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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think about taking my un-potty-trained daughter out of swimming nappies?

33 replies

LifeIsButtercream · 24/01/2012 11:20

Teeny tiny problem I know but I know I'll get an honest response on here!

DD is 2.9 and a potty-training-resister, she is still in nappies day and night but has control, knows when she wants to wee/poo and can hold it in (for hours if needed, rather than do it on the dreaded potty.........)

We go swimming once a week and I still put her in swimming nappies - she has never (not even as a baby) poo'ed in one and needless to say if I ever caught her needed a poo I'd take her straight out, nappy or not!

I was wondering whether I could think about leaving a nappy off her to swim, she doesn't tend to poo at that time of day.

Do swimming nappies magically so something to wee? I don't imagine they do! And DD, if she needs a wee when she is in the bath, she will tell me and get out.

WIBU just to pop a cossie on her and keep an eye on her for the session?

Sorry for the number of times I've used the word 'poo' in this thread lol!

OP posts:
DaenerysTargaryenButCallMeDany · 24/01/2012 11:24

I'm confused tbh, she sounds trained to me, have you tried her on the loo instead of potty? some dc don't like potties.

I'm not sure about the swimming thing, it would be sods law that the day you don't put her in one would be the day she did a big poo in the swimming pool Grin

tryingtoleave · 24/01/2012 11:26

Ds was very resistant to toilet training but had never pooed in a swimming nappy. so, rather than going cold turkey, I got him a reusable swimming nappy. The first time he wore it he pooed in it. Both dh and ds have traumatic memories two years (when we returned to the beach) later of dh's attempts to clean ds up in a rather spartan beach toilet.

Don't do it. I can't imagine the humiliation if it happened in a public pool.

FourEyesGood · 24/01/2012 11:27

I'd give it a go. You never know - she might even enjoy the more grown-up feeling of not having a nappy on and give pants a try on dry land! It worked that way for our DS, who was fairly late with potty-training.

Pootles2010 · 24/01/2012 11:28

I personally wouldn't, because I'd be terrified of an accident. It'd be so, so mortifying.

Incidentally no I don't think they do stop wee, just poo. We suddenly realised after swimming other week that we didn't have normal nappies with, so popped him into a fresh dry swim nappy. Within half an hour he was soaked through - not just a leak, it hadn't worked at all.

coccyx · 24/01/2012 11:29

i agree about getting rid of the potty. my Dc's all went on toilet rather than potty.

iwantavuvezela · 24/01/2012 11:29

As tryingtoleave says, just use a reusable swimming costume ... if your child did accidently do a poo, they have to get everyone out of the pool, drain all the water for health reasons, clean it and then refill it ... so it would be a lot of bother! I think I would still use a reusable for awhile .....

Original poster
LifeIsButtercream · 24/01/2012 11:30

That's what I was thinking Daenerys

DD's potty training thing is complicated - I've tried every trick in the book, she won't sit on the potty (any type), won't go near the toilet (with or without steps/seats), will happily tell anyone that she wants to wear nappies forever, screams blue murder if I put her in knickers/training pants/anything other than a beloved nappy, will hold it in for hours if she needs to go whilst wearing said pants. I've tried bribery, sticker charts, offers of treats for each potty use, telling her that big girls wear pants not nappies, she's watched her friends be potty trained and received their praise, I know Princess Polly's Potty and Zoo Poo off by heart, we've been out choosing big girl pants, choosing a potty, you name it!

I've given up and resigned myself to waiting until some magical day when she will turn round and say she wants to train, as without her enthusiasm this aint gonna happen! And stubborn is her middle name.......

OP posts:
DharmaBumpkin · 24/01/2012 11:32

Just wash & reuse the Huggies ones... As long as they've not been poo'd in, they can be peeled of and washed five to ten times.

MrsCarriePooter · 24/01/2012 11:33

What are the rules of the pool? Some insist you have them in swim nappies until 3 I think. Personally I'd leave her in them until you have cracked it. The humiliation if it happened in the pool, particularly if it was realised that you had her in nappies the rest of the time...

BTW - you can wash the disposable ones and reuse them as well (and then chuck if they get pooey).

WibblyBibble · 24/01/2012 12:50

You know if she poos in the pool they will have to close it and drain it and clean it etc.? H&S law. So it'd be pretty selfish to risk it until you actually know she's trained properly. You can get washable swim nappies, I have had one since older daughter was a baby and it's still useable with younger one 10 years later.

WhereMyMilk · 24/01/2012 12:57

Actually Iwantavuvezela, they don't drain the pool, just fish the poo with a net, test the water and add in even more chemicals, then tell everyone to get back in-not blimming likely! :o

Tildabewildered · 24/01/2012 12:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LondonMumsie · 24/01/2012 13:22

As the mother whose daughter has missed out on a swimming lesson three times in the last year (no refunds either) due to poos in the pool - please don't!

reallytired · 24/01/2012 13:29

Get one of those swimming costumes that doubles as cloth nappy. I used one of those costumes with my son until he out grew it at four and half. Its just not worth the risk. Our swimming pool insists that ALL under fours wear a swim nappy whether they are trained or not.

CoffeeDog · 24/01/2012 13:32

My twins wont go near a potty but are happy with a step and a special seat.... They are 3 and have only recentley become 'fully trained' ;)

We also use to wash swim nappies here as well :)

BeyondTheLimitsOfAcceptability · 24/01/2012 13:41

Just a thought (does anyone know?), I'm curious as to how a swim nappy contains poo in a way that a costume wouldn't? They aren't watertight, are they, so surely the poo germs get out (but not a big lump of poo?) even if she poos (pooes?) in the swim nappy...? (but would a big lump of poo be any more likely to escape from a costume?

apologies for typing poo almost as many times as OP!

switchtvoffdosomelessboring · 24/01/2012 13:54

My girls are about the same age as yours, and I haven't used swimming nappies for a long time. They are not trained either but they know, and I know if the need a poo. Unless they had explosive diarrhoa, which wouldn't be contained by the swimming pants anyway, you will have time to get them out of the water.

FleeBee · 24/01/2012 13:59

Where do you get reusable swim nappies? I also have a reluctant potty trainer DC2 (2.8) I usually buy the disposable swim nappies with a swimsuit over the top. DC1 didn't toilet train properly til 3.3 years. Just my luck to get two reluctant potty users

mojitomania · 24/01/2012 14:00

It will probably be the one time OP that a floater does occur Grin

IPushedHumptyDumpty · 24/01/2012 14:11

Can I also second the query as to why a poop in a swimming nappy doesn't warrant "faecal incident" drama, but one in a costume does...? Surely the poop is still in the swimming pool either way.

Or is it only escaped poop making a break for freedom that causes an instant evacuation of pool?

And I might as well type poo once more, for luck.

randomness · 24/01/2012 14:11

What did parents used to use before disposable swim nappies were cynically marketed invented?

Swimsuits.

As much poo containment as a swim nappy and you just keep an eye on the child and coach them to tell you the minute they start to need a poo.

ZonkedOut · 24/01/2012 14:17

Before swim nappies, they used regular terry nappies, not just swimming costumes.

sleeplessinderbyshire · 24/01/2012 14:19

our swim school insist on swim nappies for all children even if toilet trained so one of DD's classmate who is 4 and has been =dry and clean day and night for almost 2yrs still has to wear a paper swim nappy in her happy nappy and then has a costume over the top.

SusiaX · 24/01/2012 14:23

My DCs swim school hires private pools for the lessons and they insist on being trained for at least six months before they can go in without a nappy, and have to be double bagged (swim nappy and reusable swim nappy on top) before that because they do have to drain the pool and clean it if a child poos but they charge you if it's your child that poos so I've always abided by the rules. (I think the cost is over £1000!!)

Original poster
LifeIsButtercream · 24/01/2012 14:34

Thanks everyone - we just got back from swimming - left a nappy on to be on the safe side! No poo, thankfully, the only drama came from DD refusing arm bands/floats/water noodles/ANYTHING and repeatedly trying to drown herself...... as I probably would too if I had me as a parent

I think, after reading everyone's posts, it's probably best to leave a swim nappy on untill she is at least 12 as it would not only be mortifying to me but also incredibly disruptive for the pool and other swimmers if DD did decide to sink a log in the pool!

Interesting thought though about swimming nappies not holding poo germs in..... let alone younger baby mustard poo Hmm

I'm just so desperate to get rid of these sodding nappies

Just to keep my quota up - poo poo poo poo poo

OP posts: