How do people take their babies to baby swim classes?

[2021youpromisedyoudbebetter]

Hi

I hope someone can help me as I'm really over thinking this but basically I have a 7 month old and as lockdown lifts I want to take her swimming.

I've found classes but they clash with feeds or naps, so do you just end with a super anger baby? And then I wonder how you shower etc? I'm a bit stuck on how people just go to these things, she can nap on the drive in and I'd have food ready but it's just the logistics of it all.

We go to baby sensory and stuff but I'm finding the swimming classes elude me currently.

I didn’t take my baby to a class, we just went to the pool and went first thing on a Sunday when it was fairly quiet. I didn’t have a shower, just got us both dressed and washed at home. I took an adult sized towel for her, and sat her on the bench all bundled up in it while I dressed, then got her into her clothes. The changing room felt freezing (just the contrast from the baby pool)!

Class at that age is all about having fun in the water. I would go at a time that suits you best. Routines change as they grow you will likely manage class soon enough.

We didn’t manage it. Logistically it was a nightmare. We quit after two lessons. We just went to the local pool on a Sunday morning at a time that suited us.

It’s takes a bit of practice; I used to do a swimming class at around 1ish then on the way home DD would sleep at her normal nap time of 2pm and feeds fitted round even if that meant feeding in the changing room wrapped in a towel.
I’d recommend taking two towels for baby - when you get out the pool wrap baby in one towel then put nappy on and I’d wrap her in a second one while I very quickly got dressed and then quickly get DD dressed. Shower when you get home and bath baby that evening otherwise it’s a nightmare.

Feed your baby before you go? I don’t get it?

I took mine as a baby but unless you’re committed to going for months/years (tricky once ML is over!) they won’t be swimming unaided for a long time. Good socially though!

Agree look for spots at your local pool- mine did special sessions for babies and mums and they were drop in and had someone there not exactly teaching but had some toys and showing you what to do and singing songs etc. Also there were sessions with no organised activity, at our pool there is a warm baby pool which is perfect

They they get older and you quietly celebrate when they are able to go for lessons without you having to get in too!!! (Usually at about 4)

I didn’t shower at the pool. Quick rinse off for both of us. Get yourself dressed in rapid time first then baby, because a crawling baby is a soggy baby in a changing room. I would avoid nap time but most people just take food along for straight after (or bottle, or breast or whatever stage you’re at)

It’s a faff but some babies love it and it’s such an important life skill i wanted then to develop a life long love of water. We actually paused for about 6 more than when DC1 was about 1 because they didn’t seem to enjoy it. Started again a few months later and loved it.

We just went, the baby could sleep in the car and we'd shower at home afterwards. If a feed was necessary I could do that anywhere, if it's formula just take some in a bottle with you, it's so easy.

Like pp I just took mine swimming when it suited instead of classes. They started classes when they were about 5 and you can’t tell any difference now, they all swim really well.

I didn’t have specific feed times or nap times.

I’d pack a swimming bag and put the baby in a carrier and get the bus to the swimming class. Sometimes the baby would feed on the bus but the older they got the less likely that was. If possible I’d have my costume on under my clothes. I’d get to the swimming pool and put my things in the locker, sit or lay the baby down and get myself undressed. Depending on the pool, some had drop down baby holders or seats, some had play pens or changing mats, all had somewhere flat they could lay or sit whilst I got sorted, and no need for a cubicle if you’ve got your costume on already. Then get the baby into their costume last so they aren’t hanging around getting cold. Lock the locker, into the pool.

After the lesson, kept a towel poolside to wrap the baby in straight away. Would take them into the shower for a rinse off in warm water than wrap them up again, dry them off and get them dressed. Then change myself, into a cubicle, sometimes the baby would come in with me, sometimes stay in the playpen depending on who was around and their age/mood. I’d dress and then we might go to the foyer/cafe for a feed or snack because babies were always hungry after cold water (in fact all children are). On days when we needed to be back for eg bigger kids the baby would feed and sleep in the carrier on the bus. Would always be tired after swimming too.

I found it harder at the juggling multiple toddlers stage as they liked to escape under the cubicle doors and I always seemed to flash someone at some point. But, showering is lots easier when they walk and you can all go in together then and get a proper wash with shampooing etc.

It did seem like a faff for what was rarely more than 20-30 minutes in the actual pool but the babies loved it and it filled time.

It was more annoying when the bus times didn’t line up with the swimming class times, I never had any problem with feeding and sleeping times as I’d always have food and somewhere for them to sleep with me.

You just do it, it gets easier and you get into a routine. Then you have another baby and taking a toddler and newborn swimming makes you feel invincible and you see one mother with one baby and she's brought her own mum to help and she's getting in a flap and feel a teeny bit smug. Then your kids grow up a little bit and you find yourself able to offer to hold/ entertain other's babies as you remember what it's like!

I just took mine at a time when it suited. No need to go to a class.
Walk through the shower together to rinse the chlorine off.
Dress yourself first - easy to pull on clothes so you don't take long, then dress little one afterwards.
It gets more complicated with dc2 and 3

Thanks for all the suggestions, so many of you have said about just going to the pool and not classes so I'll probably do that instead. I just want to get her used to the water and enjoying it at this point. @Mn753 this made me laugh, I wont have my mum holding my hand but I have come on to ask for help so definitely guilty of that first time mum over thinking 😂

She follows her own schedule but always tends to follow the same times give or take 30 mins so it should be relatively easy to go early on a morning. @LouNatics thank you for this, I didnt even realise they had play pens or the logistics of areas for them to lay down etc.

Thanks for all the help everyone! I'm excited to go now 😀

I never did swimming classes with them as littles. I wanted to, but it was too much hassle honestly, and I can't really swim 1 week in every 4 as I have really bad/heavy periods and it's just too much stress and faffing with a baby/toddler. As soon as they are old enough they've all done swimming lessons where I don't have to go in the pool, and as well as ad hoc swims it's worked out ok I think (well, it did until lockdown anyway!)

I absolutely loved baby swimming lessons, and so did my son. It was half an hour drive, I fed him before we left and he napped in the car on the way there. Then there was a playpen in the changing room to lay him in while I got changed (I would imagine most baby classes provide this). I didn't bother showering after, but made sure I rinsed all the chlorine off his skin and moisturized him. Then I would feed him after in the cafe with one of the other mums (our sons had a little bromance going, they loved each other) before heading home. He would fall asleep in the car, I transferred him to his cot and he would have a really good, long nap from the exercise.

Watch out re - just going to the pool though.

I used to prefer to take mine to ones with a baby pool and between the scheduled baby classes and the swimming lessons, the pool was regularly only open for ‘general admission’ during very restricted times, when they’d swoop down on you and you’d have to leave either completely or go into a small roped off section of the big (colder) pool.

I remember one general admission time where is was literally only open for a 25 minute slot once a day. And it was at school pick up time.

Sometimes the general admission times or even the parent and baby times can be just as restrictive as the classes. And it’s likely to be even worse with covid - for my local pool you now have to book in advance and the you have a 45 minute slot, arrive late and it’s just tough.

@Potpourriandpennysweets it does seem like a lot of hassle and that's kinda why I put this out there as I found it initially mind boggling. I'd like to try and do my own swims with her, which do seem less hassle than the classes.

@LouNatics it's harder at the moment due to restrictions, I'm putting emails out at the minute to local pools to see how we can go in the proper baby bit and I think you're right in that I will have to book on in advance.

It was a bit faffy but much like with sensory etc, I booked a swim class that suited DD’s routine at the time. Our lessons were at 10.30 as she fed about 8am & again around 11/11.30.. nap was 9-10 at that point roughly. Sometimes I found it easier to go for a drive prior to the lessons so she’d have a quick 30 mins in car as her morning nap & solid afternoon instead. I think it’s easy to become obsessed with babies routines being identical but they adapt most of the time.

For me, I wore my swim costume underneath clothes .. there was playpens & mats to help you contain & dress/undress your baby! Or if young enough, take the car seat! We showered together.. DD thought showers were hilarious. You don’t get your hair wet in baby swim lessons, you are stood up. I mean, maybe splashed but no need to wash it!

I enjoyed swimming lessons on mat leave but we did stop once I was back at work. Taking them to a local pool is probably just as good!

I know people like to have a routine, but sometimes you have to be flexible.

Mine ate before or after as they preferred and napped before or afterwards. Classes are usually only half an hour.

I had a microfiber drying robe. Stripped baby out of swim nappy & happy nappy and into hooded towel at pool side. Popped them bundled in towel on the baby changing shelf. Stripped off myself, put on drying robe. Dried and dressed baby. I’d be dry by then, so dressed self, gave baby a snack, packed up and left.

We've been taking our DD to a class since she was 3 months old (she's nearly 3 now). Our class is at 8.30am so not an issue for naps etc just a bit of a rush in the mornings since she's gotten older and often has to be woke up for class plus fitting in a very quick breakfast. DH has always taken her as I can't really swim, initially he would shower her immediately afterwards. That would just be her one shower a week. Since covid they don't let you use the showers anymore at the pool she goes to so she just has a bath or shower before bed or the next morning.

Hi @Marmite27 it's not a routine in terms of us having to have it but we have had very little disruption, it's a bit symptomatic of lockdown really as other than walks we havent needed to go anywhere. I'll have a look into those microfiber robes, didnt even know they existed. @HolmeH all these lovely things you get to do on mat leave but imagine I'll do the same and stop when I'm back at work. @MeadowHay thats such a nice father daughter bonding activity to go swimming together. Thanks for the heads up about showers in covid, I'll have to ask.

The main reason we did lessons was because I wanted to go to the nice warm baby pool. Most of the main pools round here I find much to cold to take the kids (and I mean for me, I’d get freezing unless I was swimming properly which obviously you can’t do with a baby!).

I only ever did anything with DD1 that fitted with naps etc at that age. Anything else was more hassle than it was worth!

Agree with others, just go to a pool when suits you.

Before you know it she will have grown out of naps and you will have some freedom! (Sort of!)