What is a swim nappy?

Swimming is a crucial skill for a child to learn and many parents want to make their child comfortable around water as soon as possible. A lot of the time, they will go to the website of a pool builder and get one installed so their children will have something to have hours of endless fun in. The only issue with this is if they’re young children, they will still be in diapers. Parents are well aware of the unanticipated accidents their babies have throughout the day. For those who want to take their little one to the beach or a public swimming baths, being unprepared for these accidents is both a nightmare to clean up and also very unhygienic for others. Because of this, a swim nappy has been developed by babywear companies to withstand any unfortunate incidents whilst your child is in the water.

You want your children to have the most fun in the water, letting them free to do what they want, splash about and play with other children. They won’t be worrying about any accidents that happen, so neither should you. It makes life easier for everybody.

Swimming pools or leisure centres will actually insist on babies or infants wearing a swim nappy before they enter the pool. This is for sanitary reasons, where any waste can infect the pool with poisonous E. coli, an unpleasant bacterium in humans that causes stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea.

The swim nappy counteracts the possibility of this occurring and is designed to prevent any solids from escaping. Bathing costumes cannot do this and regular nappies are also not designed to be used in a pool. They immediately soak up water and become heavier for a baby to wear; this can make them feel uncomfortable and uneasy when swimming.

Images from www.splashabout.com

Images from www.splashabout.com

There are two main types of swim nappy for parents to consider buying. The first are the disposable kind, designed to be thrown away after each individual use. Secondly, you have reusable swim nappies, which need to be washed after each use but are more cost-effective and eco-friendly in the long run.

Motivation behind the design of swim nappies is based around comfort for the baby and containing waste. Swim nappies will be made from a soft cotton material, lined with fibres which encourage any solids to cling to the material. A concealed water resistant layer is also usually present in their design, preventing the nappy from soaking up water.

Comfort around the thighs and legs are an important consideration also for swim nappies and a key to their function. Elasticised, stretchy material will give a baby freedom to express themselves in the pool without feeling restricted. A drawstring waistband provides both a secure and comfortable fit as well.

When coming to make a swim nappy purchase, each baby may suit a particular brand, size and type. Shop around from different sources as there are a few alternatives to try out. The recognised big brands, Huggies and Pampers, both have popular swim nappies available whilst SplashAbout‘s renowned and reusable Happy Nappy is a much-admired product. The same company have also bought out Happy Nappy Shorts and full bathing costumes for slightly older infants.

Adults who are unfortunately incontinent will also find swim nappies extremely helpful for when they want to go swimming. They are usually worn underneath a bathing suit or occasionally as the main bathing suit itself, granted you wouldn’t be using the same brands as children, but there are many available should they be needed.

Choosing the Right Swim Lessons for Your Child

Swimming is an important skill that any child should try to learn at an early age. Multiple options are available for parents who want to sign their child up for swim lessons. From private classes to group ones to a swim team, there are plenty to choose from. The type of instruction that is right for your child will depend on his or her age, skills, and interests, as well as your expectations as a parent.

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My two preschoolers in need of swimming lessons.

Parent and Child Classes

These classes work best for the youngest swimmers, concentrating not so much on swimming itself but rather on introducing them to the water. The parents help their infants and toddlers get rid of the fear of water by splashing and playing. One of the most important steps during these first lessons is for the children to be able to wet their faces without fear. The sooner they learn to do this, the sooner they start floating and are able to progress to a more advanced level.

Group Classes

Group lessons can be a good stepping stone from beginner classes to more serious swimming. Children who are able to float on their own and are not afraid of putting their faces in the water are ready for this setup. Keep in mind that the class should never be too crowded, and if there is a large amount of children, then there should be several instructors present, at a ratio of one instructor per every three students. This ensures the children’s safety, as well as allows each one of them to have sufficient individual attention. If your child is really interested in swimming and takes it as more than just a hobby, you might want to consider private lessons or a swim team, where he or she will be able to swim competitively.

Private Classes

Private lessons work best for children who are either really scared of water or those who want to take their swimming to the next level. Private swim lessons will allow your child to get rid of fear, develop proper stroke techniques, and get ready for a swim team if that is the plan.

Considering Swimming Lessons After A Fun Day at ACE Water Spa

A couple of weekends ago, we finally found time to take the little ones to ACE Water Spa.  We were actually obliged to go because the vouchers hubby bought were to expire the following day. 😛

Hubby was looking forward to trying the hydrotherapy massages and the hot herbal pools.  Our little kids couldn’t be brought to the hot pools though and I couldn’t handle both the kids on my own so we spent the first couple of hours taking the kids round the different areas of ACE Water Spa.

The kids had fun drifting on square foam floaters round the Lazy River.  They also had great fun splashing and playing under the mushrooms in the Kids Pool. Hubby and I wanted to try the different hydrotherapy massages so, with kids in tow, did the rounds and tried the ones that were available.  There were quite a number of people then so I was unable to try some of the massages.  My little girl loved the Bubble Pool though so that was where we spent most of our time. Hubby, on the other hand, loved the Upper Body Jet Massage which had rigid water pouring from elevated jets giving him a hard back massage.

When the kids had their fill of water fun, I took them to the Ace Coffee Lounge for some lunch while hubby tried the Sauna, Steam Bath, and the Hot Herbal Pools.

While we were having lunch at the cafe which was situated right beside the swimming pool, we saw two kids being taught how to swim by professional teachers.   The teachers had complete training equipment and seemed very friendly that I’m considering enrolling my two kids in their classes.  Perhaps, they’d be as good as fort lauderdale aquatics instructors and would have my little ones swimming like guppies after a few sessions.  Another thing I like about ACE Water Spa and that I find perfect as a venue for swimming lessons is that the pool is indoors and has heated water.  That means I won’t have to worry about my kids being out in the sun for too long nor of them being cold in the water. Besides, swimming offers so many benefits that even my husband and I would do well to take swimming as a form of exercise.

swimming spa

Overall, our first experience at ACE Water Spa was a great splash!  We would definitely take the kids back for some hydrotherapy massage, and, if budget permits, some swimming lessons.  I find the rate of P550/person quite costly though so I would just take advantage of group deals where we can get tickets for only P349/person.

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ACE WATER SPA is located at 399 Del Monte Avenue (near cor. Banaue St.) SFDM, Quezon City and at United St., cor. Brixton St. near Pioneer, Pasig City.

Entrance fees are Php550/person for adults and Php250/person for children below 4ft.  Fees are valid for 4 hours of use of all facilities.

They are open from 6AM to 10PM from Sundays to Thursdays and from 6AM to 11PM from Fridays to Saturdays.  They are also open during holidays.