How the hell do I manage this?

[MillshakePickle]

About to go on holiday with a 10m old. Planning on swimming and doing our first baby swim classes while there.

Slightly freaking out about how the fuck do I manage to get him changed and me changed before and after? He is fully mobile. Not walking yet but not far off either and doesn't sit still.

Getting changed first shouldn't be a problem will wear swim suit underneath our clothes. Might be tricky but manageable.

Are you allowed to bring strollers into the change rooms?

H won't be there for the first day. It's UK based so leaving swim stuff on after isn't an option as I'm sure it will be fucking cold!

Any advice appreciated. And, yes feel free to state the bloody obvious because I haven't worked it out. Happy to be called a moron. Especially, when this is a second baby but huge age gap!

Oh it's just a PITA.

I've down swimming with my LO since she was about 4 months. Before is fine as you say, cossie under clothes.

AFTER. I dry and dress her as quick as possible as she's often v cold (obviously) and so upset (fair). If you're in a changing room with cubicles they normally have benches so I sit her on one of them and literally deliver her snack after small toy after snack to keep her entertained. That's always worked because she's ravenous after swimming. When she was smaller I'd sit her on a dry towel / changing mat on the floor (and do the same).

I have mastered drying and dressing very quickly which has helped and have low expectations of what I look like (always lol).

Some pools do let you take in strollers so that's an options other pools have baby cages / prisons (you know the plastic things with four sides you can dump them in).

Basically swimming is great - in the actual pool. All the faff around it is hard work and makes me feel like I deserve a parenting medal.

I used to dress them first then plonk them on the changing room floor on a couple of towels if it's very wet (family cubicle best here but even an open changing room is fine. ) and just dress at speed. Bra /Pants on pick up crawlers and place them back near you. Jeans on.. retrieve again.. top on .. and repeat. Dry hair with towel , pick up babes and leave. Dry hair in hotel room where it's easier to let them mill around but honestly don't think I ever really bothered just let it dry naturally. Whole process can be done in 15 mins.

Snacks are your friend. Get them changed, give them a rice cake or those puffy carroty things, then you get changed.

Get them dry and changed quickly, half changed is fine as long as they're warm.

Give snacks, ideally in something that restrains them (some changing rooms have a playpen or babyseat, particularly ones that offer baby swim lessons).

You get changed.

Thank you all!!! Snacks will definitely be utilised. I've given up on thinking I can do hair and make up post swim. I'll be coming out looking like Saskwatch's little sister.

And he hates being cold. Will bring extra towels and expect a baby bolt or 12 will happen.

Love our baby cage! It usually works for all of 5 mins until he tries scaling the walls. We have a fairly large one that has a gate door thingy on it. Thay he likes to swing on.

And huge thank you for not sugaring coating how horrendous I know it's going to be.

Hope it's not an open family change room thing. Can't bare the thought of my postpartum, post bfing spaniel ear pancake titties swinging around like a pendulum on a grandfather clock, while I try to keep the baby from committing self infanticide. 😅

Everyone there will be in the same position. And the swim school has seen it all before so…

There will probably be a playpen or high chairs or some other way of restraining a baby.
You may be able to take a stroller in.
Snacks are your friend! Just keep shoving food into his hands or mouth to buy yourself time.
Change baby first.
Try to avoid changing yourself. If you are going to make this a regular thing, consider buying a swim parka. Not exactly glamorous but it does the job so you can shower and change at home.
If you have to change yourself, wear a dress, ideally one you could just pull over your head. Much easier than jeans. Don’t even think about leggings! Even after showering, it can be difficult to put clothes on as the chemicals linger on your skin.
Don’t worry about hair and make up - at baby swim, you may get splashed but your hair won’t get very wet, maybe just the nape of your neck. There are mums in my class that do it in full make up with hair pinned up.

Have fun!

Some changing rooms have baby change rooms with a little seat (like a car seat) you can strap baby in whilst you get dressed! Or take an oodie and leggings for you so you can just shove that on over your cossie and get dressed when you get back to accommodation?

We always used our car seat to restrain LO until she was old enough to stay still consistently with her snacks!

Expect it to be awful. I still hate it now mine are 7 and 8. I always rush even when there's no need.

As above, they sometimes have sears/highchaur/cage. Give snacks. Put shite on your phone. Whatever it takes. Take onesie for him, similar for you and do hair etc when you get back.

My advice is to undress child (so they actually dry) and wrap them up in a towel to keep them warm. Change yourself first as otherwise you get them wet if you’re changing them whilst wet yourself.

My eldest would not sit still so he got an air based snack like wotsits or quavers and some Mum’s used their phones which I never did but should have done.

My youngest is an angel and just observes me getting changed whilst sat angelically so when just with him I am super smug watching struggling parents. (I’m joking of course).

Our gym has a playpen which is useful and a family change. Which has a shower in each changing room - this is great as both of mine love a hot shower so the shower for ages and I can get dressed quite leisurely.

We've got a Tuppence and Crumble swimming starsuit - made of toweling and it's a been a lifesaver when we do DD's swimming lessons. She's 21 months now and I still use it. She's fully walking but always tired after swimming so normally quite happy to sit and play in it while I get dressed first and then change her. As it's basically a towel, she's pretty much dry once I'm ready. I love it and it will be a shame when she's too big for it!

Aside from that, definitely get yourself changed first. Have something he can play with/keep him occupied. We don't do snacks in the changing room as it's a tiny pool and room rather than a leisure centre with individual cubicles, but we do them as soon as we're out of there.

I'm so glad it isn't just me that finds it a horror.

Like others says I use a robe towel that goes over head. It gives some modesty and helps to dry quickly.

Unf I do do swimming with a communal change area. Honestly? I am so frazzled with stopping baby / toddler Armageddon and exiting asap that I dont have the brain space to think about all the flab, boob and fanny on show. And based on the looks on everyone else faces - nor do they. Quite liberating really.

I know we're making it sound dreadful - you will be fine ! It's hard but over quickly and you can award yourself a parenting medal

It's a faff! Get a little towel poncho.

Strip baby down to just swim nappy in the shower when you get out. Pop them in the poncho towel so they're warm. Then change yourself first, then baby.

Mine is at the age where he keeps opening the changing room door as I'm changing. 🙄

Thank you, very useful suggestions. Have ordered the whole family hooded towels.

Think this is just one of those parenting hurdles I need to jump over.

Fingers crossed, we don't get banned from centre parks due to infant delinquent behaviour. Seriously, considering giving this baby an ASBO. Today, he's decided that it's time to learn how to climb onto the sofa.

Didn't think I'd ever have to do this again, and now that the sleepy milky baby stage is over, I'm dreading the rest.

If you’re going to center parcs they have cubicles so none of this is a concern really. You’ll be locked in, child constrained to a cubicle, the locks are high so the kids can’t let themselves out.

Do not put them in swim nappies before you get to the pool. they are poo catchers, not wee absorbent. Found that out the hard way...

Oh god yes do did I. I was shocked but of course it makes sense

Omfg! I had no clue. That could have been a disaster. This places requires double swim nappy protection...whatever that means.

Have some pampers swimmers and a reusable baby swim nappy thing.

Honestly I think it was easier 10 years ago, but dc1 was an angel. This one is possessed.

I use where a track suit with fleece inside. You can pull this on .
Don't bother with bra or pants just get yourself back to your place then you can shower and change .and those tiwel turban things for your hair if you have alot of hair.

You can take strollers in most of the time and usually swimming baths have a family changing room some have seats with straps you can strap young children into while you change others just have a changing table and as long as the doors shut they shouldn’t be able to escape. I usually have my swim wear on under my clothes ready then change my children when there don’t forget the swimming nappy to catch solids then I always take the towels to the pool edge so I can wrap them up as soon as there out f the water.

Wear easy to get into clothes like a dress and leggings and arrive with your costume underneath. Then you only need to worry about dressing baby when you get there. I do a combo of leggings off me, trousers of baby and repeat lol.
When we get out I always found it easier with my boy to dress myself first. Once he’s dressed he considers to process over and will not sit still! I strip his costume off under his hooded towel poolside and then lay him down with a toy or give him a snack whilst I get dressed. I always feel people look at me and think I am mean, but I think as he’s a little chilly he is happy to stay still and wrapped up. The few times I tried the other way round I ended up trying to pull on pants whilst holding him still and he ended up soaked from the wet floor.
For the double nappy, make sure you have like a ‘happy nappy’ or ‘splash about’ costume for over his disposable or reusable nappy. They need to be super tight round the legs. Some places won’t let you in without these so do check. You can get them on Amazon. We have the sun suit for my little boy and it’s great.

Sometimes these things just seem impossible don’t they 🙈.

Most family changing rooms have a playpen that you can put your little one in whilst you get changed - I would ring up and ask if that’s the case.

I usually take the towels to the poolside with me so we can be warm (ish). Then get baby sorted first (remember to get a clean nappy ready with his clothes for afterwards - for some reason I always forget to do this and have to go digging around in the bottom of the change bag for one 🤦🏻‍♀️).

I’m sure you’ll be fine - have fun!

Can you take a dressing gown? Makes it slightly less horrendous for you if you're wrapped up whilst sorting baby. I also swear bay a hair turban towel so at least I'm not dripping water from my hair everywhere.

Easy on clothes for both of you eg joggers / hareem pants / baggy shirts and hoodies - no jeans or leggings!! Sliders / flip flops much better than proper shoes and socks.

It might be worth checking the pool to see what they offer by way of changing rooms. Our local pool has a baby pen in each family changing cubicles so that the littlies can’t get up to mischief whilst you are getting changed.

Just seen the above 🤦🏻‍♀️