9 Month Old Miserable in New Bathtub

Hi N.,
I would suggest you ditch the inflatable tub and put her in the regular tub with a little less water. The infaltable tub with water in it could feel really unsettling to her since it probably moves when she moves, and the other tub- a hard plastic bowl essentially didn't. Give her the solid tub to feel safe in. I'd put a mat on the bottom of the tub so she doesn't slide around and see what happens.
I never put my kids in anything but the regular tub after we gave up on the infant tub. They get to add bubbles and raise the level of the water or let it out - draw or just splash around as they want.
We went through a "i don't like bath phase" too, but that was around 20-24 months, when washing hair was the struggle.
best,
M.

try sitting her in the regular tub without the inflatable. My daughter hated the inflatable. Just let the water run and not fill the tub. let her get used to it a bit at a time. gradually let the water fill a little. my 1 yr old loved to crawl around the big tub. I would wash her before I let it fill so she was washed and could just crawl around and play. soon she was splashing away having the time of her life. Now she gets in with her 2 older sisters (5 & 3) and they have a blast.

If the size of hte tub is too big for her than try using the sink until she is a bit bigger.

We have been bathing our son (now 20 mos) in our bath since he outgrew the kitchen sink. He loves it. We had a big sponge mat that he sat on to keep him from sliding around, but now he doesn't need it. I'd maybe try ditching the inflatable thing and let her have a little freedom? As long as you're right there with her, it's perfectly safe.

Lynsey

Hi N.,

I know this is not for everyone, but if you are comfortable with it, it is realy great fun to take a bath with baby. I would be sure to have a bath mat to prevent slips, and just get in together. I was sad when the time came to give that up!

My son was older when he refused the bath, and I found that foam soap was a big draw, big sensory fun (any liquid soap you like mixed with some water in one of those foam pump bottles you can buy seperately), also those little capsules with foam shapes inside that open up in water (available at Michael's), but that's for later, for a 9 month old, this would be a choking hazard.

All the best,
C.

My daughter did not like the inflatable bathtub at first either. She would cry as soon as I started to put her in it. I just gave her some toys to play with and she settled down after a few minutes because she became distracted by the toys. Now that she's used to the tub, she's fine. It took 5 or 6 times, though, before she stopped crying.
You could also try filling up the tub while she's in it. I noticed that my daughter didn't like being put into the water but she was fine if the water was put in while she was already in the tub.

N.,
Maybe try to get in the big bath tub with her. If she sees you in there with her maybe it will calm her fears a little. I am lucky to say I didnt have this problem so I am not sure what to tell you. But that is the first thing that came to mind. Hope it helps! Good Luck!

My kids never liked the inflatable tub either. One thing you can do is take the old plastic tub - - the one you used on the counter and put THAT tub into the bathtub. Get her used to being inside a big bathtub, but still confined in the little one. A bathtub is a big cavernous place, so it takes some getting used to. Once the baby gets used to that, you can put the tub in with some water around it.
Or you can see what happens if you put her right into a bathtub with a bath seat (get the kind that has a hanging thing over the edge of the tub b/c the kinds with just suctions on bottom are dangerous). She may love to splash in the water.

My son started hating baths, can't remember when. Anyway, we started bringing him in the shower with one or the other of us. I miss that bath time playtime, but it's also so much faster and more convenient to bring him into the shower. And it has also turned into more bonding time, especially when he gets to shower with dad and use daddy's shower gel to "smell like a man," haha.

N.,
Just a shot in the dark, but try putting the old bathtub in the new?

Good luck,
M.

I had a similar experience with my girl - around the same age too! I ended up giving her baths in the real bathtub and we went in together.

It may not be the inflatable tub, but, being in the actual bathtub that scares her. Sit in the tub with her, with or without the bathtub and let her see that you like it and you are there. You can also try putting her countertop bath into the big tub and see if she cries with that one too.
My guess is that she's scared of being surrounded by a big wall and a curtain now!

Another thing no one mentioned is the sound of the running water. If you are running the water while she's in the bathroom it might scare her. The echo is so loud in bathrooms. Try running the water before she gets in there, if that's the case. You might even consider just washing her in the kitchen sink without any baby tub at all. She might like that better until she's a little older. My 2 and 3 year old still like getting baths in the sink, although they are getting a bit big for it now.

This is just an idea. She might be getting scared because of being down in the bathtub instead of being up on the counter....maybe she's scared of the location and not the inflatable tub itself. Maybe put the infant tub in the inflatable tub and bathe her once like that so she can see that the new one is safe for bathing just like her old one. We had an inflatable tub for my daughter and she loved it. It was much safer than putting her in the big tub. If she likes it without water, I would also try to bathe her with as little water in it as possible until she gets used to it.
Good luck.

Poor thing. You might try using the counter tub in the bathtub. That's what I do. It's familiar to them and after 3-4 baths like that try the inflatable tub. I have an inflatable on the way, I hope this plan works for both our sakes :). Good luck.

buy a bath seat. as long as she's sitting up, she can us this, and put it in the bathtub. use the bath tub!

You may want to try letting her sit up in the regular bath tub instead. You can either sit with her in the tub (which she'll love!), or hold her carefully until she's ready to brave it on her own, or get one of those plastic seats that attaches to the side. Then she'll be supported as she sits, and get to splash splash splash!!!

She's not ready and the size of the tub is probably intimidating to her. It is obviously frightening her. Stop torturing the poor baby and go back to your old bath routine for a while. She'll grow and you can try again. If she has outgrown the infant tub, put her in the kitchen sink.