Baby (<12month) Swimming Lessons - what else to do?

F

fly

Registered User
Ever since I found out that ESF only took babies 1 yr and up, and Harry Winston was a bit too $$, I've been taking my son to our estate's pool for the past 4 months. He is now 9 months old and isn't afraid to get in the water at all: he can hold his breath for a few seconds under the water, open his eyes, make rudimentary kicking, float on his back and coos, etc. Oh, and yell alot when he's had enough, too.

My question is: what now? I don't expect him to be doing breaststrokes or anything, and my next step is to teach him to hold onto his breath longer so he can spend more than a few seconds under water, but what else is there to do for a baby? Any tips out there?
 
I would say that you're doing GREATand just keep enjoying your baby and let him enjoy playing in the water.
 
Hi

I have intentions to teach my future baby to swim at a young age too. How do you start though without scaring them.

How do you know when they are ready to swim. Did u have your baby walking first before starting to swim?
 
I read somewhere you can start swimming with a baby from around three months- is that right?

I presume a baby that young isn't scared of the water or of swimming, because they have no reason to fear it. I take it they are no more scared of swimming at that age then they are of having a bath.
 
i took my son the first time when he was 10 weeks. i started putting his head under from the very first time...he's now 18 months and LOVES the water!
 
I started a bit late at 3/4 months, but I agree with carang that earlier is better. I'm not that good a swimmer myself so I was really just going with tips from others, and not 100% sure that what I'm doing was right (even now!)

BBTang: here's my own experience: we took it relatively slow and just got him used to the idea of water on his head and face, the feel of his body under water, etc. We didn't use any of those arm floats or anything, just a swim nappy and a solar suit. About the 3rd or 4th time, we put his head under water by counting to 3 and blowing in his face before dunking for just a second, repeat X times. Now he is ok to leap into my arms, and knows to spit out the water that gets in if he forgets to close his mouth.

He does seem to enjoy it very much, breaking out in giggles every now and then for no reason I can figure. He seems to enjoy floating on his back after a long day too.

I guess I'm really looking for tips from others about how to teach him more, since I can't swim that well either!

Carang: at 18 months, can your son properly swim at that age? Have you taken him to any classes that you found useful, or any tricks or games you play that are good to recommend?
 
Thanks for sharing your experience, Fly. Did ur son cry/refused the first time he was dunked under the water.

I was thinking to practise first in the bathtub, and between times when we can't visit the swimming pool as frequently.
 
BBTang: The first few times, the look on his face was priceless, utter shock!! He did not cry or refuse, fortunately for us, but (I'm guessing here) he did express his displeasure by yelling very loudly. No tears, though, just yelling like "Enough already!". Just be persistent: after about 3-4 sessions, ~5 dunks a session, he just needs me to blow on his face now (no need to count to 3 even) and he knows to hold it in. Now when he comes back up a second later its back to cooing and spitting.

I guess every baby is different, so the only thing I would say is to take it slow and not to rush them.

I didn't try it in the tub coz I don't think it's deep enough. What I mean is, when I put him under water, he is perpendicular, if you know what I mean. I think if we do it horizontally, it would be harder coz he's got air in his lungs so his body will still tend to "float", and also he may get water in his nose which is not pleasant. Having said that, we're also forunate that he hasn't got water in his ears, although they are under water ALOT when he's floating away.

What we did do in the tub was make sure he was ok with water on his head, in his face, in his eyes, etc. In that regard, he is much better than me (I need goggles or else I'm blind under water). Good luck!
 
my daughter is 6 months old and i'm plannig to take her swimming for the first time tomorrow.. how do we just dunk her head underneath- just literally dunk it? will it be ok for them to swallow a few sips of the pool water?
 
nope no classes and he cannot swim by himself. until last month i was working full time and didn't have time or $ (our club house is very expensive in DB) to take him regularly.

my main objective was that he wasn't afraid of the water, and he definitely is NOT.


in order for you to put your baby's head under, you need to hold them up higher, and say,
"mummy's going to put your head under now....1, 2, 3"
when you say "3" you blow into their face. they will automatically close their eyes and mouth.

they may splutter about a bit at first. if they start to cry. stop. wait until they are happy and then repeat.

now, when i count to "3" my boy automatically closes his eyes and waits for me to put him under.

i DO NOT hold him under, i bring him back up right away.
 
I guess they're still lacking the coordination to properly swim at that age, so I'm also more concerned that he's got confidence in the water at this stage.

I started a few months later, so when I did the 1-2-3-blow routine, he certainly didn't close his eyes and mouth instinctively! Fortunately he quickly picked up, and yes they are really only under for a second at most. My objective now is to get that time extended. I'm sure he does swallow some pool water (he'll cough it back up sometimes) and fortunately no ill-effects yet. He does spit alot out too.

I would just add to use common sense: if she hates water on her head during bathtime, it probably wouldn't be wise to dunk her in the pool either the first time. Try to choose a clean pool (I wouldn't feel comfortable in a public pool, that is just me) and make sure there is warm water, coz they get cold and tired alot faster than you and I. Just take it slow and enjoy it, sometimes I get the feeling I'm rushing him and have to remind myself he's still new at all this.
 
ChipMama,

They have the disposable Huggies in ParkNShop. Saw some yesterday at the Cyberport store.

Rani
 
If you will be taking your little one often, you can find re-usable nappies in many stores and these will pay for themselves (B2B, around Stanley, Mothercare (I believe), etc) or even online (ebay or google "floaties, "bright bots swim", "kushies swim") etc. I didn't personally like the ones at TrU coz I thought they might hinder babies movements, they seemed quite bulky with the insertable foam, if you know what I mean. Just my $0.02
 
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