# Swim diapers in pools- not hygenic?



## WindyCityMom (Aug 17, 2009)

I didn't know whether or not to post this here, in TAO, or in Diapering.

We went to a waterpark today. The rules allow children to wear disposable swim diapers or "tight fitting rubber pants" and nowhere does it say they need to have a bathing suit over it.

My nephew (1yo) was in just a swim diaper and the lifeguards made him get out of the pool. I found this out after the fact when I had my 6mo in just a swim diaper and my husband told me to keep her out of view of the lifeguards so that we wouldn't get kicked out (and then he explained the story about my nephew). I got out of the pool with DD for a different reason though.

Am I missing something? Why would they need to have a bathing suit over the diaper? Really. Can someone enlighten me? Is it a hygenic issue? Or is it a naked issue?


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## LaughingHyena (May 4, 2004)

I wonder if it is so ensure that the swim nappies stay on. The disposable ones with the "easy tear off" sides are not that substantial.

I have never bothered with a suit over the nappy but I think most people assume our funky pattered cloth is a swim suit anyway.


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## Katie T (Nov 8, 2008)

I think that is kinda dumb personally. Yrs ago when I used disposable swim diapers (like 9yrs ago) if DD1 would pee it came right out of the diaper so them must only hold in poo.

I think they are pointless so only use a tight fitting pocket diaper with no stuffing for at our local pool (and they are fine with that, I asked).


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## AAK (Aug 12, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Katie T* 
I think that is kinda dumb personally. Yrs ago when I used disposable swim diapers (like 9yrs ago) if DD1 would pee it came right out of the diaper so them must only hold in poo.

I think they are pointless so only use a tight fitting pocket diaper with no stuffing for at our local pool (and they are fine with that, I asked).

Pee is allowed to come out--technically "sterile". That is why the disp. swim diapers don't get huge--they don't absorb. They just need to make sure there isn't any poop in the water.

That being said, I have heard of the swimsuit rule once and they claimed a ridiculous "modesty" rule. Which, of course, is ridiculous.

Amy


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## KittyDanger (Jan 27, 2009)

Katie T said:


> I think that is kinda dumb personally. Yrs ago when I used disposable swim diapers (like 9yrs ago) if DD1 would pee it came right out of the diaper so them must only hold in poo.QUOTE]
> 
> Yeah, they don't absorb pee. I learned this the hard way when I threw one on DS for a train ride when I was out of diapers.


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## spargel (Jun 2, 2010)

Our pool recently instituted a rule that all kids under 3 and those not pottytrained must wear the plastic pants over the swim diaper. Their reasoning is that the swim diaper is just designed not to swell and will not keep the poo from leaking out once it's exposed to enough water. The pool got shut down again yesterday because of another floater - I guess not all parents are following the new rule yet. YUCK!


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## ElliesMomma (Sep 21, 2006)

yeah, our pool was shut down for "clean up" on three separate times during one day. in one case, i saw and almost stepped in the "floater." it was a huge turd on the stairs of the water/slilde/play area.

my personal theory is that it was *not* the work of a baby in diapers, b/c, i'm sorry, it was "whole," not at all of the look it would have been if it had leaked out of a leg hole. to this day, i believe that the pooping incident(s) were the work of a supposedly toilet trained older kid, wearing nothing but a swim suit, probably swim trunks (yes my theory blames a boy), who decided to just go ahead and go in the poool.

after that, however, the pool got super strict about all babies in swim diapers wearing tight fitting rubber pants over the swim dipes. they checked each baby coming in and sold you a pair of rubber pants for $2 if you didn't have one on your babe.


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## PoppyMama (Jul 1, 2004)

I am for the double cover. I think the cloth swim diapers work great, if they fit nice and tight, but the disposables can start to gape and don't seem to work really well. I've had to wait out for cleaning too many times to not think it's a good idea to have insurance. I have also seen parents putting their kids in swim diapers that weren't snug enough and have heard some justifications for that...when it's tight it leaves marks on the legs







, and they wanted to get something the baby would fit in all swim season







.


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## justKate (Jun 10, 2008)

Sorry to crash, but I still don't get it.

I put DD in a "swim diaper" that's basically tight cloth underwear made of bathing suit material. NO WAY poop could escape. Is this a swim diaper or should I be putting plastic pants over it? Or should I be putting a disposable swim diaper under it?

I don't get it.

ETA: this is what she wears: speedo swim diaper so I guess it is a "swim diaper."


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## crunchy_mommy (Mar 29, 2009)

I've always just used a pocket dipe without the stuffer. I don't really understand how your kid could go poo without you noticing if you're supervising them in the water??? My DS is pretty obvious when he's going & I could take him out right away... The swimsuit over it makes no sense, we use one now only because I found a cute one at the dollar store, but before we'd just use the diaper... I don't see how a swimsuit (especially a baggy boy's suit) would be more 'hygenic' but I could maybe understand the modesty issue (they don't want older swimmers swimming in just underwear so they require younger swimmers to cover their 'underwear' i.e. diapers too?)


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## lifeguard (May 12, 2008)

It's all ridiculous. In all the years I worked at pools our pool foulings were always because of children not in diapers - either toddlers who were not yet perfectly pottying or older children who had accidents.

I guess the diapers is one way they are trying to reduce the number of foulings they've had but I don't see as being very effective.


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## WindyCityMom (Aug 17, 2009)

I think I'm going to call the waterpark and talk to the staff. I'll KUP


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## tbone_kneegrabber (Oct 16, 2007)

Many pools have a double layer rule. That is a swim diaper and then rubber pants, a swim suit etc. It offers an extra layer of protection. Just in case.

And until ds starting potty learning I NEVER knew he pooped, we used to call him a covert pooper, no one ever knew and he often pooped in the water and I might not know until we got out of the water 30mins-1 hour later. And I was with him 24/7 and I NEVER knew.

But anyway: yes it is common to have a "double layer" rule. And yes everyone knows swim diapers don't hold pee. Water still inflitrates the swim diaper so if theres is poop in in there you get a little bit of pool water steeped with poop. Not a floater that shuts down the pool, but poop in the water nontheless, which requires chemicals and all that good stuff, and could get someone sick and the pool has to close because a bunch of folks get a stomach bug blah blah blah, "let's institute the double layer rule"


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## WindyCityMom (Aug 17, 2009)

Well, I called, and the girl said that swim diapers were fine but they have to have a bathing suit over them. I asked what the reason for that was and she said "Umm, Idk, I don't make the rules" so I'm having a supervisor call me back. I'm really curious about this.

So looks like it's probably a modesty thing? I don't know. This is a public park district in Illinois... and in Illinois children are exempt from public indecency laws... so there should be no real reason for them to need to swim with a bathing suit on.

Older boys may wear speedo-style bottoms if they wish, how is that any different? The swim diaper happens to be my child's bottom piece, and it just so happens to catch poop. Whoopdeedoo. It's still covering my child, right?


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## WindyCityMom (Aug 17, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tbone_kneegrabber* 
Many pools have a double layer rule. That is a swim diaper and then rubber pants, a swim suit etc. *It offers an extra layer of protection. Just in case.*

And until ds starting potty learning I NEVER knew he pooped, we used to call him a covert pooper, no one ever knew and he often pooped in the water and I might not know until we got out of the water 30mins-1 hour later. And I was with him 24/7 and I NEVER knew.

But anyway: yes it is common to have a "double layer" rule. And yes everyone knows swim diapers don't hold pee. Water still inflitrates the swim diaper so if theres is poop in in there you get a little bit of pool water steeped with poop. Not a floater that shuts down the pool, but poop in the water nontheless, which requires chemicals and all that good stuff, and could get someone sick and the pool has to close *because a bunch of folks get a stomach bug blah blah blah, "let's institute the double layer rule*"

I get what you're saying but I don't see how a thin layer of synthetic fabric protects the pool from bacteria that slipped out of a poopy swim diaper in the water. Rubber pants- yes. But they're not insisting that.


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## crunchy_mommy (Mar 29, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tbone_kneegrabber* 
And until ds starting potty learning I NEVER knew he pooped, we used to call him a covert pooper, no one ever knew and he often pooped in the water and I might not know until we got out of the water 30mins-1 hour later. And I was with him 24/7 and I NEVER knew.









that's interesting!! I can almost always tell when a kid is pooping so it's funny to hear that some are 'covert poopers'


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## ThisCat (Jun 19, 2010)

There's a private pool around here that has the same rule. I always assumed it was an effort to help keep those flimsy disposable swim diapers on thus keeping poop out of the pool. Also, those things are pretty unsightly when they're all saggy and wet. Maybe it's an effort to keep people from having to look at them.


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

The pool where my kiddos take lessons does not allow disposable swim diapers. They have to be cloth with tight fitting legs and waists. They will not let children under 5 in the pool without one (and they check). They also sell them right there for a very reasonable price.

They could care less if there is a swim suit on top.


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## lifeguard (May 12, 2008)

Dahlia - children under 5 - seriously?! That's waaaaay over the top imo. I do like that they only allow the cloth swim dipes though!


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Yeah, I think it's rediculous too. But health codes here in WA, with poo the pool has to close for 24 hours and shock it and that's massively expensive for them. So I completely understand that they want to catch any outlier late potty training children.


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## TiredX2 (Jan 7, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *DahliaRW* 
Yeah, I think it's rediculous too. But health codes here in WA, with poo the pool has to close for 24 hours and shock it and that's massively expensive for them. So I completely understand that they want to catch any outlier late potty training children.

I've never seen a pool close for 24 hours for a poo incident and I've been in WA for the last 10 years. I wonder if it really is health code?


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TiredX2* 
I've never seen a pool close for 24 hours for a poo incident and I've been in WA for the last 10 years. I wonder if it really is health code?

Ours does, and that's what I was told, but maybe it varies depending on how they clean out the pool? I know ours wants enough time for all the water to run through the filter system and for the chemical levels to decline. But they also have lots of infant swim lessons, so may be overly cautious.


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

It seems like most little boy swim trunks have a built-in liner in them, so it does seem like extra protection from anything escaping the swim diaper. And of course, little girl suits would also help a bit to contain, too. My youngest (wears 3T) has several swim trunks and they all have a rubber-y liner, so even better than a mesh one, on the inside.


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## WindyCityMom (Aug 17, 2009)

What the heck are tight fitting rubber pants, anyway? Like the pull on cloth diaper covers?


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## Anastasiya (Jun 13, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *WindyCityMom* 
What the heck are tight fitting rubber pants, anyway? Like the pull on cloth diaper covers?

They're not technically rubber. I think they are vinyl. They are very similar to the look and style of the Bummis Whisper Pants but made of non breathable vinyl instead, sold by Gerber in the potty training section of most super stores.


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## WindyCityMom (Aug 17, 2009)

Ahhh gotcha. I was wondering lol. I thought they were literally rubber- like swim caps


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## lkmiscnet (Jan 12, 2009)

Kind of off topic, but for those who are using a cloth diaper cover (not a swim diaper), for use in a chlorine pool, I was told by an owner of an online cloth diapering business that the chlorine ruins the absorbency of the diaper cover. She said they are okay to use in salt and lake water, but not chlorine.


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## Anastasiya (Jun 13, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lkmiscnet* 
Kind of off topic, but for those who are using a cloth diaper cover (not a swim diaper), for use in a chlorine pool, I was told by an owner of an online cloth diapering business that the chlorine ruins the absorbency of the diaper cover. She said they are okay to use in salt and lake water, but not chlorine.

I wouldn't know why. Lots of people still bleach their diapers, as do I on occasion, and the absorbency has never been a problem.


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## crunchy_mommy (Mar 29, 2009)

Hmm I've never had an absorbency issue... We don't go swimming often though so it's not frequently in chlorine...


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## WindyCityMom (Aug 17, 2009)

It sounds like it would be a waterproofing issue not an absorbency one







I suppose that if a diaper cover were used frequently in the water the chlorine would slowly eat away at it.


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## mamasthree (Jul 15, 2006)

The chlorine will eventually degrade the elastic...it doesn't happen all at once, but it will happen faster than under no chlorine conditions. We have a chlorine pool, and I noticed it with the swim diaper I use.

I'm guessing the swim suit is a modesty thing...when you find out, please tell us!


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## KimPM (Nov 18, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AAK* 
Pee is allowed to come out--technically "sterile". Amy

I was just reading a Lyme paper written by my doctor. This paper indicates that a primary route of infection by the borrelia spirochete (Lyme) is via urine! This paper also indicated that the lyme bacteria infects the bladder of all mammals that it can infect at all. So, how could pee be sterile?


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## WindyCityMom (Aug 17, 2009)

Just called the waterpark again and left another message for the supervisor to call me back. Hopefully I get my call back this time! How should I word my question.

Should I just bluntly ask if children are required to wear bathing suits over swim diapers and what the reason for this is? If it ends up being a modesty thing I'm going to bring my kids there next time with just bottoms on(swim diaper under for baby). Hey, it's a bathing suit- right? (My kids actually hate one pieces







that's all I had at the moment though.)


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## WindyCityMom (Aug 17, 2009)

No call back


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## Nicole730 (Feb 27, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *WindyCityMom* 
No call back









Probably because they don't have a reasonable answer.


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## WindyCityMom (Aug 17, 2009)

I didn't leave the question in my message with the girl at the desk though. I just told her that I needed to speak with the supervisor.


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## spatulagirl (Feb 21, 2002)

For those that use pocket diapers as swim diapers, you might want to reconsider.

Years ago (it must have been five years?) there was a thread in the diapering forum about someone who did just that and her baby almost drowned. The pocket filled with air and upended the baby face down in the shallow water.

It was recommended that if you use a pocket diaper, cut the pocket so air cannot get trapped in there.

I cannot find the thread but here is one where the incident is mentioned. Should be fine if you are holding the baby the entire time but if the babe is out of arms, buy a swim diaper. They are $7 at Target.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...et+diaper+swim


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## WindyCityMom (Aug 17, 2009)

Thanks for the warning mama!


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