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Sunday, March 14, 2010

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Public Pools and Swim Diapers

When you have a young baby, it can be hard to get out and do fun activities. For example, public pools require swim diapers for a diapered child to go into the water. While you may have a full featured stash of cloth diapers, you may be unsure how to take your baby swimming in a public pool. Is there any other option besides disposable swim diapers, or are you resigned to purchase a wasteful and environmentally hazardous product just to have a successful family outing? The good news is that the same retailers selling your favorite brands of cloth diapers probably have diapers approved for public swimming pools.

Swimming pools usually have specific requirements for swimming diapers. The diaper can not be absorbent and must have the ability to contain solid waste. Both regular cloth and disposable diapers will absorb excessive amounts of pool water, which can weigh down your baby and cause a safety hazard. However, leaving your baby diaper free can risk contamination if human waste is introduced into the pool water. Because of this, you will be required to use swim diapers whenever you bring your baby to a pool.

Many public pools sell swim diapers at their concession stand for parents who don't have one available in their baby's swimming supplies. Pools are most familiar with disposable swimming diapers. They may have policies in place designating what is acceptable to use, and cloth options may not be on that list. This doesn't mean that you can't use a cloth swim diaper safely. Instead, you may be required to take a bit of extra time to show the diaper to management so they can approve the swim diapers for use in their pool. This will only be necessary once. After the initial inspection, you should be able to tell any workers unfamiliar with the product that it has been inspected and approved by the owner.

When shopping for swim diapers, there are several options that you can select from. First, the closures will vary depending on the particular design and manufacturer of your cloth swim diaper. Your diaper may feature either plastic snaps or hook and loop tape to secure the diaper on your baby. Many swim diapers look very much like a diaper cover with a waterproof outer cover, except they have a mesh layer on the inside to help keep solid waste contained. In fact, some parents grab a swim diaper to use as a cover in a pinch. Some designs offer extra protection for busy little fingers by adding several types of closures. In addition to hook and loop tape, a style may also add a tie so that the diaper stays where it belongs while your baby is enjoying the water.

If you swim often during the spring and summer months, you want to have several swimming diapers in your collection of cloth diapers so that you can rotate them when you are washing. Luckily, the swim diapers at Kelly's Closet are very affordable. The company offers 3 styles, all priced under $15.

18 comments:

Lauren said...

Our family YMCA actually states in their pool policy that children must wear tight-fitting, reusable swim pants...i.e., CLOTH swim diapers! :) I was able to help out a lot of my friends who had never been exposed to CDing before, and one girl actually switched altogether when she saw how easy it was. :)

Cindy @ This Adventure, Our Life said...

Thanks for posting this, I had just started asking around about swim diapers, so perfect timing!! I will check them out :)

ONCE upon a time.... said...

I have always used the Bummi Swimmi and LOVED it. the fit is perfect, the patterns are adorable and it stays closed due to strong, durable hook-and-loop closures. my question now is, should i be washing the swim diaper with my regular cloth diapers? I have never thought about it before! I usually just wash it with my swim suit! we've never had a dirty swim diaper so i suppose it's not a big deal...but the question remains: should swim diapers be washed with regular diapers?

thanks for the info on swim diapers!

--camille

K8tmama said...

Thank-you so much for the info! I have been looking at swim diapers and trying to figure out a reusable way.

@k8tmama

Ashley said...

I love swimming and playing in the water. Disposable swim diapers are soooo expensive, especially since a person probably wouldn't use all of them! Reusable swim diapers are definately on my list! Thanks for the post, it has been helpful.

Secret Mommy said...

My kids take swimming lessons at a pool that also requires reusable, cloth swim diapers and does not allow disposables. Honestly, when researching where to have them take lessons, this was one factor that made me choose this place. :)

Also, in a pinch (if I haven't washed their swim dipe since the last trip to the pool...) I have used a pocket diaper shell without ANY insert. Then I put a pair of swim trunks on over that. The pool has never questioned me about it, and it has worked just fine at keeping in pooh the one time we had a pooh in the pool. (bumGenius 3.0 and Rumparooz are my fave to use "empty" as a swim dipe...though I'm sure this type of activity isn't "approved" for pools, it certainly would work perfectly at your home wading pool or any friend's pool.)

Tricia said...

This is great timing because I was just looking at swim diapers. I'd love to see a post with reviews on the pros and cons of each kind you carry. I have a baby who will be 6 months old in June when swimming season starts and I am not sure which option is best for her.

Unknown said...

Thanks! This is helpful. I have used re-usable swin diapers with all my kids, but it was never in public pools. This summer we will be traveling and I had no clue some places require disposable swim diapers. I am now prepared to defend the awesomeness of re-usables! Thanks :)

Unknown said...

I didn't know about pool rules regarding cloth diapers! Thanks for the info!

gnatalie said...

I just ordered one of the Bummis and can't wait for summer to try it out :)

Unknown said...

Great article! Will be looking into swim dipes for the newest addition later in the summer I'm sure.

Unknown said...

We love our Bummis Swim diapers. I have never had a soiled one, so I wash with my swim suit as well. If I had a soiled one, I'd probably still wash it separately from my normal cloth diapers. I go to water aerobics with a bunch of grandmothers and I've got them buying them for their grandkids.

Alesha @ Full Time Mama said...

I'll definitely have to remember KellysCloset the next time I need some swim diapers!

fancygrlnancy said...

Last year little man took swim lessons at the public pool and will again this year. I did get some swim trunks with the built in diaper at babies r us. this year I really want to get a better option diaper. I have had my eye on the bumpkin swim diapers. I think the pool was more the other way with preference to the disposiable diapers, but I will continue to use the cloth diapers.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this post! I am looking into swim diapers now for my baby, and searching for one for a friend who has a potty training 2 year old.

Anonymous said...

Never thought about swim CLOTH dipes!! LoL! Well this is deff something ill have to look into!! Why did swimming never cross my mind!! Thanks :)

Crystal said...

Thanks for this post! I agree with Tricia that I would love to see a post on the pros and cons of different brands of swim diapers. Are they at all absorbent, or just a shell to catch poo? My DD will be 1 in June, so I'm sure she'll be spending a lot of time in the water this summer, and I need to find out which swim diaper would be best for us and invest in a few.

Danni said...

Thanks for this :) It reminded me that it's getting to be that time when I ought to think about grabbing some swim diapers!!