[mommytobug]

CAn someone share why the children are afraid of water. I have been reading that and was wandering how they are bathed, etc. THANKS

[nmill]

Our son was terrified of his bath at 6 months old. He started screaming the second his skin hit the water and didn't stop until he was out. We were told that they just pour water over them (cold) and scrub them fast. The good news is it didn't take him but a couple of weeks to enjoy it once he realized it would be different!

[hope21]

Here's a thread that you should check out:


http://www.fosterparents.com/phpBB2/...highlight=bath


My current foster placement, a 2 yr old girl, was terrified to the bath and would cling to me as we put her in and scream in absolute fear. We tried to figure out why but with a 2 year old its hard to know what the reason could be. After trying several options (including me getting in the tub wearing a bathing suit and watching me play in the water, trying lots of toys in there, with or without bubbles etc etc) what finally worked for us was to have her stand in the kitchen sink while we held on to her and we'd spray her with the vegetable sprayer. At first she was scared to sit down unless the drain was open so no water could pool around her. Eventually she realized it was fun to splash around in it. Finally we moved her to the tub and with some bottles and cups which she loves to pour water in and out of. Now days, we have to pull the drain and let the water go "bye bye" before she'll get out reluctantly.

Its a very common problem probably having to do with neglect and/or sexual abuse. Good luck!!

[slm_tbm]

Our home study agency told us that the children have only had sponge baths at the orphanges and have never seen or been in water that was of any depth. They said the first few times we bath Micah I am supposed to climb in first (in a bathing suit of course) and let dh hand Micah to me. Then both of us play with him in the bath with his toys and bubbles. It might help if you give them a bath toy to play with out of the bath and then bring it into the bathtub with them. This can be one more familiar thing in the bath with them and maybe make it not seem AS strange. Basically from what I understand though, it takes time for them to get to where they aren't scared of the bathtub. I think the older they are the harder it is for them to adjust to it.

Shana

[mommytobug]

Thanks for the responses!! I have been stocking up on those wipes that are for more than diaper changes. Those may help also if our little one will not get in the tub at first (in Russia) I had gotten them for the plane etc for may "problems' that may come up!!

[nicksmom03]

Our son, adopted at 8 months loved the bath from the first day we got him. We took one of those small blow up tubs for the hotel. This worked really well and provided good support for his back. We only put a couple inches of water in it. We put a couple of stacking cups in there and he LOVED it. He's almost 3 and I still can't get him out of the tub because he loves it so much. So, I wouldn't assume it will be a problem. Your baby may suprise you. Good luck.

Lynne

[manon]

I took a set of plastic stacking cups with me to Russia, and we still use them as bath toys. I had been told that generally, in orphanages in Russia, they just stick the child's bottom under running cold water and maybe once a week they stand them up in a basin of cold water & give them a sponge bath. That's pretty much what they smelled like, too.

My 2 yr old (now 2 and a half, home since end of Aug. 2003) screamed bloody murder every time I attempted to bathe her for about the 1st 3 weeks. She still hates having her hair washed & won't let me try putting a shampoo visor on her. But she did gradually get accustomed to the bath and by about 5 weeks with me, she started crying at not being allowed to have more than one bath a day! So we turned the corner on that over time.

It did help me to realize that I don't actually have to wash her hair every day -- just about every 3 or 4 days unless she really gets into something that gets in her hair. Blowing bubbles only in the tub helps too -- and gymboree makes a great little kind of bubble pipe thing that you can blow into that blows a lot of little bubbles at the end of it. While my little girl still hasn't gotten the hang of blowing bubbles by blowing through the bubble wand that comes in the bottle (she still insists on touching it to her lips), she is successful at blowing bubbles with that gymboree bubble thing.

Some people have found that older kids feel more comfortable if they can sit on a plastic stool in the bathtub up out of the water, or if there's a non-slip mat on the bottom of the tub so it doesn't feel slippery. I usually have better luck getting her to wash her own face & start to get her own hair wet for a shampoo by handing her the washcloth to play with herself than if I just try to do it myself.

[suburbanmomgw]

Our son (adopted at 20 months) was also terrified. When we got him in Russia, just taking his clothes off for a diaper change, or even taking his coat on and off made him cry. Change in general was hard. We washed hime with a warm washrag...and only every few days gave him a bath in water...screaming the entire time. Once we were home, we had our 2 older children show him how fun it could be, but that made no difference--at first. We stuck it out, giving him baths as he stood there gripping us and screaming. Now we have had him for 4 weeks. Just yesterday, he got into the bathtub of his own accord, and gradually ended up sitting and splashing and not wanting to get out! Toys helped. Letting him play with the toys and see them in the water--also feeling the water on his hands...take it one day at a time. You never know what to expect. Every child is different

[waitinginnj]

It took my daughter about a month to adjust to baths. She screamed and clung on to me. Finally, when I got her to sit and splash, she realized it was okay. By the end of the successful bath she was dunking her face and blowing bubbles.

Gotta say learning to splash at two is really messy!

[Mezzo1]

I got the best advice from a couple that picked up their son a few days before we picked up our daughter.

The wife took the son in the bath with her (he was 11 months at the time). They never had a problem. We did the same with our daughter (6 months old at the time) and also never had a problem. We gave the same advise to another couple and it also worked for them.

I'm not saying it will work for everyone, but it's certainly worth a try, and is great for mommy-baby bonding.

Best of luck,

Leslie
Waiting for referral for #2 with IAG

[mommytobug]

We have had our daughter since she was about 2 hours old.......she is 5 and SCREAMS when I wash her hair.........age may be a factor also. She is terrified of water in her face but swam underwater all summer.......kids are too funny!!

[Molo]

Our little girl was 2 and 10 months when we got her from the orphanage. The house we were staying at didn't have a tub, so her 1st bath was in a small laundry-type basin. She absolutely loved it. We have a pool, when we arrived home from the airport, dirty, hot, stinky...I walked her around the house, then into the yard. She went crazy when she saw the water and took her shoes and socks off! I sat her on the edge so she could put her feet in, and she motioned to go in. So, with clothes on, we both jumped in and I held her. Of course she couldn't swim, but she kept dunking her head in, kicking, etc. She loves bathes and cries when I take her out! Long story short, she was NOT afraid of water. My soon didn't like his 1st bath at all, but now loves them!

[qs mom]

In my son's orphanage, they rounded up a bunch of kids and hosed them down, so to speak - group showers.

He didn't cry, but shook in fear at the first bath. My translator told me to try putting him in the tub first, then turn on the water to run slowly. It certainly did the trick. He squatted in the tub and actually poured a cup of water over his head. He actually washed himself. He would ball up a washcloth and rub it over himself and took a cup of water and sort of floated his penis in it to wash that. So, apparently in these group showers, the kids were given washcloths. He was almost 3 by the way.

He loves bathtime now. He often begs for a "bas".

[ahnasmom]

Our daughter turned 11 months the day after court and we have had no problems ever with her and the bath. Our son, however looks to be different. On trip #1 we witnessed how they cleaned him after a diaper change...basically just stuck his little bottom under cold running water while he screamed his little lungs out...boy, I am not looking forward to his 1st bath!! Hopefully once we get him home and bathe him with his big sis, he'll be fine!!

[papedge]

my son use to hate taking a bath when we fist got to mascow i wanted to give him a bath you would of swore i was trying to kill him he screamed and kicked............... now on the other hand after being home 3 mon. he loves a bath he cries when we take him out and wants back in you ask him if he wants a bath he goes and stands next to the tub hes come a long way