When my youngest son had his jabs, I was delirious with excitement that I could take him for the first time to our local swimming baths.

Trunks and armbands on I set off.  I also had a large bag with; towels, nappies, a bottle, spare clothes, etc.   (You know what it is like)

Once in the changing rooms, after fiddling around in a cubicle, you couldn’t swing a cat around in  I emerged to the lockers.

I could under no circumstances fit all of my bags etc. into one locker, so this meant I had to have two.  Manipulating my son, I managed to get everything into the two lockers and clip the pins onto my swimming costume. Phew.

At this baths, there is a baby pool and an adult pool.  The baby pool has steps going down, and the height of the water is chest height; it is also warmer.  So not rocket science we went in the baby pool, which was packed with families.

As I walked into the pool area, I felt everyone staring me, being vain I was conscious of my post-baby weight.  I speeded up, to get in the water… down the steps we went.  By now more people were looking at me, and I mean looking at me.

I waded into the middle of the pool, and by now my son was getting heavier and heavier, so I swopped him to my other arm.  I then realised I still had something on the arm which had been carrying him.  It was my handbag!!

Now fully emerged in water, I lifted it out, and water flowed from every corner. My purse, chequebook, photos, everything in it was wet through.  Also, I now knew why everyone was looking at me, they must have thought I had the crown jewels in it.

I quickly departed the baths, and we went home, it was several weeks before I ventured back.