The heat and the summer come hand in hand. To combat high temperatures, one of the ways we use most is to go to the pool to cool off. If you have just been a parent, we intend to tell you about how to go to the pool with babies safely and when can babies go swimming in a pool.
As parents, especially first-timers, it is normal to ask questions. Everything is new and unfortunately, there is no instruction manual for parents. There are questions like when I can start going to the pool with my baby, how can I remove her fear or how can we keep her safe that we are going to try to solve.
When can babies go swimming in a pool?
There is no strict rule, but it is recommended to wait until 6 months of age. On the one hand, it is not good to disturb your sleep hours or food intake. Similarly, pools contain chlorine, and it’s not good for younger babies to come in contact with it. You have to think that they are very young and the skin can have allergic reactions that can affect them.
With these data, it does not imply that you cannot take your baby to the pool to become familiar with the water. It is more of a recommendation regarding putting your entire body into the water.
How do I keep my baby safe in the water?
Before putting your baby in the water and avoid scares, you must know how to keep it safe. We tell you about the most important points:
Make sure the pool is warm enough. If necessary, ask the lifeguards at the pool to check the temperature. FYI, tell you that babies need a temperature of about 30 or 32 degrees. Hence, it is recommended to go to indoor pools. Once the temperature is checked, put your baby in the water until it reaches her shoulders and makes her move so that she stays warm.
As soon as you see it shake, pull it out of the pool and tuck it in to dry its body and warm it up. The first time you go to the pool, spend no more than 10 minutes with your baby. Then you can increase it up to 20 minutes. If your baby is less than a year old, limit her time in the water to a maximum of 30 minutes.
Using logic, if your baby has a bad cold, fever, or seems unwell, don’t go swimming. On the other hand, your baby should not go to the pool with a stomach virus. And at the same time, until 48 hours have passed without symptoms, you should not go to the pool with your baby.
If your baby has skin problems, check with your pediatrician to make sure the chlorine won’t irritate him. However, it is always good to shower your baby with water to remove the chlorine after swimming. Your skin does not suffer after drying your baby well and applying moisturizer to the entire body.
How to remove the fear of water from my baby?
Sometimes we parents are more afraid of water than our baby. Seeing them helpless together with the fact that water is not our means makes us feel apprehensive about our baby. However, if we make contact with water as a fun game, we can learn to enjoy it all together.
We leave you with some recommendations:
On the one hand, one of the main rules is not to enter the water with our baby in your arms. So that it is not a traumatic process, even more so the first few times, the ideal is to familiarize our baby with water. For this, it is not necessary to put it into the water at once. Hence we can play with it and gradually wet its body. Nothing is better to make him have a good time than take his favorite toy when you take a bath.
With water, you should not be in a hurry. There are babies who soon do not want to get out of the water, but others are more reluctant. What is common in all babies is that they are in continuous development and learning. With toys or objects that float in the water, we will help them promote their motor skills. Again, remind yourself that the most effective way for them not to be afraid of water is to have fun. Smiles will be the best antidote to this, which, together with a good atmosphere, will make the pool experience something they want to repeat.
