My FIL and SMIL live on a lake and we'll be visiting them for the 4th of July. They also will be waking Xander one weekend in July while we go to a wedding. So my question is... is 4 months too young to go into a lake? How old was your LO the first time they went into a lake?
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I grew up on a lake, where everyone I know had their babies in there as soon as it was hot enough. DS was 10 months, only because he was born in August and we didn't get a chance to get to my parents lake house until the following summer.
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@Dandelion: Do you think the water should be a certain temp before I bring him in? I'm wondering if he might be too young to really regulate his body temperature and so a cold lake might seem freezing to him?
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@Adira: If it's comfortable for you to swim in, then it's probably ok for him.
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@Dandelion: haha, well, I have a high tolerance for cold water because I LOVE to go swimming. My husband on the other hand won't go in it unless it's REALLY hot out! So I'm not sure which of us to go by with regards to the baby!
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@Adira: If you get him in there with you all the time, then he won't have a low tolerance like your hubby does. If you wait for your husband's standards, the poor kid might never go swimming, lol.
My DH is a baby with water, too, lol.
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@Dandelion: haha, true!
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I'm curious too - we're going to the lake at the end of July and L will be 6 months. I'm hoping for warm water, and that she tolerates her life jacket!!
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@swurlygurl: From what I've read, by six months, babies can regulate their own temperatures, so I suspect your LO will be fine! I'm worried about Xander because he'll only be 4 months.
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We used to live in a lake town, so the kids were introduced very early. We took DD to the beach at maybe 6 weeks for the first time? DS was probably 2-3 months before he went, since he was born in March. The water in our lake was very cold because it is so deep, so I was cautious about actually putting them in the water. I would hold them in about waist deep water so they'd just get their toes in, and then watch for signs that they were getting cold, like shivering, shaking bottom lip, etc... At four months, you should be fine, provided you watch him to make sure he doesn't get too cold.
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@Honeybee: My concern is that I won't be there to watch him! I mean, he'll PROBABLY be fine with his grandparents watching him but... I don't know. They're not his parents, so I'm not sure, you know? FIL is very easy-breezy and doesn't worry about things. I'm not sure he'd notice right away if Xander was cold. And SMIL never had kids, so I'm not sure her experience with infants in the water or if she'd think to worry about them being too cold or not.
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Probably he would be fine,but if you're very worried, maybe you can just ask that they don't put him in the water? You can just say you feel like he's too little to be in the water and then don't send any swim diapers or swim clothes.
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@Honeybee: Oooh, good idea about not sending swim diapers or clothes! Though if I'm not explicit, they might just bring him in naked, haha. Maybe I'll call my ped and ask her to give me reasons NOT to bring him in the water. Then I can tell them my ped said not to, haha.
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@Adira: Good thinking, lol!
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I brought my son into the ocean at 8 months, but it was HOT, like over 100 degrees. My limited experience with lakes is that they run cold, and I'd probably ask that they not put him in. For no other reason than the coldness.
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Honestly I wouldn't be comfortable with my baby being in any body of water without me or my husband there. That's probably over protective of me but it is what it is. I wouldn't feel bad telling the grandparents that you aren't comfortable with him swimming when you aren't around. I would hope most people would understand that.
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@looch: Yeah, the coldness is mostly what I'm concerned about too!
@MamaMoose: I don't think that's over protective. I feel the same way! Just the thought of it makes me nervous because I won't be there! BUT these grandparents can be kind of combative, so I'm worried about telling them not to without having some good reason for it. When I told them I wasn't up for visitors when Xander was less than two weeks old, I got scolded for keeping the grandparents away!
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Any body of water that is below body temp, there is a risk for hypothermia. And with small infants, you have to be even more vigilant. Even 80 degree water, if you're in it long enough, can cause hypothermia!
My parents live on a lake. i find lakes gross, personally
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I put LO in the lake this weekend for the first time at 8 months, she did fine. I did have a blow up boat that I put her in as well that she wasn't actually in the water! Maybe get one of those if it's cold?
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@blackbird: Good to know! Thanks!
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