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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think very small babies shouldn't be in a swimming pool?

52 replies

DrSeuss · 17/06/2015 10:15

As in, under a week? When the cord cannot have healed yet? Even wearing swim nappies and a neoprene nappy?
My own DS started swimming at a few months old but his cord was fully healed. Anything else seems a horrible infection risk to me.

OP posts:
Stanky · 17/06/2015 10:16

I thought that you had to wait until after they'd had all their jabs?

Seeline · 17/06/2015 10:17

I was told it was OK once they had their first lot of jabs at 8 weeks.
Apart from infection issues, I would have thought the risk of them getting very cold would be quite high too.

SirBobblysock · 17/06/2015 10:19

Never understood the jab thing - you're not going to get one of the diseases they prevent from a swimming pool. However, would certainly be concerned about infection risk in general and cold in such a small baby.

morelikeguidelines · 17/06/2015 10:19

I didn't think you had to wait for jabs any more but I never got my act together to go swimming before this!

I can see the logical sense in your argument op but I've no idea if it is medically correct. Just can't imagine wanting to swim with a baby that soon!

Original poster
DrSeuss · 17/06/2015 10:20

Me too. The group in question found online NHS guidelines which say not. Very small babies can have medication administered via cord stump. If medication can go all around the body from there, surly so can anything in the pool water?

OP posts:
Original poster
DrSeuss · 17/06/2015 10:21

www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2299.aspx?CategoryID=54

OP posts:
WorldsBiggestGrotbag · 17/06/2015 10:22

You don't have to wait until injections any more but under a week does sound very young. I think I first took DD at 7 weeks to a hydrotherapy pool which was really warm.
Do you know for sure that the baby was that young?

TheOriginalWinkly · 17/06/2015 10:22

I was told not to get the stump (bleurgh) wet and not to bath DD until it had dropped off, so I can't imagine a chemical soup pool is a good idea.

Original poster
DrSeuss · 17/06/2015 10:23

I do. It was given as a point of pride, as in "x days old and swimming already."

OP posts:
WorldsBiggestGrotbag · 17/06/2015 10:24

Then YANBU. The cord should be kept clean and dry. We didn't even bath DD until her cord had come off and the area was healed.

Welshmaenad · 17/06/2015 10:27

Presumably it has a cord clip on it and is in the process of drying out, as long as the area is properly dried after swimming I really don't see the big deal.

My dd was in NICU and had medication via her umbilical cord, this was instigated very shortly after birth though. Given that most cords drop off from 5 days or so I imagine it wouldn't be feasible for a baby that had been discharged and out in the community to be given drugs this way, they'd use an IV.

You don't have to wait for jabs. We took tiny, prem Dd swimming in a warm pool a few days after she was discharged from NICU, before any jabs, she was fine, and that was 9 years ago.

CadleCrap · 17/06/2015 10:28

I thought it was puppies that weren't allowed outside until they had had their jabs.

Whattonamemyselfnow · 17/06/2015 10:29

You don't have to wait for jabs. None of the vaccinations are for water Bourne diseases so it's fine. I take your point about the cord though

ImSoCoolNow · 17/06/2015 10:30

Didn't bath baby until cord came off??

So why do midwives in post natal wards bath unsettled babies? And do bath demonstrations for first time mums?

Like pp I would be more worried about the cold but not so much about infection tbh

Original poster
DrSeuss · 17/06/2015 10:33

I was the least germ phobic mum, i let my cat lick my child at three days as she was treating him like a kitten and I felt that was better than her being jealous but I still baulked at the swimming. Great pictures on FB, may be not so great in real life?

OP posts:
SaucyJack · 17/06/2015 10:34

Did the baby's father take him in? I'd be surprised if it was a great idea for the mother to be in a public pool either a few days after giving birth.

WorldsBiggestGrotbag · 17/06/2015 10:34

I don't know I'mSo, I didn't say you shouldnt bath baby until the cord came off, just that we didn't (which was the advice given at my NCT classes, my midwife at the hospital and my cousin who is a midwife). A tiny baby doesn't get dirty and top and tailing was perfectly sufficient.

Original poster
DrSeuss · 17/06/2015 10:35

Yes, with the father.

OP posts:
ThinkIveBeenHacked · 17/06/2015 10:36

The only reason either of mine didnt go that young was because I was still bleeding.

I cant see anything the matter with it. At that age they are in for what? 15 mins max anyways?

Micah · 17/06/2015 10:39

What saucy jack said- I didn't take mine in before 6 weeks as that's how long it took for lochia to stop.

Given you can't use tampons for lochia, I wouldn't think it's a good idea for the woman or the pool...

Even if the dad took the baby in, they're so small they'll freeze quickly, and all they really do is feed and sleep so what's the point?

I'm a swimmer and a big believer in getting babies in pools asap but under 4 weeks would be too young even for me.

PourquoiTuGachesTaVie · 17/06/2015 10:43

Dd's cord fell off at 4 days. I rang the midwife in a panic as I thought it was too soon but she said it's normal.

I wouldn't have wanted to go anywhere near a pool though that soon after birth while I was leaking from everywhere.

ImSoCoolNow · 17/06/2015 10:44

I'm on DD4 and have never been told not to bath baby. Been told to clean and dry cord stump daily. DD1 was bathed in the delivery suite (by a midwife)

orangefusion · 17/06/2015 10:44

I fail to see why anyone would want to immerse their newborn in chlorine water full of other people's dead skin cells. The bath tub at home or a baby bath is as much depth as a baby requires even for so called newborn swimming.

bringmelaughter · 17/06/2015 10:45

On the point of baby freezing. Baby wetsuit means they're toasty warm.

WorraLiberty · 17/06/2015 10:46

I agree orange. I've just never seen the point in taking babies swimming.