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Original poster

Swimming with baby

46 replies

SpikeMomma · 18/09/2005 12:04

What do you do? It's the first time we'll take him. Got him a swimming nappy. Do we need any floats or stuff like that?

Novice needing advice...!

OP posts:
moondog · 18/09/2005 12:07

How old?

moondog · 18/09/2005 12:09

I started mine very young. Got Floaties,but the first few times just held them in my arms.
Make sure the pool is warm.
By 15 months, dd was happily swimming alone (with Floaties) and jumping off the edge. Now at 4 she can swim 25 metres no problems.

Helps that I love swimming too I suppose and wanted them independent as quickly as possible.

Original poster
SpikeMomma · 18/09/2005 19:44

He's 11 weeks old. Want to get him in the water soon, as i've heard they loose their swimming reflex if you leave it too late. Want him to enjoy it rather than hate it.

OP posts:
muppet73 · 18/09/2005 19:46

How late do they lose the reflex - I want to take my lo (19 weeks) - guess the state I look in swimsuit is putting me off - and I know thats not something I should worry about when it comes to take dd swimming!!

muppet73 · 18/09/2005 19:47

Whoops 20 weeks - how time flies

muppet73 · 18/09/2005 19:48

I've got dd swimsuit but not sure about nappies - any recommendations

Norash · 18/09/2005 19:49

I took my soon at about 8 weeks, just held him and let him get used to the water. He is now 22 weeks and goes in with the floats.

Norash · 18/09/2005 19:50

My son just goes in his costume never used swimming nappies.

Surfermum · 18/09/2005 19:52

Is the swimming reflex where you can let them go and they'll swim under water? DD started at 13 weeks and I never tested whether she had it or not! No way was I letting go of my baby!!

I started off just holding her and swishing her about in the water. Take a towel or hooded dressing gown to put him in on poolside as they very cold once they're out of the water. My other tip is to find a pool with a lovely, warm learner pool as it can get cold for us too. Our local one is like a bath and it's so relaxing bobbing around in there. You'll have a great team and so will he.

muppet73 · 18/09/2005 19:55

my local pool says you have to use swim nappies

Surfermum · 18/09/2005 19:57

I think most do. They would have to close the pool if there was poo in the water.

Redtartanlass · 18/09/2005 20:26

Been taking ds2 to waterbabies since 7 days old! They have a refelx for holding their breathe undewater untill they are about 6 months then they have to re-learn. DS1 goes every week, 'swims' underwater all the time now 20mths and have booked dd1 who is due next month. I recommend \link{http://www.waterbabies.co.uk/this link}

Cristina7 · 18/09/2005 20:26

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Redtartanlass · 18/09/2005 20:28

whoops this link

bosscat · 18/09/2005 20:29

me too cristina. had bad experience with the whole underwater thing and wished I'd never done it. not for all babies I think.

Surfermum · 18/09/2005 20:30

Fair play to you redtartanlass! I couldn't even have got myself dressed when dd was 7 days old, let alone go swimming with her!

Redtartanlass · 18/09/2005 20:35

Surfermum - I wish I could hold my hands up to being that organised but dp took him. I just sat and cried in the corner.

Surfermum · 18/09/2005 20:38

Lol. Look you were still out in the big wide world. I can clearly remember leaning on our stable door looking at the drain in the back garden and thinking how nice it looked. I had just had my first night's sleep since before going into labour!

Cristina7 · 18/09/2005 20:38

Bosscat - i think it's not for all mums either. I can't tell you how stressed i used to get about timing his naps and mealtimes so he was rested and fed but not over-fed etc for the classes. As a first time mum I really thought these things mattered and gave the babies some much needed "head start" (to what?). Now I know that as a parent you rarely can be on time and that's OK, but it was all so new then and i was getting so stressed over it. I decided I'm not taking DD to any classes, maybe to M&T groups if i can be relaxed about it. Sorry for the epic.

muppet73 · 18/09/2005 20:41

Well now well and truly inspired to give it a go next week - guess I am just a bit scared of the whole getting baby dry and dressed with one hand and me with the other!! I'm sure I will look like a comedy sketch.

Let us know how you get on Spikemomma

Cristina7 · 18/09/2005 20:44

Don't worry, Muppet, if they're well organised they'll have changing mats for you to put the baby on while you get dressed. It helps if the baby's too young to roll over and start wandering.

Redtartanlass · 18/09/2005 20:47

Muppet - I would suggest wrapping baby nice and warmly in towel, go to family changing room and make baby comfortable on changing map. Get yourself dry and changed then see to baby. If you do baby first you end up soaking him 'cos you're not dry. Got to admit first few times is a bit of palavar(?), but soon get a routine.

tribpot · 18/09/2005 20:50

Oh! I thought you had to wait til baby had had his/her first three lots of injections before going swimming, obviously not if some of you were starting them off at 7 days

muppet73 · 18/09/2005 20:50

Thanks for advice.

By the way kind of water related question - does anyone shower with their babies. My friend started doing this with her lo as he didn't like baths so I tried it with dd and she loved it - she giggled all through it - quite hard though and dh had to take her off me so I could get out of shower safely.

Cristina7 · 18/09/2005 20:56

I have a mesh sling for water and have used it with DD. Only on holiday, though, to get the sand off her. At home she sometimes takes showers with DS, so i sit her in the shower tray. She's 6 m.o.

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