To be petrified of taking baby swimming

[Xfirefly]

I suffer with awful anxiety. I panick in busy supermarkets, unfamiliar places etc but I never avoid them as I don't want to let it beat me.

We've decided to take DD (4months) for her first swim tomorrow and I'm already panicking! Once I've done something once I'm fine to do it alone later.

Our local leisure centre doesnt have a family changing area so I'm taking DD in with me. please tell me how you approach changing etc with a baby. I'm panicking about the silliest things like where do you put the baby whilst you're changing etc.

do you think I'm worrying and being silly for nothing?

tell me what you do when you go alone with your babies. some handy hints will calm my nerves.

DP offered to take her in with him but I need to do it so I can start going weekly when he's in work.

Get you and baby changed at home before you go, with loose fitting clothes over, then just strip off by locker. Take really easy to get into clothes for after and a really big spare towel so if the baby changing cubicles are full you can make a snuggly bed for baby while you get dressed.

Don't worry about showering after. Just get dressed and bathe you and baby at home.

Enjoy (I put it off too and both baby and me loved it)

Make sure you have £1 for locker

When you do go, don't go with your baby dressed in a proper outfit...just a babygro with a coat/snowsuit over it, so you are not trying to put a whole outfit/shoes/socks when you are getting dressed to go home.

Oh and I used to take one of those baby rubber rings for my dd to sit in...they have a little rubber bit in the centre for their legs to go in, if you know what I mean!

Just a word of warning if you are getting baby changed at home (as suggested above):
Swim nappies are not designed to contain urine, just poo. So if you do want to have baby ready in swimsuit and swim nappy make sure you put something down to protect car seat/pram.
On the plus side, unlike regular nappies you can put them through the washing machine and reuse.

Whatever you do don't change your baby into a swim nappy before you go. They are not absorbent like a normal nappy and they will leak if your baby wee or poos (voice of bitter experience).

I always do....

thank you for your advice, all very helpful! I've got a baby float.

See others got there before me re the swim nappy not being absorbent (obviously, since it would expand to its maximum the second you entered the pool).

The plus side of their non-absorbency means that you can wash them and reuse them again and again, until they fall apart (or a massive poo that you just want to bin rather than deal with).

If you take the rubber ring, it is really useful for putting the baby on while you get dressed.

Agree with everyone else, make sure you have easy clothes (i went in pyjama trousers once!) and baby is in a sleepsuit. Then hopefully noone will take long to get dressed.

I wrap dd in a towel after the shower while i get stuff from the locker, then when we get to the changing room strip off her wetsuit and nappy and swap the towel for a dry one. I use the wet one, i don't take hundreds of towels! Keeps her warmer i think.

They should hold poo, but they won't hold wee.

-Prep with costumes and swim nappies beforehand.
-if you have a baby float these are good to sit baby in whilst you dress.
-I think the towelling robes are a great investment. I always stripped baby/toddler off at poolside and put that on them. It kept them warm and meant they weren't shivering whilst I dressed (in joggers and sweatshirt def no jeans). It also meant they were pretty much dry by the time I was dressed and could keep them on whilst I put nappy on them then got them dressed(again in joggers and fleece.)

You'll be fine! Good luck!

Perp I really hope that don't happen . she's never pooped in the bath so I'm hoping shel be fine. I can usually tell if she's going though.

the float thing is a great idea!

will come back this afternoon to let you know how I got on

well everything went ok. turns out they just converted a room into a family changing room . they had a baby seat so I could strap her in that whilst I changed. DD absolutely loved the water can't wait to go again now.

That's great. It's brilliant swimming with wee folk. Even if we do sometimes forget our pants, eh Perpendicular!