Swimming with Baby

This baby needs a swim diaper.

Spring breaks are fast approaching and I've already seen swimsuits popping up in stores. As you plan for a family vacation this year, or just a trip to the local pool, you're going to need a swim diaper!

Disposable swim diapers are a product that parents complain about, without fail. They're expensive, and, unless you're going swimming with your baby all the time, you probably won't get through a whole package during a summer. What a waste! Even parents that use disposables most the time consider reusable swim diapers.

What's a swim diaper?
The purpose of a swim diaper is NOT to absorb wetness- if it did, it would get totally saturated once a baby climbed into the pool! The only goal of a swim diaper is to contain messes- to keep poop out of the pool (and save you the embarrassment of being the cause of the pool evacuation!) Because no insert is needed, swim diapers tend to be trimmer and closer-fitting than most cloth diapers and covers. This trimness, especially around the legs and waist, is what contains the mess- so, if in doubt, buy the smaller size. Your baby can just wear the diaper in the water, or it can be worn under a swimsuit.

Why not just use a normal diaper cover?
The chlorine in the pool will damage the waterproof layer (polyurethane laminate - PUL) of your normal diaper covers. You really want the diaper covers in your normal rotation to stay waterproof! Swim diapers use a coated nylon instead of PUL, which will hold up to pool chemicals.

Savannah models the Swimmi on a Caribbean beach

How do I clean a swim diaper?
If the swim diaper is just wet from being in the water, you can hang it dry to use for your next water adventure! If it gets dirty but your baby is exclusively breastfed, wash on medium heat with your diaper laundry. If it gets soiled, dispose of the poo in a toilet. If you're on vacation and can't do laundry, the inner part of these diapers is a polyester mesh that's easy to wipe and clean, so you'll be able to do so by hand in a sink, if necessary.

One more note...
This may be obvious to more experienced parents, but... when getting the family ready for a day at the beach or pool, you can get the big kids dressed in their swimsuits at home, but don't put the baby in her swim diaper until you get the locker room! There's nothing in the swim diaper to absorb accidents in the carseat on the way there, and we wouldn't want you to end up with a mess! Same goes for the trip home- change her back into a normal cloth diaper before packing everyone up.

Happy splashing!