Two Year Old Bathtime Fear

As a swim instructor and swim team coach many kids that come for swimming classes before two do well in the water then if they come back the next summer at two they freak out. Very normal!! She's getting the sense that water can be scarey. Ease her back into it. Maybe take her to find a new water toy? This will also pass even though it can be very frustrating. Has her doc looked at her bottom? My neice has had her area close shut etc. I don't really understand it but my sister in law has had similar situations with the diaper issue.

Our daughter went through a similar stage. But at that same time we took her to a zero entry pool and she loved it. My husband discovered that if we let her put her swim suit on for her bath then she was fine. We would wash her hair, arms, and legs and then let her play for a few minutes. Just before she got out we would peel off the suit and wash the rest of her body while she stood up. She eventually got over hating her bath. Sometimes she still wants to put on her suit and swim.

Yes, it is probably just a phase. But make sure that she is comfortable and not in any pain, just like you are doing right now. Maybe the water is too hot or her tushy is sensitive. Let her stand for a while playing in the water, that is what we did with my son. He has always hated hair washing but one day (after remodeling) he did not want to sit down. We let it go on for a while and then one day I just forced him to sit and gave him his favorite treat. For a few days he would only sit for the treat but now he loves sitting and sliding around in the tub. I think if you distract them (assuming they aren't crying and screaming the whole time) then pretty soon they realize how fun it is. My son also likes bubbles...only a little though. As for the diaper thing, since it has gone on for a long time, maybe you can use this as a way to introduce potty training?

My son would not sit in the bath anymore as soon as he figured out how to stand up. After many attempts to quickly bathe a crying, squirmy, soapy child, I let him try taking a shower and he loved it. A hand held shower wand or a cup for rinsing hair is still useful. Good luck!

Try buying her a new toy for the bathroom also is it a shower or a bathtub, do you have a hadheld? If you have a handheld maybe she can HD instead of you ask her to participate help you clean a doll or something like that! It may just be a face she should outgrow it!

i have a daughter almost 2 and while she loves her baths I would suggest letting her help you wash her. maybe give her a cup and put a small amount of water in it so she can help rinse her hair too. Good luck!!

Another mom just posted this same question yesterday. Check out her post and answers for some more suggestions.

Maybe do not use bubble bath in the bath. If you do use that.
Bubble bath, is actually real harsh and the primary cause of UTI's in children... and maybe she is sensitive down there and it stings or something.

Usually, all kids at varying ages start to "hate" bath time. It ebbs and flows. Age related phases sort of thing.

But, you said this is not something 'new' with her and has done this for as long as you can remember... so maybe, something in the bath water/or soap/or shampoo irritates something on her body.... and you mentioned she will not 'sit down' in the bath... maybe once she sits down the bubble bath or soap in there irritates her/stings her down there....

Just an idea.

all the best,
Susan

My son can be the same way. Depends on mood. But he definitely hates water dumped on head /hair & getting in face. Sometimes he will be ok & listen to me when I tell him to tip his head back so water won't go in his face. Other times he freaks out & cries. The last couple of days (1st time with his same age cousin of 2 yrs.) I've been giving him a "rain shower" with the detachable head. Mostly because I've been strapped for time & need to get 'em clean quick so we can get out the door. Let her hold it while you soap her up & even rinse the parts she can reach. I feel like this can also clean better & the soaps not sitting on their skin. I do fear for too much bubble bath for girls or the "character" ones are kind of harsh (even if they're cute & marketed for kids) My niece will sometimes say it stings or itches down there. Scented products can definitely irritate (some more than others). I would try something very gentle soapwise,too. I just started using the Method brand(squeaky green) baby products. They are very gentle & I found that they were rated as one of better/safer products at cosmeticsdatabase.org. Johnson varied from mid-range to avoid,which really surprised me because I had always used it before. I don't know about the diaper thing. My niece does that all the time, too. She says"just put a diaper on & doesn't want to be wiped, no matter how gentle you are. I try to tell her it will itch or hurt if we don't wipe it off. Maybe even just try a warm wet wash cloth. I would talk to their doctor, too, to see if they have any tips or any reasons for why she would be upset. They may even be able to test for infections or see if the area is irritated.

My son went thru that about a month ago and he just turned three at the end of April. It was weird because he always loved bath time.

From what I read it's just a stage that most kids go thru and it does pass.

There were a few nights I had no energy and just skipped the yelling/fighting and he didn't get a bath. Other nights we did a super fast shower and that worked.

You could try buying a wipe warmer. It makes all the difference in the world.

Our 2 1/2yr old usually takes showers somethimes with me sometimes by himself. You could try that and she if she still scared.

My daughter did the same thing for a while. She would just scream while I gave her a bath, luckily it was winter and the neighbors couldn't hear it!
It would sometimes help if I let her pick out a toy to go to the bath with her (this is why we have a soup ladel and a turkey baster in the tub toys!) And just as suddenly as it started it stop and she'll take a bath fine now.
I had no choice but to let her scream and bathe her as quickly as I could