Is it Time to Get a Mom Suit?

If you haven't been paying attention* or you're just tuning in, I'm a Mom.  I have found that being a Mom comes with certain fashion restrictions.  When you're nursing, for example, you are limited to tops that provide easy access to your baby's source of nutrition.  Large, shiny earrings are pretty much off-limits for the first few years of your child's life, and heels can get pretty uncomfortable when you're chasing a toddler across the playground. When your baby has a snotty nose, it's best to avoid dark-coloured clothing.  When your baby is pukey, you don't want to wear anything that is not machine-washable.  These are the rules I generally abide by.

But, I will confess, there is one piece of impractical attire I am still clutching on to.  The bikini.  I have not owned a full-piece bathing suit in years.  Lately I have been taking advantage of my Fridays off from work to take Lilah swimming at our local (brand new!) indoor pool.  At eleven a.m. on a weekday, the pool is full of elderly people and moms with babies and kids. It feels very strange to wear my bikini at an indoor pool amidst a veritable sea of full-piece bathing suits.  But I've never been one for swimming laps, which means I haven't spent much time in indoor pools.  I wear my binkinis in the summer and when I go on vacation.  To me, the point of wearing a bikini is to get a tan on my stomach.

Girls in bikinis on vacation, January 2010

So, the question is, do I need to invest in a Mom Bathing Suit (or at least a one-piece number)?  Is wearing a binkini a faux-pas at an indoor pool? What do you think?

* But if you haven't been paying attention, what the hell are you doing reading my blog?