Going to the pool with twins...

Hello again! Just wondering if anyone has any tips about how to take twins and a pre-schooler to the pool alone? Is it even possible? The pool we'd go to has a baby/kid pool where my almost 4 yr old could be safe and babies can sit in 1 inch of water but I still don't feel like it is safe to take everyone alone. And actually, I am a little concerned even if I have my husband with us. I'd still have 2 babies to worry about? They are sitting up just barely on their own but definitely not stable.

I would love to hear how others have handled this. Any nice baby pool contraptions?

 

I didn't do the pool alone with my two the first year. I didn't do it alone the second year either. I just didn't feel comfortable with it when they were that little.

 

My friend has kids just about the same age and I asked her the same question. She said you just do it and sometimes you fall but then you keep going.

 

Nope, not at that age IMO. Maybe just go at naptime and let the babies nap in the stroller while you take you toddler in the water. There just arent enough hands to safely take 3 kids in the pool that most likely cant swim. Or they are walking all over the place and one person cant watch 3 kids toddling around the pool safely.

Last year was the first year that I took all 3 kids to the pool by myself and they could all swim. The twins were 2.5 YO and my older DD was 4.5 YO.

 

Yep, I agree with Rachel & Aimee, there is no safe way that I can think of for one person to take twin 5 month olds & a toddler to the pool alone. And, because the results of not being able to handle it could be disastrous, I wouldn't even try it if it were me. Do you have a friend or relative who you could ask to go with you? More hands in the water is the only way I would consider it.

 

Thanks for the responses. It is reassuring to hear. I am very overprotective when it comes to water so I never know when I am being too cautious. I just feel bad for my 3 yr old because he will miss out on a lot of fun in the pool this summer I will need to work on finding some friends/family to come with us.

 

Do you have a niece or friends daughter or a younger kid you can take with you. Since it's summer time and the kids are getting out of school then I'm sure they'd love to spend the day at the pool with you helping out. Might have to pay for an extra to get in but it would sure help you out!!

 

I would not be comfortable taking babies to the pool by myself. I did not do it when they are infants and not last year when they were one. I also agree with trying to find some friends and family to go with you...or even have someone watch the babies while you and your 3 year old go to the pool.

 

OMG you are brave to think about this. I don't even bring my three to the playground by myself I guess I need to start making myself do more with the kids, but it is so hard.

 

Honestly, when I posted this... I was having a guilty moment of not doing enough with the kids and felt bad for ruling out going to the pool. But from the sound of it... I wasn't too far off from the rest of you with this. At least now, I don't feel like a paranoid mother for ruling out the pool.

 

I have to agree with not going either, but that doesn't mean your 3 yr old has to miss out on water fun! We have a small wading pool from walmart outside, and although it's not the same as a big pool, my 3 yr old loved playing in it last year and will this year too! For kids it's all about the water, whether it's a few inches or a whole pool full If you have the room to put one in your yard or on your deck would work, because then babies can either nap in the house and you take the monitor outside, or you take them outside in bumbo seats or exersaucers or even let them splash in the water in bumbo seats or something similar!

 

Our pool opened the first weekend of May and we've been hitting it hard already - we have two older kids who are 5 and 2, plus 8.5 month old twins. Here is our weekend routine (pool is not open during the week until school is out 6/5) ...

DH stays home and naps with the 2-year-old and twins. I take the 5-year-old to the pool. After naptime, DH brings the other three to the pool. My 5-year-old is a strong swimmer - she is okay with the observation of the lifeguards (our pool is not crowded at all) and me watching her from just about any vantage point (Olympic length, eight lane pool). Our 2-year-old is either at my side or in the baby pool (18" deep) - our eyes are on him - and we are within arms reach at all times. The babies are either in the stroller or being held by the other moms I hang with, DH or me.

As far as babies in the pool, we plan to use our Body Glove infant carriers - like a Bjorn but constructed of wetsuit material. I used this with my second child when he was a baby and my oldest was 2.5-3 - I managed them by myself like this on a daily basis, so we are thinking that when both DH and I are at the pool, we should be fine with all four.

When I am alone, I plan to either a) ditch the twins with a sitter, b) use a pack & play to allow them to be out and about when they tire of the stroller (I can store it at our pool) or c) bring a tween to help out.

Sorry to ramble about our pool plans - we pretty much live there during the summer so I've been plotting my strategy for a long time ... Oh - and we live there because kids eat FREE and momma doesn't like to cook!! I'm campaigning for them to serve breakfast so we can just take all our meals there!

 

Wonderful tips!!!
Thank you so much!!

 

Try not to feel guilty. It's hard to think you're not giving the same experiences you would like to, but you just have to change it up a little. Like a pp said, you can always have water fun in your own back yard. We have a slip and slide that hooks up to the hose and squirts like a fountain all the way down the slide and at the end. The girls love tromping down the slip and slide and they love the small wading pool. Big brother who just turned 5 also has a great time in the back yard water.

Good luck!