Bath time can be fun for parents and little ones. When your babies are little, it’s a great bonding time and older kids love to play in the water. Your baby or toddler may love getting into the bath, but what do you do when your baby hates getting out?
There are plenty of reasons why babies hate getting out of the bath but the most common reason is that they’re cold and uncomfortable. Older children also might hate getting out simply because they’re having fun and they want to keep playing. The key to helping your baby stay calm while getting out of the bath is being prepared and knowing what will make them feel safe and comfortable.
Regardless of the reason your baby hates getting out, we’ve come up with 7 ways for you to make getting out of the bath a more pleasant experience. Keep reading to hear our 7 powerful tips on how to calm your baby after a bath.
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Why does your baby hate getting out of the bath?
The reason your baby hates getting out of the bath likely depends on their age. The most common reason, especially for younger babies, is because they’re cold. Going from a nice, warm bath to a cold air-conditioned room can be a bit of a shock for little ones. For toddlers, they may hate getting out because they love taking a bath and they want to keep playing and sitting in the warm water.
Babies cry for lots of different reasons since it’s their only way of communicating. If your baby cries when you take them out of the bath, they’re likely expressing discomfort. No matter why they hate getting out, there are plenty of ways to calm your baby after the bath and make it a more enjoyable time.
Baby hates getting dressed after bath
Some babies may not cry when they get out of the bath, but they cry or scream when it’s time to get dressed. Your baby is likely cold when you try to dress them after a bath. When you wrap them in a towel immediately after a bath, they may be temporarily warm, but once you take the towel off to get them dressed, they’re cold and uncomfortable again.
Baby clothes can sometimes be tricky to put on, so if your baby is exposed to the cold air for a few minutes while you’re dressing them, that may explain why they hate getting dressed after a bath. To avoid your baby being upset, try to make sure they’re completely dry before you try to get them in a onesie.
7 great ways to calm your baby after a bath
If your baby throws a fit every time you take them out of the bath, you need some strategies to help calm them down. It’s important for you to figure out why your baby is upset, in case there is an underlying reason. But in most cases, babies who hate getting out of the bath are just uncomfortable or upset about the bath being over.
With some simple strategies, you can help your baby calm down right away and possibly prevent them from getting upset when you take them out of the bath in the future. The goal is to make the end of bath time a more peaceful and positive experience for both you and your little one.
If you want to calm your baby after a bath, here are 7 tips to help your baby stay calm and have them enjoy getting out of the bath as much as they love getting in.
Be prepared with a warm towel or blanket
If you’ve simply been taking your baby out of the bath and drying them off in the cold air, it’s no wonder they’re uncomfortable. Thinking ahead and being prepared can help make this a more comfortable experience for your baby. One way to be prepared is to warm up baby’s towel before you put them in the bath. If their towel is warm, they won’t be as cold when they get out, which will likely keep them from getting upset. Let’s be honest, adults love warm towels straight out of the dryer too!
This might be a good time to take a look at what kind of baby towels you are using. If you aren’t sure whether or not you need hooded baby towels I’ve created a whole resource for you to help you answer that question!
Try having a warm blanket ready as well. Wrapping your little one in a warm blanket as soon as you’re done drying them off will help you have a smooth transition after the bath. It will also keep your baby from being cold while you’re getting them dressed.
Have an after-bath routine
You probably have a bath routine for your little one and if you do, they’re most likely used to that routine already. Having an after-bath routine can help your little one feel comfortable getting out of the bath as well. Many parents choose to give their babies a bath right before bedtime, which is a great choice for many families.
Adding in some extra snuggle time with your little one will help them look forward to getting out of the bath. One-on-one time with you will help them feel calm, and if you go straight from the bath to snuggling your little one, they’ll be more likely to look forward to the end of bath time. In our house, the babies know that getting out of the bath means lotion and pajamas!
Whatever your after-bath routine looks like, it’s important to be consistent and make it something positive to help your baby stay calm once the bath is over.
Bring their favorite toy
When your little one is getting out of the bath, have a favorite toy ready to keep your baby calm. Whether it’s a favorite stuffed animal or a toy train, having a toy they love nearby will make them happy and distract them from the process of getting out of the bath.
Aside from just distracting them, if you make this toy a part of the after-bath routine, your little one will look forward to getting out of the bath. You can even buy a new toy for them to play with that’s specifically for this time of day. If they know when they get out of the bath they’ll be able to have a little bit of playtime, then they’re more likely to have a positive experience and look forward to getting out.
Play calming music
No matter what the situation is, playing soft music is always a great way to calm little ones. Adding calming music to your after-bath routine will help soothe your little one and keep them feeling peaceful and calm. We love to sing favorite songs to our babies and encourage them to learn the words.
Calming music works even better when it’s familiar to your baby. Find a playlist that your baby likes and then stick to the same songs for bath time. For toddlers, playing fun and silly music after a bath is a great way to get them excited about getting out and getting dressed. However, if bath time is right before bedtime, you may not want to get them too excited or they will be hard to settle down again. With that being said, our two-year-old loves singing softly as he is rocking with mommy just before falling asleep.
Read a book together
Reading a book is always a great bonding experience with little ones, and if you read a special book together after the bath, your baby will look forward to this time together. Saving a favorite book for this time of day or even buying a new book just for after bath time will help make this moment even more special.
You may want to wrap baby up in a warm towel and blanket and read to your little one while they’re drying off. If you use a baby-friendly book that can’t be ripped, you can also let your baby look at the book while you’re dressing them. Each time you read the book after a bath, the words will become more familiar to your baby and eventually just hearing them will help comfort and calm your baby down. If you get a plastic teething book, you might even be able to bring it into the bath!
Have older siblings help
If your little one has older siblings, ask them to help you with bath time and calming your baby down after the bath. Even if it’s just for a few minutes, siblings can help your little one be brave and feel calm when getting out of the bath.
Older siblings can also help by reading a book to your baby, helping them get dressed after a bath, or singing songs with them. Having your older children help will not only calm your little one down, but it will also help you stay calm as well. Even a little bit of help from them takes some of the pressure off you.
Check for other issues
In some cases, your baby may hate getting out of the bath because of an underlying issue, such as sensitivity to soap or lotion. If your baby hates getting out of the bath, it’s likely one of the reasons we already discussed. But if your baby is constantly in distress after a bath or your gut tells you there’s something else going on, you may want to make sure there isn’t an allergy or something similar. If they are old enough to notice what is happening, you might also see that they don’t want to get in the bath either.
Some parents who’ve had this issue noticed their baby was no longer upset when they switched to a different soap. If you feel like you’ve tried everything, it’s possible your baby may be sensitive to the soap you’re using, or any lotion you’re putting on them after the bath. Always be sure to talk to your child’s pediatrician if you have concerns about an allergy or sensitivity.
You might also want to make sure that your baby’s bathwater isn’t too hot as this can lead to discomfort or even be dangerous! Also, you might want to consider giving your baby a bath in the sink to help mix things up a bit! Also, if your baby has just suddenly start hating baths it could be an entirely different issue!