To put arm bands on baby?

[SexyBoris]

I know it’s recommended that babies are taught to swim without floatation aids but what if baby believes she can swim and therefore refuses any assistance and fights the adult continuously to be let loose? (17 months old, no fear, fiercely independent)

I don't know anywhere that teaches swimming without flotation aids - all the swim schools I know use them

The problem is popping arm bands on then thinking "there we go, drown proof!" And leaving her to it. A 17month old with arm bands doesn't sound very safe. She'll still need an adult supporting her

What about a pool noodle? Or one of the floaty jackets? That's what we've used for ours when they were small, rather than armbands.

@Chocolatewheatos

The problem is popping arm bands on then thinking "there we go, drown proof!" And leaving her to it. A 17month old with arm bands doesn't sound very safe. She'll still need an adult supporting her

I’m not considering dropping her off at the pool then going to collect her an hour later 😂 obviously I’ll still be there supporting her but if she fights and slips from my grip at least she won’t go down like a sack of spuds. I’ve almost dropped her a few times due to her wriggling and fighting me - it’s put me off taking her :-(

Would she wear a swim vest?
Arm bands stop them using thier arms properly in the water, DS was just like this, "get off me'!! In the water. He had a swim vest for a bit but could swim unaided at 3

I used to attend lessons that taught without. The lesson I go to now uses them from 18m. I'd put them on. Of course still supervise etc but at least you have that added layer and you don't have to grip her the whole time.

Would she stay up with armbands? My 2.5 year old is still too small for them, her arms stay up but body still sort of sinks in the middle.

@LadyJJ

Would she wear a swim vest? Arm bands stop them using thier arms properly in the water, DS was just like this, "get off me'!! In the water. He had a swim vest for a bit but could swim unaided at 3

That sounds like a plan, I’ll get one ordered. Thank you.

I’m hoping to get her in proper swimming lessons but as they tend to go on term times I might as well wait until after Christmas now

We had swim vests for ours plus their lessons started them with noodles.

I used to put arm bands on and pop him in a ring. The arm bands stopped him slipping through the ring and he just used legs everywhere. Supervised obviously.

Sorry, I know I didn't provide anything of any use there. We use pool noodles too, and also have a flat float (like the ones we used to have in lessons) where you hold and kick, but I put it under her like a body board.

My eldest wore armbands when she was big enough and she loved them but I do think she relied on them a lot and was reluctant to get rid. But ultimately she learned to swim eventually and really enjoyed herself with her armbands.

I would definitely use them but make sure an adult is still right there to support since she’s so young. We started swimming lessons at 3, the lessons are always without flotation devices but we always go back to arm bands on holiday so everyone can have more fun! It hasn’t caused any problem. A 17MO is a bit young to be learning to swim anyway and if they’re not scared of the water you’ve achieved something IMO, so I really don’t see the harm.

@LakeShoreD 17mo isn’t too early to learn to swim, it’s pretty normal. The earlier you start, the more confident they are around water and better safety skills they have.

We used them on our two because DD would shoot off and was too hard to manage without. Refused the jacket things. They’ve learnt to swim fine.

I used these for my kids

www.amazon.co.uk/Flyfish-Swimming-Disks-Float-Discs/dp/B073WFZPDS/ref=asc_df_B073WFZPDS/?hvlocphy=9046243&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=500823199876&hvpone&hvlocint&hvpos&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=pla-1297116931156&hvrand=5685406774001217185

Way less bulky and you can remove them gradually