If you have ever been to the local pool on a hot Summers day you may have noticed infants tottering around wearing what looks like a thin diaper. These are known as swim diapers.
Swim diapers are designed to be worn by an infant or toddler in a pool whether this be within your own pool or a public pool.
In this article we will take a look at what disposable and reusable swim diapers are, what their purpose is and how to use them.
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What is the Purpose of a Swim Diaper?
Planning on Heading to the Pool with Your Infant? Don’t Forget to Pack the Swim Diapers!
While some moms swear by swim diapers, others choose to use swimming pants. Swimming pants are great for short term use although for a long day at the beach or when using the local pool swim diapers are an easier approach. Knowing that little accidents can be easily cleaned up and tossed away can give mothers peace of mind.
While swim diapers are often used by choice you may have noticed that some public pools require all infants that have not been toilet trained to wear a swim diaper while using the facility. This is a recommendation by The Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Before heading to a public pool it’s always best to call ahead and find out what their policy is. While most public pools allow for infants as long as they are wearing a swim diaper some pools have rules in place that restrict infants from using the facility all together. This is the case on many cruise lines, where those children who are not toilet trained are permitted from entering the pools.
What do Swim Diapers Actually Do?
In short, swim diapers prevent an infant having accidents (that should be dealt with in a toilet) in the water.
These diapers ensure that bacterial contamination through fecal matter is not spread from one child to another. One bacteria that these diapers work to prevent is the spread of is E coli.
If all children wear swim diapers when using public facilities it ensures that the water remains contaminant free and open for use.
How do Swim Diapers Differ from Regular Diapers?
We all know that diapers are used on a day to day basis for infants prior to toilet training. While swim diapers are similar to normal diapers they have some important differences that relate to their use. Swim diapers are intended to be worn when entering water. Due to this, they have been designed to be absorbent although do not swell like normal diapers do in water.
Similar to normal diapers, swim diapers come in a variety of sizes and brands. Some open at the sides while others follow a pull-up approach. Some mothers love the ‘cute’ designs of swim diapers, others promote the protection they give their baby from disease while other moms love the fact that they can be easily disposed of after use.
There are two types of swim diapers available. One type is disposable and can be thrown out after use while the other is reusable. While some mothers choose reusable swim diapers as they work out cheaper in the long run, other mothers love disposable swim diapers due to the convenience of them.
How do I Correctly Use a Swim Diaper?
If you are heading out to the pool and beach for the day it is recommended to take with you a couple of swim diapers. This ensures that you can change your baby regularly if they wet or soil the diaper.
- Ensure you have cleaned your baby.
- Pull the swim diaper up from their feet or open tabs on the side (for swim diapers that have this feature).
- Check your infants swim diaper every half an hour to an hour to ensure they have not soiled their diaper.
- If you notice your child has soiled their swim diaper, change them into a new swim diaper away from the pool area. Discard the used swim diaper in an appropriate diaper bin at the facility. If there is no diaper bin, place the diaper in a plastic bag and take it home to be discarded. If you are using a reusable swim diaper, place it in a ‘dirty bag’ to take home and wash.
Swim diapers can be worn alone although some mothers recommend placing swimming shorts over the top to ensure the swim diaper is held in place.
Common Misconceptions About Swim Diapers
Swim diapers are not designed to hold in urine. They are purely in place to contain solid matter. This means that if your child is suffering from diarrhea it’s best to stay out of large pools of water.
Due to the fact swim diapers are not supposed to hold urine, the best idea is to pop the swim diaper on right before they enter the water and then remove it after they are finished in the water. If you child wets the swim diaper, there is a good chance that it will leak through.
Where Can I Purchase Swim Diapers?
If the summer is coming up or you have recently enrolled your infant in swimming lessons, you may be needing to purchase a couple of packets of swim diapers or a number of reusable swim diapers. Some large chain retailers will stock swim diapers although generally these diapers can be purchased for a lower cost online. Reusable swimming diapers can be found at some baby specialist stores although a large range of designs can be purchased from Amazon.
Pros and Cons of Disposable and Reusable Swim Diapers
Disposable and reusable swim diapers will both do the trick. Below we’ve gathered a number of pros and cons that relate to disposable and reusable swim diapers.
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Can be disposed after use |
Must be washes after use |
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Can cost up to $2.00 per diaper |
Cost Approximately $10.00 but can be reused |
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Can be torn at the sides |
Remove using clips or Velcro |
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Looks more like a diaper |
Looks like a pair of swimmers |
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Can cause rashes if not changed regularly |
Often soft on babies skin |
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Creates landfill |
Environmentally friendly |
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Limited Design |
Many designs available online |
Whether you choose reusable or disposable swimming diapers, you are protecting your own and other children from fecal bacteria. At the end of the day, if you will be taking your infant swimming a lot reusable swim diapers can work out a fair bit cheaper while the convenience of disposable swim diapers can save time.
Huggies Disposable Swim Diapers
The well-known brand Huggies have a range of swim diapers that are suited to a number of infant age groups. These diapers come in a number of Disney designs and have side tabs that can be easily torn apart to remove the diaper. The front and back of these diapers are identified with the design and the stretch sides add comfort for your infant.
These diapers are thin meaning a number can easily fit within the diaper bag. Huggies Little Swimmers can be purchased in a small, medium or large size. Each packet contains approximately 12 diapers.
Cost: Approximately $7.00 per Packet
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