Why does a child cry during or after bathing?

While many children enjoy taking a bath, it’s not unusual for some children to cry either during or after. Seeing your child unhappy can be upsetting as a parent, especially if you’re trying to encourage them to unwind and enjoy the water. Recognizing the causes of their tears will enable you to address their issues and improve everyone’s enjoyment of bath time.

There are several causes for a child to cry during or following a bath. Simple things like feeling chilly after exiting the water, being alarmed by the sound of flowing water, or disliking the feel of water on their face could be the cause. Sometimes a bad experience—like getting soap in their eyes—occurs in the past, and the child gets nervous about taking a bath again.

At times, sensory sensitivity may be the cause of a child’s tears. Some kids are less fond of having their skin get wet or are more perceptive to the temperature and feel of the water. Furthermore, some kids may object to the sudden change in routine when playtime ends and bathtime begins. Understanding these elements will enable you to soothe your child and make bath time a more pleasurable and relaxing experience for them.

Probable reasons

More often than parents realize, there are a lot more factors at play when a baby acts out in this manner and protests strongly. The good news is that the majority of the causes are easily fixed, giving parents every opportunity to make evening water routines enjoyable and beneficial for their infant.

Cold or hot

A child immersed in water often cries because of physical discomfort. The water is too cold or too hot. The skin of babies is much thinner than that of adults, it protects the body from overheating and hypothermia worse, and therefore some temperature nuances, which an adult will not pay special attention to, are very noticeable and unpleasant for a baby. Long years of observing a variety of babies allowed doctors to recommend certain temperature values ​​for comfortable bathing to parents – the water temperature should not exceed 37-38 degrees. If parents are adherents of the cool bathing method, which is promoted by Dr. Evgeny Komarovsky, popular among mothers, then this is also not a reason to abruptly launch the baby into cold water. The temperature is gradually lowered from 37 degrees, by 1 degree per day. This will allow the child to gradually get used to bathing in water, the temperature of which is only 22-24 degrees.

Observe how the air and water have different temperatures. The child may experience discomfort if the bathroom is excessively cold or humid. Aim to keep the air temperature between 24 and 25 degrees Celsius.

Too cramped or too spacious

Many parents try to transfer their child at 1-2 months to bathing in a large bathtub. Not all children are able to adequately perceive too much water. In the mother"s womb, they were in rather cramped conditions for a long time, it is very difficult for them to immediately accept a large space. That is why Soviet pediatrics recommended bathing a child in a small baby bathtub for at least six months. But fashionable and modern pediatricians are not so categorical, and some even claim that a large space is more useful for a child. If the baby strains and screams immediately after being lowered into the water, this is a reason to try an old method – wrap the baby in a diaper before immersion. This will create a realistic illusion of a familiar cramped space for the baby. If this does not help, it may be worth temporarily returning to bathing in a small bath.

Stress and fear

If a child feels stressed out while taking a bath, that child may grow to have a lifelong dislike of water activities. Water may have trickled into the nose and ears, soap may have gotten into the eyes, and so on. The child, though still small, has the reflexive memory for these kinds of things and can respond appropriately to danger. It is very challenging to overcome a fear from childhood.

In order to achieve this, parents must gradually acclimate their child to the water while diverting their attention with colorful toys, rubber ducks, and anything else they find interesting. Specialized swimming aids, such as neck rings, can be used by infants as early as one month of age to help them deal with fear.

By swimming, the child not only gets beneficial physical exercise but also becomes accustomed to the water and gains a sense of security. Numerous items in this category come with bells and rolling bells, which when in motion also produce a "distracting" soundscape.

Hunger and thirst

Often the baby cries a lot in the bathroom due to a banal feeling of hunger. Universal medical recommendation states that Before evening bathing during the penultimate feeding, the child should give a smaller amount of food to then feed him plenty and send to sleep for a few hours. There is a reason and common sense in this. Indeed – a child with a full stomach simply wants to sleep, and right in the bathroom. There is a way out. You can not deviate from the doctor’s recommendations, but also do not stain the baby with hunger. To do this, it is enough to drink it with water 15 minutes before swimming, you can feed it in an hour and a half before the start of water procedures. In extreme cases, reduce the time of stay in the bathroom if the baby categorically rejects the water proposed instead of food. Tips to feed the baby in the bathroom or chest cannot be considered adequate.

Although the baby won’t eat much in the water, it will ruin his appetite, and within an hour, he will wake up demanding more food from his sleep-deprived mother rather than having a good night’s sleep.

Fatigue

Evening bathing is usually preceded by a number of procedures: massage and air baths. It is not surprising that incorrectly calculated time allocated by parents for massage and airing takes all the strength from the child. There is simply no energy left to calmly endure water procedures. Therefore, the roar in the bathroom becomes a furious demand for peace. Or more precisely – food and peace. It is important to remember that evening massage before bathing should not exceed 10-15 minutes for a child, for a newborn and a baby up to 6 months – no more than 5-7 minutes. If the child is still tired, the massage time should be reduced without sacrificing bathing time.

Pain

A newborn can cry in the bath due to pain. For many babies, intestinal colic and gas formation intensify in the evening hours. The tummy is bloated, as a result of which the baby goes into hysterics. If all the symptoms of colic are present (bloating, a tense stomach, passing gas, legs drawn up to the tummy and tightly clenched fists), then you should first help the baby cope with the symptoms, and only then bathe him. Although many mothers claim that colic goes away much faster in warm water and without dill water. The cause of crying in children over 5 months may be teething. Unpleasant sensations in a child also intensify in the evening and often during bathing in warm water. To exclude pathologies of the nervous system, which also make the baby unconsciously scream and protest against massage and bathing, it is imperative to show the child to a pediatrician who will help find out whether the baby has pathological compelling reasons to cry in the water.

There are a number of reasons why a child might cry during or after taking a bath, including fear, discomfort, or overwhelm from the water, the heat, or strange feelings. Other possible causes include irritation from soap or shampoo, feeling chilly after getting out of the bath, or just not wanting to stop playing. Bath time can be made more enjoyable for both the parent and the child by being patient, understanding and gently reassuring these worries, and creating a more calming environment in the bathroom.

Crying after bathing

Children cry far more often after a bath than when they’re in the restroom. They are all for the same reasons. The baby may be taken from a warm bath in a room that is too cold, the towel may be uncomfortable and hard, and colic or teething may make dressing the baby difficult.

Hunger and exhaustion are still the most frequent causes of crying after taking a bath.

The child is growing weaker and more and more hungry. After a bath, nighttime routines should therefore be completed swiftly to avoid the child needing to "convince" his parents to feed and put him to bed for an extended period of time.

If bathing gives them pleasure, some kids start screaming afterward to express their disapproval of water procedures that were terminated too soon.

It can be difficult to understand why a child cries during or after a bath, but it’s crucial to keep in mind that crying is their way of expressing discomfort or fear. The sound, the temperature shift, or the sensations of the water may be too much for some kids to handle. Some may find the unfamiliar surroundings unsettling or find it uncomfortable to be wet and exposed.

To put your child at ease during bath time, it’s important to create a soothing and comforting environment. A calming voice, soft handling, and warm water can all have a significant impact. Introducing toys or turning on calming music could also be helpful in soothing and distracting them.

Finding what works best for your child may take some time, as each child is different. Try to create a happy and pleasant bathing experience by being patient and maintaining consistency in your approach. Most kids will grow accustomed to taking baths with time, if they receive gentle reassurance and a calming routine.

Video on the topic

Why does a baby cry after a bath – relief from bathing

Why does a child cry during bathing – what to do

WHY DOES A CHILD CRY DURING BATHING | How to bathe a child without tears