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Original poster

Baby Swimming - What to Wear and Where to Go

14 replies

TicTacsMum · 18/02/2006 20:42

My dd is 10 weeks old and i'd like to take her swimming asap. I know they can get pretty cold in the water and wondered about buying a neoprene suit. Has anyone tried these? (the ones that velcro over the shoulders and between the legs?)

Also, do you have to put them in a swim nappy or do the neoprene suits have them integrated? If not, tips for the best swim nappies would be appreciated. Even better if the provide good containment for breastfed poops!!

I live in Aberdeen and as far as i know they don't have any swimming classes for really young babies here - anyone know differently? Looking for best pool in Aberdeen or surrounding area to take a small baby.

Cheers in advance...

OP posts:

dinny · 18/02/2006 20:45

She'll enjoy it much more if you wait till she's a bit older. 10 weeks is so young!

Nbg · 18/02/2006 20:49

Firstly as far as I am aware your baby has to have had all their first jabs before they go, which is normally around 12 weeks ish.

Neoprene suits, not sure on that one.

Swim nappies, I have always used Pampers swim nappies. I did buy a re-useable one but it didn't cope well with a pooing situation.

I'm no where near Scotland but where we are they don't do swimming lessons until children are 3.
Not sure if that is the "norm" but it could be worth calling your local pools for some more info.

Surfermum · 18/02/2006 21:04

My HV advised me that I didn't have to wait for the jabs. DD was 12 weeks when she had her first dip in an open air pool in Newquay and she was fine. I would say go for a pool with a learner pool. It's warmer - not only for them, but for you too!

DD has a wetsuit that she wore at the beach and at the outdoor pool in France. We got her one because she would get cold before she got fed up. She's always been fine in a normal swimming costume in an indoor pool.

When she was tiny we could spend about 40 mins in the pool before she got cold, but that would depend on the temperature of the water and poolside. You need to make sure you have something to wrap her in when you get out because that is when they will get really cold. I had a hooded towelling dressing gown.

I'd agree about the re-usable nappies not being very good in a poo situation, I did have one, but found that disposables were much better. I used the Boots ones. Provided they haven't been wee'd or poo'd in they can be dried out and used again and I have heard of people putting them in the washing machine.

alexsmum · 18/02/2006 21:08

i found the opposite with the nappies.the huggies swim nappies are crap-the leaky b/f poo just comes out of the top.
we use a floaties aqua nappy and we have never had a poo escape.
we started taking ds1 when he was 5 months and he is a little water baby now! we have our eye on the 2020 olympics!

Original poster

TicTacsMum · 18/02/2006 21:36

Alexsmum did you just have the aqua nappy on your son? What was the temp like? Am concerned that dd will get cold.

My friend, who is a HV, says that the advice used to be to wait till after vacs but as the polio is no longer a live vaccine, it is ok to take them from birth.

Surfermum - was thinking about the hooded dressing gown today. Someone gave us one that is from 0-3 months and I had wondered when I would have put dd in a dressing gown at such a young age!! Should be good, though, to keep her cosy when we come out.

OP posts:

Original poster

TicTacsMum · 18/02/2006 21:37

Surfermum - what type of reusable swim nappy did you have?

OP posts:

alexsmum · 18/02/2006 21:43

yeah just the nappy.we didn't stay in long at first,just 20 mins to 30.
if you go to a specific baby swim session-we do one called swimplay at our local pool- they turn the heat up.otherwise a pool that has a baby pool/training pool...the temperature is always higher.
at such a young age i would say go knowing that you are going to be in the water a short time.and then build up.

Original poster

TicTacsMum · 18/02/2006 21:48

Thanks for advice alexsmum - i am a member of a gym through my work - they have a pool in the basement which has always seemed (to me anyway) really really warm. It's always quiet and as it's small it doesn't have an echo like the big pools seem to have. Also, the lighting is pretty low. Only thing is - it's down some steep steps from the changing rooms to the pool and there is never a member of staff down there either. Not sure what to do!!

OP posts:

alexsmum · 18/02/2006 21:53

go for it tictacmum. if you are nervous about the steps, have you a sling like a babybjorn that you could strap baby into so you had both hands free coming down the steps?
i think the earlier you start them the better, i really do.
as i said ds1 is fab in the water, sorry to brag but really really good. and ds2 was going to swimplay at 18 months or so and the instructor asked me to start him on lessons which they don't usually start until 2.5.i'm sure it's because they both started early.

Original poster

TicTacsMum · 18/02/2006 21:57

I do have a babybjorn so that would be better for going down the stairs. My god, i'm going to need a suitcase by the time i pack everything we need!! Will have to take dp first few times i think before braving it on my own!!

OP posts:

alexsmum · 18/02/2006 22:00

thats a great idea! because you will need him to pass dd to you.God i hadn't even thought of that! how quickly we forget!
is it shallow walk in steps or steep climb down steps? because you won't be able to do climb down steps alone.

Original poster

TicTacsMum · 18/02/2006 23:29

Not sure - i normally just jump in!!! Need to check that out...

OP posts:

Surfermum · 19/02/2006 19:03

I think it was a Zoggs one, TTM. It had poppers on the side which made it easier for getting off in a poo situation and a little bikini top. It was very cute.

Is there a lifeguard at your pool? I'm sure they'd help with getting in and out.

leogaela · 21/02/2006 08:58

TicTacsMum - my DS was 7 1/2 weeks when we first took him swimming (doctor said it was fine) and he loved it then, still does now. I think you will find it hard to find a class anywhere for under 4 months old.
I don't know anything about neoprenes for babies, but would recommmend that you don't take your dd into water so cold that she would need it - I think the water temp needs to be at least 30°. 10 mins in the water at a time is enough for such a young baby anyway, its very tiring.
Also wouldn't bother with disposable swim nappies, there are enough good washable ones.

I used to take ds in the carrycot or the car seat to the pool side. Its easy to wrap him up and put him to sleep afterwards.

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