Baby swimming

[BundtCake]

I want to start taking my baby swimming in the local pool but I’m confused about what she should wear? Can anyone help please?

She needs a swim nappy and I always found one of those all in one sun protection swim suits great as a wet baby is incredibly slippery!

This confused me at the start too! We use a swim nappy and then a long sleeve/long legged swimsuit on top. That's it.

You can also get those neoprene wetsuit things that wrap around baby, it keeps them a bit warmer again. Our local pool is not too cold and my girl is 9 months old so I don't bother with one, but it might be useful if you have a smaller baby or your pool is on the colder side. I would use it on top of their normal swimsuit and swim nappy.

There are also those "happy nappy" type things but I'm not sure I see the advantage in them... happy to be enlightened though!

Thank you. Thought she may be cold in just a swimming costume.

Some pools/classes require double nappy system, so a swim nappy and then a Happy Nappy on top. When DD was tiny we used a reusable swim nappy and then a neoprene long-sleeved suit with integrated Happy Nappy. That was the common setup in our swimming classes too.

Definitely recommend a reusable swim nappy rather than disposable ones. The disposables are so expensive and don't really do anything.

Close Parent make lovely fleece lined wetsuits that are nice and cosy.

Swim nappy and a little swimming costume.

Whatever you do, DONT put the swim nappy on before you are ready to go in the pool. They don't actually hold the wee in! Found out the hard way..

Have a look in M&S. I got DD her first swimming costume from there last week and they had a good selection. I got one with arms and legs and matching sun hat, so we can use it on the beach

What's the point in them then?

@Squiff70 To catch poo

Just taken my 5 month old for her first swimming class today, we weren't allowed in the pool unless we showed them we had a double nappy system in place - swim nappy (useless, let water in, luckily she'd done a big poop so knew we were fine!) and a happy nappy swimsuit. Hope you enjoy it when you start!

Would something like this be fine? I’ll look into the nappy situ, anyone got a particular link to swim nappies they recommend?

We just used the Huggies swim nappies, for the swimsuit/happy nappy I ordered through the waterbabies website, quite a variety on there of all in one's, top and bottoms, the thermal ones if the pool is colder, I'm sure there are cheaper around but to be fair the one we got is really good quality.

I use a swim nappy and a happy nappy on top. I also put a swimsuit on

@BundtCake a tip for when you are ready to get out is to remove their swimming costume (not nappy) whilst actually in the water, as they tend to stick to them when wet and in the air 😀. A hooded type towel and over the head hooded towel when older are also great. I have a microfibre over head thing for myself too as it means I stay warmer and start to dry when I'm getting my daughter dry and changed, plus you are not trying to hold your own towel up

We have a similar costume for our son and it's been great.
We use Huggies swim nappies.
Thankfully had no incidents.

Depending on your child's age, bottle or snack for straight after.

Agree with taking costume off in pool before you get out. I put his towel at the side so we can get it straight away for him.

I get him dried and dressed before myself and he just sits with his snack whilst I get myself sorted.

Also, you go with your costume already on under clothes.

Actually the easiest thing seems to be a happy nappy suit with a disposable nappy. Otherwise it seems like disposable nappy + cover + suit?

Don't use a normal disposable nappy - it will fill instantly with water and weigh your baby down. Use a swim nappy (even a disposable swim nappy).

Oops I meant disposable swim nappy!