what age can babies go swimming?

[fothers]

I was just wondering what age babies needed to be when you could start taking them to the kiddies swimming pool?

Also, do they need little neoprene suit things or just a normal cossie and what do you do about nappies?

Thanks

 

[Kylie1007]

We've just been discussing this in the babies & Toddlers bit! We're starting swimming on Wednesday and Finn will be 10 weeks although you don't have to wait till they've had their 8 week jabs - it's more the temp of the water. I think under 12 weeks you should use a hydrotherapy pool or a really warm one - public pools tend to be a bit chilly don't they.

The people I'm swimming with just allow a swim nappy - it's got a plastic outer and a terry lining and elasticated legs although I think that if you go to Waterbabies they like you to put an extra cover over the top. I've just bought these http://www.mothercare.com/gp/product/B0 ... 8&mcb=core although you can buy stuff from http://www.waterbabies.co.uk/products.php or http://www.bumpto3.com/category.aspx?DI ... ccessories

 

[Bee]

U need to have a swim nappy on the baby - most pools won't let u in without one

U can take the baby swimming from whatever age u like but its advised to wait till after u have had your 6 week check. As said before the baby does not need to have had its jags.

The main thing is to find a pool that is warm and don't stay in too long

 

[trixipaws]

i first took melissa swimming at 2 months. but theres no age limit i dont think, just as long as they can support their head.

yeah use swim nappiess with a swimsuit over the top.

my tips are: use huggies "little swimmers" swim nappies coz when wet u can just tear the sides off. i used boots own at first and millie used to cry when i pulled them down coz they tight and wet dragging against skin etc.

oh, and dragging wet swimming costumes off upsets them too- so my strategy now is to remove the costume while still in the water (not the swim nappy tho) it slides off more easily. (stuff it down ur cleavage, lol dont hang the straps off ur arm coz might catch on somethin and u might slip with baby- scarey thought, gotta be cautious!)

prepare for lotsa standing shivering freezing in ur wet costume while u deal with the number 1 priority- getting baby warm and dry first!
and one or two having to dry urself with a towel covered in piss (i take 2 big towels and 2 small ones but millie uses them all first coz the changing table is hard plastic, like to make it cosy for her lol)

it is lovely swimming with them tho. hope u both enjoy it

 

[Princess_Puddles]

Midwives advise once they have had all their jabs but alot of people take their children earlier, around 2 months +, I don't think It does any harm and it is only an advisory to leave it untill they've had their jabs.

 

[Gemma & Jake]

You can take your LO swimming whenever you feel ready but just remember that when she is very young she won't beable to stay in the pool for very long. Jake is one now and he can still only stay in for about half an hour. We do sometimes take him out and dry him off at the side of the pool and then when he has warmed up we take him back in again. Jake has got a happy nappy which I put on him with a disposable swim nappy underneath. They can be worn without a disposable nappy but I use one so that I don't have to clean the happy nappy out afterwards if he decides to have a poo. They are meant to prevent leaks and they sell happy nappy swimming costumes and happy nappy wetsuits too(links below).

http://www.splashabout.net/catalog.php? ... ry=4&id=80

http://www.splashabout.net/catalog.php? ... ry=4&id=96

http://www.splashabout.net/catalog.php? ... ry=4&id=83

 

[Misslarue]

we took Dan a few times when he was between 3-5 months. He did seem to like it but got cold quite quickly and was so knackered he fell asleep as I was holding him in the shower
he's starting swimming lessons on the 1st March and I've been told to get him a neoprime swim nappy.

 

[cloud9]

dylan has just changed swimming leasons to a colderr pool and i have boguht him a swim wrap he is much warmer in it they say you can stay in the water 100% longer with them on....D has been swimming since he was 2 montsh he wears a disposable with a swim nappy on top

 

[Gemma & Jake]

we took Dan a few times when he was between 3-5 months. He did seem to like it but got cold quite quickly and was so knackered he fell asleep as I was holding him in the shower
he's starting swimming lessons on the 1st March and I've been told to get him a neoprime swim nappy.

I have put a link in the post above yours to the site I bought Jake's happy nappy from. They are made of neoprene

 

[Misslarue]

thanks hun

 

[skimpy]

a magazine article i was reading on this subject said that little ones can be taken swimming from a few weeks old. the environment is so natural for them, and the bouyancy supports them - even goes so far as to say that they can be allowed to be completely under water...i would be dubious though - but there's a built-in reflex that wont allow them to inhale water. Temps are the only realy issue, according to this article...

 

[fothers]

Thanks everyone- I will look into those limks and things when little miss has finally arrived

 

[valentine]

Hey fothers,

Hope you are okay!

There's also a number of older threads about this, which you might find interesting reading - people tend to disagree on when you can take a LO swimming, but here is the advice from the NHS - clicky.

Other pregnancy Forum older threads:-

Click here

And click here

We went went DD was 5 /2 weeks old - she loves it. She's a real water baby now.

Have fun!

Valentine Xxx

 

[mayday]

My baby loves swimming! We have one of the Splashabout Babysnugs for her. If you look at the sizing on them they go from newborn size all the way up to 18 months, so they must expect a couple of very small babies to me making them in newborn size. We took her to a local pool when she was about 10 weeks old to see if she liked the bigger pool (she was becoming a rather enthusiastic handful in the bath!) and then signed up for a course of baby lessons. We are halfway through the course and OH has decided they are too far away and we are going to go back to the local pool, but the lessons did give us the confidence to let her do as much as she can.

Now my baby can recognise various verbal cues so that she is starting to kick with her legs, and knows if she is going to get her face wet. We have had guidance to show is how to swimm her on the surface and under water. It was a bit scary the first time the teacher did this, but know we are very confident with it. You would think that babies would cry, but they just look a bit surprised the first time it happens. My baby knows now and they do have a 'diving reflex.' They look very serene floating around under water - look here; http://www.urchinrock.com/gallery2006.php