Water babies

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Not sure where to post this, but anyway...

DD is 10 weeks and I am thinking about taking her to the local swimming pool soon, as want to get her used to the water as early as possible. She has just stopped getting upset in the bath and although I wouldn't say she likes it yet she is definitely getting used to it.

So, my question is - and I know this sounds daft! - do I need to buy a swimming costume for her? It seems ludicrous to spend money on something she will grow out of so soon. What have other people done?

Cheers!

it will depend on how hot the water is as they get cold quickly. we took ds to the local sports centre as it had a training pool that was a bit warmer than the main pool. we started off using just a disposable swim nappy and ended up buying a reusable as we went most weeks. you could buy a costume with an integral swim nappy and save the expense of buying both - you can get them in mothercare, boots, etc

Make sure you check with your local pool what their 'rules' are regarding babies... My local leisure centre will only let babies in if they have had heir 16-week jabs. Before that I did that DS swimming but it was while I was visiting parents and the pool was a private one. Enjoy. My DS loves it!

in theory they can go at any age and there is no need for any of the jabs - we took ds from around 3 months.

I took my DS at 7 weeks (a week before jabs) and went to a parent, baby and toddler "drop in" session with a children's instructor in the baby pool. Instructor did little splashy games with older babies and reassured the parents of younger ones.

DS wore nought but a reusable (lent by a friend) swim nappy but was a bit chilly, so I bought him a tiny wetsuit for the following week, which now keeps him warm. I've found that I can warm him up and dry him off quickly and easily by holding him under the hand dryer in the loos once we get out of the pool! He loves it too.

baby wetsuit

Brilliant, cheers for this. Will check with local pool if there are any rules. I know they have special baby sessions so will take her to one of those first I think.

Just to say we started taking dd to swimming lessons when she was three weeks and the pool had a double nappy policy so you had to get one of these www.splashabout.net/catalog.php?language=en&category=4&id=80to put on top of the disposable. Nothing escapes from these things! You can usually get the on ebay for a few pounds and last about 6 months before you need to get the next size up.

Oh God, I don't mean to over-react but I take my DD to Water Babies every week, I started when she was 9 weeks and about just under 11lbs. Water Babies have a policy of not going to pools that are under 30 degrees and you'd be surprised but I think 30 degrees is pretty chilly. I personally would buy a baby wetsuit off ebay, you might say you think it's a waste of money but what is more of a waste of money is you paying to go swimming when your LO hates it, there's just no point at all in doing it.

Firstly you will need a disposable swim nappy (Little Swimmers from Tesco/Sainsburys), then over that a happy nappy I think it's called, made by Splashabout. I would then suggest at the very least buy a Splashabout wrap, they are 0-6months I think and adjust at the arms and also around the torso so you can get a lot of wear out of them. My DD is better in a suit that has arms though because the wrap doesn't and she def feels the difference.

Ebay sell them, I've got all my stuff from there at low prices, I wouldn't buy new personally as there's no point.

HTH.

I would not be without the splashabout nappy. It has contained everything. Also have a baby wetsuit off ebay - and prior to that used one of those sun tops. The warmer they are, the happier they are, the better the swim, IME.