Anyone have an infant and toddler???

kellmo · June 2013

For mobile users Anyone have an infant and a toddler?

Looking for some advice. Thought maybe I'd find some on this board.
I have a 3.5 year old and now a 2 week old. Every summer I take my 3.5 year old to our public pool. He keeps asking me to go. I can't go swimming yet anyways but I'm wondering how I will be able to take him and my 2 week old. Any thoughts??

Mrs.RockyM · June 2013

DD1 is 4 and DD2 is 8 months old and there's no way I'd take both of them to a pool by myself. I just don't have enough hands. I'd also be concerned since your LO can' wear sunscreen just yet. Can you have someone watch the baby while you take the toddler?

June2007 · June 2013

Can your 3 year old swim? I'm guessing not since you're worried, maybe he could do swim lessons? When I had a 2 year old and an infant I would sit with my feet in the water by the steps and DD1 would play in the steps and swim in the shallow end. DD2 would chill in her bouncy seat or stroller in the shade until she was old enough. By the time I had a 1 year old and 3 year old the older one could swim independently and the 1 year old could go around with water wings. The disclaimer here is that we are Floridians and practically can swim before we walk. It seems like you could let your older one play on the steps with water wings or something if you sit near by.

lauren&matt · June 2013

Take your bouncer to the pool. Baby chills and naps in the bouncer while you play in the pool. (in the shade of course!!) I'd imagine right after a feeding might give you an hour with your older one? GL!! It's totally doable, just needs some planning.

And it might work beautifully one day and be a disaster the next... it happens

NCMichelle · June 2013

This is the first summer that I've been able to take the kids to the pool by myself without feeling like someone was going to drown.

The first summer we skipped going to the big pool and stayed in our inflatable pool in our front yard. Last summer I would bring a babysitter with me to the pool.

aiche Umm Ayoub · June 2013

Just put baby in a carrier and wear them while you take the toddler to the pool that's what I did with my daughter when her brother was younger

lauren&matt · June 2013

Oh, and I totally agree with lessons!! If you can swing it, private are really worth the expense. You and baby can sit in the shade while big bro gets his lessons.... then baby can chill in the shade (maybe napping in the stroller, bouncer, or moses basket) while y'all play.

I wasn't a fan of putting my newborns in chlorinated water... that's just me though

saturdaynightdoubletree · June 2013

Buy your 3 year old a puddle jumper, water wings with a chest piece, coast guard approved as a life preserver. My kids have them and they are fantastic!!! My 3.5 and 2.5 year old swim all around the pool independently with them with ease and I usually plan it so the baby is napping in her stroller in case I need to jump all the way in, which has not happened ever and we are at our pool almost year round on a daily basis. I can hang on the edge of the pool without worry, and then when baby is sleeping ill jump in and play. Puddle jumpers facilitate self learning to swim too because they aren't just water wings that slide or force your arms above your head and body, the chest piece helps a kid become more horizontal and the arms are more freely moving. Find at Walmart, target, etc for 14 dollars in the sporting or boating section.

smilejenn · June 2013

You will have to wait until at least 6 weeks to go into the pool yourself, and even then, most doctors won't recommend putting your baby into a chlorinated pool or in bright sun at a young age. When your baby is old enough to go into the pool with you, I would get one of the floaters that they can sit in that has the shade over it. I used that with my youngest when my oldest son was 3.5.

christinak22 · June 2013

I must be off my rocker, because I would just take them both and swim with them both! Getting babies used to being in deep water is good for them! I took my two when they were just a few months each and dunked them and they both loved it. Just carry baby around in the water with you while the 3yo swims with swimmy rings or something so you don't have to worry about not catching them if they don't get back up.

bethelon · June 2013

I don't have any issue with taking my newborn into the water, but I will not take him into clorine/chemicals in pool water.

With that said, I put a puddle jumper on my non-swimming 4 year old and let her go while I sit under the umbrella/shade with the baby and watch. She's totally confident to go swimming at the swim club by herself with the puddle jumper on.

MissJenna2011 · July 2013

I highly recommend swim lessons! Last year my son was 3.5 & my daughter was 6 days old. I took them both to the pool post-csection by myself and it worked out just fine. My preschooler got an hour in the water, and the lifeguards did the hands on pool time while I was just a few feet away in the shade with the baby. If need be, bring a friend with you to help, i'm sure she wouldn't mind joining you.

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