Swimming with small baby

[BabyOrSanta]

Okay. Possibly the most stupid question ever.

If I want to take DD (6weeks) swimming, what does she wear?

I know people who have just put the baby in a tiny swimming costume without a nappy.

I know people who have put a nappy with an outer thing on.

The local baby swimming group promotes a wetsuit thing with a long legged swim nappy thing - I'm not sure whether you have to put a nappy under it and, if so, which sort.

Ideally, we'd like to be in the pool as long as possible (15/20 minutes?).
Local leisure pool with a baby bit but not outdoor-pool-in-Spain warm. Slightly warmer than the real swimming pool but with water jets and bubbly bits.
DD is 8lb so needs to fit her and preferably last for a while.
Needs to be quite cheap but I know it's not dirt cheap.

Can someone help me please?

I'd put her in what they suggest for baby swim lessons which is:

• disposable swimming happy (huggies or Aldo do them)
• neoprene nappy wrap (like little wet suit shorts)
• neoprene thermal wrap

You don't really need the wrap of the water is very warm but my daughter was quite small and got v cold quite quickly in a pool adults would consider warm, so it helps keep their temp up.

Always put her in a swim nappy. They do get cold quickly so a wet suit type might work well but a normal costume is fine IMO.

Swim nappy and a warm wet suit wrap thing. Swimming pools and changing rooms are hot beds for germs so I would wait till vaccinations are over but that’s just me! Swimming is lovely with babies and they really enjoy it.

As the first poster, disposable swim nappy covered by a neoprene ‘happy nappy’ or similar for poo containment then either a neoprene wetsuit or wrap for warmth.

Here you go

www.splashabout.com/baby-swimming/our-happy-nappy-products/happy-nappy/happy-nappy-navyredstripes.html

Take a bath towel to pool side with you as well, so you can wrap her up as she comes out of the water to stop her getting cold. When we took baby DS swimming he only lasted 30 minutes then wanted a feed and then fell asleep in my arms - I had to go back to the pool with sleeping DS to get DH out as he was expecting us to come back and carry on swimming. Don't expect to be in too long.

As other have said - disposable swim nappy, neoprene swim nappy ten we use a fleece-lined neoprene wetsuit (I think it's a Splashabout but not entirely sure).

And yes to taking two towels, one poolside to wrap her up, and then the other one to actually dry her with.

Happy nappy wetsuit with a cloth swim nappy underneath

www.splashabout.com/baby-swimming/our-happy-nappy-products/brand-new-happy-nappytm.html?gclid=CjwKCAiAweXTBRAhEiwAmb3Xuwr9_O2JTYEJVW6ywW2Quo-B7FgHl-Ppppyfqtvhj76iYoaHKBcclhoCYZgQAvD_BwE

Disposable swim nappy or nappy wrap (reusable liner for the happy nappy that holds the poo to make it easier to clean up)
Happy nappy
Wrap

Depends on pool temp. One childrens pool near us is not heated and so we use the little wetsuit swimsuit thing and swim nappy. Another pool is delightfully warm so just a normal swimming cozzie. The website should tell you the temp.

Thank you for all your help!
Especially the links - there are so many products out there I just haven't got a clue...

Good point about the 8 week jabs, I'd forgotten about them... I know, bad mother.
Plus we now both have a stinking cold which means we can't do much at all at the moment...

We just took ds in a swim nappy until he was 10 months ish after which we tended to be outside so wore a spf 50 body suit.

Happy nappy (neoprene shorts) is the only one that catches poo, and even then it's not cast iron.

Disposable swim nappy under so if she poos it's easier to clean up

At that age I'd use neoprene body wrap too and not stay in for very long. Babies lose body heat very quickly when wet due to greater ratio of surface area. I would personally wait till after the 8 week jabs too.

Hope the cold goes soon!

Our swimming lessons have mandatory wear of an inner nappy of a raincoat type material with a cloth inner covered by a neoprene happy nappy - splash about do the best ones I think.

With reference to vaccinations, there is nothing that your baby will be vaccinated against that they are at any risk of catching from a swimming pool, apart from polio. The last case of polio in this country was, I believe, in the seventies, so you'll be fine.

Both of mine went in a pool before their jabs and have been in swimming lessons from 10 weeks so up to you if you feel happy before then, our swim school says it's fine.
Maybe think about a reusable swim nappy if you plan to go a lot, we have one and it's been great so far as we swim once a week so saves money in the long run. Also I didn't know but disposable swim nappies only hold poo so if they are just wet you can reuse them once dry, someone told me this on holiday when I had a huge pack of swim nappies in my bag!

If you can find out the temp of the pool beforehand that will help. I was advised to wait until baby was at least 13lbs if the pool was less than 28 degrees. If it’s a hydrotherapy pool it’s much warmer and you can go without worrying about baby getting cold.

I’d also recommend the swim nappy plus neoprene nappy combination and a neoprene wrap top to keep warm

I took mine in a swim nappy and a costume, the water is warmer in the baby pool I took a towel to the edge of the pool too and only stayed in for 15 mins or so

They advised to me she wouldn't even need a costume she could just have a nappy on

I would do whatever you feel most comfortable with x