Lily HATING Bath time.

Lily has never been a big fan of the bath. Even as a baby she didn't want to spend to much time in there and cried to come out. 

But as she has gotten older it really has started to turn into a tricky ordeal. There have been tantrums, theres kicking, there crying and bath time is something I now dread to do. 

I have no idea why it has suddenly got worse, before now she would always happily go in the bath and play, and as a younger child always enjoyed the water splashed over her head. Though we always had to get her looking up to the ceiling to wash her hair as she hated the water going in her eyes. 

This is how bath time currently goes. 

"Lily, time to have a bath. Shall we go and make bubbles?"

Lily really excited. 

"BUBBLES!!!!! Yes Yes Yes," 

We run to the bathroom, start the bath, she watches and plays with the bubbles with her hands as they start to form. 

When the bath is full. "Ok, lets go and get undressed and get in"

Lily runs away screaming "No no no no" 

Then its a game of catch Lily to try to undress her. She isn't currently laughing, she really knows that she is about to have a bath and doesn't want to go in.  

Then the even harder part. Putting her in the bath. I lift her up, hold her over it and she lifts her legs up and kicks and screams "No No No"

She really needs to have a bath, it not like I make her have one daily but washing is a must. So I generally dunk her bottom half in to the water and eventually she sits down. (maybe realising that the water isn't so scary)

Then, she finally relaxes, plays with her bath toys and the bubbles and starts to enjoy the bath. She gets to play for a good 20 minutes and then I start to wash her. She starts to winge as I wash her. You know.. that pretend cry that toddlers do. But she lets me do it. 

Then comes the hard part. Washing the hair. She HATES having her hair washed. 

Ive tried so many different ways of making it nicer for her. Firstly wetting her hair.. Ive got her toys and squirted the water on her head. Ive tried stroking her hair with a wet hand, with a cloth, sponge. Tried pouring over her head. Non of them work and she instantly starts to cry. I put the shampoo on which is always baby no tears brands and start to rub it in. She cries more and at this point she has started to stand up in the bath and tries to get out which is really dangerous as she keeps nearly slipping. 

So last time Lily had actually dived out the bath into my arms before the shampoo was washed out. What do I do? I need to wash the shampoo out? 
In the end last week my partner had to lean her over the bath and I had to really quickly get the shower and wash it out. All while she was screaming and wiggling in my partner arms. Its horrible. 

I have no idea the best way to wash the shampoo out without upsetting her now. Ive tried huge distractions with things up in the air to get her to put her head back but she is so clever and knows exactly what Im doing. 

We have started to do her baths in the morning now incase it was a tired thing but it hasn't changed anything. Also me and my partner both don't do bath time without each other there to help now. So we always have to find the right time. 

I really don't know what to do and admit that Its not something I ever imagined struggling with. 

Its bath time tomorrow morning and i'm dreading it. Does anyone have any ideas? Anyone been through this with their child??