When can I go swimming with my newborn baby?

[NoTeaForMe]

Hi all,

This is thinking really quite far in advance but I have just booked our hotel room for a friends wedding on December 4th. The hotel has a nice indoor heated swimming pool and am thinking that for the first swimming experience this would ne nicer than a cold public pool?!

However, my baby is not due until October 14th so IF it arrives on due date the baby would only be 7 weeks old! Am I being silly in thinking that I could take the baby swimming at this young age?! Just think it is a good opportunity, a nice quiet warm pool for the first time!

Any advice?

Can you tell I am a first time Mom?!?!

"Is there any circumstances that would mean that I wouldn't be able to swim?"

not sure how long you have to stay out of the water for if you have a cesarian but it might be worth checking that just in case....

I took my DS at 7 weeks, after hsi first set of jabs. I had an emergency CS and was given the all clear to swim and exercise by my GP at my 6 week check, and had stopped bleeding by then (bleed for less than a week).

He is 2 in a couple of weeks, and we go still go swimminmg every week.

I had a reusuable "Aquanappy" swim nappy from FLoaties which fitted DS when he was that tiny. Mothercare do a similar one too, and the Splash About Happy Nappy is fab too.

To the parents who took their babies swimming. Did you let them go under water? I have seen some of the newborn swimming class videos on youtube. I think they're fantastic but don't think we have anythign like it in our area.

I don't want to risk just "trying it out" myself but would love to get them swimming as soon as possible.

It was too big without noteaforme so I was worried it would leak out of the gaps, with a nappy it fitted snugly. After a while it fitted him without a nappy underneath and was absolutely fine!

Jenko77 I only bled for 2 weeks but I know everyone is different.

Saqnielle I took DD to waterbabies classes from 11 weeks and she loved it and can now swim a width of a baby pool at 3. She has her very own style that may need work as most of it is underwater, limiting the distance she can go.

Anyway, in the classes you do a lot of breath holding triggers. Saying specific words before wetting faces etc. before putting them under. It ain't rocket science but it is more complex than just dunking them under. And when they're little you may only put them under for a couple of seconds in a 1/2 hour lesson.

Just don't want you to put your child off swimming for life!

nancy Did the wetsuit you try have legs/sleeves or a zip? DS had a velcro one which was in the shape of a swimming costume so fairly easy to get on and off. Some have zips down the front and some have little arms and legs like a grown up's wetsuit. I would also recommend the little neoprene socks you can get. Konfidence and Mothercare do them.

As for swim nappies Tots Bots do one birth to 12 lbs, Happy Nappy do one that's 7-13 lbs and Konfidence do a Nappicova that's 0-3 months.

Also email the hotel and ask them the temperature of the indoor pool. For babies aged from birth up to 3 months old or 12 lbs, then it is recommended that they swim in a pool heated to a minimum of 32 degrees. After this it is recommended that babies swim in a pool heated to 30 degrees.

hi notea,
i took my wee fella swimmimg for first time this week, 10 weeks (corrected) weighing 10lbs and he is a very long skinny prem, i used huggies little swimmers with a ex small size neoprene 'happy nappy' over making sure the leg and tummy bits snug as any leaks will have the pool closed down immediately, then drained and cleaned and it takes days,speaking as an ex lifeguard, qualified swim instructor and pool manager this wont win you staff friendliness at the hotel! yep as advised above be ready with warm cosy towels and hat, socks asap and a warm feed..dont wait until you're cosy and dry, dressed...maybe just take the hotel fluffy dressing gown down with to fling on till you get wee one sorted?
you will love it. lots of chat, eye contact and cuddles in pool, swishing around and gentle face wetting. if you look happy and relaxed lo will love it too!!!

i am taking him to swim classes (water babies)are great as even though i am trained the company in the pool and chance to make new sporty minded mums is ace. enjoy!

forgot to suggest other wee things...but you've prob got it covered!...
dont forget to bathe wee one after to remove all chlorine from skin, i massaged fine pharmacy grade olive oil on ds skin and scalp after.

have fun practising in bath first, baby temperature and no bubbles etc so you can let them get used to floating...i dont have a bath at home so me n dh booked into a local hotel just so we could do this, squeals of delight from ds and some lovely bonding time for daddy.

this might be obvious so apologies!...we both have sensitive skin and allergies so had showers first and rinsed bath to make sure no cream, perfumes cleaning products etc ended up on wee one

another poss benefit, mine slept like a log after!!! have fun

slimyak thanks for that! I suspected I couldn't just dunk the baby, although it does look like they do from the videos! :) need to find a class!

You can buy a waterbabies DVD that takes you through it weekly.

I've just found the website for the dvd - fantastic concept if you want to get your baby into the water but can't get along to lessons, gives you all the safety info and structure to go swimming with your wee one