Thanks for the ideas!! Last night I let me stand in the big tub, I didn't force him to sit and my husband held him so he wouldn't slip and I washed all the important stuff. He complained a little but it was a massive improvement. I will also go in there with him. He really liked that at my parent's house. Oh, and their tub is white too.
he can certainly go in the regular tub at this age. Lots of babies go into the tub at 1 year old. He'll love the freedom.
Ditch the baby bath. Get new toys.
Nanc
Try to find something fun about the new tub. Get sponge letters, wet them and stick them to the sides of the tub. You can spell out words and have your toddler use a squirt gun to shoot them down.
I had a seat that went into the adult tub and had a stabilzing bar that went over the tub-side for my guy. You can find it in Target or Babys-R-Us, my little guy was safe sitting in the big tub and I had a comfy arm cushion to lean on. It worked great!
Time for distraction! I recommend a few new bath toys such as Measure Up cups or Bathtime Bugs at www.toysofdiscovery.com
Hey mom,
At 16 months he should be fine with out a baby tub.
but watch him carefully,
Ask him if he wants to go Swimming in the tubby.
give him his boat, add some bubbles.
and they have crayola bath time colors and things like that, get some fun stuff, and prepare the tun to look like fun.
wash his body first, and leave the hair for last.
get a big cup of water and fill it up,
then say OK baby its almost time to get out and pull the stopper so the water starts to drain.
begin to wash his hair.
when the water empties out turn on the shower to rinse off all the soap bubbles,
and the use the cup of water to quickly rinse his hair.
it usually takes me 3 cups.
so if you have 3 big plastic cups fill those first LOL,
and then your done.
Its not always easy, but if you start with the no nonsense attitude, he should respond well.
Good luck
M
Beata,
Why is he still in a baby tub, at almost a year and a half? No wonder he is complaining. Baby tubs are for infants. Usually when a baby can sit up by themselves at around 9 months, they move out of the baby tub and are bathed in the regular bathtub, sitting up on their own and playing in the water. I would absolutely ditch the infant tub, bathe him in the regular tub and supply some fun toys for bathtime.
Hi, Beata,
My daughter went through a similar thing around that age, where she seemed to really hate being in the tub. So I would just get in there with her (the big people's tub, obviously). And I got one of those waterproof books. The first few minutes of the bath she would still be crying, but I'd sit with her in my lap and read her the book over and over, and she would calm down and then by the end of it, she'd be having a lot of fun.
Good luck!
A.
Yup, use the big tub. But, I think that it is the color change that is the big issue with him. I am no expert, but certain people are really influenced by color. (Yellow is supposed to be calming, Red energizes and wakes you up) Perhaps you can bring in an orange curtain for the tub. If you can get a lot of orange bath time crayons and let him help you color the walls of the tub before bath time, then that might help, too. Once he realizes that the room is the same room, just a different color, he will begin to adjust. Perhaps, for your son, white causes him to feel fear. I don't know, but maybe?
Hi Beata,
I would absolutely try going for the big bathtub. His tub may be a little small for him.
My youngest is 2 1/2 and still takes a shower with me. I used to block the drain, so she doesnt lose my shower water and when I am done washing my hair, I let the water drain and wash her up, then myself, we rinse and get out. Now, she doesn't really play in the water anymore, just splashes around with the shower water.
Since before she could stand, she has been showering with me. It was convenient and practical.
She always did like her baths, though. I would let her play and splash while I washed her, and get wet, but it was fun for her and made bath time much easier.
Now, she can take a bath by herself, with me sitting in the bathroom, and she'll play in the tub, with toys for 30 minutes with no problem.
Get your son some floating tub toys to play with in the tub, let your boy watch the toys float in the tub before he gets in, let him decide when he wants to get in to play with them. If you turn it into another play time, he may learn to like the water.
Another suggestion, he probably shouldn't be taking baths every night, unless he is playing in mud. Its not good for their young, sensitive skin.
And maybe trying to put him in for a bath a little earlier, like before dinner and not when he may be too tired.
Good luck
can u get in tub with him the first time? or let him put his fave toys in tub and watch them take a bath? or put in bath crayons and color something for him then tell him to color...
oh yeah! Ditch the baby tub and let him bathe in the actual tub. I've never used a baby tub, my son is now 2. I've always just used the regular bathtub. He looooves his baths. Throw a mat on the bottom to prevent slipping and some bubbles and enjoy!
Lynsey
