Advice for First Swim

I bought swim diapers from onestepahead.com and love them. It works the same as the diaposable ones but in the end it is so much cheaper. I just rinse it in cold water after swim lessons and hang dry. Also if you are swimming outdoors I would recommend you buying a spf swimsuit - it is expensive but well worth the money. It looks like a wet suit and covers most of the body. Don't buy the one from onestepahead as the quality is terrible but if you google it, you should find some.

Good luck

Sounds like you have it covered. My only advice is that each child is different - my current baby hates the floaty and prefers to be held. The other two would float for hours. Just keep in mind that you should proably hold him for a while to get him adjusted and not expect him to love the floaty - it's probably a little scary, especially for one so young. I would just buy disposable swim diapers for the rest of this summer, but check out the clearance area at Target right now - I always buy the washable/reusable swim diapers there - just like the ones at one step ahead, but cheaper and without shipping costs. They may even still have the spf 50 sun hats - I love those for a bald baby. If he loves it, check out the mommy/baby swim classes that they have at different places. Fun fun fun!!!

Hi Victoria,

I took my oldest the first time to the pool when he was 5 weeks. My second one was born in the US (Virginia) in the winter, so he was already 6 month before he was in the pool the first time. My thirth one was 10 months (born just before they closed the outdoor swimming pools in aug. in Virginia so he had to wait till the next summer)

My best advice: buy a spf swimsuit and a hat with a long backflap in the neck. Here in the US you don't see them too often. But in Australia you don't see any child under 4 without. It is so important. Did you know when a child under 2 gets sunburnt changes of getting skin cancer rise dramatically?
And also, it's so much easier to put on a spf swimsuit than to cover the whole body with sunscreen. (you still have to do the neck, face and wrists and don't forget the feet.) Like an other mom said: don't do the hands.
Acadamy sold nice spf shirts for kids, but not any more because summer is over (???) they told me.

I'm told not to use floaties because the child will depend on it and will never learn the danger of getting under water. I agree, when I had only one child I never used floaties. But I can tell you, when you have 3, you will use them. Just because you can't watch all of them all the time.

An other thing, my kids enjoyed it, but for 15-20 min. After that they got cold and wanted to stop. My oldest till he was 9 months even after 10-15 min. (he's very skinny) So look for signs like shifering lips.

The other moms gave good advice.

Other than that: ENJOY! It's so much fun with the kids in the water. Just holding them at the armpits and play with them. You will see, it's real fun.

Good luck, I.

If you haven't seen this site before, it's worth checking out:
www.babyswimming.com

They have lots of good info on getting babies started in the pool, and I love their gentle technique. All three of my boys learned to swim using their methods.

Hi, I just want to add to what all the other moms have said. Don't put sunscreen on his little hands, because when he rubs his eyes, and he will, it puts the sunscreen right in them, which burns and stings. My little ones' eyes turn red, and seeing their beautiful eyes tearing up hurts my heart, especially when it wouldn't have happened if I had put a little thought into the process at the start. Hope this helps!

D.

Definitely get the swim diapers. The regular diapers have so much of the absorbent gel that they really swell up when they get wet. Even if he is under the weight of the small size they will still fit. My daughter took swimming lessons at 10 months old and she was a couple of pounds under the lowest weight on the small size and they worked just fine. I also found that going in the mornings is better because it is not so hot and the sun is bearable during these 100 degree days. My daughter is always well protected from the sun, but I always seem to fry! He may also just want to be held at first in the water. Hope this helps.

You are too funny! I was going to say ask the pedi, but I may be pressing my luck!! :) Just kidding!

Yes, the swim diapers are a must, regular diapers will swell to a size that would astonish anyone! I think it would be possible to cut the circulation off to the lower body in those things.

Just remember to put the sunscreen on at least 30 minutes before going to the pool and reapply frequently. (Don't forget the ears.) And be sure to bathe him after to get all the chlorine and sunscreen off. That can be rough on his baby skin.

My dd only tolerated a few minutes at a time in the pool, though she loved the water, she wanted in and out. ???

I used a sun virsor and sunglasses to protect her eyes. The swim hats seemed a little too hot. I also got a little tube of lip protection for babies, because I didn't want her lips to burn and that sunscreen tastes AWFUL!

He may not appreciate going under at this age, but some moms start teaching them to go under and swim by blowing on their faces and going under with them. Just beware of him gulping too much water-that can cause serious problems. If he isn't gulping the water, be sure to keep him hydrated, sometimes we forget that around the pool.

I guess that is all I have to offer, except to wish you a ton of fun! Let us know how he does! :)

For the swim diapers, most public pools will not let a baby in the pool without one. You can get the reusable swim diapers at Target in the baby section. The first time we took my daughter swimming this year (she was 8 months) she didn't like being in the floatie at all and we had to hold her. I started bringing a small bath toy, rubber duck or something, that she could play with/chew on and that made the experience not so bad and she would stay in the floatie. She enjoys going now and even splashes some water. As far as time we only stay in the water about 30-45 minutes depending on the time of day. We might be outside longer than that but that is usually about all she can handle being in the water. When not in the water try to stay somewhere that is shaded, and the pavement will be hot so don't let him sit on the ground unless you put a towel or blanket down. Most importantly...Don't forget to bring your camera and possibly your video camera if you have one!

Hey Victoria,
First swim is always fun and a little scary! I can of course only go off my little fishy's experiences so ... I would say you can expect to only be at the pool/in the water for 45-60min. Not much more and possibly less. You will need the swim diapers (especially if it is a public pool they are required)and will most likely only need one (bring an extra just in case). I personally say going in the morning before their first nap after breakfast is best, my kiddo is his happiest and agreeable then. Also that is the coolest time of day and even if you are in the water the air temp being too high can be tiring. Don't expect your little one to stay in the floatie the whole time, he may not want to or you may want to hold him. Finally, expect a little longer nap after going to the pool b/c he will probably be tired after the fun new experience! Good Luck!

My little one is too young for sunscreen so I have found it best to make sure she has a floppy hat and then we usually wait until evening (6 or 7) to go out so that it isn't quite as hot and sunny and then I just try to limit her sun exposure. I think you will find that the baby will do that for you. I know mine likes the water, but she gets tired of being in it after not so long. The main thing is to watch and make sure they don't have any reactions to the pool chemicals since their skin is so sensitive. I hope you enjoy your first swim!