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Parenting

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Original poster

advice on taking young baby swimming please...

22 replies

miniegg · 24/09/2007 22:09

my DS is eight weeks and absolutely loves his bath, so I'm wondering about taking him swimming? Can I take him into an ordinary adult pool, if he has a baby wetsuit on? (the ones i've seen on the internet seem to cover just the torso, leaving arms and legs exposed direct to the water..)or would it be too cold for him?
Can anyone recommend a particular type of wetsuit?
finally, do you put their nappy on underneath the wetsuit? i haven't got a clue!
he can't hold his head up by himself yet -is it too young to take him? TIA

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

PillockOfTheCommunity · 24/09/2007 22:13

you can take a baby swimming from any age, advice used to be not to go until after jabs but that was when babies were given the live polio ones, it's different now. I took ds2 at 6 weeks.

you don't need a wetsuit, just check with the pool what temp their water is, one of our local ones has the baby pool at 30, one at 32, the extra 2 degrees makes a big difference to how warm it feels IMO, the warmer the better.

expect to only be in there for 10 mins first time, but let your baby guide you, you'll know when they feel cold. take a towel to poolside with you to wrap them in as soon as you get out of water.

DO NOT use a normal nappy, get a swim nappy

fishie · 24/09/2007 22:16

and he will be hungry afterwards, be prepared to feed him before you even think about taking own costume off.

ring round a few pools, some have special baby sessions and temps vary a lot.

PillockOfTheCommunity · 24/09/2007 22:18

ooh yes, ds2 always wants a feed as soon as we're out of the water

when you go for the first time, if you can't go to an organsed session pick a quiet time, a weekday maybe, or early in the day at the weekend

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Tommy · 24/09/2007 22:20

don't plan to stay in for long either - 15 mins or so the first time will be enough for him.

Have fun - I took DS1 from about 12 weeks and he loved it (still does - nearly 6 years later!)

IsThereAnybodyOutThere · 24/09/2007 22:21

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BroccoliSpears · 24/09/2007 22:23

I find it's a big old faff in the changing room before and after, but worth it because they just love it. And they sleeeeeep afterwards.

fihi · 24/09/2007 22:24

mum and baby sessions are great for tinys, no bigger kids jumping about and splashing. There also may be an instructed session somewhere in the pool's weekly bunch of goodies, too. Invest in some swim nappies- a must. swimming pools sell them (we have an aquanappy, not cheap but great). None of my 3 had wetsuit, just took them in for about 20 mins,nice warm pool. I'm very lucky and usually have granny in tow (spectating)to pass baby out to and she gets them dry while i get a bit of a swim too. mine had a floaty seat-thing which they loved but think that's from when they can sit up independently.

moljam · 24/09/2007 22:27

guarenteed to be hungry straight after .
take 2 towels for baby one for drying,one for keeping warm.
only do short swim first time and phone pool to ask for quitest time,explain your taking ds for first swim,im sure theyll be very helpful

fihi · 24/09/2007 22:29

and by the way, 2 things to guarantee after swim

biiiiig sleep (him not u. ok maybe u as well)
wee wee wee wee. lots.

seeker · 24/09/2007 22:33

If you can, take a car seat or a push chair to the poolside. Put a folded towel in it, then you've got somewhere to put a wet, wriggling, slippery baby. Don't bother with a baby wet suit - I tried, they are MURDER to get on and off, and he won't want to be in long enough to need one. Take an old towel to put on the floor of the changing room in case you need to put him down. And be prepared for him to hate it and freak out - some do. I took mine from 6 weeks - it's a briliant way to tire them out and to meet people. Oh, and take a good book. The chances are, he'll crash out,and you'll have a chance to have a peaceful cup of coffee afterwards!

seeker · 24/09/2007 22:35

Another thing - the swim nappies can be dried and used again. If it's only been on for 10 minutes, it's really expensive to use a new one every time! (tight git emoticon!)

fihi · 24/09/2007 22:36

Just remembered. My local aquanatal group ran extra sessions for mum & LO six wks plus, it was lovely. The bit about the car seat and towel on the poolside reminded me!!!

Original poster

miniegg · 24/09/2007 22:54

brilliant! thanks for all the tips! very excited about the idea now and will ring a couple of local pools and find out about best times to go/temp of water etc. thanks again!

OP posts:

krang · 25/09/2007 14:52

I always take a snack for DS to give him once he's dressed and I'm getting ready, and always go in the shower with him afterwards - it warms him up, gets the chlorine off, and he loves it. Oh, and try and take your LO when he's just had a nice sleep - when they're tired they tend not to like it too much. Mine is 19 months now and we've been going swimming since he was 6 months old - it's great fun, we both love it.

MissM · 28/09/2007 14:17

I've been taking DD now 16 months since she was 12 weeks and it's the highlight of our week. She loves it and has absolutely no fear of jumping off the side or going under water now. The first few times are scary, and when they're really little they get cold quickly so be prepared to get out after a short time. It's also best if you can find a local pool that does mother and baby/toddler sessions or open toddler sessions - mine does lessons for 3 months to 3 years in the baby pool, there's only 7 in the group and it's lovely.

Take two towels as someone else said and snacks and water for afterwards but don't bother with wetsuit or even swimsuit - mine wore just a swim nappy on its own for ages and it cuts down on them getting cold afterwards. And enjoy - it's so much fun!

HolidaysQueen · 28/09/2007 17:26

Oh I was just browsing and so glad I've popped in here - you've made me all excited! My baby isn't due until March and I had not even thought about the fact that I'd be able to go swimming with him or her so soon. Thank you for brightening up a dreary Friday - I'm now smiling at prospect of me and LO hanging out at the pool next spring! And it will be even better if he/she will sleep afterwards

MissM · 28/09/2007 19:30

Ah, it'll be lovely. I planned swimming with DD before she was born too - am getting all nostalgic now...

Bennj · 28/09/2007 20:17

Swimming is the best thing! They love it.

I dont use a baby wetsuit but I put him in the baby pool rather than the adult pool as it is a lot warmer. I just keep is long sleve vest on him so hes not cold.

Huggies little swimmers are the best swimming nappy I find, they are easy just to tear off at the end of the session.

I also got one of the inflatable rings which has a little seat in the middle so they can sit up and kick their legs.

Any good swimming pool will have swimming nappies and these inflatables to buy.

Have lots of fun!

morocco · 28/09/2007 20:23

is there any asthma in your family? if so, you might want to read about the link between swimming pools and asthma in childrenhere first, it's only one study so far but worth bearing in mind

Hels67 · 28/09/2007 21:23

I am currently taking my 9 month old DD to swimming sessions, called Water discovery, which includes "instruction" (I use that term loosely) with toys and nursery rhymes.
I use a baby wetsuit, but to be honest, it is a bit of a pain, as the velcro sticks to every darned thing and it makes her more bouyant in the water - fine, but difficult when trying to get her to kick her legs under the water!
Two towels is also a great idea - the first one gets soaked through really quickly.
She is always ravenously hungry afterwards and sleeps for ages too.
Best to sort out your routine for before and afterwards in the changing room though (especially if on your own) - the first time I got it completely wrong, didn't leave enough time and ended up going in the water with my T-shirt on over my swimsuit - just as well I had a jacket for afterwards ...

geordiemacminx · 28/09/2007 21:31

I take ds 20 weeks to waterbabies - its like swimming classes for babies - they go under water and float on their backs and such like. It is held at a SN school swimming pool so its VERY warm, about 33-34 I think which is lovely. Took him to local baths last week - supposedly warm baby pool was 28 - blardy freezing... poor wee soul was shivering!!!

I had originally bought a ring for him but we havent used it, its nice to hold him.

nannynick · 29/09/2007 01:52

My local leisure pool (Coral Reef, Bracknell) water temp is 30 degrees all year round. I took 4 month old and 3 year old last week, only problem was getting changed - which no doubt I will get better at with more practice . Fortunately there are family changing rooms, with baby seats to hold babies, which helps. Pool supplied arm bands - so one less thing for us to bring with us. Baby just wore aqua nappy 2-piece suit (baby is female).
I found it better being in the non-baby area, as then I didn't get cold!
Warm shower after was great - 3 year old loves showers at the pool, baby not so keen (but it was her first time).

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