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Parenting

Taking baby swimming for the first time

16 replies

Mrs40 · 19/05/2017 18:17

Any tips? I am planning to take my 3 month old to a baby pool tomorrow. I've got trunks which shouldn't leak but will use a waterproof nappy just in case.
Just starting to worry about it now in terms of getting us changed and getting in and out the pool etc so any tips would be great.

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Heirhelp · 19/05/2017 20:11

Take a lightweight dressing gown for when you get out of the pool so you can take off your cosi and put it on. By the time you have sorted out the baby you will be dry and not freezing. As soon as you have put on the dressing gown take off the babies swimming trunk and rewrap him in a towel and offer milk.

I find having everything you need to dress baby, clothes, nappy and cream, in a separate plastic carrier bag really helpful.

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LauraPalmersBodybag · 19/05/2017 20:15

I take a towel and leave it by the poolside shower. Our of the pool, quick rinse under warm water, take her costume off and wrap her in towel. Excellent idea having a dressing gown!

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Mrs40 · 19/05/2017 23:10

Thanks for your tips 😬

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pipnchops · 20/05/2017 07:01

I have a hooded towel dress sort of thing I throw on myself first before changing baby. I take two towels for baby, one for straight after getting her out the pool, which gets soaking wet. Another for after I've taken off her swimming nappy which starts relatively dry and warm. I find this system works. Don't panic if they cry whilst getting changed just get it over with and get in the pool as quick as possible, or in the cafe after for a feed for both of you!

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savagehk · 20/05/2017 07:17

It takes a while to get everyone dry and dressed so the hooded towel / dressing gown thing is a good idea. And allow extra time to get dressed!

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eurochick · 20/05/2017 07:17

Does your baby have a lot of body fat? Mine doesn't and gets cold very quickly. We have one of those baby warmer wetsuits, which helps enormously.

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Orangedaisy · 20/05/2017 07:29

I'm going to buck the trend and say get baby dressed after you. Only works if wheels allowed poolside but never had an issue with this at 3 pools I use. I take car seat on wheels, line with a thick plastic bag and towel and put wet baby in there tucked in with another towel. Then shower, sort myself out and then sort baby once I am dry, dressed and warm. Both my Dds have hated getting dressed so by the time they have been dressed screaming for milk, so I'm entirely ready and as soon as they are dressed it's straight to cafe for bf and coffee. Yy to baby wetsuit too-proper one, not just a sun suit. Enjoy!

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Ca55andraMortmain · 20/05/2017 08:42

I agree, get yourself dressed first. Strip baby and lie him wrapped in one towel, lying on another and give him a grasping toy or something to play with. Get yourself dressed and then sort out the baby so you aren't dripping all over him as you get him dressed. It gets easier with practice so if you find it stressful the first time don't let it put you off!

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xxxbingbunnyxxx · 20/05/2017 08:51

Yes to the 2 towels, one for right after and one for drying. They tend to be hungry after so bring milk and have a ait down somewhere after getting dressed.

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Fragglez · 20/05/2017 09:02

If you are allowed to take your pram into the changing room then use that for changing into trunks / clothes.

I also use a baby wetsuit, it's great :)

I get out of the pool, strip baby off and rinse under the shower (only started doing this once she was ok with getting her face wet in the pool) and pop her in the pram wrapped in her towel (put nappy on if you think you need to. Then i have a shower and dress, then i dress her.

Milk happens somewhere during all this depending on how hungry she is.

Some mums at our group bring their mum / sister to dress baby when they first start.

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Mrs40 · 20/05/2017 14:50

Thanks everybody. We survived! :-) he seemed to enjoy his time in the water but had a meltdown during drying/changing. I ended up leaving a bit damp and I got sorted once we were home. I went for getting the baby dressed first. Hopefully I'll be quicker and slicker next time now that we've tried it once.

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Intransige · 20/05/2017 15:02

We did swimming in the bath at that age, because it's warm and familiar. Deep bath and some floating/playing, with me in with her. DD1 absolutely loves the pool now at 3.5 so it seems to have worked.

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Fragglez · 20/05/2017 15:51

this is the wetsuit we use. Sizes are 0-6m 6-12m or 12-24m so you get a good amount of use out of it.

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Heirhelp · 22/05/2017 06:52

Did you feed him before getting him dressed? This can avoid the meltdown.

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NewMum17 · 06/06/2017 04:18

Also taking baby swimming for the first time, to a swimming lesson. Great tips on here!

Question though. The lesson is in a pool within a primary school. I'm guessing there isn't anywhere to feed my LO afterwards. Any experience in his situation? I am happy feeding him after but worried about what to do if he has a meltdown.