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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to not wash my kids after swimming?

150 replies

siblingrevelryagain · 04/08/2017 12:17

I seem to be the only one who doesn't-lots of threads I've seen in the past seem to have 50% of parents showering at swimming pool, with the other half talking about bringing them home and throwing them in bath or shower.

I do neither; they get dressed (onesie and pj's in winter!) and come home, and later go to bed without showering.

In my defence, they all have good skin and strong constitutions so I can't see any outward effects of this, but equally I'm prepared to be told if im being dirty/unhygienic.

OP posts:
dowhatyouwish · 05/08/2017 08:52

I don't think it's a major deal, but I would encourage it.

FrogsSitonLogs · 05/08/2017 08:59

Always shower afterwards. Chlorine stinks and kids pee in swimming pools. Grim not to shower afterwards.

WestWithTheSun · 05/08/2017 09:52

We all wash after a swim. Pools are disgusting. DD had to go to the doctors when she was a baby because she got a severe conjunctivitis in her eyes. The doctor was perplexed as to what it could be, it was an unusually aggressive infection, so he asked us where we had been for the last few days. He reckoned it was likely the local pool, he rang environmental health who had it tested and closed down that day. There were numerous different traces of faeces in the water, among many other contaminants.

That pool was bad enough to cause an infection. But I reckon that there are enough contaminants in most pools to mean I'd like to rinse them off. Plus the chlorine isn't good for your hair.

And for the competitive grubbies out there, we live on a smallholding surrounded by animals and mud, which often has to be scraped off most stuff. I'm not precious about much.

noramum · 05/08/2017 12:00

Showering after swimming is vital, but never in public pool, the facilities are dirty and absolute awful anyway.

DD has lessons every week and comes out stinking of chlorine. Her hair is stiff and not shiny anymore when it is dry. She just dries herself off, dresses back in jogging bottoms and t-shirt and showers at home. Her clothes also go straight in the wash, they also smell awful. And she swims in a private club, not even a public leisure center.

No idea why anybody thinks not showering after swimming in this kind of water is a good idea.

Welldoneme · 05/08/2017 16:26

I always shower after swimming, besides its heir gas bill and not mine.

I like to have my money's worth as I pay a monthly sub x

Welldoneme · 05/08/2017 16:27

their

Only1scoop · 05/08/2017 16:28

Grim

CycleHire · 05/08/2017 16:29

My son doesn't shower after swimming lessons. I take him in to the girls changing room and we'd have to wait ages for all the girls with long hair to finish. So we don't.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 05/08/2017 16:34

@siblingrevelryagain - you have to get them dried after swimming, so why would it be any extra effort to run them through the shower when they get out of the pool and then dry them off? Then they'd have rinsed off the chlorine from their hair and skin.

PsychoPumpkin · 05/08/2017 16:36

I would because I've never considered not washing them after swimming, it's shower, swim, shower to me.

My eldest has eczema though so I like to wash any chemicals off her.

34AQuid · 05/08/2017 16:38

DS, nah. He showers before bed anyway, so not fussed.

DD, yes, but its mainly because I have to wash and condition her hair afterwards, as even with a cap on she still manages to get half of it wet and pool water plays havoc with it. Otherwise, I'd leave it.

I personally never shower at the pool or gym, but do it at home. If I was a member of a posh gym I might, but our local leisure centre showers are grim. I feel dirtier after being in them Grin

Monny · 05/08/2017 16:48

Mine get a good scrub before bed (especially feet).
When you think about the things found in the water of swimming pools (proper analysis), it's best to try brain bleach afterwards.
However, when you consider that they have been in school all day (another swamp fast of infestation and unthinkables), a good wash before bed is fine.
Then they are ready to get covered in various whatevers again the next day!
Just wash those hands after loo and before eating kiddos!!

diodati · 05/08/2017 17:05

YABU. Would you put bleach in your bath water? Pee in it as well? Apart from the harsh chemicals left on your & your DC's skin, there are all kinds of nasty in pool
water, especially public pool water,

Bobbybobbins · 05/08/2017 19:52

Who knew that people cared so much about this!!!

RicottaPancakes · 05/08/2017 19:55

Yes to showers before and after. Also would not put pyjamas on at the pool because I think they should be clean and not worn outside the house.

llangennith · 05/08/2017 20:36

I'd love to shower after swimming but the showers at Cardiff International
Pool are too bloody hot. We have to wait till we get home and then shower (if we can be bothered).

Purple52 · 05/08/2017 21:09

I make my children rinse at least!
My daughter usually but not always washes her hair - though the chlorine doesn't really effect it.
My son has to go in the gents - I know he spends ages in the shower to get warm - but I also know he's soap shy!!
I don't think it matters that much. & really is a bit of soap going to prevent any infection the chlorine has failed to kill if they've just spent an hour in the pool?

I guess it just depends on comfort.

& "screw" the clean freaks - you can be too clean! & cause problems for yourself by being so!

neversleepagain · 05/08/2017 21:09

The shallow kids pool next to the pool where my daughter has her swim lessons is regularly shat in by kids, at least once a day! They get everyone out and fish the turd out then everyone gets back in. Sometimes it isn't a solid turd either! This week everyone was pulled out because their was floating bits of bloodied sanitary towel chunks everywhere! Everyone was evacuated and a spotty teenager was sent in with a net to fish it out (not very well I might add) and swimming resumed minutes later!

I would never not not shower my dc after swimming in a public pool.

SukiTheDog · 05/08/2017 21:21

Grimmer than a grim thing! Seriously, there's all sorts of bodily debris in a swimming pool. Snot and plasters are the tip of the iceberg! 😐

SuperBeagle · 05/08/2017 21:56

Yuck. No way would I not shower and wash my hair after swimming in any pool, but especially a public pool. They're pits filled with other peoples' germs and a massive amount of chemicals to try to counter that. To leave that on your skin and in your hair for an unnecessarily long time is far from ideal.

I swim three times a week. Can't wait to get home and have a shower. If I didn't, my skin would be dried out like a prune and my hair would be green and I'd stink like chlorine

LaPampa · 05/08/2017 21:58

I'm definitely not precious about washing (mine don't bath every day) but always wash after swimming, a visit to local splash pool, if they have been wearing sun cream and usually if they've been in the sea. I feel icky if I don't after any of those occasions so I don't think it's fair to not wash them.

Mumzypopz · 05/08/2017 22:01

Neversleepagain....when that happens, the pool should be shut for 24 hours. That is what happens at our local council pool. It does happen fairly regularly. As for those people who say everyone should shower before getting in.....when there are regional galas and hundreds of kids there, none of them shower...before or after....and when the gala is over, public swims continue. Chlorine kills bugs. All those hundreds of kids are ok, have good skin and hair, and most of them are swimming daily.

ImogenTubbs · 05/08/2017 22:03

We live in a warm country and have our own pool so I am a bit careless about washing DD every time. It's just us - right? Unfortunately after recent heatwave and too many trips in the pool she has now developed some sort of vaginal irritation which I'm sure it caused by chlorine and just generally being hot and sweaty. We've kept her out the last few days and it's started getting better.

I suppose not being careful about these things is all fine, until it's not! Sad

neversleepagain · 05/08/2017 22:05

Well this a large leisure centre with 4 pools in a big city and they most certainly do not shut the pool when it happens. The pool was evacuated for less than 10 minutes.

ScissorBow · 05/08/2017 22:09

To get rid of the smell of chlorine yes. My 2 have sensitive skin so have a full head and body shower with a specific post swim shampoo/body wash.

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