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When your baby gets in the pool with you for a swimming lesson, they must have the right protection against any accidents. Swim diapers are a great invention because of their shape and materials. But, there will be times when we run out while on vacation or there are no swim diapers to hand. Does that mean that swimming is canceled, or are there alternative solutions?
Why Are Swim Diapers So Important?
Where possible, you want to use a good quality swim diaper for your child so that you can be sure of keeping them safe and protecting others from their waste. This is especially important for a public pool and no amount of chlorine or other components in the water will be enough to deal with any fecal matter that your child expels. Some parents will try and use other types of diapers or hacks to help babies in the water. But, none are as safe or effective as a swim diaper – whether reusable or disposable.
Because swim diapers are so important, it helps to know why they differ from regular diapers. So, what makes these diapers better and what should you do if you run out of swim diapers?
Why Are We OK With Swim Diapers Being Non-Absorbabnt?
This idea of a non-absorbent diaper can seem like a bad idea when we want regular diapers to be as absorbent as possible. If the pee isn’t contained it will leak out into the pool. While we think that urine is gross because it is a bodily fluid and pretty smelly, it is generally sterile. It can wash out and dilute in the chlorinated water with little risk.
Your child is unlikely to expel too much either. It is more important to contain feces as this is where we have a public health concern. Exposure to fecal matter can be dangerous due to bacteria and can cause illness. On a related note, it is important to never let your child swim if they are dealing with diarrhea issues. A swim diaper can contain solid waste but liquid faces can seep out more easily can cause a lot of problems.
Do Swim Diapers Hold Poop?
A good swim diaper should be secure enough to handle solid waste and keep it in the diaper until you can change your child after their time in the pool. The big difference between these diapers and standard diapers is that they aren’t constructed to hold pee. That’s going to leak out, dilute in the water, and you just have to be content with that fact.
That is because you don’t want these diapers to be absorbent. You want them to be waterproof and light so that they are still supportive and won’t weigh your child down. Think of the weight of a full diaper compared to that of a fresh one when you change your baby. Now imagine that extra weight on a child while it is in the water. It is too dangerous.
Disposable Or Reusable Swim Diapers?
There are different types of swim diapers around and some are more effective than others. You can get disposable ones, much like the disposable regular diapers, that you get thrown away after the swim. Or, you can try and find a good reusable one with a nice graphic on it that you can wash and use each time your child goes swimming This could be preferable if you find a brand you really like as you don’t have to worry about needing to switch over to a competitor if they are out of stock.
If you do prefer the idea of a cheaper disposable pack of swim diapers, especially if you like to get in the water a lot, there are some considerations to keep in mind. First of all, you need to be sure that the diaper is secure around the top and the legs. This means that there is no chance of solid waste escaping and becoming a health hazard. You also need to be sure that they won’t take in water and become uncomfortable to wear after a while. Your child should be as unrestricted as possible as they get used to the water.
How Many Swim Diapers Do You Need?
If you opt for disposable swim diapers, you need to be sure that you have enough with you, especially when packing for a family vacation. It is a good idea to put a clean diaper on each time they use the pool. That doesn’t necessarily mean one diaper per day, as your child may go in the water with you, come out to have some food or take part in a different activity, and then go back in later that afternoon. It helps to pack more than you think you will need to avoid the risk of running out.
What Can You Use If You Don’t Have Swim Diapers?
This is where you hit a bit of a dilemma. If you run out of diapers while on vacation or find you haven’t packed a spare, you may have to take swimming off the agenda if you can’t find some more. A local store may have something suitable, but this isn’t a guarantee. Still, some parents use alternative solutions – for better or worse – so let’s look at some of those.
Can You Use Regular Diapers For Swimming If You Run Out of Swim Diapers?
No. Regular diapers weren’t made for use in water. The biggest obstacle here is their absorbency. The whole point is that they soak up liquid so that they can hold urine until your change the diaper for a fresh one. In this situation, you will just be left with a sodden diaper that becomes useless and heavy. Your child won’t be able to swim comfortably and the extra weight could be dangerous in the water. There is also the risk that a sodden diaper will sag and fall off. This means that the solid waste contained within the diaper is now free to float around the pool.
Can Babies Swim In Cloth Diapers?
There are parents online that will tell you that you can put a cloth diaper on a baby and that will be fine in the pool. It all depends on the fit, the absorbency, and the materials. You don’t have the same sort of absorbent core as a regular disposable diaper, but it is still a material that can get wet and may not feel that great in the water. You may also struggle to get the same tight fit around the waist and legs to stop solids from floating away.
Can You Use Pull-Ups Instead Of Swim Diapers?
Some parents will use pull-ups on older children in case of accidents instead of traditional swim diapers. However, you end up with the same risks as the standard diapers. They are made to be absorbent and this means they will lose their stability and increase in weight. This could impede the child and lead to waste escaping.
Can A Baby Swim Without A Diaper?
Not in a public pool. There are various considerations there because you are sharing the space with other swimmers and families. Nude swimming may be freeing, but you run too many risks of accidents and it could make other people uncomfortable. If you have a kiddie pool in the backyard or your own private swimming pool at home, that is a different matter. As long as you are prepared for the risks of waste matter and decontaminate the pool well, it might not be such an issue.
Stick With A Good Supply Of Disposable Swim Diapers Or A Reliable Reusable One.
The best solution for avoiding the problem of having no swim diapers is to have a couple of reusable ones that you like. You can have them in rotation so that there is always a clean one to use while the other is dirty or being washed. You won’t run out unless there is some sort of problem with them getting damaged or going missing.
There will be plenty of parents online telling you that you can find hacks and shortcuts if you want to swim with your child and don’t have a good swim diaper with you. But, it is best not to follow these tips in case they aren’t completely hygienic or safe.
The best solution for avoiding the problem of having no swim diapers is to have a couple of reusable ones that you like. You can have them in rotation so that there is always a clean one to use while the other is dirty or being washed. You won’t run out unless there is some sort of problem with them getting damaged or going missing.
There will be plenty of parents online telling you that you can find hacks and shortcuts if you want to swim with your child and don’t have a good swim diaper with you. But, it is best not to follow these tips in case they aren’t completely hygienic or safe.
