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Original poster

What is the point of baby swim classes / dunking

96 replies

HuntIdeas · 01/09/2019 05:45

Quite a few of my friends seem to be signing their tiny babies up to baby swim class, where they seem to spend a lot of time dunking the babies. What’s the point of this? Is it worth paying for the classes rather than just taking the baby myself?

One friend said they are teaching the baby what to do in case it falls into the water. To be honest, I’m pretty sure my baby won’t get a chance to fall into the water, plus if it did somehow happen then I would be close enough to jump in and rescue the baby without him needing to rescue himself!

OP posts:

HerSymphonyAndSong · 01/09/2019 09:53

Never seen any sneering about swimming classes from either those who have or haven’t done it, other than on this thread. It’s fun if you can afford it and your baby likes it. It’s hardly compulsory and they are incredibly expensive. My husband did one term and then stopped and started taking our son to the pool by himself. We didn’t pay for expensive pictures. But I had no idea that signing up for baby swimming was so controversial. But then I’ve been on MN a long time now and people get all sorts of bees in their bonnets about what other people do.

HerSymphonyAndSong · 01/09/2019 09:56

My husband was a swimming teacher so he is very water confident but he was not confident about taking a baby in the water at first

loveisanopensore · 01/09/2019 09:59

The point is for you and your baby to enjoy yourself and maybe pick up some skills.
There's a weird sneery attitude from some on mumsnet about any type of group or activity.

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BertrandRussell · 01/09/2019 10:02

I don’t sneer. I do get exasperated by the “it’s a non negotiable life skill” though.

ZenNudist · 01/09/2019 10:03

Its a swizz to part wealthy parents from their cash. Theres some bollocks behind it telling people their child will learn to swim sooner which isnt true. I have had lots of friends do water babies and similar and their dc are no further forward than those that start swimming lessons as they go to school.

It is something to do with your time when on mat leave or a part time day off work. Its a way to meet nice middle class parents. I think the pools are meant to be warmer than the leisure centre though it depends where you live.

My leisure centre had a separate warm childrens pool which they filled with floats and toys for "baby splash" which was ok for the 20 mins you can stay in and then the age and stress it takes to wash, dry and dress yourself and dc.

Or just play in the bath!!

BikeRunSki · 01/09/2019 10:07

I took DS to PAYG parent/baby classes at the local leisure centre. Cost was the same as an adult se and included a swim nappy..We both enjoyed it, it got us out, we made some friends, DS has never been scared of water and he used to sleep reaLly well afterwards.

Smurf123 · 01/09/2019 10:08

I take my son to baby swim lessons but the one we do doesn't have a lot of dunking... Mainly it is songs and splashing and having fun in the water.. He's been under the water about 4 times in 2 terms of lessons but he doesn't mind it and he's older now 18 months.. I do it because I don't feel so silly singing and dancing round the pool in the group settibg and ds loves watching the other babies

HerSymphonyAndSong · 01/09/2019 10:09

None of our leisure centres locally have a warm baby pool. I totally agree that it doesn’t teach swimming any quicker. I also take my son to local pools with my NCT friends but if anything NCT is sneered at even more on here

DaisyDreaming · 01/09/2019 10:14

There’s a technique to teach babies and extremely young toddlers how to roll onto their back and cry but I’ve never seen any uk lessons on it.

The always there to rescue bit is a bit insensitive, sadly drownings happen and it’s not because the parent was useless (with some exceptions), before that they would of thought it would never happen to them too.

I always see the uk lessons as just a nice thing some parents chose to do together

WanderingMind · 01/09/2019 10:18

Dunking a baby under water feels incredibly cruel to me and the very thought of me being pushed under water makes me go cold, let alone a child who doesn't understand why they're cold and being momentarily being held under water.

notso · 01/09/2019 11:17

I took DC1 to baby swimming lessons because unlike all the other pointless baby groups I wasn't required to interact with anyone other than DD.
The aforementioned nice middle class parents can be incredibly sneery towards teenage parents.

Camomila · 01/09/2019 11:30

Neither DH and I are that confident in the water so we did the baby classes. DS loved them.
We stopped for a year around 2.5-3.5 when DS had finished the baby levels but was too young for actual learn to swim lessons that weren't super expensive and just take him ourselves.
This term at 3.5 he's finally old enough for normal children's swim classes so I'm excited for him as he loves going to the swimming pool. He'll do anything he's allowed (eg the flume, wave machine etc)

unitednations · 01/09/2019 15:25

I don't think they ass much value and it's anothe thing for a new parent to pay out for and get stressed about

I took my DS to them and he hated it. He then started lessons at 3 yrs at local pool and swims like a fish and is a qualified life guard ( nearly 19 yrs )

Don't waste your money. Go to the local pool.

mrsplum2015 · 03/09/2019 22:47

@bertrandrussell what is your problem with people seeing swimming as a non negotiable skill for their own child, sorry if I've missed your explanation?

dementedpixie · 03/09/2019 22:48

Maybe because it isn't really a skill needed at baby age

SudowoodoVoodoo · 03/09/2019 23:14

DS2 would disagree... he took his first steps at the swimming pool in order to gleefully hurl himself in OK, it was the jumping in part of his baby lesson, but he decided to do it with a bit of drama and flair.

At least it was a good thing that he learned not to panic in water and to aim for the side at a young age because he really couldn't be trusted not to slip off and bolt. Fortunately his skills never were seriously put to the test.

Starlight456 · 04/09/2019 12:40

People get all sneezy whatever anyone does . Do children learn to talk with out baby signings of course they do, gym kids don’t necessarily go on to become gymnast

Some babies didn’t enjoy water babies , some do

SoupDragon · 04/09/2019 12:44

Theres some bollocks behind it telling people their child will learn to swim sooner which isnt true.

Mine could all swim a width before they were 3. I must have imagined it.

SoupDragon · 04/09/2019 12:47

I took mine because, whilst I can swim, I'm not happy in the water or with getting splashed etc. I could never have given them the water confidence they got from this. I've got some wonderful photos of them underwater and they look happy and relaxed.

mrsplum2015 · 04/09/2019 13:13

@dementedpixie I assume the original comment was aimed at me and I never suggest babies need to swim but swimming is a non negotiable life skill for me and my husband. And therefore if our babies are learning anything it may as well be swimming. They certainly can't ride a bike at that age 😂

Celebelly · 04/09/2019 13:21

We did sign up for one of the expensive ones and did a couple of lessons but we haven't been back which is a huge waste of money but honestly it was such a faff getting there, changing us both solo, etc. for just 30 mins, it's the wrong time of day as it's when DD generally naps, and we can do all the stuff in our local pool at weekends when both me and her dad can go (and all three of us can go for almost half the price of one session). And with two of us, he can play with her while I do some actual swimming and vice versa. Plus getting changed etc is much easier as they have family changing rooms we can all go in.

That said, I have friends who go and really enjoy it. But there does seem to be a bit of an obsession with dunking as some sort of rite of passage.

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