What to put baby in for swimming?

[highlove]

Sorry if this is a really stupid question.. I'd like to take my three month old swimming this weekend but I don't know what she needs to wear. We'll be going to a baby pool. I'd thought just a swim nappy would be fine - I've got a Happy Nappy with liner. But friends tell me they've out their babies in wetsuit-type things. Is that necessary?

And any general first swim tips welcome - thanks.

Mine is 4 months,he has a swimsuit thing with long arms and legs. I suppose it looks like a wetsuit but it's just thinner material. I think he'd be too cold without it.

Also some pools insist on two layers of nappies so it might be worth ringing ahead and checking.

Wetsuit thing only necessary if they get cold. Otherwise it's just a big faff. I had one child that never got cold in the water and only ever put her in a swimming nappy type thing, and another who went navy blue after 2 mins. Used a thin neoprene suit with Lycra suit underneath for him.

You won't really know till you try, prepare for your first swim to be a short one just in case, but don't spend lots of money till you know you need to.

Depends on the pool temp but I found DS shivered and got unhappy quickly in our local pool so I now use a baby warma wetsuit, which seems to do the trick

I used the wetsuit costume.. it's not that much of a hassle, he just got too cold otherwise.

I used something like this when DD was little. The pool was heated but she used to get a bit cold after a while if she was just in a swim nappy.

Only used a washable swim nappy with my twins, but they never pood in it. I don't think the neoprene suit makes any difference, just have a short swim and a nice warm towel

Disposable swim nappy underneath happy nappy if pool is warm. If not so warm get a mini wet suit thing and put disposable nappy underneath that

I haven't been brave enough to go swimming yet but I've read on here probably that a wetsuit gives you more grip than bare skin when you're holding onto them in the water.

Thanks all, very useful stuff. Just need to pluck up the courage to take her now!

I think you still need a happy nappy even if you use a wetsuit to prevent poo leakage. If poo gets out, they have to drain the pool - so a lot of them won't let you in without them. It has to have the tight-fitting legs and waistband, rather than just elasticated.

The jojo ones Nunyabiz linked to are lovely, but this combo is a lot cheaper and is exactly the same thing.

The wetsuits do give good grip, but they do also add a lot of buoyancy which some swimming classes aren't keen on. I've seen some babies in a kind of rash-vest type thing like this, which might be a good option.

Just the happy nappy and liner is fine. Short swim and out when cold. The wetsuits are awkward to get off once wet etc. after swimming mine liked feeding so was easier to just take swim nappy off, add normal nappy ten wrap in blanket and feed before getting changed fully

strawberry. They don't drain the pool, they just fish it out and add more chlorine.

We use washable swim nappy, happy nappy and wetsuit. Quite a lot of stuff, but he still shivers - when I take the wetsuit off he's nice and toasty inside (wimp). If you get a wetsuit though, I'd advise the velcro sort, they're very easy to get on and off. They do stick to your swimming costume though... If you're going a few times you can get inflatable swim seats quite cheap - my baby loves his!