justpaisley Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 My son (2 months old) FLIPS OUT during baths. Does anyone have any tips on keeping him calm, other than wear earplugs and go quickly? Poor kid... he just got out of the bathtub and I've got him wrapped in a blanket and he's looking imploringly at me... I have a big guilt complex anyway. He was born 11 weeks early and spent 8 weeks in the NICU, so seeing him so distressed really bums me out. I've tried doing it before feedings, after feedings, while he's wide awake, when he's just woken up, full immersion, sponge baths... He still just loses his mind. Any tips are appreciated! Link to comment
annie24 Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 lol. sleeping pills. seriously, I don't know, I don't have a baby, but what about making a relaxing atmosphere - like lots of cuddling before hand, maybe play soft music in the background... do you have lots of toys for him in the bathtub? what about special toys he only gets during bath time? Link to comment
ElektraHere Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 When you give him a bath is it in the baby bath where they lay on a huge sponge? You could lay him on there and slowly add the warm water. That way its a slower rate of getting used to the water. Maybe the water is a little too cold for him? Link to comment
ElektraHere Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 lol. sleeping pills. seriously, I don't know, I don't have a baby, but what about making a relaxing atmosphere - like lots of cuddling before hand, maybe play soft music in the background... do you have lots of toys for him in the bathtub? what about special toys he only gets during bath time? Good ideas Annie although the baby is 2 months old I dont think he would even see the toys ;-) lol Link to comment
annie24 Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 *sigh* see - I know nothing about babies! *sigh* Link to comment
ElektraHere Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 Oh Annie If you need tips on lemons I am your girl LOL But for the OP I also thought maybe the room is chilly for him? I know its summer but babies dont like cold. But I am sure the south is pretty hot right now. Hmmmmmm. Have you checked online for different bath tubs for babies?? Link to comment
annie24 Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 I would be crying too if i were in a bright room with all sorts of mirrors and just got dunked in some water... Link to comment
annie24 Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 link removed here is a website with suggestions on helping your baby with bath fears. Link to comment
AwdreeHpburn Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 Paisley - I have three little chil'ren and they were all once babies who took baths - doesn't mean a thing and I still have no idea what I'm talking about but when I gave the babies a bath - at first - they all seemed to get a bit distressed but they DO get used to it and even start to like it. I suggest making sure the baby is submerged up to his/her chest in luke warm water. Try to have a calm or even happy demanor. The baby will take his cues from you. Have fun with the water, splashing lightly and laughing, smiling, talking quietly etc. If he is still hard to calm, just go quickly but know that he WILL get used to it. Link to comment
MacGyverRI Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 Are you using the "gentle" cycle??? j/k I checked the link just in case, but I already knew this works well, take a bath together, your constant touching/holding him helps w/ the fears. Link to comment
Bethany Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 Try him in the sink, as you are more on face level and he feels closer to you.. The bath can seems like a massive scary place where you are stripped of all warmth, feel vulnerable, where people look down on you.. quite terrifiying. Or you could try a bowl on the floor. Old fashioned methods but they work. Link to comment
justpaisley Posted August 22, 2006 Author Share Posted August 22, 2006 lol. sleeping pills. I don't think joking about giving children sleeping pills is funny. Bourbon on the pacifier is so much more effective. And annie24, I am very thankful that I had 3 goddaughters, 2 that I knew from birth, to "practice" on. I babysat them constantly, once for an entire week while their parents were in Jamaica. If I hadn't had that experience, I'm sure I'd be a wreck by now. These kids, they don't come with manuals. take a bath together, your constant touching/holding him helps w/ the fears. I've thought about this, but I'm always a little scared of him pooping on me. I've been puked and peed on - I'm not sure I'm ready to let go of the pooping boundary. Thank you all for your suggestions. I'm going to set up a heater in the bathroom and try to get closer to him. He seems to like sucking on his pacifier (sans bourbon) during bathtime, but he always spits it out and goes back to hollering. Maybe I'll get my husband in there to hold his pacifier in his mouth. Link to comment
helpme2 Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 my kids used to freak out when they were that age, I figured out after a while they were cold, I was taught to run the water so that it felt "body temp" on my elbow, but what my kids really needed was it a little bit warmer, I still checked with my elbow to make sure it wasn't too hot, but warmer than body temp is good. wash the hair last, cold hair is really cold during a bath. edit: oh about the bath together, it's best to pay attention a few days before write down when baby poops so that you don't take a bath during "poop time" if however your baby doesn't poop on schedule (some babies don't) poop isn't the end of the world, just pull the plug and take a shower I have been pooped, peed, puked, snotted on more than I ever wanted to, all of it's the same, it just washes off. Link to comment
BrokenWingedFaery Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 definitely put him in a place where most of his body is submerged in warm water. OH! I just thought of something, buy a toy that he likes and get him used to it during non-bath times, then put it in the bath with him (rubber ducky anyone?) It's like having a teddy bear to comfort him Link to comment
sonjam Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 Paisley, about the bath thing, they mainly don't like to be exposed (naked) at that age, so I suggest you wrap him in a cloth nappy, and while wrapped submerge him up to his chest in the water. While submerged start removing the nappy over the parts you want to wash. Always try to put a face cloth on his tummy - that is the part they hate to have exposed the most. _ try it and let me know if it helps! Link to comment
melrich Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 There are definitely two types of babies, those that love baths and those that hate them. Generally over time most babies learn to really enjoy baths. I would second that suggestion to get in the bath with your baby. It is such a bonding thing to do and you will love it and your baby will love it and become much more comfortable with the water that way. Don't worry about bodily functions, or if you are, as another poster said, babies follow rountines. Work out when he poops and plan around that. Failing being able to get in the bath with him, do try the sink where they are much closer to you and you can keep the baby calm with your presense. He will come around I am sure. Link to comment
stuck in a rut Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 Definitly go for the toys!! my little girl loves the toys in the bath, play with them toys so they can see you playing then they become curious... Link to comment
justpaisley Posted August 24, 2006 Author Share Posted August 24, 2006 Okay, so tonight, I fed him, and he conked out. I woke him up after he had slept for about half an hour, and put him in a nice warm bath in a nice warm room. He did start crying, but it wasn't the world-is-going-to-end crying. More like how-dare-you-wake-me crying. While he was calm, I kept pouring the water over his stomach and singing and talking to him. He seemed not to mind too much. When I brought him into his bedroom to get him dressed, he started hollering though... I forgot to close the air conditioning vent in there, so I'm sure he was cold. He's all cuddled up right now though. Also, he doesn't have a pooping schedule. Since he came home from the NICU 3 weeks ago, he has been very irregular. His doctor told me to give him dark Karo syrup to help him go, and that worked a few times, but at this point he hasn't gone since Saturday. I'm calling his doctor tomorrow about it. Anyway... no pooping schedule. He's not much of a pooper. And I swear I didn't start the thread just to show him off, but I can't help it... Link to comment
melrich Posted August 24, 2006 Share Posted August 24, 2006 he hasn't gone since Saturday. I'm calling his doctor tomorrow about it. Anyway... no pooping schedule. He's not much of a pooper. I wouldn't worry about that yet. It is not uncommon for babies to go without pooping for up to 10 days. Link to comment
annie24 Posted August 24, 2006 Share Posted August 24, 2006 awwww!!!! he is such a sweetie! and no worries, I am sure he will become a pooper soon! Link to comment
xprincessbugx Posted August 24, 2006 Share Posted August 24, 2006 Your baby is so cute! Link to comment
justpaisley Posted August 24, 2006 Author Share Posted August 24, 2006 awwww!!!! he is such a sweetie! You're absolutely right! See, you do know something about babies! Link to comment
justpaisley Posted August 24, 2006 Author Share Posted August 24, 2006 I wouldn't worry about that yet. It is not uncommon for babies to go without pooping for up to 10 days. I know - the doctor told me to call if he went over 3 days without pooping while on the Karo syrup, though. He went every day during his entire 2 months in the NICU - it's strange that he just corked up as soon as he came home! I bought that darn Diaper Champ for the nasties! Link to comment
justpaisley Posted August 24, 2006 Author Share Posted August 24, 2006 Your baby is so cute! Thank you!!!!! He's actually bent a little in that picture, making the cute little baby fat roll effect. When I straightened him out, the rolls had left little lines going down his back, so it looked like he had been scratched! It's nice seeing fat rolls on him... he was born 11 weeks early, so he didn't have any fat on him then. It's nice finally having the double chin and giant cheeks... he worked a while for them! Link to comment
southerngirl Posted August 24, 2006 Share Posted August 24, 2006 He is so cute! About the bath thing. At that age I allways gave baths in the sink. Water should be luke warm, if you test it with your elbow and it feels too warm it would be scalding hot for the baby. A babies bath doesnt need to be that warm. When you take him out be very careful to wrap him warmly..so that he does not get cold. My son's both loved to have a 'massage' with baby lotion afterwords and its a great way to bond. Also, I put a bathing suit on and took a bath with my babies when they first started using the tub, may seem weird but I did that up till the first birthday with my 19 month old although its not that common now. He would be calm because I would hold him while he was bathed. Good Luck, he will get used to it and before long it will all be memories. Link to comment
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