Help! Toddler refuses to get into tub

amother

Aquamarine

Sun, Jan 01 2017, 1:08 am

My toddler is almost 2 years old. She used to love taking a bath. My problem used to be convincing her to come out, not getting her in.

Last week she pooped in the tub. I think that traumatized her because she has adamantly refused to get in the tub since. I tried everything I could think of, including bribing her with a new bath toy. I can't really force her into the tub because she clings to me so hard I can't even get her feet in. I asked DH to bathe her on erev shabbos in case that would change things. She fought him even more and he ended up giving her a sponge bath and washing her hair in the sink.

This can't go on. I don't need to bathe her every night, especially since it's winter, but she needs to get clean at least a couple of times a week. Any suggestions?

seeker

Sun, Jan 01 2017, 1:39 am

Can you have her give baths to a doll in the regular bathtub (while she sits outside)? To get her gradually closer and to get her having fun with the tub again. And then later on hopefully she can join the doll in the tub.

Or maybe she just needs to get more comfortable with poop. Even if you're not up to potty training yet, maybe you can read her some potty-training books. They usually have a lot to do with getting comfortable with your waste products, and also usually include being comfortable with accidents, both of which are relevant here.

amother

Fuchsia

Sun, Jan 01 2017, 1:43 am

Similar problem
Things I've tried that helped to a certain extent: letting them go in with a diaper at first, bathing them in a smaller bucket, bubbles/bath toys, new mat for tub.

gamanit

Sun, Jan 01 2017, 2:08 am

I've had that. I gave sponge baths, then sponge baths in an empty bathtub, then worked my way back to a regular baths which she liked. She was less than two at the time but it might work for your dd as well. Good luck!

allthingsblue

Sun, Jan 01 2017, 7:22 am

Same thing happened to my toddler.
We bought a colorful new bath mat that at least distracted him enough to be willing to go in the bath. He refused to sit down, so I just bathed him standing up. Eventually (after a few days) he sat down- we floated some his favorite toys and said he had to catch them on his own.
Good luck!

MyUsername

Sun, Jan 01 2017, 7:41 am

Trying doing a bath without water, just to get her used to it. Then a sponge bath in the tub, but not filled up with water. Then back to a regular bath.

Also, make sure you tell her that it's ok she pooped in the tub and it's ok if she does it again, you'll just clean it up. Sometimes emotional reassurance is needed too.

Tzutzie

Sun, Jan 01 2017, 9:59 am

I had ut twoce with my now 3.5 yo.
What worked for me was going into the bath WITH her.
I had to do that twice and she was fine.
Of course I told her its ik and all but she was terrified. She had popped in the bath many times since then until she was toilet trained but she was ok with going back into the bath.

My 22 mo does it all the time. I once scrubbed the tub while she was in it. Then ran a new bath. Then she pooped again. THREE times (later I saw she wasnt feeling well).
She gets a little nervous for the first few seconds but I talk her thru it and she is fine.

amother

Aquamarine

Mon, Jan 02 2017, 4:09 pm

OP here.

I spent the morning playing with her in the tub. First we climbed in still wearing our pajamas and she sat in my lap while we played with the bath toys. I got her to stand up on her own for like a minute but she wasn't really happy unless she was sitting on my lap.

So I took her out and ran a bubble bath and we had fun playing with the bubbles while standing outside the tub. I had her reaching in and fishing out cups and toys, so hopefully that's a good sign. I'll run another bubble bath after dinner and try to get her to actually go in this time. If she won't go in herself then her older sister has offered to put on a bathing suit and go in with her. Here's hoping that works!