8 Week Old Ok to Take to the Pool?

I wouldn't. I think babies can overheat very easily and with this excessive heat I do not think it is a good idea. Also, chlorine and the sun aren't the best for them so young. I say wait until the baby is a little older.

I wouldn't. Hire a sitter or get relatives to watch the baby while you go to the pool with any older kids you have.

Do not put him in the pool. I don't see what's the urgency to go to the public swimming pool with an 8 week old infant. Can't you wait?

Mom,
I would not take my infant to a public pool. First of all being in the strong, not sun is not good for a newborn., and as for the water in the pool has strong chlorine and chemicals in it; also who knows what germs and bacteria are in it too. If you have another older child that wants to go to the pool I'd go to Walmart or K-mart and get a little inexpensive plastic wading pool or a water/sprinkler type toy for your home that connects to the hose is fun too. To be safe, I would wait until your baby is at least 6 mo. old to do a community pool.

I was told not to do this by my pediatrician last year. (my son was around that age in the hottest part of the summer.) He said babies can't regulate their body temperature before 6 month in the heat and putting them in the pool confuses their temperate. As some other mom's have said, he also warned me of his age and the chlorine in the pool. I don't remember his exact wording, so I paraphrased. Basically, he told me not to!!!

Another problem with the chlorine in the pool is the fumes it gives off. Our pediatrician didn't want newborn lungs inhaling that in. In addition he also told us about avoiding public pools, regulating heat and cool water being a challenge, which others here have said :) Being pool people it was hard that first summer but our little guy (2 years old) loves the pool now. I will be taking our newborn (when she is twelve weeks) in our friends pool which has a saline type of cleaner once our baby is older. We have nice weather here in October and they keep their pool water at a nice temp. Plus our friends are nurses who specialize in pediatrics so they'll let me know what is safe and what isn't:) We were at a pool once when my son was a few weeks old and the adults took turns hanging out inside with him. I even got to go in the pool but then showered before I nursed him. After that it was too much bother to get in again, but I still loved being with everybody.

Yep! Your 8 week old is not old enough to be swimming (their bodies cannot regulate their temperatures which leads to hypothermia), and it is probably too hot for him/her to be sitting in a stroller or being held all day.

i would say yes. even though it's past the six week take out the house time frame,you still don't want to just force the world's germ on her right away. and the pool let alon a public pool is a pool of germs.lol and i agree fully with Elisa the fumes from the chlorine might be a bit much on her lungs and you really don't want it on her skin.i know it's hard having a newborn in july believe me i know, i had my son in April and there was a lot i couldn't do because he was so young but you will have soooo much more time to have fun with the baby. maybe if you get a little pool at home and you can sit in it with you baby, that way you can both get a little relief from the heat. i know that's a sorry subsitute for the big pool but i really think you should wait a few more months before taking him/her let alone put them in the water. good luck.

I think it would be ok to take him to the pool as long as its not very hot out and the baby is not in the sun. I also would not put him in the pool, being that young he could have a reaction to the chlorine.

I am not what you would call an overly cautious mother, but at 8 weeks I would be concerned about 1) my baby's ability to regulate her body temperature in the water 2) ability to regulate in the heat and 3) the chemicals used in the pool. I'm not saying that I wouldn't do it, I would just be aware of the potential problems and have a plan. For instance, I would want to rinse my baby's skin with clean water before the chemically-treated water dried on her skin.

Your baby's immune system is still developing and it is not unheard of to pick up something nasty in a public pool.

Has she had her first round of vaccinations? If not, I would hold off. I didn't take my kids anywhere public for 4 months until after their second round of vaccinations, but I was super paranoid about germs and infectious disease. That is just me though. Have fun!

I waited until 3 months only because that was the first hot month we actually went to the pool. I mean, as long as you are giving the baby a bath directly after, I think it's fine to get them acclimated with the pool. Let me add: we only dipped the baby in for a few minutes. We went to just cool off for 20 minutes and my husband and I took turns swimming separately while the other was in the shade with the baby. Definitely not an all day event. I assume you wouldn't want to be there all day.

We put our son in for 5 minutes, once his cord fell off. he loved it. and now is almost 2 and has a blast in the pool.

I would say do not take your baby to the public pool. Way too much bacteria. Baby has only been on the outside for 8 weeks. Please do not rush this, the complications that comes with them being ill at 8 weeks is not worth it. Trust me there will be days when baby (all grown up) wants to go to the pool and you don't feel like it. A new baby is fun but please wait.

I can only answer for myself on this one. With my 2 older kids I waited until they were 6 months old (and more regulated in pooping) before I took them into a pool. Plus, I was concerned with what may already have been in the water that could make them sick. One of the biggest surprises I had with my 2nd was that he could not regulate his body temperature in the pool until he was closer to a year. No matter how warm the water seemed to me he was shivering and lips would turn blue. So, as I am expecting #3 in a few weeks, I will probably do the same thing again and wait until at least 6 months old to try it out. It really is up to you and what the pool is like. Some public pools have better regulation on chemicals than others. My daughter has a chlorine allergy so we were cautious with her on that.

I was told by my pediatrician (over 10 yrs ago) not to put sunscreen on babies less than 6 months old. Their skin is to sensitve for it. It has been awhile since I was told that, and sunscreen may be safer now, but I would only take an 8 week old baby to the pool if you can keep it completely in the shade.