The child is afraid to swim in the bathroom: what to do?

Overwhelmingly, newborns love to swim, because water for them is the natural environment in which they have lived most of their lives. The fear of bathing arises later, to a more conscious age. Psychologists say that in many respects the fear of water and bathing is associated with the mistakes of adults. If mom and dad didn’t organize the bathing properly, didn’t provide any nuances, or were nervous and anxious, this condition can be transmitted to the child. Today we will talk about children's fear of bathing - how and why it arises, how to organize bathing and wash a baby without tears and screams.

Why a child is afraid of water

Often parents, seeing that the baby does not want to swim, put it into the water forcibly, because you need to wash. And they make a big mistake. Do not force the child to do what he fears.This can cause psychological trauma to the child and form a phobia for life. It is very important to identify the true cause of fear, especially if it has appeared recently.

1. Most often, children are afraid of getting water in their mouths, nose and ears. Careless movement, leaving the head under the water, even for a second, can create a strong fear based on the instinct of self-preservation.
2. Sometimes children are afraid of cold or hot water, especially if they put the baby in there immediately.
3. Some mothers try to protect the child from getting water on their faces and put a special visor on their heads. If he suddenly falls down or is decided to take it off, then the water on his face may become a serious surprise and the baby is really scared.
4. Fear of bathing may occur due to careless falling or hitting the edge of the bath. Kids have excellent associative thinking, which fixes - it was painful in the bathroom, which means that a bath is a pain.
5. Very often, children are afraid to bathe because they need to wash their hair. The process of washing the head is very difficult for them, since there is a high risk of water getting into the eyes, ears, nose and mouth. In addition, the child may scare the shampoo, which twells the eyes.
6. Another common cause of fear is the pain that a baby experiences when it enters the water. If the delicate skin of the baby has diaper rash, cracks, rashes, then water can get into the wound can be painful.

In addition, the baby may simply be anxiously disposed, especially if the mother is afraid, her hands are shaking, and she constantly repeats "Do not be afraid, do not be afraid." Scarce understands that there really is something to fear, and begins to abandon the dubious idea.

How to prepare for a calm and safe bathing

First you need to decide where you will bathe the baby. In some cases, the fear of water arises in children in the case when parents decide to change the cramped bath to the water expanses of a large bath. The baby in this case may be frightened, especially if he is not yet a year old. The fact is that the close water space is associated with a safe maternal womb, and in a large bath the baby feels anxious. Therefore, if possible, do not transfer the child to a large bath, at least until the moment when the fear of bathing is completely gone.

Gathering a bath, pay attention to the temperature of the water.It should be as comfortable as possible. Usually water is tested by elbow - the skin should be nice. And for the smallest, it is better to measure the temperature of the water with a thermometer; it should be close to the body temperature - about 37 degrees. If you want the water to be slightly hotter or colder, the temperature needs to be changed gradually, as the baby gets used to it. You can add hot water to the bath only if you take the child out of the bath, mix the water and put the baby in the water again. Pay attention to the shampoo that you use to wash your head and body. To date, almost all shampoos for children do not tweak eyes, but to check this fact is still worth it.

Before you lower the child into the water, you need to check his skin. In the presence of open wounds from swimming it is better to refuse for some time. Do not use visors for the face. Such devices have good intentions, but water is not evil. The kid should learn to perceive water, he must understand that water can flow over his face. Just try to keep the child so that the water does not flow into your ears, nose, mouth and eyes.It will be much more difficult to unlearn such a protective visor, the baby may get scared. Be careful, hold the child firmly and securely so that he does not slip out of hand. The bottom of the bath should be grooved so that the baby does not slide and does not move out. If the baby is already swimming in a large bath, he will need a special rubber mat on the bottom.

If the child is still fearful, do not introduce any new devices - for example, a circle for the neck. In general, such a circle is very useful and convenient for both mother and child. With him, a woman does not have to constantly keep the crumb in a bent position, and the baby will get real freedom of action. But remember that new devices are possible only when the baby gets used. But this does not apply to new toys! Just the same they will be able to play an important role in the child's addiction to water. Put the baby in a small amount of water (if he is more than half a year), throw new toys into the bath and let the child just play with them. And yet, you need to know the main rule of swimming. In no case do not leave the child alone in the water, even for a second. Try to take a towel with you in advance, and all that may be needed for swimming. Do not part with the child, it is very dangerous.

What to do if a child refuses to swim

But what if the baby already has this fear? How to overcome it and, finally, proceed to the water procedures? Here are some tips and advice from experienced moms that may be useful to you.

1. In some cases, you can take a bath with your child. Take some water, take the baby in your arms and sink into the water together.
2. Bathing itself should be taken as something joyful and fun. Tell your baby a perky voice that you will soon go swimming. Say that bathing is a reward for eating soup or putting away toys. The child should take water treatments as a fun game, not a duty.
3. Older children can be negotiated. Explain to the baby that if he does not wash his hair, a cockroach will settle in his hair and live there.
4. In some cases, unpleasant memories are associated with the very word “bathe.” If the baby is crying from this one word, do not pronounce it. Say "rinse", "swim", etc.
5. Small children quickly forget all bad things. Therefore, if the baby cries and does not want to bathe in any way, simply set aside water procedures for a while.After 3-4 days, offer the child to swim again, for sure he will agree.
6. You can buy a child a variety of water toys with which he will bathe without problems. These are watering cans, water pistols, mills, flat cups. Many children love to swim because of these toys.
7. The child can offer this game. Take balls from table tennis or any other small items that do not sink. Dip them in a cup of water and ask the baby to blow. When the child is amused, ask him to move the game to the bath, because there is much more space. By the way, such articulation exercises are very useful for the development of speech.
8. There are many toys on suckers, which are mounted on the edge of the bath - colorful pictures can also attract a baby.
9. Show your child how brave ducks and brave rubber dolphins swim in the water, splash and play.
10. In some cases, changing the scene helps to get rid of the unpleasant associative chain. If the baby is crying, as soon as you put him in the bath, transfer the bath to the kitchen or room to change the situation.
11. You do not need to bathe the child when he has something sore or the baby has a bad mood.
12. Older children can make soap bubbles in the water. The fact is that soap bubbles hide the real boundary of water and air, during the game the baby will not notice how it will appear in the water.
13. In some cases, this method helps - you need to put the child in the bath even before the water has collected. And only then close the drain when the crumb gets used and plays out.
14. If a child once swallowed water, it can lead to extreme fear, and the baby will categorically refuse to swim. In this case, you need to temporarily stop drawing water into the bath, and water procedures are performed with the help of a shower.
15. In no case do not teach the child to swim until he completely gets used in the water. You will still have time to practice your skill. Moreover, experienced coaches recommend learning to swim at a more conscious age - 5-6 years.

Bathing and water procedures are one of the most important components of child hygiene. Bathing is not only a way to keep your skin and body clean. In the water, the load on the immature children's body decreases, the baby can move and move independently, all his muscles are strengthened. Water perfectly relieves both weak and excessive tone of limbs. No wonder our ancestors believed that if a child is often bathed, he will grow much faster.In your hands to form the right attitude towards water in your child. Having fallen in love with water once, the baby will always love swimming. And this is a guarantee of health and strong immunity!

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