Taking my newborn swimming without jabs

[Easywriter]

I'm due in November and plan to take my new babe swimming asap.
I currently swim at a gym in a hotel where I am a member. It's a small pool, ideal for kids.
My new babe won't have had her jabs (the one's at 3,4 and 5 months) before I take her swimming.
Have any of you done this with your children? Would you do this with your children?

Stupid stupid stupid

Congratulations on your pg!

I don't think that you have to wait for jabs to take baby's swimming. We took DS from 3 months (he had his first jab) but that was due to circumstances, not because of the jabs. 10 months later, he still loves to go swimming

Kaloo20, blimey. that's not helpful.

I asked my GP abouth this and he did say it was better to at least have the first ones before I took her. It's up to you really but I wouldn't.

I would n't rush it tbh. They get cold really quickly and may not feel very secure in such an environment. Also you could be bleeding for several weeks afterwards.

I spoke to my health visitor about this - she said that the World Health guidelines are now that there is NO problem or issue with taking babies swimming in UK swimming pools before they've had their jabs. She said that it is completely up to me, and to check with the swimming pool first as they might insist on vaccinated babies (how they're going to check this I don't know).

I took my son when he'd had his first 2 jabs, and had the final one a week later.

Oh, and Kaloo20, nice helpful answer for Easywriter

kaloo what an obnoxious comment!!

Current advice is that you do not need to wait until they have had their jabs. I will be taking my one month old next week (bought him a swim nappy today in preparation)

What you do need to bear in mind though is how you will feel. My lochia has only just stopped a couple of days ago and having had a second degree tear there was no way I could use a tampon! So until this week I could not have got in a pool anyway.

um i havent and i wouldnt, not least because of the harsh chemicals on your babys lovely delicate new skin. dd is 2 and a half and gets bad thrush every time i take her to the pool. imo its not necessary to take them from that early to get them confident in the water. it would prob be too cold for a newborn too i would think.
how about taking her in the bath with you at home instead?

Oh, forgot to mention Easywriter that if you're planning to take your baby for swimming lessions then they definitely won't take your DC until all vacinations - the way they get round this is that they have an age restrictions of 18 weeks.

Plus not all pools are particularly warm - I know my local ones aren't!

"if you're planning to take your baby for swimming lessions then they definitely won't take your DC until all vacinations - the way they get round this is that they have an age restrictions of 18 weeks. "

Rubbish. The ones mine have all been through start them at 10 weeks old and 10lbs in weight.

I think I'm just in one of those moods this evening, I'd be better getting off of Mumsnet for a few hours, had a hard day and I really should look at these type of posts and ignore.

When OP has had said babe and is 24 hours away from scheduled swim lets she what she thinks about her idea. This just reminds me of people who write detailed birth plans and expect to stick to them !

Soupdragon, don't be so facetious. I was only talking from experience - all pools in my local borough have this policy. I wasn't inferring that it was the law, for gods sake.

I agree with you kaloo. leave until you are in a better mood.

[shrug] You said they definitely won't take your DC. You're wrong.

It will be fine. No probs whatsoever with babies with no jabs swimming. NHS direct also agrees.
Swimming with a small baby in a warm pool is nice. My ds always went into a kind of dream in the pool. It was a wonderful sensory thing for him. And it was nice to see other fat, post-natal mothers. We went when he was about 10 weeks I think.
I think Kaloo is simply being bizarre and obnoxious frankly.
Baby swimming is hardly some freakish, bizarre idea.

Ok ok I'm wrong, does that make you feel better and all grown up? FGS, I was only tring to help Easywriter....it could be that her local pools also have the same policy as mine.

But you're right. Obviously.

I agree with indiasmum, I'd be more worried about the chlorine than any germs there may or may not be. It's advisable to limit contact with chemicals as much as possible until approx 6 months (and that includes most soaps and wipes - has anyone ever read the ingredients?!). Chlorine is actually a poison and even in diluted form it can be toxic for a tiny child.

I think you need to go and calm down. I simply pointed out that you had given inaccurate information, there was nothing facetious in it at all.

I wouldn't do it EW until after the jabs, come to think of it after the year we've had I don't think DD will be going into a public swimming bath until after all of her major vaccinations at 18 months old.

She picked up what looked like a common cold at 4 weeks old and was very, very poorly - nearly 3 weeks in hospital and 10 days in ICU/HDU (she got the RSV virus which is particularly nasty). After this experience, I shudder at the prospect of taking her out in crowded public places, let alone a public swimming pool.

I wasnt nearly as precious with her older brothers though.

Soupdragon, how effing dare you to tell me to calm down?!

I thought this site was for adults, or at least mature people.

I'm off to do something more positive - Easywriter, just do what you feel is best, you might feel that in November when you've had the baby, and depending on how cold it is and what sort of birth you've had, you may feel slightly different. Apols to you if I've given you 'incorrect or inaccurate information' - only speaking from my own experience, which is the same as all of us on here.

Good luck.

Interesting stuff everyone, I only asked as both my dd's did water babies from pretty much the day after their 5 months jabs (first time mum caution) and they can actually swim now (doggy paddle but they don't need any flotation aids) aged 3 and 9 months!

Basically, I take my two for a swim at least once a week.One thing I had overlooked was the heat of the pool. I have neoprene wet suits that we used for DD's but even then the pool was warm.

I may just use both wet suits on my new baby as the pool isn't heated to the same sort of temperature as water babies pools. (I wouldn't be in the pool for more than 30 mins with a LO).

Have a look here

Some pools do want you to wait until they have had their first one, but it's not necessary at all.
Took DD swimming at about 8 weeks but only for 10 mins at a time as she was getting cold.

MN has reached new heights...a swimming thread kicking off

My HV told me that the jabs weren't an issue but the cold was.

She said not to keep a young baby in the water for more than 10-15 mins, or even less if they show any signs of cold.

Can't remember how old DS was when I took him swimming - about 3 months I think, and he loved it from the word go.