Author Topic: taking 6.5mo to the pool - advice?  (Read 1315 times)

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Offline Lockie & Sam's Mummy

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taking 6.5mo to the pool - advice?
« on: February 03, 2007, 10:33:54 am »
hi all,

i want to take my 6.5mo ds to the pool to get him used to it so that he can start his swimming lessons. however, i've heard some scary stories regarding ear infections & the like... what has been your experience? are ear infections common? is there a way to avoid them? e.g. can you put something in their ears to keep the water out? also, i have some concerns regarding the chlorine... is it safe for babies? what if they swallow the water?

thanks in advance!
Livvy
Lucky mum to Lockie & Sam


Offline mrsrobbo

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Re: taking 6.5mo to the pool - advice?
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2007, 01:50:52 am »
We took Bradley swimming from around 5 months I think it was. I think the biggest thing you should worry about is keeping him warm. Not so much in the water as hopefully that will be warm anyway, but when you get out, have a nice warm towel ready and dont hang about. We have had no problems with ear infections. We started babyu swim lessons at 6 months, we got taught how to "dunk" them underwater, he has swallowed water before but its never hurt him, he just coughed a bit. Now he loves it, we have to fight to get him out!



Offline Erin M

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Re: taking 6.5mo to the pool - advice?
« Reply #2 on: February 05, 2007, 00:34:59 am »
Yup, no trouble with ear infections here either - you can always keep his head largely above the water too.  What I was told is that once your LO gets to be six months of age (or was it 3?) that they're able to cope with the chlorine - it will probably dry his skin out a bit though so I would slather on some extra moisturizer either after you take him out of the pool or later on that night.  I always found my stroller to be the greatest thing at the pool - I'd take her out, wrap her in a warm towel and then get her dressed in the stroller (at the Y where I took her swimming they only had benches in the locker room -- very narrow and not the best place in the world to change a small baby).

Offline Minibird

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Re: taking 6.5mo to the pool - advice?
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2007, 22:28:45 pm »
No problems here either!

I took my lo swimming from about 4 months, though to begin with we went to a special warm pool as keeping warm is an issue in public pools.  We have a hydrotherapy pool near us that does baby swimming sessions and there are also various agencies that do baby "swimming" lessons in warm private pools.  We did the lessons to begin with and although we didn't run to the expense of an entire course it meant that I am nice and confident holding lo in the water and she really enjoys it.
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Offline Lockie & Sam's Mummy

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Re: taking 6.5mo to the pool - advice?
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2007, 00:39:54 am »
hi ladies,

thanks so much for your replies! it's good to know of some positive pool experiences :) we took ds to the pool for the first time last weekend but unfortunately the class we enrolled him in was too advanced. all the other bubs were 1 or 2 years old & were jumping into the pool etc - not very helpful when ds can't even stand yet! ::) he got quite upset when dh took him in initially (perhaps the temperature, chlorine smell, or sensation of wet clothing didn't appeal to him ???) but after a while he was fine.

we also found the changing experience difficult. there were some plastic chairs & narrow benches but nowhere really suitable to change a baby. in the end, i put down his padded mat on the carpeted reception area & changed him there as quickly as i could. we'll try to find another class that is really for very little babies, i think.

thanks again!
Livvy
Lucky mum to Lockie & Sam