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Swimming Warmers for Babies & Parents

June 7, 2020

It’s strange to talk about this in a tropical climate, but contrary to what people think, swimming warmers are needed here because people try to swim when the sun is not too hot to avoid getting severe sunburn or getting dark (yes it’s sadly still a Filipino/Asian thing, though I personally love getting a healthy tan that requires no sunbathing & I’m protected from dangerous rays).

But the practical aspect of this is that indeed with the crazy heat of the tropics, it’s really recommended to swim only before 10am or after 3pm to reduce the risk of skin cancer. Or you have many pools, like ours, that don’t get any direct sunlight. So it might be a warm 37C day, but the water is cold coz it doesn’t get warmed by the sun.

I forgot to wear mine here and I was F-f-f-reezing!

This is why I realized we need warmers to enjoy our time in the pool and be able to swim longer than 30mins without our lips turning blue. We’ve tried different warmers and these so far are the best and most affordable too.

BABY NEOPRENE SWIMSUIT WARMERS

For babies up to 24months they have warmers of different sizes in Mothercare. It’s really great at regulating their temperature in the pool especially since babies are sensitive to cold. This prevented DiploBaby from getting sick after swimming.

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A post shared by Ayessa | UnDiplomaticWife (@undiplomaticwife)

WHY WE AVOID FULL NEOPRENE WARMERS

DiploBaby wore this long after he had outgrown it because we couldn’t find a nice neoprene suit locally. First we tried this full neoprene suit from Decathlon. It’s super affordable but not for swimming because it chafes the arms and neck area because of the stiff neoprene.

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Another brand we tried that also caused chafing was Speedo, which was super expensive, around P4,000 for one piece. Here you can see it’s full neoprene construction and after 1-2 hours in the pool the arms and neck area would be very red.

Full neoprene toddler warmers are not meant for toddlers that swim strokes & have long swimming sessions. DiploBaby usually swims for 1-2hours using breaststroke or freestyle. However I think it is okay for toddlers that do not swim by themselves yet and are mostly held or even suitable for short snorkeling sessions, without too much swimming arm movement. If that is what you plan then this is a suitable warmer:

For a baby that swims with arm motions – like DiploBaby who started swimming lessons at 2yo – we need a suit that has stretchy collar, arm and side panels. I did a lot of research and finally got really good ones at a great price! 2 pieces for the price of P4,000 or one Speedo.

LONG SLEEVE OR SHORT?

If you want to reduce the amount of sunblock that you are wearing because it can contain toxic ingredients that our skin can absorb or ingredients that can interact with elements and become harmful, and are also harmful to marine life and killing the reefs, then you can definitely opt for long sleeve warmers.

If you are using it for a pool that doesn’t have a lot of sunlight like ours, you can get a short sleeve warmer.

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A post shared by Ayessa | UnDiplomaticWife (@undiplomaticwife)

We got long sleeves for ourselves so that we can use it also to protect us from the sun when we are in the beach or snorkeling.

WARMER FOR TODDLERS

These Cressi Toddler Warmers for Toddlers & Kids are amazing. They have them for boys & girls, from 1-10years old. You can order them here:

We’ve had them since DiploBaby was a size Medium and now I’m about to order for him the XL size. Usually, I get 2 so that he has a 2nd one while the other is drying. We use it in our cold pool and when we are in the beach so he applies less sunblock and to moderate his temperature so he doesn’t get too cold in the water.

I use the size guide below and so far, it’s been pretty accurate. DiploBaby is turning 5 in August, and weighs almost 23kg. The large still fits him but if he has another growth spurt, I need the XL size ready so I’m ordering it on Amazon using Amazon Global Shipping for quick delivery through air freight. It usually ends up about Php2,000 per piece inclusive of door-to-door shipping, which is half the price of a Php 4,000 Speedo toddler neoprene suit locally.

The cost of 2pcs + shipping the the Philippines is the cost of 1 speedo kids warmer that we couldn’t use because the neoprene arms/collar were chafing DiploBaby bady. It was an expensive mistake and so we’ve been using Cressi ever since. Cressi is a well-known Italian Diving Brand.

He used to have the long sleeves too but the short sleeves is easier to put on our chunky booboo. This is how it looks. Should be okay though if your kid has a slimmer profile.

WARMERS FOR MOM & DAD

The pool is cold for us too so these are the neoprene warmers we use from Decathlon. We’ve also tried the short sleeves ones and they are quite good too!

For Men | Short sleeves
For Women | Short sleeves

Hope this helps you spend more time swimming and enjoying the water without fear of sun damage nor getting too cold!

Let me know in the comments if you have other questions!

All images not taken by me are are credited to their brands/owners.

WHERE TO BUY

Decathlon • Speedo • Cressi

If you liked this post and found it useful, please don’t forget to share on Social Media or Pin on Pinterest! Thank you!

3 Comments · Diplo Baby, Diplo Picks, Diplo Travel, manila shopping

Comments

  1. Elaine Masukat says

    August 27, 2022 at 4:42 AM

    Absolutely helpful! Thanks! The cressi warmer is not aVailAble in amazon but this is quiTe helpful. Thanks!

    Reply
    • diplomaticwife says

      August 30, 2022 at 2:53 AM

      Most welcome! Which Amazon are you on dear?

      Reply
    • diplomaticwife says

      August 30, 2022 at 2:58 AM

      You can try from this link dear: https://amzn.to/3dZq1iB

      Reply

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Welcome

Hello! I’m Ayessa, trailing spouse to a diplomat, mama to DiploBaby and DiploDog and founder of Declutter MNL. I love talking about how to achieve a minimaluxe lifestyle one step at a time.

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Tool-Free Bidet Install Hack

Glass Restaurant Rovaniemi

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DISCLOSURE

I am an Amazon affiliate, but all opinions are my own. The content of all my blog and social media posts are products and experiences that I truly enjoy and I only work with brands that fit my life and style.

GOOD TO KNOW GUIDE

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM @UNDIPLOMATICWIFE

One of the things people love about the Philippine One of the things people love about the Philippines is the warmth & heartfelt friendships of the Filipino people.

And was reminded about that when @pattylaurel & her wonderful family took the time to meet up with us on their last day in Geneva.

Though we’ve only seen each other in person once before… lifetimes ago when I was handling marketing for @beautybarph and she was our gracious model for Dashing Diva, hanging out with them felts so warm & natural. 

Even @diplobaby was so happy to have such quick friends and playmates.

Thank you Patty for letting me use your photos. You & @patrickfilart take such amazing ones! Perfect combo of influencer & IG husband 🤪🤪🤪

And thank you for bringing the warmth of the Philippines 🇵🇭 & the Filipino people with you. ✨🤍✨ sobrang saya!

We had such a beautiful day together… the kids (and us) didn’t want it to end so we went from playground/dinner to a walk about in our neighborhood Château & even to the house! 😂

Thank you for the epic day Patty, Patrick, Theo & Astrid. Till we meet again! More adventures in Switzerland I hope!

#udwingeneva #pattylaurel #diplofriends #diplobaby #diplofamily
TOOL FREE BIDET INSTALL One of the things we miss TOOL FREE BIDET INSTALL

One of the things we miss about living in the Philippines & Indonesia is having a bidet in our bathrooms.

Here we have a MUJI TABO & TOTO PORTABLE BIDETS (dm for link if you want), but nothing beats the water pressure & convenience of a handheld bidet that’s connected to your plumbing IMO.

When I was in @jumbo.schweiz recently I saw a bidet that can be installed with the sink.

It only works if your sink is near your toilet so sadly it won’t work on our master’s bathroom.

I wasn’t sure our faucet was the correct size but I took a risk for CHF20.

Today I finally had the time to install it. I was # #mariomama again LOL!

The only time you might need a tool (pliers) is if you can’t loosen the AERATOR to remove it from your faucet.

HOW TO INSTALL HOLDER WITHOUT DRILLING

As a renter, I want to avoid making holes in the walls whenever I can. Even if I weren’t a renter I don’t recommend putting holes on tiles coz they might crack.

So I used the strongest @tesa_de  double sided tape on the bidet holder. You can see how I did it step by step on the video. Be sure to use Teflon scissors so they don’t get damaged by the adhesive. Clear monster tape will also work well for this.

*** Amazon affiliate links on my bio under BIDET HACKS ****

WHY CANT YOU INSTALL IT IN YOUR TOILET

The toilets here are all built in. There are no exposed tubes to connect bidets to like in Asia. 

That’s why this hack is a God send! No plumbing experience or tools needed! YAY!

WHERE TO BUY

https://undiplomaticwife.com/bidet-install-hack/

Feel free to dm me if you have any questions!

#DiploHome #diplohomegeneva #diy #bidet #bidetlife #expatlife #expatliving #genevaexpats #genevaexpat #genevaexpatwomen #expatinswitzerland
HUMIDIFIER HACK Did you know that each home shoul HUMIDIFIER HACK

Did you know that each home should have humidifiers whether it’s in winter or summer?

Yes! It should be in
- closets
- caves
- storage lockers
- basements
- attics
- bathrooms
- any other area that doesn’t have through air or air conditioner 

To prevent molds from damaging your property!

Here’s the hack: Don’t throw the container because you can buy refills. 

DM me on where to buy wherever you are!

#diplohome #homehacks
WHEN’S THE BEST TIME TO GO TO SANTA CLAUS VILLAG WHEN’S THE BEST TIME TO GO TO SANTA CLAUS VILLAGE?

The concern going to Rovaniemi is that it’s too cold 🥶 I’ve heard of people going in winter & didn’t enjoy it coz they felt like frozen popsicles. You have 2 options:

1. Go in SPRING like us so prices are lower, no long lines/crowds & no need for super thick snow suits, but low chance of seeing Aurora Borealis & some places might be closed/melted. 

3. A friend who lived in Scandinavia told us for Aurora Borealis, the best time is SEPTEMBER coz it’s not too cold yet. Though some resorts might only be opening in OCTOBER like @glass_resort.

FOR US:

❄️ End of first week of April: We didn’t really know  that we picked the perfect time. We were there for only 3 days & 2 nights because that was all our budget would allow. The lows were -3/5 C but the week before it was literally -18C YIKES! 🥶

❄️ At lows of -3/5 and 0-3 highs it’s manageable layering our @uniqloeurope Ultra Light Down Jackets. We didn’t end up using our waterproof snow jackets.

 ❄️ bring waterproof shoes/boots so you don’t get sick if melted snow gets in. 

❄️ If you will touch snow/have snowball fights, waterproof gloves are a must

❄️ Ask hotel if sleds are free to borrow

❄️ Bring SPF coz snow reflects sun

❄️ As you can see in the reel on our first day it was winter wonderland. The day after things started melting. On our last day things were starting to puddle. After I imagine rivers!

❄️ there was this gigantic snowman & I was too tired to take a pic. It disappeared the next day to my disappointment.

❄️ The SNOWMAN WORLD was already closed when we arrived. It would have been so cool to see the ice resto/bar, slides & disco!

❄️ We found out that the day we were leaving was also the last full day of our hotel. So though Santa Claus Office is open 365 days a year, check with the hotels to see which ones are open.

☀️ Summer activities are different. For example the huskies pull sleds with wheels.

🌈 BONUS TIP: If you pick a resort inside @santaclausvillage_rovaniemi, 3 days is enough. Because of the perfect location of @glass_resort we were able to make SO many wonderful memories in such a short time.

#udwinsantaclausvillage
PARTIES & PLUMBING #diplolife + OUR FIRST TIME TO PARTIES & PLUMBING #diplolife

+ OUR FIRST TIME TO HOST AMBASSADORS IN OUR SWISS #DIPLOHOME
(Except for my FIL of course)

This has to have been the most hectic weekend in recent memory here. Each day @diplobaby had a kid’s party to attend. (Thankfully here you leave the child for 2-2.5hrs & parents can do errands while waiting)

TD & I also had commitments for both days. We were hosting a lunch, attending a lunch/ playdate with #diplofriends & meeting up with a fellow Pinoy @remfelrem who has just arrived in Switzerland. 

Last Saturday, TD and I were hosting a lunch for his boss & also a little farewell for the boss of the other mission. And as you guys know we were really stressed with a clogged kitchen sink drain. Not the most convenient or sweet smelling when you are having people over.

So thankfully with the help of a friend I got tips on how to dismantle the pipes to clean them. Guess what? It was still clogged in the pipes inside the wall!

Cleaning the pipes under the sink might NOT HAVE RESOLVED the problem, but at least our home did not smell! Also I learned to do something new! Win-win! 

TD told @diplobaby that I’m #MarioMama (from Mario Bros) 😂🪠

And I am quite relieved that TD & I managed to pull off a lunch in our little home with not just one, but TWO Ambassadors. Having one’s boss is always somewhat nerve-racking right??? I’m so happy we finally did it! 

We had pork adobo with mango, tomato & cilantro salad. And our fave spaghetti bolognese. I bought small cakes from our favorite boulangerie in the little French town next door. 

P.S. 
For those of you were asking if we finally had to call a professional for our kitchen sink. In a way yes we did. After all our best efforts, we finally had to ask for help. We feel so lucky to have such a lovely landlord who came and had the knowledge to remove the clog from the pipes that were built into the wall. We are ever so grateful to him for coming on his weekend.

This is #diplolife guys… PARTIES AND PLUMBING! LOL!!!

#UDWinGeneva #undiplomaticwife #diplofamily #thediplomat #thediplomaticwife
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