Newborn HATES baths.?

Question

My baby girl HATES baths I mean she screams bloody murder and gets herself all worked up...which is not normal for her at all because she is the most passive baby ever. Any advice?

Answer 1

Most newborns hate to feel naked and hate to feel cold. It's not uncommon for a newborn to dislike a bath for these reasons. Try placing baby on a clean dry towel ( warmed from the dryer would be even better) then cover baby with another towel that covers their whole body. Leave diaper on for now. Start at the top of the head and just give a sponge bath. Wash and rinse using a washcloth. Make sure each area is warm and dry before moving to the next. uncover only the area you are working on and recover when you move to the next. Do this for a week or two and try a bath again.
Newborns have a startle reflex that kicks in when they are being lowered down ( like putting in a crib or a bath) and it causes them to flail out theor arms and feel like they are falling. Make sure baby stays secure to your chest while lowering them so that they feel safe. Check out the book :
What to expect : the toddler years by Arlene Eisenberg, Heidi Eisenberg Murkoff, Sandee Eisenberg Hathaway. It will help with baby questions from birth through the first year and with your body and relationship questions....it's everything you need to know! The authors have written a whole series of books from pregnancy through all the school years….. they are the best!

Answer 2

Baby Hates Bath

Answer 3

There's a chance the water is either too hot or too cold.

There's a chance you aren't holding her in a way that makes her feel very secure and safe while in the water.

If, by any chance, you're putting her in a sink or the bathtub (rather than a plastic baby-bath type of thing or even a plastic basin) the "echo" around the sink or tub may add to a feeling of being in some "cold" and scary place.

I always bathed my newborns in one of the square plastic basins (like the hospitals give you to use while you're there) with a cloth diaper in the bottom of it. They're big enough for the baby to sit in and get its bottom and legs good and clean but small enough that they don't feel all exposed and cold while they have no clothes on.

They get to kind of sit hunched over rather than being all stretched out (as some baby bath products have the babies).

You can put the basin on your changing table or another table that is at the right height, and there is a way to hold the baby kind of across her chest, which lets her feel as if she's kind of leaning on your hand/arm.

I used to keep the little basin nearby and dip the baby's bottom in after a particulary dirty diaper too. When it comes down to it, you could just use the basin method to dip the baby's bottom, and sponge-bathe the rest of her until she's older. When they get too big to sit in those little basins they're usually also big enough not to be "all frazzled" by the world and to enjoy the water.

I think your baby is either too hot, too cold, or else feeling "too all loose" and not secure for some reason.

If you use the little-basin method you can still wash their heads and slightly dip them back to rinse with something like a small cup of warm water.

Answer 4

Well it all depends on how old she is exactly. Because a newborn baby is suppose to take "sponge' baths until her naval heals and the umbilibal cord falls out. If she's past that stage, maybe she doesnt like the temperature of the room or even maybe the water.

Answer 5

Honestly I would sponge bathe her for a few weeks & then try the bath again. As long as she is getting washed it's not that big of a deal that you aren't putting her in the water & if it upsets her that much I wouldn't do it. It may be that she won't be comfortable taking a "real" bath until she can somewhat sit up on her own - she may just not feel "safe" when she is wet & slippery. Good luck!

Answer 6

Both my kids screamed during their very first bath. The problem was, the water was too cold. I had one of those toys that turns color if the water is too hot. However, the water was way too cold for my kids. I adjusted the temperature for their next bath and they have been fine ever since. If you are using this toy to check the temp, use your elbow instead. It is always the perfect temp for a bath. Good luck.

Answer 7

thats ok just make sure the water is a good temperture for her, my doc told me that the reason they scream is because their use to being wrapped up and warm, so when bath time comes they have to get naked and wet. so just hurry during bath time and wrap her back up afterwards and she'll calm down. some dont like it and some can deal with it. she will get use to it after a while, we start off with sponge baths and then regular baths in the baby bath tub.

Answer 8

The poor thing hates being cold & wet! I don't blame her after being all warm & snuggly inside of mommy's womb! At this age, wiping her down good with a wash cloth is sufficient. You don't really need to immerse her until it gets warmer (assuming that you live in an area that is currently experiencing a cold climate). Just try to make sure the room is as warm as possible and the bath is as quick as possible.

Answer 9

My baby boy LOVES baths. They calm him down when hes really mad. Are you sure you have the temperature right? You may need to adjust it. If you want, they have baby bath tubs that have a built in thermometer, or you could just buy the thermometer seperate!! if that doesnt work, and youre still really concerned, try asking her pediatrician!

Answer 10

Most newborns hate the bath (mine did for sure) but after a few weeks they usually start liking them. i just used to bathe them as quick as possible and get them out until they started enjoying them more.