Babygrip swimsuit

There's nothing I like more than taking Tabitha for a swim in the local pool: we've been going since she was four months old. Nowadays, we're both supremely confident in the water, but I do remember that first lesson when, as a new and protective mum, I was absolutely sure I was going to drop her in the water.

Spare a thought, then, for the parents of babies with eczema and other sensitive skin complaints. Chlorinated water does them no favours at all, but if you slather on the barrier cream, you end up with a seriously slippery baby, making those fun sessions in the pool akin to trying to hold on to a bar of soap in the shower. A wriggly one, at that.

Looking for more conventional swimming aids for Tabs (for indeed we have now reached the moment when I don't need to hold her any longer - she wants to strike out on her own), I came across this neat solution from Splashabout: the Babygrip swimsuit. It promises to hold the barrier cream in place, providing an easy-to-hold surface for mum or dad. Even better, the cream won't sink into the fabric, allowing it to do its job.

I love it when I come across genuinely useful products, and this seems to be just that.