Swimming With Your Baby | Biggest Tub Evah!

     Last Sunday, we finally made the decision to take Victoria to a swimming pool. Our local YMCA has an amazing facility for children, with a separate pool that is just perfect for introducing your baby to the biggest tub evah. It was a hot, sunny day. We were all exhausted and annoyed by the heat, and Victoria was getting her usual "I'm too hot" crank on. What could possibly be better than relaxing and splashing around in cool water? We bought the swimming nappies, packed all the necessary things, and off we went! And it was awesome!

     Victoria is an Aquarius. She just loves water. She won't go to sleep without a long, relaxing dip in her WashPod. Still, I was a little bit worried how she'd react to being in a pool, surrounded by bright lights, lots of water and laughing kids, but thankfully, she really loved it. She wasn't even all that surprised to be honest, she was splashing around like it was her daily routine. 

     Hubby came along, and so we took turns holding Victoria and swishing her around. Because it was our first time taking her to YMCA, we didn't want to overdo it, so we only stayed for about 15 minutes, but next time we'll definitely be spending more time in the water! 

     For those of you who are about to take your little ones swimming for the first time, here are some tips that you might find helpful.

What to bring with you:

- First and foremost - Swim Diapers (You'll have a choice of either getting the reusable ones or a package of disposable ones from, say, Pampers [Splashers] or Huggies [Little Swimmers]. They're more or less in the same price range, so it all comes down to your preference)

- A towel or a towelling dressing gown - and don't forget to bring it to the pool area, you want to keep the baby warm after leaving the pool.

- A couple of your baby's favorite bath toys - it'll make them feel more relaxed.

- Food for the baby, because, you know, babies get super hungry after swimming! Either a warm bottle of formula, or - if you're breastfeeding - account for the extra 10-15 minutes for nursing.

- A bag with: changing mat, change of clothes, either a lotion or baby oil (pool water contains lots of chlorine, so it's really necessary to make sure baby's skin gets the extra pampering it'll need!), diapers, baby powder.

-  If your spouse is coming along, you can also bring a camera to take some adorable pictures of your little one's first swimming experience.

- If it'll be just you and the baby, bring your baby's carrier / car seat. You'll need a place to put the baby down while you're getting dressed.

In The Pool:

- Take it slow, let your baby get familiar with the new surroundings - after all, it's the biggest tub evah!

- Hold your baby close, keep an eye contact and talk to your baby in a soothing, cheerful voice.

- Once your baby gets used to being in water, try splashing a little or swishing her around. Try playing with toys.

- If your baby is old enough, play some fun water games. Encourage her to kick around while you hold her head  and back up in a horizontal position.