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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Help - Going swimming with my 8mth is like taking an eel

25 replies

Rookiemum · 21/11/2006 13:24

Well he is fine in the pool but its such a faff getting him changed. He won't stay on the towel for two seconds so keeps getting wet again, then when I do get him dressed he crawls round the cubicle getting wet again so he is soaked by the time I pull my clothes on.

The swimming pool I go to doesn't have a high chair or a play pen and I used the car seat up to last week when it did in my back. Any suggestions about how to make the process a bit more managable ?

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munz · 21/11/2006 13:26

I normally get myself dressed quick speed, and then get J dressed after. althou our's has one of those tabel thingys' u strap them to to keep them in place but would suggest trying it that way round and seeing how you get on

fitch · 21/11/2006 13:27

u need a baby keeper

Bozza · 21/11/2006 13:28

When mine were that age I would take their dressing gowns, and a snack (banana generally) and sit them on the bench in dressing gown with snack while I got changed.

poppiesinaline · 21/11/2006 13:29

poppiesinaline · 21/11/2006 13:30

It might be worth contacting the customer services at the pool you go to and suggest they put a playpen or baby seats or something in the changing room.

tortoiseshell · 21/11/2006 13:30

I have this down to a fine art! The key is a push chair - I've taken all 3 of mine together and the pushchair is the only way to do it. Some swimming pools allow you to leave the buggy on the side of the pool, and most pools will have a place where you can leave a folded up buggy. Wrap him up in the towel, put in buggy so is sitting on the towel, dress him asap, whip the towel out, strap him in and voila!

Original poster

Rookiemum · 21/11/2006 13:32

Fitch the baby keeper looks great but after just having forked out for the ergo baby carrier ( and not entirely sure it was worthwhile but thats another thread) it seems a bit expensive.

Bozza I suspect my 8mth old must not be a gifted child. If I put him on the bench he would roll off and if I gave him anything other than a small bit of banana he would mash it all over his clothes and face. However the dressing gown idea could work.

Will try getting dressed first after putting him in dressing gown.

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Original poster

Rookiemum · 21/11/2006 13:34

Got cross posted, thanks tortoiseshell could also try buggy and poppiesinaline, you're right they should have a playpen, shouldn't they.

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AitchTwoOh · 21/11/2006 13:35

rookiemum, i have never even taken dd swimming as i just KNOW it would be a nightmare. just trying to get her nappy on is a two-man job these days. she's like a snake, and an exceedingly strong one at that. and of course she doesn't realise that if she twists herself off the changing table/out of your arms that the 4 ft drop might do her some substantial damage...

poppiesinaline · 21/11/2006 13:36

they should, it makes things so much easier.

Wow tortoiseshell - you sound like a magician

Original poster

Rookiemum · 21/11/2006 13:50

LOL aitchtwooh yes rookiebaby also tries to do the suicidal squirm onto the tiled floor when he is strapped into those baby changers.

However he does really enjoy the classes, cheap ones at my local leisure centre so I'm persevering with the changing experience.

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AitchTwoOh · 21/11/2006 13:56

they do those here too, but the swimming pool is just a wee bit too far to walk, iykwim? i shoudl be taking her... you're all making me feel like a derelict parent again... it'll be my new year resolution.

curlew · 21/11/2006 13:57

I used to take a pushchair to tie them down while I got dressed then a very old towel to put on the floor to dress them on. Those table things are a nightmare. the whole getting dressed/undressed process is horrible, but swimming with htem is such fun and they get so lovely and tired that it's worth it!

munz · 21/11/2006 14:01

we're alriight getting undressed - normally he goes in an all in one fleecey, so it;s literally an in and out no messing about! lol. get him ready at home and me as well. but coming out for us is a nightmare as well - will try the snacks idea - I think a carrot stick might work better? (less mess?) least it would be for J.

Bozza · 21/11/2006 14:03

Rookiemum I used to take my DS and my DD together from when DD was 5 months old and DS was 3.8. So it is doable, but you really need to find the best solution for you. Actually I used to find it really difficult because the baths were being refurbished and so there was a partition up and only half the changing rooms in use and because it was a kiddie session everyone used to get out at the same time and there was just literally not space for me and two children and I did find a lot of people were not that helpful.

LOL at DS not being that gifted. Could you try - dressing gown and buggy? It all depends on the situation. TBH I used to be mightily pissed off with someone who used to bring a huge 3wheeler into the half changing room where I was stuggling to find a space for me and my two children. But if there is plenty of space then it wouldn't be a problem.

Clary · 21/11/2006 14:18

Yes I used to take all 3 of mine (well I still do, but YKWIM) when they were say 6mo, 2y 6m and 4y 6m. It can't have been that hard but cannot recall what I did.

There is a playpen at our pool but tbh I think I did something like tortoishell's buggy trick.

Original poster

Rookiemum · 21/11/2006 16:57

Some great ideas for me to try. Thanks everyone. Aitch - I wouldn't even be thinking about it if I couldn't drive or get a lift there, I'm so soaking afterwards after getting dressed in 0.3 seconds.
Much respect for anyone with more than one child, even the thought is making me shuddddddder.....

OP posts:

Janbo25 · 11/12/2006 19:40

do you take your little one to lessons or just on your own?

skye24 · 12/12/2006 15:05

Hi I Sympathise, Im a childminder with a 3 year old, 18 month and 8 month we all go swimming. I always strip the children wrap them in towels on the floor and give them their juice. Then it a super quick change. The eldest can just about dress herself, so i do the 18 month first everything on coat and all then give him a fruit stick, from the health food shop, then do the 3 year olds hair and shoes up, hand her a friut stick, and then tackle the baby. The biggest problem I have is trying to carry swim bag, a baby swim ring arm bands rubber ring, hold a baby and supervise the 3 year old holding the hand of the 18 month, walking on wet floors through the changing rooms! We are not allowed to take pushchairs in so its not a option.

xmasstocking · 12/12/2006 16:29

Rookie - I can see myself struggling with this in the near future. DS is 5 months old and has started rolling over which is fun when trying to get him and me changed - fortunately the changing rooms have huge seats which he can wriggle away on - for now!

My pool does have a special baby changing room with a table thingy with straps and a play pen BUT it is so far from the pool it is ridiculous - particularly as you have to trail through the whole changing rooms with baby, bag, float ring etc dripping water in your wake.

But the best thing about this facility is that itcan be entered from either the female or male changing rooms but you can't lock both doors at once!! So you have to leave one door unlocked (as DH found to his 'enjoyment' when he walked in to find a member of staff using the loo ).

Am I the only one who doesn't have a shower after swimming? Never worked out how you can do that with a baby!

icebat · 13/12/2006 15:48

DS is 10 months and we've been swimming since 3 months - for me the pushcair is the key. All our stuff is piled on it then wheeled to the poolside (I've even found a hot air vent that warms our towels a treat!!) then it's a quick change on the pull-down suicide-drop contraption then strapped straight into the pram for him then a quick change for me. If they don't allow you to take a pram in then you should complain bitterly.

Rookietherednosedreindeer · 13/12/2006 16:30

Well I tried the me getting dressed first tactic the other week and it seemed to work quite well only DS got a bit of a cold afterwards and I suspect it may be linked to being wet for a while.

No I don't take a shower, I barely get time to run to the loo before and after. I just have a relaxed shower or bath in the evening once DS is asleep.

Oh for Janbo we go to classes, there are excellent ones at our local community pool for £3.00 a session which I am very smug about considering the cost of waterbabies and so forth, and you just turn up you don't have to book a whole term which is why I am persevering with the getting changed thing.

xmasstocking · 13/12/2006 17:15

Rookie - not sure if this will help but I take a dressing gown for me so I can quickly dry myself and then put that on whilst I get DS dry and dressed. It also means I can stand on my towel whilst I am dressing him and don't leave a big pool of water on the floor in the changing rooms which I did the first couple of times

UniSarah · 13/12/2006 19:42

thanks for teh tips and ideas- I'm planning on starting swiming (aqua joeys) with ds in Jan. Just got his wet suit in teh post today! Its a not very warm pool so a neoprene swim suit seemed a good idea. Allegedly it makes them easier to hang on to as well! all handy as it 'snot a " baby pool" so teh shallow end is 3 ft deep and hes only 2ft 6 inch tall. No chance of taking buggy to pool side here either as the pool is down stairs from teh entrence. tis an ex school pool, but is VERY handy from home beimg at teh bottom of the road.
Konfidence.com have been very good to deal with on buying swim nappies & wetsuit etc, based on cornwall and good customer service with rapid dispatch of goods.

worcestercaroline · 13/12/2006 20:15

Bozza I too thought my god her baby must be mighty talented to sit on bench and eat banana at only a few months old. my dd would be needing a trip to A and E, she would either have fallen off bench and cracked her head open or have choked on the banana.

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