How to get changed before and after swimming with a baby?

Swimming is a fun experience for babies and parents, but getting changed before and after can be tricky. We've been taking our baby to the pool as soon as she turned 6 months old, so we can share some tips!

Our goal is to get baby dry, warm and dressed quickly. Your baby might get upset when you set her down to get changed yourself. Depending on your baby's temperament and other factors like the unfamiliar surroundings, she could be happily playing with her fingers or she could be crying for mom. It's even more challenging if you went all by yourself!

Yes, challenging, but not impossible.

You would be happy to know that the Swim Parka exists so that you can make changing a breeze.

A swim parka, also known as a swim jacket, is a long fleece-lined coat that you can wear on top of your swimsuit. It has large accessible pockets so that you can easily reach for snacks, car keys and phone.

We'll walk you through how to use it on your next water adventure with your baby.

To make the transition from land to water smooth and swift, get yourself and baby into swimsuits and swim diaper (for baby) at home. It's easy to wear your swim parka over your suit instead of dealing with multiple pieces of clothing. It's much easier to slip on a swim parka than pants after swimming. 

A swim diaper can catch solids but it doesn't absorb liquids. You should layer a regular diaper over the swim diaper in case baby pees on the way to the pool.

When you arrive at the pool, simply take off your swim parka, and you're ready to dive in! For baby, remove the regular diaper and do a quick check for poop.

It's important to have a rinse before and after swimming because chlorinated water may irritate sensitive skin. A full body rinse gives your skin and hair a moment to soak up regular tap water, so that it will absorb less chlorinated water when you hop into the pool.

Now it's time for fun! Floats. Dips. Kicks. And lots of giggles!

After swimming, have a quick lukewarm shower, then remove baby's wet swimsuit. It might be tempting to have a long hot shower but don't! Hot water is one of the worst enemy for dry skin. Wrap baby up in a hooded towel. You want to dry and warm baby swiftly because the body loses heat through the head, wet skin, and breath, and she could get chilly quickly. Hug her close until you find a changing spot.

Now it's time to change! You will put on your swim parka first, then change your baby. 

Set baby down safely and give her a toy to play with while you reach for your towel. If baby gets upset because you've set her down, it's okay - don't panic! You have to take care of yourself before you can take care of her.

Pat yourself dry with a towel then slip on your swim parka. Boom, you're done! You're not dripping a ton of water on baby, and you're not shivering. Now you can focus on taking care of baby.

Dry her thoroughly. Lather cream all over. Put on a diaper and a cozy long-sleeve onesie. Reassure baby with lots of hugs and kisses, and follow up with a yummy post-swim snack. Success!

Now you can head home for a nice shower. If you're driving, you'll be happy to know that your car seat will be okay because sPARKA has a waterproof outer shell. 

Here at Tingting, we gave our parkas a special name, because "swim parka" seems a bit dull. We smashed "swim" and "parka" together and sPARKA is born! (pronounced as Spark-Ka).

The Original sPARKA is a mid-thigh length swim parka with a full zipper, snug hood, ribbed cuffs and waistbands to retain body heat. It is suitable for indoor pools. It looks just like an everyday jacket that you could wear to the movies or to brunch!

A extra warm alternative is Tingting's sPARKA Fly, a knee-length swim parka. It has a large hood, 5 pockets, and pleated details. Its extra length makes it perfect for outdoor swimming. 

Here are more features of a Tingting swim parka that makes it specialized for swimming:

• The extra length provides extra warmth. 
• A fleece-lined hood means less heat loss.
• The fleece lining means that it's comfortable on bare (slightly damp) skin.
• The waterproof / water-resistant fabric means no more embarrassing wet spots. 
• Large and easily accessible pockets offer a hands-free experience when you head to the pool or stroll along the sandy beach.
• The two-way zipper provides more leg room.

Getting changed before and after swimming with a baby can be stressful, but you can do this with the help of a swim parka. The great thing about it is that you can easily wear it over your swimsuit. The fleece lining is velvety soft and so cozy on your bare skin. Designed to keep you warm and dry, Tingting's swim parka is convenient and quick to put on, so that you can focus on taking care on babe.

Buy one and turn "it's impossible to get changed after swimming with a baby" to "I can do this!". Shop Tingting's swim parka collection today!