# breastfeeing and swimming



## caro113 (Aug 25, 2008)

I'm due in June so we'll be having a summer baby. I started thinking about the summer so I can attempt to plan for it with a new baby, like looking into sun tents for when we go to the pool. And this brought up a new question for me. Do I have to do any of sort of cleaning after swimming and before breastfeeding? Would this cleaning be any different for a lake versus a pool?

And on a side note, can I really not put sunscreen on baby under 6 months?


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## fruitfulmomma (Jun 8, 2002)

We don't go swimming a lot but I've never washed off in between. I don't think the baby would get any more off my breast into their mouth than they would being in the pool themselves.


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## Dahlea (May 15, 2008)

I have never done anything after being in a pool or ocean. I wouldn't put sunscreen on that young of a baby-they make clothes with built in sunscreen-try those and a large hat and sit in the shade.


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## GreenGranolaMama (Jul 15, 2009)

I was told to put sunscreen on the tops of his hands and a TINY bit on his forehead/nose (we are at the ocean a lot in the summer) when DS was younger than 6mo. I got the most pure, additive free sunscreen I could find and dressed him in a white long sleeve onesie, pants, socks, and hat. We had a BLAST with him at the ocean


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## CrunchyChristianMama (Dec 5, 2008)

You can get some much safer sunscreens too than the chemical laden ones. Badger makes a great on that has the same active ingredients as some diaper rash creams (zinc oxide), so I can't imagine that you can't put it on a young baby.


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## lifeguard (May 12, 2008)

I brushed off the sand after swimming in the ocean! Figured that couldn't add to the experience!


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## Tee25 (Dec 6, 2008)

I also would have never thought to have washed up after swimming, pool or lake, before breastfeeding.

I was/am a little more worried about leakage...or course once you get wet no one will know lol.


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## girlsmamma2 (Jul 12, 2005)

I had to chime in as this post tickled me. I have had several (4) nursing summer babies so I know what you mean. If it was a pool or a lake, i would either only go in up to my waist and not get my chest wet at all, or if I did swim before we went back to our camper (that is where we swam on vacation) I would wash my nipples off with bottled or fresh from home water. I was just always concerned about the baby picking up some bacteria from the water and it going directly into their mouth. We camp right on a beach of Lake Michigan (a large fresh water lake) so also the combo of a wet bathing suit and sand and having to pull it up to nurse was just too uncomfortable. I also would wash my boobs off if I was staying some place in general because the water wasn't our water or the water we were used to. Maybe overkill but I've had one month olds on camping trips so I wasn't taking any chances. I would take a bottle of water and run it over my nipples. I know that is strange water too but it just made me feel better. If I were swimming in a pool with cholorine, I would definately do this also.

Oh and if you do nurse at a beach, my advice, make sure you have a comfy chair!!!!! After 4 kids you'd think I'd remember to take one with me but I was always leaning up against a beach umbrella nursing, not to comfortable. I'd also always have a large t-shirt to put over my bathing suit so I didn't feel like I was flashing the world pulling up a tight bathing suit.

I also never put sunscreen on a babe that young. under 6 months it's easy to plant them in a place in the shade and have them stay put. We had a small little baby type tent and it still let too much light in so we put towels over the top. Be careful of the water too, even if they are in the shade if my children were facing the water they would still get tons and tons of sun. It was amazing.


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