Active discussions

Help end medical misogyny. Sign our petition.

Help end medical misogyny.
Sign our petition.

Sign the petition

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to shower my toddler after her sister's swimming lesson?

29 replies

Elleee · 27/05/2026 11:08

DD aged 4 has swimming lessons that finish at 6pm on a school night. I tend to shower her there and put her straight into her PJs so that I don’t have to bath her that evening at home.

Would I be unreasonable to also bung DD aged 1 (walking) in the communal shower at the same time?! It isn’t a public swimming baths - the place we go to is purely for swimming lessons and the only people showering are the kids that come out of the lessons finishing at 6pm (maybe 12-15 kids).

It would be great to be done with bath/PJs time in one go rather than having to DD1 as soon as we get home! I can’t really see why it would be an issue but I don’t know if others will look at me strangely for doing this?!

OP posts:
Hornswaddler · 27/05/2026 11:11

I would do it. It makes sense. If you're worried about someone having an issue see if you can clear it with the staff first.

Lomonald · 27/05/2026 11:11

That is clever 2 birds i stone scenario you can always just say to them.well it means the baby can go straight to.bed or whatever, I bet you get nods of agreement.

JustAnUdea · 27/05/2026 11:16

Depends what the shower queues are like. If you ate doing it while no swimming children are waiting, fine. Not faur if other chuldten are waiing for a shower in wet swimgear.

It eas always frustrating waiting 10mins for a shower while mutiple children had tgeir gair shampooed etc.

Original poster
Elleee · 27/05/2026 11:17

JustAnUdea · 27/05/2026 11:16

Depends what the shower queues are like. If you ate doing it while no swimming children are waiting, fine. Not faur if other chuldten are waiing for a shower in wet swimgear.

It eas always frustrating waiting 10mins for a shower while mutiple children had tgeir gair shampooed etc.

There’s not really much of a queue. Some kids don’t shower at all. Most have a quick 30 second rinse. There’s 6 showers so queueing isn’t much of an issue.

OP posts:
Original poster
Elleee · 27/05/2026 11:18

Hornswaddler · 27/05/2026 11:11

I would do it. It makes sense. If you're worried about someone having an issue see if you can clear it with the staff first.

Yeah. I did wonder whether they might say that I couldn’t for some kind of health and safety/legal reason as DD1 isn’t actually enrolled with them so they wouldn’t be covered if she slipped in the shower etc.

OP posts:
AreBearsCatholic · 27/05/2026 11:18

I wouldn’t see the issue especially if the two of them share a shower. If people are having to wait I‘d hold back a bit and shower them when there’s no queue

Original poster
Elleee · 27/05/2026 11:19

AreBearsCatholic · 27/05/2026 11:18

I wouldn’t see the issue especially if the two of them share a shower. If people are having to wait I‘d hold back a bit and shower them when there’s no queue

I would definitely just put them under the same one.

OP posts:
ThatBlueLeader · 27/05/2026 11:24

It seems cheeky to me. You say there isn't much of a queue, but you would be doing it when your child ends her lesson with all the other children. I also think you are underestimating how long it would take to shower her. If I was a parent who had to keep waiting after you, I would be mentioning it to staff.

ThatBlueLeader · 27/05/2026 11:26

JustAnUdea · 27/05/2026 11:16

Depends what the shower queues are like. If you ate doing it while no swimming children are waiting, fine. Not faur if other chuldten are waiing for a shower in wet swimgear.

It eas always frustrating waiting 10mins for a shower while mutiple children had tgeir gair shampooed etc.

I agree, swimming bath showers are meant for getting the pool smell off, not as a substitute for a home bathroom.

Motnight · 27/05/2026 11:26

I think that if other kids who have been swimming are queuing for a shower it is rather cheeky of you. Unless you wait until there's no queue?

Original poster
Elleee · 27/05/2026 11:27

ThatBlueLeader · 27/05/2026 11:24

It seems cheeky to me. You say there isn't much of a queue, but you would be doing it when your child ends her lesson with all the other children. I also think you are underestimating how long it would take to shower her. If I was a parent who had to keep waiting after you, I would be mentioning it to staff.

It wouldn’t take much longer at all really. The showers are just off the side of the pool right next to the parent waiting area. It would be possible for me to put DD1 in the shower just as DD5 is coming out of her lesson and she could be finished just as the other kids are coming in even.

OP posts:
notforthefirsttime · 27/05/2026 11:28

A one year old could wee (or worse) in the public shower. Not great for everyone else. It would be different if it was a baby in a swim nappy simply rinsing off but you're suggesting the type of shower to make sure the little one is clean and ready for bed. I wouldn't do it.

Esmeraldathe3rd · 27/05/2026 11:30

If you were doing it all the time someone might eventually say something. But once I really can't imagine something having so little else going on in their life to care.

DS2 and I had a shower yesterday at the pool while DS1 had his lesson. It's a public pool though so there's people coming and going all the time. It was bloody glorious getting home and not having to shower us both still. We'd had a long day out in the sun and covered in suncream and sand (DS1 showered before he got in too).

Yeah it's a bit cheeky but it's not hurting anyone.

Original poster
Elleee · 27/05/2026 11:30

JustAnUdea · 27/05/2026 11:16

Depends what the shower queues are like. If you ate doing it while no swimming children are waiting, fine. Not faur if other chuldten are waiing for a shower in wet swimgear.

It eas always frustrating waiting 10mins for a shower while mutiple children had tgeir gair shampooed etc.

There has never been anything like a 10 minute wait. The longest anybody waits for a shower is maybe 1 minute.
It only takes most parents 1 minute or so to whip off DC’s swimsuit, put them under the shower, give them a rub with some body wash and then a rinse! Perhaps another minute if you were to wash their hair. But like I say, there’s just never much of a queue as there’s 6 showers 12-15 kids and some don’t shower at all, and some just have a quick 10 second rinse.

OP posts:
CorvusPurpureus · 27/05/2026 11:32

Well OTOH YANBU, if you bung them in together & don’t keep anyone waiting - I can see the attraction.

Then again, if she’s clean enough that a quick sploosh through a swimming pool changing room is all she needs, does she even NEED bathing? I’d be tempted just to skip the bath, on the basis that little kids don’t need daily baths - it’s more about fun, winding down, routine - & you’re skipping that bit, so I’d just skip the whole thing with a clear conscience.

Original poster
Elleee · 27/05/2026 11:32

notforthefirsttime · 27/05/2026 11:28

A one year old could wee (or worse) in the public shower. Not great for everyone else. It would be different if it was a baby in a swim nappy simply rinsing off but you're suggesting the type of shower to make sure the little one is clean and ready for bed. I wouldn't do it.

Tbh you could say that about the babies that actually have lessons there (DD has been doing lessons since she was 9 months old at this place).

OP posts:
Original poster
Elleee · 27/05/2026 11:33

CorvusPurpureus · 27/05/2026 11:32

Well OTOH YANBU, if you bung them in together & don’t keep anyone waiting - I can see the attraction.

Then again, if she’s clean enough that a quick sploosh through a swimming pool changing room is all she needs, does she even NEED bathing? I’d be tempted just to skip the bath, on the basis that little kids don’t need daily baths - it’s more about fun, winding down, routine - & you’re skipping that bit, so I’d just skip the whole thing with a clear conscience.

Yes, I did think this myself. It’s not like she gets sweaty - I quite often just give her a 5 minute play in the bath in the evening as opposed to a full head to toe wash as she doesn’t always need it.

OP posts:
Cakeandslippers · 27/05/2026 11:34

I think sometimes people look for problems, I think this is fine!

At the place we do swimming lessons it would be a hard no - the showers are a literal battlefield - but in the circumstance you describe, why not. Definitely wait to the end of the queue though, even if kids are only waiting a minute or two, I don't think that's fair. But I say go for it - we have to do whatever we can to make our lives easier!

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 27/05/2026 11:36

I think the ideal thing would be to wash the baby whilst the lesson is still going on. As I can imagine it takes a bit longer than just doing your older one.

But as long as you don’t keep the actual swimmers waiting I think it’s fine. Or maybe wait til last?

Original poster
Elleee · 27/05/2026 11:38

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 27/05/2026 11:36

I think the ideal thing would be to wash the baby whilst the lesson is still going on. As I can imagine it takes a bit longer than just doing your older one.

But as long as you don’t keep the actual swimmers waiting I think it’s fine. Or maybe wait til last?

Yes I might do this. The showers are directly where the kids come to the parents. So I could have DD1 showered and waiting in her poncho for when DD4 comes out of the pool.

OP posts:
stichguru · 27/05/2026 11:38

I would honestly ask the swimming pool. If you shower the kids together, I don't think it would take more then a few extra seconds to soap the little one too, so I don't think it would inconvenience anyone in the showers. I do wonder about insurance if your little one is not a paying customer and slipped and hurt herself, but I guess it would be ok because she could fall over coming in to pick up her sister and they aren't going to ban her from doing that. As for what other said about wees, you'd undress her to shower her if she'd been swimming (well I hope you would to get her properly clean) and she could pee then!

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 27/05/2026 11:39

notforthefirsttime · 27/05/2026 11:28

A one year old could wee (or worse) in the public shower. Not great for everyone else. It would be different if it was a baby in a swim nappy simply rinsing off but you're suggesting the type of shower to make sure the little one is clean and ready for bed. I wouldn't do it.

Swim nappies let wee through so babies are weeing in the pool all the time.

At least weeing in the shower means it goes down the plug hole! And the chances of her doing a poo in the shower are surely small?

It’s years since I had babies/ toddlers in a swim nappy so I don’t remember but don’t people take them off for a shower to rinse / wash their whole body?

Original poster
Elleee · 27/05/2026 11:43

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 27/05/2026 11:39

Swim nappies let wee through so babies are weeing in the pool all the time.

At least weeing in the shower means it goes down the plug hole! And the chances of her doing a poo in the shower are surely small?

It’s years since I had babies/ toddlers in a swim nappy so I don’t remember but don’t people take them off for a shower to rinse / wash their whole body?

Show quote history

Yeah - I always took DDs nappy off to shower her when she was in them, as did all the other parents.

OP posts:
Motnight · 27/05/2026 12:04

Elleee · 27/05/2026 11:38

Yes I might do this. The showers are directly where the kids come to the parents. So I could have DD1 showered and waiting in her poncho for when DD4 comes out of the pool.

Show quote history

That sounds like a good idea!

NoKnit · 27/05/2026 13:38

You don't need to wash a 1 year old daily just don't bath/shower her that night. Honestly pool showers are not the place for this. Your 4 year old can quickly shower herself having you and a baby cluttering up the showers is a right pain