Taking a Babe in Chlorinated Pool?

[mra]

What is your opinion on taking a baby in a chlorinated pool? At what age did you start? We have our own pool. We won't be visiting any public pools. 

I know it isn't necessary for a baby to go in a pool at all at a young age, but we are in AZ and it gets HOT. I'm not planning on dunking her under or anything! I was just thinking of putting her in a sling and hanging out in the low end together. We will shower off afterwards, too.

I have read so many conflicting articles and opinions about the safety of chlorine for babies under age 1, but the pool is so enjoyable in the summer here. We've already had some 80 and almost 90 degree weather!

[Asiago]

We have chosen to wait until 2+ years after reading the studies and discussing with our pediatrician.

[TCMoulton]

We took my older daughter swimming in a chlorinated pool for the first time when she was just a few weeks old and she loved it! My younger daughter was a bit older but that was mainly because she was born in the middle of winter and we didn't have many opportunities to swim that winter. As long as i was comfortable with the maintenance or temperature of the pool I wouldn't hesitate to take little ones swimming.

[Knitting Mama]

I'd do it, and do a quick rinse in regular water afterward.

[katelove]

We started taking J swimming at 3 months old. And as Cecelia's Mama said, we always have a bath or shower afterwards.

[Blessed1]

Originally Posted by Asiago 

We have chosen to wait until 2+ years after reading the studies and discussing with our pediatrician.

Do you have any links? I would love more info. Thanks! :)
 

[P.J.]

We took DS, then 4 months, in a chlorinated pool when we were on vacation in October. It was only a few times and only once for a swim, the rest of the times were just dips. To me that just doesn't pose a great enough risk not to do it. He loved it!

[SubliminalDarkness]

We did it at a few months old. It's one of those things that isn't awesome, but I don't think it's horrible either. 

We have a backyard pool now, which is salt water, and that's pretty great. 

[sosurreal09]

Originally Posted by SubliminalDarkness 

We did it at a few months old. It's one of those things that isn't awesome, but I don't think it's horrible either. 

We have a backyard pool now, which is salt water, and that's pretty great. 

Jealous!

[arieltron]

I keep asking myself this same question, because we live in Texas, and it gets HOT. But DP is totally against it, he feels it's an unnecessary risk. I guess that just leaves trips to the beach..

[mra]

I guess that just leaves trips to the beach..

I'm sure that if you looked hard enough you could find studies that show the pollutants in the water at the beach are just as bad or perhaps worse than chlorine. Maybe...now I'm curious about that! I grew up in NJ and there were always beach closures due to water quality and contaminants washing ashore. Especially with all the recent oil spills and trash issues.

[Adaline'sMama]

We took DD at just a few weeks and have kept taking her. She loves the water! If you have your own pool, why not stop using chlorine?

http://www.ecosmartepool.com/chlorine-free-pool.html 

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/salt-water-pools-going-green-with-no-chlorine 

[SubliminalDarkness]

Originally Posted by mra 

I'm sure that if you looked hard enough you could find studies that show the pollutants in the water at the beach are just as bad or perhaps worse than chlorine. Maybe...now I'm curious about that! I grew up in NJ and there were always beach closures due to water quality and contaminants washing ashore. Especially with all the recent oil spills and trash issues.

That's what I was thinking. And that poster lives in an area with a lot of refineries, where there's already significant concern of pollution and contamination. 

Personally, I think I'd rather take my chances with a chlorinated pool, where I know the "risks" and can be aware of signs of concern. With something like ocean water, it's a crap shoot. 

[chel]

First pool was 6m. Didn't really have a chance to go earlier, but probably wouldn't if I did have the opportunity.

Much pickier about beaches. Some opportunity to go to great lake beaches when dd2 was 6m, and wouldnt.. Even beaches several hours from major cities have asbestos issues. Maybe in the UP of MI

[mra]

We took DD at just a few weeks and have kept taking her. She loves the water! If you have your own pool, why not stop using chlorine?

We are renting the house we are in now, so I wouldn't want to put a large amount of money into the pool here. I guess it technically isn't "our own" pool. The landlord pays for all the pool chemicals and does weekly maintenance. We just got a new filter installed, so I doubt he'd be up for spending the money to make the switch right now. He keeps the chlorine as low as possible and lets us know when he has to add anything else. I never smell any chlorine like you can at some pools and we test it every day before we swim. I own a townhouse that we rent out, so I didn't want to carry two mortgages in this market. However, we may end up doing so anyway now that interest rates are so low. Hubby wants a house with a pool, so we will absolutely look at installing one of those systems in our own pool. I've looked into them when I was an HOA manager because I considered making the switch for the community pools there and they seem like great systems for the most part.

[arieltron]

Originally Posted by mra 

I'm sure that if you looked hard enough you could find studies that show the pollutants in the water at the beach are just as bad or perhaps worse than chlorine. Maybe...now I'm curious about that! I grew up in NJ and there were always beach closures due to water quality and contaminants washing ashore. Especially with all the recent oil spills and trash issues.

yeah I worry about that a lot too, it is so sad that our beaches don't really offer a safe alternative. For the record I would never take DD to the beach in Corpus Christi, the water here is super polluted by the refinaries and other gross things. When we go to the beach we go to the national seashore on Padre Island. I haven't taken her in the water there, but I did take her in the water in Hawaii. 

[Amanda1]

We took ds in the pool at 3 months, in the summer my mom has a pool so we'll be in there. But over the winter we go to the local indoor pool a couple times a week. There is nothing he loves more than swimming, From the first time we went we dunked him and now ( 7 months later) he loves it and dunks himself! People are amazed.

I never worried about the pool chemicals to much, I would rather he not have a fear of the water, I know lots of 3 year olds who are terrified in the pool and that is not safe to me. I like to know that at 10 months if my sons face ever went in the water he will hold his breath and not panic ( not that I plan on dropping him in the water!!!!)

[Asiago]

I apologize for not posting sooner, below are the links to the studies:

http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/36/1/41.abstract

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/short/119/6/1095

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1651-2227.2003.tb00622.x/abstract