First holiday - swimming with baby and sunscreen confusion!!

[LWebby]

Hello, I'm relatively new to mums net so appreciate any advice.

We've booked to go to Spain at end of this month - staying in villa with own pool but it's not heated- my Little one will be 5 months old- was born 9 weeks early - so 7 months- and has never been in pool before. We were going to buy him a wet suit to keep him warm and not planning on spending long periods in there- do you think this would be ok or should we try change to a heated pool?

Also would be very grateful for advice on sunscreen - obviously not planning on having hin out in the sun but want to ensure he's protected but at the same time don't want to put anything on his skin that he doesn't need.
Anyway, any advice on this or other general holiday advice welcomed:))
Many thanks
L

The best strategy for sunny locations is to always seek shade, use parasols on buggies, cover them up with loose cotton clothing and hats and apply children's (unscented etc) sunscreen to any exposed skin. An unheated outdoor pool is fine if the ambient temperature is quite high. A short time splashing and then quickly wrapped in a towel... he won't get cold and I don't think a wetsuit is necessary. Keeping fluids up in hot conditions is probably the most important advice and also think ahead about how to treat any minor ailments like tummy upsets or ear-ache from plane travel.

I'd disagree about the wetsuit, unless he is literally just paddling legs. If the pool is unheated its goign to be pretty cold at the start of the season. I'd use a wetsuit but not worry about changing to a heated pool. It also gives some bouyancy and makes them less slippery to hold onto!

We took my DD aged 15months to italy in june and it was boiling hot. Took her in the sea with a mini wet suit and she was fine, did it the following day without one - for 5mins and she went blue...

A shade-a baby is good to go over pram is good idea too.

Take Muslins to drap over buggy etc - you have a adjust those smegging parasols every 3 minutes.

I'd put him in a wetsuit and introduce him slowly with lots of smiles as it will be cold water even though it's Spain. Don't be disappointed if he doesn't like it - he probably will - and don't expect to keep him in much longer than the length of his normal bath at first.

Get baby specific sun screen and use it religiously.

We took our 5 month old to Spain in October last year. He went swimming a few times. The water was SO COLD (I couldn't go in it brrr) as it was end of season. Anyway, DH went in with him and they were both fine. No wetsuit but in hindsight I might have used one. We also got one of those blowup rings that has a seat inside, DS loved it!!

Thanks for all your advice. Have ordered wetsuit and the shade a babe. He currently is very non-impressed with bath time so I have very low expectations:))

before I did baby swimming my DD had just started screaming at bath times,

we had a couple of baths together - not much fun for me shivering naked in a teaspoon of lukewarm water - but she loved it and baths and swimming from then on!

Hi, he doesn't scream at bath time just looks very unhappy! We have tried me in the bath with him and then my boyfriend but neither worked! As he was prem and his skin was so sensitive we didn't really bath him and the HV said prob best not to and this is prob why he looks so unimpressed:)) I'm hoping some fun in the pool will help!

If you can, put one of those all in one cossies (the UV resistant type), or a rash vest, under his wetsuit. Ours used to get a sort of prickly heat rash from the wetsuit without one.

yes we didn´t do a proper bath time for the first few months and even now at 8mo it´s a couple of times a week not every day

baby swimming was amazing though, just happy babies prancing around in the water, just follow his lead and if he gets upset it´s probably because he´s tired or hungry etc and try again later and for short bursts

have a fun holiday

Thanks again for all the advice. Really looking forward to the holiday:))

We've just come back from holiday with my now 9 month old(just as in a month ago). Wetsuit is necessary with a swim nappy either huggies or a reusable one we used splash about. I would probably recommend two reusable nappies if you are using them, if you plan on swimming every day. DS has been swimming since he was 8 weeks old so we knew he'd love it but hadn't anticipated how difficult it would be to get him out. I would recommend a rubber ring for him to sit in.

Oh and be careful in the midday sun, we had DS in a sun hat in the pool etc... Also the Once sun creams have to be reapplied after water exposure and after a certain amount of time.