Teach your baby to swim...

[Gonkster]

... I am pretty sure this is under the wrong topic list but I couldn't think where else it could go (please direct me!)

My local swimming pool aren't doing lessons for mums and babies until September and I really want to take my DD8mths into the pool a few times before the classes start but am worried that I don't know what I'm doing. I have looked at amazon and there are a few books, but can you recommend any in particular? I'd like one written by someone associated with a national swimming body or somesuch.

[MrsBadger]

at 8m I don't think a book would help

just take her into the baby pool and have fun splashing around to get her used to the water

[thumbwitch]

where are you based, Gonkster? Have you looked at the babyswimming website (and other similar)? Put babyswimming into google and they all come up - one might have a course running over the summer.

Otherwise I think MrsB is right; it can be a bit nerve-wracking doing the underwater stuff for the first time (as in babyswimming classes) so might be better to wait until the classes before you try that, but no reason why you shouldn't take her along for a splash about, or if the pissing weather ever improves, have a paddling pool in the back garden (if you have one, sorry, bit of an assumption there!)

[MamaChris]

imo, baby swimming classes are mainly about building up babies' confidence in the water, and mums' confidence in their babies do you have a friend who's done any who could go with you the first time to show you what's what? otherwise, just take her along and let her have fun splashing about, and try and be relaxed and happy yourself to convey to her that swimming is fun

[Gonkster]

OOoo, I have my birth pool (sadly never actually birthed in it!). Never thought of that. I agree the weather would have to improve significantly, but I would feel MUCH happier getting in there with her the first few times rather than a swimming pool.

I just wasn't sure if there was a particular way to hold her etc. I am a nervous swimmer myself so keen NOT to pass that trait on.

[thumbwitch]

hold her securely under the arms, or cuddled into your body; one of the first things we learn in babyswimming is to get them used to water on the face - hold your DD cuddled in with one arm, say "DD, ready, GO" and with the other hand, pour water down your DD's face just after GO. The babies get used to the command meaning something is about to happen that involves their faces getting wet (and then being dunked in class).

Another advantage of the babyswimming class that I go to is the pools are all private pools, our one is a hydrotherapy pool, so heated and uses salt ionisation for hygiene, not chlorine. The salt also means that the water in the eyes doesn't hurt, so a suggestion is to put some salt in your water too. Not much, you should barely be able to taste the salt in the water.

[Gonkster]

Thumbwitch - thank you. That DD-Ready-go thing is very familiar now I you've reminded me as my step sister talked about it. That's the sort of thing I needed to hear, as I absolutely don't want to go dunking her without supervision, but do want her happier with water over her face - in the bath she can be a little fussy when hair washing (apparently, I was a NIGHTMARE as a child with hair washing! - Again keen not to repeat down the generations!)

[thumbwitch]

perhaps you can chat to your stepsister about it then too - if she's near enough, you could even have a pool party and get her to show you the moves?

I was thinking too - if it's a birthing pool, they are meant to be used indoors anyway so you could just go for it indoors! Bit xtreme, I know but hey!