'In the blink of an eye she disappeared': Mum's warning about swimsuits after scary pool moment
Like every parent, I've seen the warnings about picking the right coloured swimmers for your kids for safety reasons.
But a recent family holiday made me realise just how dangerous this can be, and why it's such an important thing to be aware of.
We travelled to Bali, staying in villas with pools or visiting family at their hotel – spending plenty of time in the water.
A scary moment on our recent family holiday in Bali made me realise how important swimsuit colours are. Supplied/Amy Lyall
It took my very confident toddler the blink of an eye to jump into the pool and, despite my mother-in-law being right next to her, when she went in she disappeared.
Now, we had done everything we could to prepare for having a fearless toddler around the water.
We had hired pool fences for the pool in our villa to ensure there was a way to keep her and her cousins away from the edge in case the back door was left open, or they could open it. I also invested in a floatie vest for her as an added layer of security.
But I never thought about my daughter just throwing herself off the edge of the pool right beside us, and that's exactly what she did.
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The pale colours and lots of light blue meant she blended in with the pool tiles almost instantly. Supplied/Amy Lyall
It happened in the blink of an eye – cliché but true.
She was walking alongside the edge of the hotel pool and just decided to step in.
Her swimmers were a cute little pastel, pink, blue and orange pattern with long sleeves, which I thought was not only nice but also kept her arms nice and covered in the sun.
The issue is the pale colours quickly blended in with the shade of the pool tiles and you just couldn't see her.
Thankfully, despite not being able to swim fully, she has been going to swimming lessons for almost a year and pushed herself up from the bottom and into the arms of my mother-in-law.
The moment was terrifying, although my daughter didn't seem worried about it all.
But it really showed me how dangerous light or blue-coloured swimsuits can be in the water for young kids.
There seem to be so many dangers and warnings for parents to be aware of and this was one I'd seen and never really took notice of.
I wish I did sooner, because when I had her with me again after her little incident, I held her out and you could see how quickly the colour of her swimmers blended into the pool.
Safe to say for the rest of the trip I put her in the brightest swimsuits that we had packed as some extra peace of mind.
We had hired pool fences for both of the villas we stayed at for safety, but I didn't think twice about her swimmers. Supplied/Amy Lyall
A company called Alive Solutions, which specialises in water safety, has found in two separate experiments that certain swimsuit colors are easier to spot in a swimming pool or open water, such as a lake.
"A child's swimsuit colour can significantly impact their visibility in the water, which is crucial in preventing drownings," Bernard Fisher, director of health and safety for the American Lifeguard Association, told CNN.
"Bright and contrasting colours stand out more clearly against the water, making it easier for lifeguards and parents to spot a child quickly, especially in an emergency situation."
The company has shared plenty of warnings for parents on its Facebook and Instagram pages, along with visuals that prove just how hard it can be to see some colours in the water.
Alive Solutions shares real examples of the dangers of light swimsuits on their social media pages. Instagram/@aquaticsafetyconnection
"People should avoid swimsuits in light blue, grey, or green as they can blend with the water and pool surroundings, making it difficult to spot a child. We recommend bright and contrasting colours such as neon yellow, orange, pink, and bright red," Fisher added.
"These colours are highly visible both underwater and on the surface."
So, for the parents who are about to experience their first summer with little ones and spending more time in the pool as the weather heats up, keep this in mind when you're buying swimwear.
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