How to survive 4yr olds swimming lessons with baby in tow

[SquidgersMummy]

4 yr old DD1 had her first swimming lesson today and loved it - but it was hard graft with 9mth old DD2 in tow for a 30min lesson. DD2 was hot and wanted to crawl. DD1 came out hyper, hungry and faffed getting changed. DD1 has eczema and is sensitive to too much washing soap dodger Showering her was hard work - she couldn't reach the control, so I got wet, she thought the water was too hot and wouldn't get rinsed properly so I had to leave the baby in the playpen and of course she howled. So I'm thinking we need to:
-dress baby lightly
-baby in carrier
-just one bag
-swimming cap so hair doesn't need washing
-snacks for baby
-snacks waiting in the car for eldest as incentive to hurry up

Has anyone any other tips or advice?? Poor DD2 spends so much time tired and cranky waiting for her sister . I trailed all the way to the viewing area to not be able to see anything anyway. Any ways to entertain a crawler safely in a changing room?? Thanks

I've done it with 3, toddler 4yo and 7yo I feel your pain:

1 - crisps / snacks in bag for baby and 4yo
2 - forget showering do it at home or next morning. Skanky I know but it won't kill her.
3 - a onesie and a hair wrap is your friend for swift dressing!
4 - babies cry, out her in the playpen, you'll have to weather it! Better she cries for a minute while you dress the 4yo than 10 while you flounder around with a sling
5 - take iPad preloaded to hypnotise baby into silence for 30m

Oh and a single rucksack with a carrier for wet stuff inside. Then you are hands free.

After swim lessons, I put my 7yo & 4yo in onesies, we go home & then they shower. Showering at the swimming pool was just too traumatic.
As for the 9mo, is there a cafe area at the pool where you can take her? It might be a pleasanter place for her to be. When my DC are swimming, one of the other mums takes her little one swimming. I can't even begin to think about how she manages the logistics of that but it is an option. One thing to bear in mind is whether the swim teacher needs you to be in sight during the lesson in case of problems (child needs a wee for example). Some people (like the swimming mum) just ignore this.

I've just given up, tbh, OP (DS1 4 years, DS2 10 months). He wasn't making great progress anyway. I'm booking DS1 onto one of those intensive week-long courses in the summer. It's just too much faff until DS2 is older.

wrinkles there was a cafe - but a long bizarre trek lugging the bag and the baby - the pool is closed to the public during lessons so the changing room might be quieter??
silver I think you're right actually - a min in the playpen skanky as it was may be quicker and we need to forget washing hair etc.

Rinse chlorine, onsie, go. Licking the floor of the changing rooms weekly will just surely build up the immune system of the baby why the fuck do we do after school clubs with a baby in tow

My youngest seems fairly robust! You should try horse riding lessons

Thank god I'm not the only one who finds swim lessons so traumatic, hate to say it but 9 month old will seem like a doddle until they start walking, then hell really does break lose.
Top survival tips from a pro after almost a year of weekly nervous breakdowns

• swim hat - our pool it's compulsory anyway
• talc, clogs or flip flops - socks are a nightmare
• onesie
• backpack, learnt after several months of bags smacking me in face with wet towels
• sweets or crisps for bribes - I'm sure chocolate raisins count as one of your 5 a day right?

I wear flip flops and shirt sleeves so can was dd's hair, the faff is worth it as we only wash hair 2 weekly so ticks one off the list