chlorine/public pool when to start?

[Magali]

When would you/did you first take your baby swimming  in a public pool?  It kills me to take my ds swimming and to sit out because I don't want to put my 2 month old dd in chlorine and whatever other chemicals are in the pool. 

[Knitting Mama]

We swam in a pool at my parents' townhouse complex last summer, when Cecilia was 2 months-4 months old. They use alternatives to chlorine, though. I just rinsed her off when we were done swimming.

[P.J.]

DH went swimming with DS, then 4.5 months, when we were on vacation. Honestly, I am not saying chlorine is good or harmless, but it's just not something I'm going to get all worried about. I guess I wouldn't want him spending hours a day in it, but DH may do a baby swim class with him and once a week for 1 hour just doesn't blip on my radar of seriously harmful and worth avoiding.

ETA: That said, I would definitely not use American tap water without filtering out the chlorine that's usually found in it!

[Magali]

What I don't like about the chemicals is how they make skin so irritated and dry...she is almost 3 months old and I'm not too worried about the chlorine for any other reason.  Maybe I'll just take her in for a short time and see how we do.  I know she would love it.

[Knitting Mama]

Maybe then bring something like coconut oil with you, so after you rinse her you can moisturize her?

[aphel]

We're about to go swimming with 6 month old DD at the neighborhood pool for the first time. Honestly, I'm not worried about her being in the pool, other than a PP's concern over dry skin. Chlorine doesn't permeate the skin, what I would be really concerned about is ingesting it, or getting pool water in the eyes, which is avoidable, maybe more so in a waterproof sling or something like that.

[Magali]

Thanks for your replies!  I am excited to get her a little bathing suit and get into that water.  Coconut oil is an excellent idea. 

[NewMaMaZenLovin]

Another good thing is to rub your babe down with coco butter before hand, it will help protect his skin wonderfully1

[philomom]

Originally Posted by NewMaMaZenLovin 

Another good thing is to rub your babe down with coco butter before hand, it will help protect his skin wonderfully1

No lotions and stuff should go in the pool. Ever. This is why they have a little "shower before getting into the pool rules" at most city and YMCA pools. That lotion and oil that comes off people's bodies gums up the filters and leaves yucky film around the tiles at the edges of the pool.

Please use any lotion or oils AFTER you get out.

To the OP... is there a salt water pool in your area? They are much nicer on the skin. And less fumes for baby to breathe.

[Asiago]

You may find this article of interest regarding infants and chlorinated water-

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60P5IX20100126 

[Knitting Mama]

The researchers in the above article are quick to state that parents should not avoid swimming altogether just because of the study. But I personally would feel a lot safer bringing my baby into a pool treated with alternatives to chlorine (like the one at my parents').

[hakeber]

Originally Posted by NewMaMaZenLovin 

Another good thing is to rub your babe down with coco butter before hand, it will help protect his skin wonderfully1

This is a good trick that we used.  We had a pool in our condo complex in Costa Rica  where DD was born.  We went in when she was two weeks old.  It was too hot not to go swimming and she LOVED it!  She is still a huge water baby!  But then again we also took her to the ocean, and brought her in the ocean when she was just five days old.

We did not do indoor pools though until this past Christmas and despite rinsing and moisturizing afterwards, she and I both wound up with irritated skin and throat and chest pain (well she didn't tell me but I had it and I could only assume she felt the same from her tears ) which I can only assume were a reaction to the chlorine, since we have never had anything like that before and we felt the symptoms of it just after spending the afternoon at the hotel pool.

So I would say, if you know the pool and what it is treated with (some pools do saline) and it is outdoors, go for it.  If it is indoors,..be careful.

[kimkim]

we took dd to the community chlorine pool when she was 4 months old.

she just wore a swim diaper and we were there maybe an hour.

she was mostly in our arms or tummy on a kickboard, obviously not swimming yet.

i was worried about the chlorine too but sort of forgot about it/got over it b/c the pool experience is SO fun and it's such a short period of time in the water

honestly the stimulation of seeing other kids swim and play and motion and activity, baby passed out at the pool, then we went home and she went to bed 3 hrs EARLIER than normal and slept until the next day same time as usual. definitely exhausted!

i hope to take her to a saline pool in the future but i can't keep her out of pools and exposed to chlorine forever so i feel like once in awhile i try not to fret it.

go, have fun!

[Terrilein]

The study mentioned in the Reuters article above is making the round in Germany here, too. I'm going to have to rethink when and where we go swimming now as I've got asthma and ds's papa is also has allergies. The thermal bath and spa we've been going to seems fine - I haven't noticed any chlorine "fumes"  - but when summer comes around, my older dd is going to want to go to the local pool where tons of chlorine is used.

[BarnMomma]

Chlorine absolutely penetrates the skin and when submerged your skin drinks it in. Chlorine is by no means a harmless chemical. It's cheap and easy- that's why it is used. I will not take my kids swimming in chlorine...at all. We use a totally chemical free ion system in our pool and we enjoy oceans and lakes.

[oaktreemama]

 We use a totally chemical free ion system in our pool and we enjoy oceans and lakes.

I guess I am feeling very sensitive today but this statement really rubs me the wrong way. We can't afford a pool with a chemical free ion system. Nor do we have regular access to clean lakes (nevermind the ocean). I certainly wish we could. I certainly wish I had thousands and thousands of dollars to spend to ensure my son could swim in a perfect pool with a groovy cleaning system.

But we don't. So we use the regular old community pool and have been for 30+ years. None of us have dropped down dead yet. And swimming is a critical skill that I think ALL children should learn. So, I guess I'll chance the killer chlorine chemicals.

[Magali]

Originally Posted by oaktreemama 

 We use a totally chemical free ion system in our pool and we enjoy oceans and lakes.

I guess I am feeling very sensitive today but this statement really rubs me the wrong way. We can't afford a pool with a chemical free ion system. Nor do we have regular access to clean lakes (nevermind the ocean). I certainly wish we could. I certainly wish I had thousands and thousands of dollars to spend to ensure my son could swim in a perfect pool with a groovy cleaning system.

But we don't. So we use the regular old community pool and have been for 30+ years. None of us have dropped down dead yet. And swimming is a critical skill that I think ALL children should learn. So, I guess I'll chance the killer chlorine chemicals.

True mama.  We used to live in  National Park and the lakes there were terrific.  Now we live elsewhere and tried to enjoy the local lakes and ended up with horrible rashes from duck parasites :(. Chlorine is IMO better than duck parasites...well feels better at least.   We also have limited activities to do out here and I really feel the benefits of taking my kids swimming outweigh the risks.  We have a backyard pool and I use chlorine in that, but I keep it really low cause it is just me using it.