[premama]

Hello,

I was told at the hospital before being discharged that we need to ensure that no water goes into the baby's ear when bathing him/her - at what age is it ok for the baby to get water in his/her ears?

Also, at what age can I take my baby to a swimming pool? Is the cholorine harmful for the baby? I'm guessing that by the time the baby is old enough to go swimming, it doesn't matter if the water gets in the baby's ears....

Any comments appreciated, thanks!

[carang]

i took my first swimming when he was 10 weeks old. after my second though, it was more difficult to get to a pool. she was 6 or 7 months old when i took her.

[capital]

I think this is a culutral thing. My husband would have a fit (he is asian) if the baby got water in his ears, whereas I (canadian caucasian and a nurse who works with newborns) never worried about that when I bathed them. My children have never yet had an ear indection.

[carang]

my son gets ear infections, but only when he's had a mucous-y (is that a word?) cold. it has nothing to do with swimming...
afterall, don't babies "swim" in the womb for 9 months?