If a newborn child is afraid to bathe in the bathroom, then the reasons for this phenomenon lie, most likely, in an improperly organized first bath. A newborn could be frightened even by a loud sound and now associates unpleasant memories with bathing.
The situation when a newborn child is afraid to swim in the bathroom is more an exception to the rule than the norm. Newborn babies are not afraid of water. For nine long months the baby “floated” in the amniotic fluid. Therefore, plunging into warm water after birth, the baby finds himself in a familiar environment and experiences the pleasure of bathing. The child calms down, freely moves his legs and arms, smiles.
If the newborn shows, as it seems to you, signs of a fear of water, then this is not so, the newborn may simply be capricious. Do not confuse stah and whims. Fear of water can develop in older children, who begin to consciously understand everything and the reasons for fear lie on the surface.
Reasons why children are afraid to swim
If a child experiences “fear” of bathing from birth, then the reasons for this phenomenon are likely to lie in the improperly organized first bathing. Perhaps the temperature of the water was not comfortable for the baby (too cold or hot. Imagine the condition of a child who was dipped into boiling water, naturally the baby will feel fear for the second time ... see the correct water temperature for the first swim). Or the child could go headlong under the water and take a sip of water, he could experience discomfort if the shampoo got into his eyes. The newborn could be frightened even by the loud sound of water pouring from the tap and now associates unpleasant memories with bathing. Also, in order not to frighten the baby, from the first days try to create a calm atmosphere before bathing.
We read in detail - how to properly bathe a newborn
Watch video: Baby's first bath
Another situation is when the baby at first took water procedures with pleasure, and suddenly began to throw tantrums at one kind of bathroom. If the child began to be afraid to swim a few weeks or months after the first bath, then you have to understand the situation, analyze the latest events, carefully observe the baby and try to understand why the child began to be afraid of this.
The reasons can be either those listed above or others:
- usual fright;
- uncomfortable water temperature (fear of getting burned);
- the child gulped water (fear of gulping again);
- the baby does not like washing his head (fear of feeling shampoo in his eyes);
- uncomfortable bath: the child slips and slides into the water all the time (choose the bath correctly);
- the child slipped, fell and hit in the bathroom (fear of falling again);
- the baby had diaper rash and the bathing hurt him;
- nervous situation (the reason, as you understand, is in the parents).
Safety regulations
To avoid the baby's fear of bathing in the future, follow the safety rules from the very first bath:
- The water temperature should be 36-37aboutFROM;
- Purchase a special slide (chair) or a bathtub with a fabric hammock for swimming. This device is necessary until the baby begins to sit confidently. It fixes the child well and allows the mother to cope with bathing without assistance;
- For bathing in a large bathtub, purchase a special rubber mat on the bottom of the bathtub to avoid slipping, falling and bruising;
- Wash your hair with special baby shampoos "No tears"they do not irritate the eyes. Shampooing your hair several times a week is enough. We read a useful article on how to wash your child's head with pleasure: 7 surefire ways to persuade a child to wash their hair without tears;
- Do not add hot water to the tub;
- Do not leave the baby in the bathroom unattended for a minute or together with older children, a few seconds are enough for a baby to choke even in a small amount of water;
- Do not bathe your baby for too long to avoid overloading the body. 5-10 minutes is quite enough;
What to do
There are various ways to overcome your fear of bathing. You may need to try more than one or two until one of these methods works on your toddler.
Method 1
In early childhood, babies very quickly forget their impressions (pleasant or negative), so the easiest way, which can sometimes help, is to take a break from bathing for several days. Unpleasant memories will be forgotten, and the baby will again gladly accept water procedures.
Method 2
Also, in early childhood, the child often associates a room (bathroom) with further unpleasant actions for him. Sometimes a change of scenery (transferring bathing to another room) gives an unexpected result: the child behaves calmly and adequately in a new environment.
Method 3
Choose a moment for bathing when the baby is in a good mood. Take him in your arms and, talking affectionately, bring him to the water. Lower the baby into the bathtub, bending over with him so that the little one thinks that you are bathing together. The child can put a bright toy in the handle for distraction. It may take you a few days to overcome your fear. Do not be nervous. Act calmly. Soon the baby will relax and enjoy the procedure.
Method 4
Another good method for overcoming the fear of water is taking a bath together with your baby and mom or dad. An adult needs to take a hygienic shower before this. Being in close contact with an adult, the baby feels completely safe and calms down.
DETAILED: Is it possible to swim in the same bath with a newborn? The opinion of doctors and mothers - https://razvitie-krohi.ru/eto-polezno-znat/mozhno-li-kupatsya-v-odnoy-vanne-vmeste-s-novorozhdennyim-mnenie-vrachey-i-mamochek.html
Method 5
This option is suitable for children who are already comfortable sitting. You need to pour a small amount of water into the basin and put various toys (rubber animals, plastic fish, boats, watering cans). Play with the baby, show him how it "rains" from the watering can, how joyfully fish, ducks and frogs splash. Children at this age are happy to play such games. After a while, the game needs to be transferred to a large bath. DETAILED:Bath toys for children under one year old
Method 6
For older children. There are times when a child enters the bath, stands in the water, but is afraid to sit down and plunge into the water. Ask while playing with the baby: "Shall we pour some water to the knees or a little more?"... No need to rush, stop at the achievement you have achieved today and, step by step, overcome your child's fear of water. Another option, try blowing bubbles. The kid will be distracted from his fear and, perhaps, playing with bubbles, will sit in the water.
The game is a great helper in the fight against any fears of children. Try to play with the baby in the bathroom as much as possible, throw a lot of different water toys into the bath, entertain the child, talk to him, tell him that toys are not afraid of water, how merrily they splash, play and are not at all afraid of water - and then the bathing procedure will be associate only with fun. The child will forget what fear of bathing is 🙂
Bathing nursery rhymes
Nursery rhymes and little rhymes, which have long been used when bathing newborns, will help create a joyful mood for both you and your baby.
Download and print all nursery rhymes –
Who will be the kup-kup here,
Squish-squish for some water?
Quickly jump-jump into the bath, jump,
in the bath with a leg jerk-jerk, jerk!
The soap will foam
And the dirt will disappear somewhere.
***
We swim, we splash
And we are having fun with you in some water!
Leg up, leg down!
Stick up, stick down!
Twirl our legs
And we float like uti!
Splash splash! Boo-boo!
Let's wipe out!
***
Lather your baby gently and gently with a soft bathing mitten or sponge, humming a song or saying a nursery rhyme:
We'll go swimming
And splash in the water
Splatter, frolic,
The baby will wash.
We will wash your feet
To our dear baby
Wash your hands
To a dear boy
Back and tummy
Face and mouth -
Clean that's what
My dear son!
***
Ay, fret, fret,
We are not afraid of water
We wash cleanly
We smile at mom.
Fluid water
The child is growing fast
Water off a duck -
With a child thinness.
Water down,
And the child is up.
***
Water, water,
Wash my face
To make the eyes look
To make your cheeks turn red
So that the mouth laughs,
To bite a tooth.
***
The fish lived in the lake,
She sailed to us with you (while moving your hand under water, as if a fish is swimming).
We will wash the baby
We will catch fish.
The water is not cold for us.
Where is the fish? There she is! (gently sprinkle some water on the baby)
P.S. Bathing in herbs | Bathing line
