Swimming with a 4 month old?

[Maybaby1994]

I'm a FTM and going on our first holiday in a few weeks with our DS and looking for tips on taking him swimming I.e. waterproof nappies? Inflatables? Recommendations of fun stuff to do when we're in the water with him? Any and all recommendations are welcome ☺️

Hey, we went on our 1st holiday recently with our 9mo DS.

Swim nappies are a must for the pool. They work by catching poop, they obviously don't absorb the urine. If you can wriggle them off baby rather than tearing them off you can dry them in the sun and re-use, as long as baby hasn't pooped obviously. We didn't bother, but we also didn't need as many swim nappies as we thought we would. Baby got bored after about 20 minutes 😂

Get the factor 50+ swim costumes with hats. That way you only need to suncream exposed bits and face and neck. Don't do what I did, and cream baby then try and wrestle a sticky baby into a costume 😂

Definitely get a floatie. I felt safer them bobbing about with me rather than me holding them.

They just like to bob about and take it all in really, that was fun enough for our baby anyway 😂

I found it not that much fun, baby got tired quickly (from waking up and feeding to eventually getting undressed and in the pool took at least have their wake window) and beware they don’t cool off too much in the cold water. Just being in the water is an event for them, just like seeing the leaves move in a tree😂
I never bothered with a swimsuit by the way, just a swimnappy sufficed.

Might be an idea to get one of those wetsuit wrap things to keep them warm (depending on the water you're in). DC started swimming "lessons" at 5 months & had a swim nappy plus a neoprene wrap/jacket for warmth in the pool - the jacket also makes it easier to keep hold of them/they are less slippery in the water. At that age we did bouncing in the water, swishing from side to side, gently pulling forwards & backwards through the water with maybe a plastic ball for them to "chase"/reach for when going forwards, that sort of thing. Bit of splashing. Didn't try an inflatable/floatie but sounds like fun!

You can wash disposable swim nappies in your machine and dry out and use again. Provided no poops in them. The wees just go straight in the pool.

As a pp said try and get the all in one factor 50 suits and a floatie, and honestly he probably won't want to be in the water that long (up to 30mins or so). My wee one loves (and loved when she was smaller) singing nursery rhymes in the pool and doing "actions"... E.g. ring a ring a rosie (spinning and throwing up and down), the grand old Duke of York (up and down etc.) zoom zoom we're going to the moon... blast off!! Have fun 😊

PS he will be exhausted after bobbing about in the water so enjoy the naps afterward too!