baby swimming

[June2009]

dh wants to take dd (1yo) to swim.
I've enquired locally and there are a couple of places & options.
I have spoken to a few friends who have been going but as is often the case with babies we've never managed to finish the conversation so I'm left quite confused.

• What does the baby wear?

I've been told a normal nappy and a swimming nappy. Both at the same time? Which ones goes on first? Do you need a swimsuit on top as well?

• Which swimming nappy? We tried some once (on their own) and it leaked everywhere.

Is this manageable with just one parent going? (like having a shower/drying yourself & the baby etc). Ideally dh would go on his own with the baby while I go to the gym.

Any pointers much appreciated!

Most pools ask for a disposable swimming nappy (can get them from supermarkets) and the neoprene swim nappy on top that's tight around the legs and waist - Happy Nappy do them (about £8) or you can get them on ebay even cheaper.

No need to put a swimming costume on top (unless you want to)

When DS was tiny, I took his carseat with and used it to contain him whilst I got dressed, very doable with one person but easier with two for the changing part.

Just a swim nappy, normal nappy would soak up water and get hugh? - you could put a swimsuit over the top but don't have to. Or you could buy a swim suit with integeral nappy - the aim is to contain any poos. Wees aren't a problem.

Going on your own totally doable, just involves you being cold while you get lo dressed after. I have shower at home if out on my own with dd. Have a towel ready for when you get out the pool. Our pool has family changing with those little toddler seats and changing tables which makes life easier.

HTH

DD is 4 months, I take her swimming on my own once a week. She wears a disposable swim nappy, then her swimming cossie which has a built in swim nappy bit.

There is a playpen which I lay her down in once I've dried and dressed her, I just put my clothes on and shower properly and dry hair at home.

DS is a bit older now (2 yesterday ) but I have been taking him swimming since he was a couple of months old - Waterbabies to start with and then ongoing courses at the local leisure centre since then.

Now he's a bit bigger DS loves to come in the shower with me after a swim, but previously I would just get dressed and then shower at home.

I put DS in a dressing gown, give him a fruit stick and / or a smoothie pouch and sit him on the bench while I get dried and dressed and then sort him out. That's what works best for me.

I also have pockets full of cars / trains to keep him amused while I'm dressing him or doing my makeup or whatnot.

About 6 months ago DH was off work for a couple of months so he was taking DS swimming (an hour alone in the house - bliss!) and despite being a bit nervous to start with he was just fine.

Oh, and I always go in the big communal changing room at the pool and leave our clothes / towels in there ready - rather than putting them all in a locker which is more of a hassle especially if your little one doesn't walk (not enough arms).

Oh, and swim nappies - as wonderstuff says. They aren't supposed to stop wee which is probably why you though it was leaking! I used to use disposable + neoprene nappy, but now I just use the neoprene and it has performed as required on a couple of occasions .

Gosh, that was a long one

I would recommend a swim suit/one of those surf suits as it does make the baby less slippery!

We go swimming every week with WaterBabies as well (have been for almost a year, DS is now 14 months). We're required to wear a disposable nappy (the supermarket kind) and a neoprene 'happy nappy' (neoprene nappy wrap). We've never had any accidents; and I doubt DS ever peed in the pool as he tends to do it after (usually after I take off the swim nappy, but before I put on his regular one ).
I managed to get him and myself undressed/dressed just fine. We take a shower together before going in the pool. After the lesson we go straight home, as it's easier to shower there - again, I do this with DS, as I have no one to watch him while I have the luxury . Sometimes we do a quick 'rinse' at the pool... never really saw it as a challenge.

My DH has been taking DD every weekend since she was 3months. She wears a swim nappy (huggies), and and all in one swimsuit over the top, she also wears a boyance jacket as she is older and likes to take herself off in the pool. Showering doesn't seem to be an issue they shower together, then he puts her hooded towel on gets himself dressed while she sits in her cosy towel.
When we have number two, I will start going with them when he is 3 months, as my course will be finished and I will be free to join them.

I took DS from 5 weeks and he wore the terry towling swim trunks from mothercare as swim nappies didn't do that small and then when they fitted we used the disposable swim nappies. I didn't bother with a cossie but some people like to with girls, upto you.

The pools we've been to have changing tables with a strap or as someone else said some have playpens. Our pools also dictate 1:1 rations for under 4's.

Have fun

Check out what the changing facilities are like for kids, especially the mens as some places will have playpens, etc but only in the female changing rooms. I know my gym has playpens, changing tables with straps and seats with straps by the showers.

like japhrimel says check out facilities, we have three pools here, two have combined changing, which is fab as there are family rooms and you can all stay together. The other has split, and the facilities are a bit dated.

Been taking DS since his jabs. He wears disposable swim nappies and neoprene trunks, and in one of the local pools, a little wetsuit thing as the water is so cold. Tried taking him to the pool in the swimming trunks as I needed to change him anyway, and there was leakage by the time that we got there, so am not totally convinced at their efficiency, but he does have the neoprene overcover and, as with Elk4baby, I don't think he does anything in the pool anyway!

I always travel there with my swimming costume on under my clothes so it is quicker to get changed and deal with DS (especially now he is crawling, and off like a rocket).

After swimming, quick rinse to reduce the chemicals on his skin, but nothing too thorough (has a bath before bed which is only a couple of hours later), and then dress him before dressing myself. We mainly use a local school pool, and I don't trust the changing table that they have there, so I use the floor for DS, and take additional towels to lie him on. Oh, and I take toys and keys to try to distract him and keep him on the towels...often makes attempts to crawl back to the pool when I am stuck trying to get a jumper over my head!!!

Always done it by myself. Now do go swimming with DH, but he goes ahead whilst DS is still snoozing, so that he can start his lengths, and he finishes his lengths after DS has had enough....so I still get the fun of getting DS changed