Baby G and I have started going swimming! We decided to wait until he hit the 6 month mark (it’s ultimately up to the parents but 6 months seemed like a good time for us!) and I’m really glad we did!

We’ve been slowly introducing new ‘firsts’ to Baby G, some have gone well, some… not so much! Luckily, swimming has been one of the good things! He absolutely LOVED the water and was even splashing his arms around like he was trying to move around himself, I definitely am a happy and proud Mum!

That being said, I came up with a few tips on taking your baby swimming for the first time! Ultimately, you’ll know your baby best, so take these however you wish!

1. Contact your local pool on their swim diaper policies

There is a very good chance that your local pool has some sort of swim diaper policy in writing, and whether or not they are checking every baby, you should make sure you know the policy. Some pools require a swim diaper with a cover over top, and some pool require that no disposable diapers are allowed at all. My pool simple requires a disposable or reusable swim diaper for every child under 2, which is easy. I bought two Alva Baby swim diapers, and they will last us until Baby G hits 2!

2. Try and visit the pool on a slower time

I am fortunate that my pool has family swim times during the week days while most of the kids are at school, and there was only one other family at the pool while we went! It was perfect! We were able to move around the pool without having Baby G splashed or scared by other kids.

3. Follow your baby’s cues

You’ll know of your baby is nervous, scared, happy or just done. Watch for shivering, grabbing at you and signs of hunger or fatigue, it’s an entirely new experience for them! Some babies aren’t naturally inclined for the water

4. Make sure you’re showing them it’s fun

If there’s anything I’ve learned being Bomber and Baby G’s Mum, is that babies and dogs take your emotional cues and feel the same. If you’re scared, they will be scared, if you are happy and having fun, chances are they will too! I spent the entire morning leading up to going to the pool hyping up how fun swimming is, and how excited I was to take him swimming. I honestly have no idea if that played any role in how well it went, but I made sure I was showing him how much fun we could have in the water! At first, I just held him while we walked around in the water, and we started ‘chasing’ a toy around after a while. I started holding him out with my arms fully extended, and he was definitely comfortable, he even started splashing the water himself!

5. Wear your swimsuit to the pool, and bring something for baby to lay on while you change after

I figured it would be WAY easier to wear my swimsuit to the pool underneath my clothes, and got Baby G ready once we were there, swim diapers will not catch any pee, so if he had peed on the way to the pool everything would have been soaked!

I also lay him on a receiving blanket on the floor while I change, there are no places to strap him into in the change room itself, and there is nowhere to stow the car seat. I just give Baby G a toy and he’s fine for a few minutes!

Check back next week for a glimpse of what’s in my swim bag!

What tips do YOU have for taking your baby swimming? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time,