What we need to take new baby swimming?

[Lorrymac]

Hi, my daughter is 8 weeks old on monday and is soon to have her first set of jabs. My husband and i would like to take her swimming as soon as we can but we're not sure what we need for such a young baby. mothercare sell a seat which is for 3 months plus and armbands from birth. our local gym has a childrens pool with very shallow areas and of course we will both be there. we're just not sure what we need... any help would be very much appreciated! Lorraine

[Psychick]

With my eldset, I started by not using any arm bands or seats, I would just hold her. When she was able to sit up by herself, I used an inflatable babyseat which she loved or armbands.

Just remember not to stay in too long with her though as she will get cold very quick, I started with going for 15 minutes, then 20 minutes and then 30 minutes. I also waited until mine had had all her injections.

[Ethel]

Swimming nappies.

[tigwig]

I think the health visitor would advise you to wait until she has had her immunisations first.

[natalie_1982]

My doc said that I could take her as soon as I wanted to but that if I wanted to play it safe I should wait until her jabs are done. I can't wait to take her swimming!

How are you getting on Lorraine? How is Isobel? She must be getting big now. Emilia is 7weeks tomorrow, she's getting so big and smiling and giggling away all the time, can't believe the little dumpling has only been here for 7weeks :-) xx

[Lorrymac]

I was going to wait till the 8 week jabs anyway (monday) - are there more after that? i was going to ask the doctor/nurse on monday too - just wasn't sure what "equipment" i needed!

natalie - we're doing really great thanks for asking. Isobel will be 9 weeks old on monday and like you, i can't believe it's only been that long - it feels as though we've had her in our lives forever. she has slept 6-9 hours every night since 2 weeks old - must be mummies milk or something!! she has a "moment" every now and again where she just cries for no reason and so far she goes to bed with us around midnight because she's generally cranky every evening for hours but we want to be with her every second still even when she's crying!! how are you guys doing?? beautiful name by the way! how do you still have time to get on AB?! i've been rubbish since having isobel! xx

[natalie_1982]

lol - I can get on here in the evening because she goes to bed around half 7, and then I sneak on again in the morning because she doesn't get up until about half 9. She wakes for a feed at 5 and sometimes again at 8ish. I used to keep her up with me but she seems to sleep better on her own, she's a nosy little b*gger and point blank will not sleep if there are people in the room in case she misses something!

I stopped breastfeeding about 2weeks ago, I couldn't seem to keep up with the little blighter - she's around 12lb now! Well done you for keeping it up!

Let us know how you get on swimming and pass on any tips! i.e. how hard is it for me to take her on my own? My hubby is back at work now so if I need two people then I need to go in the evening when he is here!

[Psychick]

Lorrymac, she will have two jabs at your appointment (1 in each leg) then another two at three months, and finally three jabs (1 in 1 leg and 2 in the other) at four months. Then the next one will be at 12 and 13 months (the MMR is at 13 months).

My little one will be 16 weeks tomorrow and having her 3rd lot on Tuesday. Im dreading it :( I will give her a week and then treat her to her first swimming costume! Ive seen some really cute ones lol

Natalie I always managed on my own with my eldest. I would have my cotume on under my clothes ready to save time and got her changed at the poolside. When we got out, I would just put a towel around myself whilst I got her dried and dressed at the poolside before she got cold. Then I would strap her in her buggy and go through to the changing rooms to get myself sorted. Most of the time she would go straight to sleep as swimming always knocked her out!

[ethanryan]

hi i took my son when he was 12 weeks old, he loved it. we didnt use anything at first i just held him. i used to take mine in the day when it was really quiet and as psychick said only for a little while and gradually got longer as he got older. i used to love takin my son on my own and having a bit of me time. when my 2nd son came along i then put the older one in a seat and held the baby. i brought one of those poncho towels for the older one for when we got out so that i could quickly dress the baby without the older opne gettin cold.
hard work but well worth it

[Hawkwalk]

you can get baby wet suits which are great as they keep them a bit warmer in the water. No need for arm bands at this early stage. Taking them on your own is easy when young. Its when they start running around it gets harder on your own!!

Try baby swimming lessons if you can as they are great for building their confidence in the water. They will have them swimming underwater in no time and they love it.

[coweyes30]

My tips would be to make sure you take your towel in to leave at the side of the pool, And something easy but warm to get baby dressed afterwards. That way baby won't have time to get too cold. I never used anything until mine could suport there heads then i got a floatie, Look on ebay 1st before getting 1 from the shops i got a new 1 at half the cost of the shops.Hope you have a great time.

[Lorrymac]

Firstly thank you all for your great advice! I felt so clueless but now i feel much better! I think i will ask at the doctors tomorrow about when we can take her swimming. I guess we could just have her in a swimming nappy? any need for a costume at this age?! We are very lucky - our local gym has a normal sized pool, but also a childrens pool which is in a seperate room - the temperature is higher in there and the pool water is really warm. But i will be sure to take towels in with me to wrap Isobel up in as soon as we get out.!

Natalie - OMG - how do you do it?! Isobel will only go to bed with us at night which is around midnight most nights! we've tried putting her down around 7.30 but she just HOWLS! she just doesn't seem to like being on her own at all. We've not tried hard I admit because I'm still just enjoying being around her, but she really isn't interested in sleeping from that time at the moment. she just be a bit of a night owl like me! I'm hoping that will change but it doesn't look like it..... what's your secret?

[Ice.Maiden]

Hi! Glad to hear that Isobel's coming on so well, bless her. Anyway, when you take her swimming, you'll either need a swimming nappy or some kind of swimwear. You can buy it for young babies now. I don't think you'll need armbandsd at first. It's just a case of holding her in the water, and then gently lifting her out, until she gets used to it. x

[natalie_1982]

LOL - Lorraine, she is awake ALL DAY which means I have no time to get anything done atall - I can't depend on me being able to have a bath or get on with something while she naps because she doesn't! I can't complain though because I do get good sleep at night, but it would be lovely to have an hour in the day when I could have a cup of tea or something. Obviously, my hubby helps when he gets home but he gets in just after 4 and then at 6 I am bathing her and getting her ready for bed!

There's some great tips on here, think I shall be popping back for myself in a few weeks :-)

Ooooh, grizzly baby...... gotta go.....

[Psychick]

Ive just in tesco today that they have babys swimming costumes with built in washable nappy so no need for swimming nappies. They are �5 which I think is reasonable too.

[Bettyboo22]

Swimming Nappy

Costume/wet suit

(You can use a vest if you want )

Isnstead Of sit in swim rings why dont you try floats She Could hold on to it or you can get swimming costumes with floats in.