‘Bachelor’ Alum Catherine Lowe Shares Son’s Pool Scare as Warning to Parents

It was only a week after her second son was born that Catherine Giudici Lowe got the scare of her life, and she wants other parents to learn from her terrifying experience.

Lowe, who married The Bachelor season 17 star Sean Lowe in 2014, shared on Instagram that their 2-year-old son Samuel was toddling around outside at his grandparents’ house when he walked right into the deep end of their swimming pool.

The danger was brief, but it made its mark. “Sean and I were watching his every move so we acted quickly to get him out,” she wrote, adding, “I was much more traumatized than he was.”

The rattled parents took a lesson from the incident and want to encourage others to do the same. “We immediately put him into swim lessons and made sure he always has floaties on,” wrote Lowe. “Today was his LAST DAY of swim lessons and now he can swim to the side like a champ!”

Putting your child in swim lessons is a great way to lower the risk of drowning. You also might want to heed the advice of a lifeguard who commented—without judgment—on Lowe’s post. “Please be careful with swimmies. As a former lifeguard, I can’t tell you how many kids I pulled out who’s swimmies had slipped to their wrists. Not being strong enough, the swimmies actually held them under water. Please make sure you get the ones that attach to the sides of the body suit or also have a body float,” he wrote. “Of course, nothing matches the safety of a watchful eye, and kudos to you for immediately taking action and TEACHING your child to swim! #GoodMom.”

Pools pose a serious danger for young kids, so you can never be too cautious. Keep these tips in mind to keep your little ones safe:

• Keep a vigilant eye on your kids when they’re near the water

• Only let your child swim in designated areas, ideally where there’s a lifeguard on duty

• Know the depth of the water, and if your kid isn’t a strong swimmer, keep them out of the deep end

• Secure your backyard pool area with fences and gates

• Consider installing a pool alarm, which will go off anytime someone enters the pool area

Enjoy a fun, safe season with these other important summer safety tips.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.