swimming

[starshaker]

was just wandering what age u can start to take a baby swimming

[kid]

I was told it was okay to take DD after her first lot of injections (at 8 weeks old)

[NannyJo]

i was told any age is ok technically cos of chlorine, but to be sure wait untill after jabs so thats about 4 months. I took DS then. Any earlier and i think it would get too cold for them anyway imo. HTH

[PoopyNappy]

I took my baby after the first jab at 9/10 weeks.
We goto proper lessons to teach them how to swim
and dunk the babies underwater, however this was a private pool at a private house and the tutor rents the pool and is very strict on hygene.
The water temp needs to be 32 degrees min otherwise it'll be too cold and a horrid exp.

Avoid public pools. I took babe swimming at a local public pool and he picked up a gastro infection at 3 months and it went on for over 6 weeks before he fully recovered.

If you can find somewhere private it's well worth spending a bit more.

If u do go u need double nappy protection, a swim nappy and a swimsuit or Kooshies

try www.littledippers.co.uk
www.aquatots.com
www.aquatots.co.uk

[SoupDragon]

Advice varies from no jabs at all to waiting until the full first course has been completed.

When they're little, you do have to watch them closely for signs of getting cold. 10 minutes in a public pool is usually sufficient for a little baby. (have never had any health problmes swimming in public pools BTW)

[Surfermum]

My HV told me I didn't have to wait for dd's jabs. She had her first dip in an open air pool in Newquay at about 12 weeks! Her next dip was at our local sports centre and she fell asleep!! Soupy's right though about not letting them get cold. Learner pools are better for little ones as they're much warmer than the main pools. The important thing is to have a towel on poolside to wrap them up as soon as you get out as that's when they get cold. I got a hooded towelling dressing gown for dd.

I love taking dd, and she's a real water baby. Good job really with two lifeguards for parents!

[SoupDragon]

Have to say that taking DSs swimming from babyhood is by far the best thing we've done for them.

[clary]

yeah i love taking mine swimming adn ds2 is a real water baby, loves jumping in, going down slides, swims off on his own (in armabnds ofcourse) and he's only just 2.
Poopynappy (great name!) yr private pool sounds lovely but i wd echo supy and say I have never had helath probs after any public pool either and I have been in lots.
Took mine after 1st lot of jabs btw,agree you need to watch the temp and 10-15 mins is plenty at first.
Top tip: go frequently or they lose their confidence. Best way is to make it a regular thing - we go to a club on a saturday morning and try rarely to miss.

[clary]

sorry typing worse than usual there

[NannyJo]

i've taken DS twice a week for 3 months and he just won't 'join in'. He's quite happy but not intereted at all in splashing etc????

[Surfermum]

How old is he NannyJo?

[NannyJo]

nearly 7 months. took him as sonn as jabs were all done. Joined private gym cos pools near us are menky and i cover the membership cost by going twice weekly anyway

[Surfermum]

DD was like that and didn't do much at all until she was about 12m. I just used to hold her and sing to her and swish her around in the water, lie her on her back and move her around, that sort of thing. I put her on armbands at about 12m and after one go on them, she suddenly removed my hands from her waist and wanted to do it herself. There's been no looking back since then. A swimming teacher friend told me that its just a case of giving them water confidence.