PSA for pool pee-ers

[Catwoman]

Mind you, I think it would be gross to see what the OP saw but, do you think the above is what you want to demonstrate for your children? It seems very junior high to me.

 

Treat others how you want to be treated.

 

If you really feel the need to say something to the woman, say it to her face one on one, not for everyone to hear.

 

Ummm.... I was kidding.

 

Maybe I'd better go back to my post and make a note of that. I honestly never thought anyone would take me seriously!

[5kidsforME]

Ummm.... I was kidding.

 

Maybe I'd better go back to my post and make a note of that. I honestly never thought anyone would take me seriously!

 

Sorry!

 

Ok, ususally I can tell when you're kidding! Apparently i have taken my serious pills tonight. ;)

[Catwoman]

Sorry!

 

Ok, ususally I can tell when you're kidding! Apparently i have taken my serious pills tonight. ;)

 

No problem at all! :)

 

Actually, I'm glad you said something, because if you took my comment the wrong way, I'm sure many other people might have done the same thing, and I wouldn't have wanted to offend anyone.

 

I just went and added a little "just kidding" message to my post -- thanks for letting me know I sounded like I was serious!

 

(In all honesty, even if I wanted to say something like that to the woman, I would have been too embarrassed to do it, and I wouldn't have wanted to publicly humiliate her, even if she did sort of deserve it.)

[Sara in AZ]

Oh man, I was just ice-skating with my family and took a crummy spill wherin I simultaneously fell on my face and peed my pants. Those kegel muscles are good for nothing anymore! So I could see if this woman were having some kind of crazy coughing spell of something. But it doesn't sound like she has that excuse. :tongue_smilie:

 

We went swimming at a pool in my parent's town that has had a lot of problems with that crypto whatever it is diarrhea bug and now has some pretty strict policies. Every child in swim diapers has to wear plastic pants over the diaper. And every 30 min. the lifeguards make all the kids exit the pool for five minutes to encourage people to use the bathroom. If was kind of annoying at first, but it was pretty effective, at least for my kids. So I can see he wisdom in it.

[Liz CA]

SERIOUSLY??!!!!!

 

Ack! I thought you were talking about a kid!!!

[stripe]

Lol, if I could figure out how to get the twins to pee on command it would sure help a lot of issues!! Potty training would be so much easier, for one!

 

My son, when he was a baby, usually peed on me right after the bath. Just before I got the diaper on... Ah, memories...

[Georgiana Daniels]

You all are making me so glad we don't swim!!!

[GailV]

This is a saltwater pool. I wondered if that had something to do with how deep the color was.

 

Um, well ... how do you plan to test this hypothesis? :001_huh:

 

Sorry, I'm writing lesson plans for middle school science right now, and the first class is all about what a hypothesis is. If dh were home I could ask him for his thoughts on the chemistry involved. Waste water management was one of his favorite parts of ChemE.

[In the Rain]

:001_huh: One more reason to avoid the pool. :tongue_smilie: Surely she saw the yellow cloud too. Wasn't she mortified? :confused:

[Impish]

Mind you, I think it would be gross to see what the OP saw but, do you think the above is what you want to demonstrate for your children? It seems very junior high to me.

 

Treat others how you want to be treated.

 

If you really feel the need to say something to the woman, say it to her face one on one, not for everyone to hear.

I don't know what I'd do, but since she decided to urinate in a public fashion, exposing ppl to her waste product, I'm not terribly concerned about her being called on it in a public fashion.

 

Do something disgusting in public, get called on it in public. I don't personally see the issue there.

 

Yes, I realize Cat was joking, but I guess I just get tired of ppl being treated better than they treat others...too many ppl bank on that, and it enables their lousy behaviour.

[Kathryn]

Um, well ... how do you plan to test this hypothesis? :001_huh:

 

Sorry, I'm writing lesson plans for middle school science right now, and the first class is all about what a hypothesis is. If dh were home I could ask him for his thoughts on the chemistry involved. Waste water management was one of his favorite parts of ChemE.

 

:lol: well, it wasn't exactly a hypothesis. It just crossed my mind that perhaps that was why it was so noticeable

[LoriK]

I think I am just not so passive as I get older, but again If you are bold enough to do something like this for all the world to see, I am going to be bold enough to say something about it.

 

I am not an in your face type of person and for the most part, I keep my opinions to myself. That said, I am not afraid to call out someone when their words or behavior puts themselves out there for judgement. It wouldn't be my intent to embarrass her, but I am not going to let my fear of her being embarrassed keep me from calling her on her disgusting behavior.

 

I figure, that if you don't want to be embarrassed by someone telling you that it is gross to pee in the kiddie pool, then don't pee in the kiddie pool.

[besroma]

:eek::ack2:

[twinmami01]

Well, having worked in health care, I can say universal precautions were used whenever body fluids/waste products were present. Period.

 

So, no, I don't make a distinction in that regard. Waste product, body fluid, none of which should be deliberately released in a public pool.

 

 

:iagree:

[Zebra]

I didn't read all the replies, but are you sure she didn't have some sort of health problem? There are lots of reasons why someone doesn't have very good control over their bladders...and maybe you shouldn't be a pool but maybe she didn't realize that was going to happen.

 

Or at least I hope she had a medical problem and wasn't just lazy!

[Abigail4476]

I don't see how it's possible to say that peeing in a pool is only a health risk if the person has an infection. How is it possible to know precisely when a person has an infection, and isn't it possible for people to be ill without them being aware of it right away? If a person has the poor judgment to pee in a pool, might they also have the poor judgment to swim while ill?

 

IMO, it is NEVER okay to pee in a pool that other people are using. I suppose if you want to pee in your OWN pool and swim in your own toilet water, that's your choice; it shouldn't be okay to force other people to swim in your toilet. :glare: I can understand children being children and there occasionally being pee in a pool. That's what chemicals are for. I cannot understand a sane adult purposely peeing in a public pool, and I don't care if they are Olympians--it's still immature, unnecessary, inconsiderate behavior. :glare:

[Momma_Bear]

I have my kids pee before the bath. Solves a lot of problems. Same with the pool.

 

:iagree: ;)

 

I probably would have said something.. I can't believe someone would do that? :001_huh:

[Kathryn]

I didn't read all the replies, but are you sure she didn't have some sort of health problem? There are lots of reasons why someone doesn't have very good control over their bladders...and maybe you shouldn't be a pool but maybe she didn't realize that was going to happen.

 

Or at least I hope she had a medical problem and wasn't just lazy!

 

That occurred to me as well, but I would think that anyone with a medical problem that caused them to unknowingly release that volume of urine wouldn't be without some way to collect said large volume of urine. To reiterate, she was not coughing, sneezing, or straining in any way. She was just sitting still in the water while her daughter played.

[PeacefulChaos]

EW!!!!!

That's just gross... health hazard or not, I would be TOTALLY grossed out to see that and would have gotten out of that pool IMMEDIATELY! :ack2: :tongue_smilie:

Just...ew.

[stripe]

I didn't read all the replies, but are you sure she didn't have some sort of health problem? There are lots of reasons why someone doesn't have very good control over their bladders...and maybe you shouldn't be a pool but maybe she didn't realize that was going to happen.

 

If kids who can't control their urine are asked to wear diapers, I'd assume there's nothing superior about moms' pee that makes it okay. There are swim diapers for adults.

 

For what it's worth, I recently took my kids for swim lessons at a pool that has as a policy that children must be taken to the toilet before entering, so I must not be the only one who tries to make my life easier by a pre-swim/bath pee. Not to mention, wet suits are harder to take on and off than dry ones.... ;)

 

Anyway here's what I found from a public health standpoint:urine, sweat, and sunscreen use up chlorine's ability to deal sith contaminants, and 70% of adults don't shower before swimming. People are asked to shower in part to reduce fecal matter (from their dirty behinds). But in case the idea of a yellow ring didn't gross you out enough, here are some nice photos...

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2012/08/14/chinese-public-pool-is-aquatic-hell-of-urine-and-feces/

Edited August 18, 2012 by stripe

[Petrichor]

I'm pretty sure swim diapers don't really make a difference re: pee in the pool. I always thought their use is in the poo containment :D

Edited August 20, 2012 by UmmAbdullah

[stripe]

I'm pretty sure swim diapers don't really make a difference re:pee in the pool. I always thought their use is in the poo containment :D

 

Good point.

 

You know, I'm thinking I don't want to go swimming any time soon. :eek:

[Momof3littles]

 

Anyway here's what I found from a public health standpoint:urine, sweat, and sunscreen use up chlorine's ability to deal with contaminants

 

:iagree: My local pool has lots of signs up about this in the locker rooms. The urine itself probably isn't risky from a health standpoint in most cases, but if it is using up the chlorine in the pool, then germs carried in fecal matter, etc. have a better chance of taking hold.

[angela in ohio]

And that's why I don't swim in bodily fluid soup... I mean, pools. We don't even take baths at our home past age 3 or 4.

 

Maybe she is taking Alive! vitamins. The side effect is fluorsescent yellow... Even when it's normally very pale. Scares you at first.

Edited August 18, 2012 by angela in ohio

[Kathryn]

If kids who can't control their urine are asked to wear diapers, I'd assume there's nothing superior about moms' pee that makes it okay. There are swim diapers for adults.

 

For what it's worth, I recently took my kids for swim lessons at a pool that has as a policy that children must be taken to the toilet before entering, so I must not be the only one who tries to make my life easier by a pre-swim/bath pee. Not to mention, wet suits are harder to take on and off than dry ones.... ;)

 

Anyway here's what I found from a public health standpoint:urine, sweat, and sunscreen use up chlorine's ability to deal sith contaminants, and 70% of adults don't shower before swimming. People are asked to shower in part to reduce fecal matter (from their dirty behinds). But in case the idea of a yellow ring didn't gross you out enough, here are some nice photos...

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2012/08/14/chinese-public-pool-is-aquatic-hell-of-urine-and-feces/

 

First link: completely grossed me out

Second link: sent my anti-social, sensory-issues self into shock. How? Why? I don't understand.

[Sara in AZ]

I'm pretty sure swim diapers don't really make a difference re:pee in the pool. I always thought their use is in the poo containment :D

 

And they're not even fantastic at that. I was horrified the other day when my daughter pooped in her swim diaper in my friend's pool and a little of it leaked out. So gross. I guess what swim diapers are good for us not swelling up to a ginormous size when wet.

[stripe]

And that's why I don't swim in bodily fluid soup... I mean, pools. We don't even take baths at our home past age 3 or 4.

My husband didn't take baths growing up and sees them as totally unhygienic (dirty person sitting in water that is now dirty, the person gets out of water). I have to admit, I see his point. So we usually wash the kids first and then let them soak. Once they're toilet trained, they know to pee first so that's not an option, but I prefer they rinse before getting out. Sometimes they need a soak or want the fun of one, so they do like that option.

 

I take my kids to public pools for swimming lessons. I don't know of any in a natural body of water, but the ones around me have been closed this summer a couple times due to chlorine failure. Officially it was blamed on too much sunscreen.

[katilac]

I am starting to really not like that guy. Now he's wanting to trademark this made up word he uses, and what his mom said, and the grill...yeah, chlorine got to him, I think. He's pickled.

 

Am I the only one who liked the Funny or Die video? Kids, pee in the pool! But don't poop, because that shuts the whole pool down and then I have nowhere to pee.

 

Clean the tub after EVERY bath? I've never heard of it honestly. After the boys have their bath, DD has hers. I dont' clean the tub between. I do refill it. Then DW and I shower. We do not pee in the shower and it gets lots of soapy water so I guess that might clean it. I clean (like with a bathroom cleaner) the tub once or twice a week. In between I probably wipe it up with a washcloth when I fish out the toys. But not really clean it with cleaning stuff, no. I'm pretty sure my mom didn't either. Maybe I really am the grossest mom ever. :auto:

 

*joins Gross Mom Club*

 

I'm not dousing the world with tri-closan and bleach, but I am not going to apologize or wonder if I'm OCD for cleaning out vessels used for bathing, or for not liking my babies to come out of their bath with their hair smelling like urine.

 

I can't even imagine how much a kid would have to pee for their hair to smell like urine after peeing in the bath, lol. If a kid pees in the tub, and then smells like pee afterwards, run, do not walk, to the nearest doctor!

 

The OP is gross, of course it's gross. We complained about a grown couple who were constantly spitting in the pool, but for a one-time peeing incident? I'd jump out of the pool, for sure, but I'd also extend the grace of assuming that it was an accident, and that she's mortified enough without me calling her out. If I were to see it again, same person, then I would report it to management.

 

Pools are just kind of gross overall, aren't they? Some things don't bear thinking about :tongue_smilie:

[GailV]

And they're not even fantastic at that. I was horrified the other day when my daughter pooped in her swim diaper in my friend's pool and a little of it leaked out. So gross. I guess what swim diapers are good for us not swelling up to a ginormous size when wet.

 

I always wondered about that. I was glad we made it through that stage of life without finding out.:ack2: They certainly don't look as though they're going to accomplish much in the way of containment, so I'm not surprised that it turned out to be the case.

[GailV]

True confession -- my kids are now at the age where they think it's hilarious to say they're going to hid candy bars in their swimsuits, and release them into the pool after diving in (think Caddyshack). Next time I'm going to suggest a vial of yellow food coloring. I'm sure it will totally gross them out conceptually.

 

Please note that my kids don't actually do any of these things -- they just like to speculate. Although now if I see a yellow ring around anyone in a pool I'm going to wonder whether or not it's food coloring. Gah, sometimes I hate my imagination.

[bolt.]

Urine is sterile. It contains no germs, thus it does not 'use up' the germ fighting power of chlorine. Babies are not required to have diapers that contain urine in pools because most pools are run by people who understand things in chemical terms. Uera is a chemical present in many hand creams. It was also the first organic chemical to be synthesized.

 

Fecal matter is a huge problem... but our issues with urine in the pool are mostly cultural and emotional.

 

The lovely lady really should follow our social customs and be polite to those bathing nearby -- but unless she has an infection, she has not endangered anyone's health. The kid who got a little water in his mouth and spit it out contributed germs to the pool, because saliva carries germs. In most cases, urine does not.

[Kathryn]

Urine is sterile. It contains no germs, thus it does not 'use up' the germ fighting power of chlorine. Babies are not required to have diapers that contain urine in pools because most pools are run by people who understand things in chemical terms. Uera is a chemical present in many hand creams. It was also the first organic chemical to be synthesized.

 

Fecal matter is a huge problem... but our issues with urine in the pool are mostly cultural and emotional.

 

The lovely lady really should follow our social customs and be polite to those bathing nearby -- but unless she has an infection, she has not endangered anyone's health. The kid who got a little water in his mouth and spit it out contributed germs to the pool, because saliva carries germs. In most cases, urine does not.

 

Did you read the article stripe linked? The chlorine in the pool reacts with ammonia in urine, creating the chemical chloramine, which is less effective at killing bacteria than chlorine.

[katilac]

I have to remember to always read the tags on threads. A million bonus points for whoever came up with Curse you, Ryan Lochte! :lol:

[Abigail4476]

Urine is sterile. It contains no germs, thus it does not 'use up' the germ fighting power of chlorine. Babies are not required to have diapers that contain urine in pools because most pools are run by people who understand things in chemical terms. Uera is a chemical present in many hand creams. It was also the first organic chemical to be synthesized.

 

Fecal matter is a huge problem... but our issues with urine in the pool are mostly cultural and emotional.

 

The lovely lady really should follow our social customs and be polite to those bathing nearby -- but unless she has an infection, she has not endangered anyone's health. The kid who got a little water in his mouth and spit it out contributed germs to the pool, because saliva carries germs. In most cases, urine does not.

 

As the PP mentioned, it isn't about the chlorine being used up fighting "germs." Read the linked article and share your thoughts on that....

 

How is it possible for the woman in question to know for a fact that she has nothing dangerous in her urine and therefore determine she can share her urine with the rest of the people in the pool? Isn't it possible to be ill and not be aware of it yet? How do other swimmers know that she isn't sick and that they don't need to worry?

[Caitilin]

I've never done these things, and my kids have never smelled like urine after a bath. Ever. I don't have a problem with you doing it, I was just surprised by the comment that everyone does it that way.

 

ETA: I also do most of my cleaning with baking soda and vinegar. I keep a spray bottle of a mix under the kitchen sink. I've just never felt the need to clean after every bath.

 

:iagree: :D

[DianeW88]

I don't care about the personal safety aspect. I've dealt with a fair amount of urine in my day. :D

 

However....

 

This is a VERY SERIOUS breach of etiquette. I mean, honestly....who does that in front of other people in a kiddie pool? :blink: :ack2: Who??? As my grandma would say, "Was she raised in a barn?"

 

I'm also trying very hard to picture Emily Post responding to a question about the proper way to urinate in front of others in a public swimming pool. I'm pretty sure she's turning over in her grave right now. :lol:

 

We are all going to you know where in a handbasket. Thank you Mr. Lochte.

[Catwoman]

Urine is sterile. It contains no germs, thus it does not 'use up' the germ fighting power of chlorine.

 

I would like you to post specific documentation that states that urine is always sterile.

 

That is simply not the case. It is often sterile, but as I posted earlier in the thread, there are some big exceptions to that rule.

 

Additionally, as I (and others) also posted upthread, even uninfected urine is a contaminant that impedes the chlorine from working properly, thus making it more likely that the myriad bacteria already in the pool will grow and thrive -- and some of those can cause some nasty health problems.

[Catwoman]

 

How is it possible for the woman in question to know for a fact that she has nothing dangerous in her urine and therefore determine she can share her urine with the rest of the people in the pool? Isn't it possible to be ill and not be aware of it yet? How do other swimmers know that she isn't sick and that they don't need to worry?

 

:iagree:

[1bassoon]

As the PP mentioned, it isn't about the chlorine being used up fighting "germs." Read the linked article and share your thoughts on that....

 

 

Just wanted to note the irony of using "PP" in this thread. . . .

 

:ducking and running::D

[Kathryn]

Just wanted to note the irony of using "PP" in this thread. . . .

 

:ducking and running::D

 

:lol:

[Abigail4476]

Just wanted to note the irony of using "PP" in this thread. . . .

 

:ducking and running::D

 

HAHA!!!! :lol:

[Rosie_0801]

Maybe I really am the grossest mom ever. :auto:

 

Nope! We're on bore water so I bath first, followed by dd, followed by my little mud beast. All in the same water, which was brown to begin with. It's doing wonders for my hair, actually.

 

 

Rosie

[awisha.]

I have a question for all those who allow their kids to pee in the bath and not rinse them off afterwards...

 

If you, the parent, were to have a bath and for whatever reason pee in the water, would YOU get out without rinsing yourself off too???

[besroma]

Just wanted to note the irony of using "PP" in this thread. . . .

 

:ducking and running::D

 

:lol: :D

[Catwoman]

Just wanted to note the irony of using "PP" in this thread. . . .

 

:ducking and running::D

 

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Mom2Es]

On one hand, yes, that is gross, especially since you could see the yellow.

 

On the other, any body of water that people or animals or anything has been in is not exactly "clean" anyway. Pool water is already full of other people's sweat, lotion, sunscreen, mucous-membrane stuff from their noses when they go underwater, earwax, whatever's leftover from their less-than-stellar toilet paper skills, saliva (kids get water in their mouths all the time, and do you think they always swallow it? Actually, wasn't there a synchronized swim routine at the Olympics that involved spitting out a big mouthfull-o-water fountain-style?), toe jam, and pee. If there is a kid in the pool in a swim diaper, just assume there's plenty of pee in the pool.

[Catwoman]

On one hand, yes, that is gross, especially since you could see the yellow.

 

On the other, any body of water that people or animals or anything has been in is not exactly "clean" anyway. Pool water is already full of other people's sweat, lotion, sunscreen, mucous-membrane stuff from their noses when they go underwater, earwax, whatever's leftover from their less-than-stellar toilet paper skills, saliva (kids get water in their mouths all the time, and do you think they always swallow it? Actually, wasn't there a synchronized swim routine at the Olympics that involved spitting out a big mouthfull-o-water fountain-style?), toe jam, and pee. If there is a kid in the pool in a swim diaper, just assume there's plenty of pee in the pool.

 

I think the OP was just astounded that the mom had the nerve to pee in the kiddie pool, right where others could see exactly what she was doing. :ack2:

 

Now that we've all talked about the other disgusting stuff in pool water, I may never swim again! :D

[amey311]

Nope! We're on bore water so I bath first, followed by dd, followed by my little mud beast. All in the same water, which was brown to begin with. It's doing wonders for my hair, actually.

 

 

Rosie

 

DO you have ROgue Bores? I read a delightfully hysterical YA series by Louise Rennison and at some point the narrator's father spends several months in New Zealand "dodging rogue bores." Several parts of the books are loosely based on the author's real life, including the bore business: http://www.georgianicolson.com/meet.html

[I.Dup.]

OMG this thread has become even more gross. Those pictures from China just about did me in. I'm not sure if I will ever take the kids to a public pool again. :ack2::ack2:

 

And I'm not convinced pee is sterile. When my kids use a toilet overnight and don't flush so the pee sits there for awhile, the toilet definitely needs to be cleaned more often. :ack2:

 

And I always rinse my kids in clean water, whether they pee or not in the bath. But the thought of them peeing in the bath doesn't bother me at all, because the ones I'm giving baths to are tiny- the ones who are potty trained never pee in the tub/pool.

[fraidycat]

I just wanted to post my adoration for the brilliant toddler watering the "Pee On Me" (peony) bush. :D

 

As for the rest, now I have ammo when I don't want to go swimming. My family loves it, but I don't really care for it much. I was always against private pools (upkeep, safety, liability) but I just might be persuaded to change my mind after reading this thread and get a pool for the family once we settle in one place.