She hates being naked

[Vishenka69]

So we started implementing the nightly bath routine. She loves the water part but hates the undressing/dressing part. When I say hate, I meant scream bloody murder during the entire time it takes us to undress and then dress her. She's quetly content while in the water though. She basically screams whenever I have to completely change her. I don't think she's cold, the house is at 75 and she's not shivering or turning blue and she's without a shirt for may be 30 seconds. Is there a way to make the process less stressful for everyone involved?

[Vanquisher]

Julie, I would try putting a dry towel, blanket, or washcloth over her exposed parts as soon as they are exposed so that she has the illusion of having something on and something next to her skin. Sleeve off, towel on. Also, talking to her in a soothing voice the entire time may help a bit.

[alison]

Dd doesn't have this issue -- I attribute it to her being half German and all.
You might start with little games during diaper changes. There are ones like the little flea (crawl with your finger up her foot to the top of her head) where you sing a little song and it's supposed to end with tickling. You can look online for these little finger games. Dd really liked these even when she was teeny tiny like yours.

[peggyfromwastate]

What Heidi said. We did that kind of thing with our kids. Most liked the bath part, but none of them enjoyed the naked part, until they hit about 2 and then running around naked is the best thing ever.



Hang in there. You're doing great!!

[MrsK]

BabyK is the same way. This also extends to diaper changes too. I think it's because he's half Floridian and he hates being cold. Though the house is not cold, he's colder with his clothes off than he is with his clothes on. I just do diaper changes, clothing changes, and baths quickly, cover his chest with a wash cloth when he is in the water and swaddle him quickly in the towel when I take him out. Also, I've been told that it's too early to give him nightly baths. Perhaps it's too soon for your little one? We do baths about every other day here and the other days just wipe him down with a warm damp cloth.

[peggyfromwastate]

I don't know... We did pretty much nightly baths starting at around 3 or 4 weeks too. It's just easier when you're establishing a routine... I think if you follow the bath with some lotion all should be fine in that respect-- that's what we have done and since we're through with newborn stuff if we royally screwed up it's too late now!!!

[Pollyanna]

When we did baths with newborns we always leave the t-shirt on with their bottoms naked. Once baby was comfy in bath we would remove the t-shirt and add a washcloth on their tummy if necessary.

[Vishenka69]

Thanks girls. She doesn't mind being naked in the tub and only starts screaming once back on the changing table. I try to have her covered in the towel as much as possible but she still screams her head off. I'll try looking up those games (I had no idea they even exist) and distracting her that way. Neither massaging with lotion nor binky has been helping.

Peggy, I was hoping that dislike of being naked will mean she won't be stripping in toddlerhood but I guess it doesn't work that way.

[HouseofWool]

Peggy, I was hoping that dislike of being naked will mean she won't be stripping in toddlerhood but I guess it doesn't work that way.

Not much prevents stripping as a toddler. I think it has more to do with exerting free will (I can take this off and you can't make me stop) and getting a reaction (gee, mom gets that really funny look on her face when I do this repeatedly) than actually being naked.

[Deebs]

I realize that as I'm typing this, it might sound a little crazy. I always did hair washes and baths separately, and then put a hat on baby during bath. My kids were all born with tons of hair and they get really cold when it's wet, so I found that to be the most painless way possible.

[MrsK]

With BabyK, we skip the lotion. It just prolongs the nakedness and makes him very unhappy. Wash the hair last so he doesn't get too cold. That transfer from the tub to dressed is very quick so as to minimize crying.

[MrsK]

I don't know... We did pretty much nightly baths starting at around 3 or 4 weeks too. It's just easier when you're establishing a routine... I think if you follow the bath with some lotion all should be fine in that respect-- that's what we have done and since we're through with newborn stuff if we royally screwed up it's too late now!!!

This is the opposite of what the iMSNers advised me a few weeks ago when I asked about monthly baths. Everyone said that BabyK was too young at 6 weeks and to just use wipes to freshen up the face, bottom, and hands between baths. . . I really don't think either is a mistake. It's more a matter of what fits into your household and works for your baby. If baths were soothing for BabyK, we'd do them nightly. But, since we have that whole nakedness drama, we do baths earlier in the evening so he'll have time to calm down again before bed. Like Vishinka's babe, he loves soaking in the warm water but hates coming out of the tub.

[moonlight]

This is the opposite of what the iMSNers advised me a few weeks ago when I asked about monthly baths. Everyone said that BabyK was too young at 6 weeks and to just use wipes to freshen up the face, bottom, and hands between baths. . . I really don't think either is a mistake. It's more a matter of what fits into your household and works for your baby. If baths were soothing for BabyK, we'd do them nightly. But, since we have that whole nakedness drama, we do baths earlier in the evening so he'll have time to calm down again before bed. Like Vishinka's babe, he loves soaking in the warm water but hates coming out of the tub.

DD LOVES the whole bath thing. As we are undressing her she will stop crying and start giggling! We tell her it's time for her bath and she gets so happy. It's practically the best time of the day- just to see the expression on her face. Her skin is getting kind of dry... like everyone else said a while back. I'm using the Aveno Oatmeal baby bath soak every third day (that or the Baby Bee's honey milk baby bath soak- smells SO GOOD!) to keep the dryness down. Plus we have the baby tub with the jacuzzi attachment. Now that I think of it, she gets a really good bath- no wonder she LOVES it! At this rate this kid will want spa treatments by age 5.

[MrsK]

This is the opposite of what the iMSNers advised me a few weeks ago when I asked about monthly baths. Everyone said that BabyK was too young at 6 weeks and to just use wipes to freshen up the face, bottom, and hands between baths. . . I really don't think either is a mistake. It's more a matter of what fits into your household and works for your baby. If baths were soothing for BabyK, we'd do them nightly. But, since we have that whole nakedness drama, we do baths earlier in the evening so he'll have time to calm down again before bed. Like Vishinka's babe, he loves soaking in the warm water but hates coming out of the tub.

Oy, did I say MONTHLY baths???? I meant DAILY baths! Notwithstanding that BabyK would rather be tied up and covered in poo than take a bath, we have not yet indulged him enough to consider a monthly bath schedule.

[ladymoreta]

Haha MrsK - too funny! I knew what you meant!