To not want to take my baby to any more swimming lessons

[FloralFantastic]

Started taking my 12 week old to swimming lessons run by a local gym. With my first we did more expensive classes but couldn't find a time that worked for us so this time went elsewhere.

Throughout the lesson I just couldn't help but notice how dirty/ mouldy everything was - damp in the changing rooms, mould around the edge of the pool (that the babies have to sit on/ hold on to/ put toys on that they then put in their mouths), and black/green mould on the edges of the giant pool float they tend to sit babies on at the end of lessons.

In general we both enjoyed the swimming part of the lesson but I'm really put off by the mould, particularly on the float - is this just what swimming pools/ lessons are like and I should grin and bear it (can't remember noticing anything like this with my eldest!) or is it a health risk and I should be boycotting?!?!

We started going to a place for swim lesson with my then toddler during Covid. Was nice and clean.
Over time and with letting more and more people in it got dirtier and dirtier. I stopped going. There’s no excuse for lack of hygiene.

I've taken my children to lessons at 4 different pools over the years, never seen any mould. Definitely would not go back

Yuck! I would not go back.

YANBU . You don’t need to take a young baby to swimming lessons either especially when so many places don’t heat their pools as warmly as they used to .

Wait a little while and just take them as a family or with a friend and baby to the warmest pool you can find.

This mould issue sounds grim and dangerous

None of my 4 had swimming lessons
I taught them myself just going regularly swimming together.
They all could swim really well before any lessons in school started

It is important to learn to swim and some people definitely prefer a qualified instructor, however your child is still a baby and I'd definitely be avoiding places with mould!

Save your money and just go once they're two. And not to a dirty pool, 4 pools in for my kids and I've never seen what you describe (except for bite marks up the noodles, yuck!)

not unreasonable at all, that is disgusting. I am a swim teacher and we would never dream of having mouldy surroundings/equipment. All the toys used in our baby lessons are sterilised after every use and stored properly, there is no excuse for lack of hygiene, especially where babies are concerned. I would be looking elsewhere for swimming lessons for sure.

We didn't do baby or toddler swimming lessons. Too much hassle.

My children are now excellent swimmers (one is a competitive swimmer in a swimming club). We started lessons and swimming for fun when they were around age 4.

Same here. I wouldn’t bother with lessons particularly. Just take baby to a nicer pool when you fancy it. We started swimming lessons at nearly 5 and she’s progressing really well.

That’s disgusting. And swim lessons are pointless for that age. Sack it off and go join a baby sensory class that’s clean.

I don't think I'd be comfortable with that level of mould either. But I really enjoyed swimming with my baby and I wouldn't want to lose that if I had a no. 2.
If it was me I'd take another look at the baby specialist swimming schools and get on waiting lists.
The swim school we went to before we moved away had its own pool and it was definitely warmer (pool & air temp). Lovely and clean and the changing room was designed for changing babies. It was a dream and I think I've been spoiled! But that's what I'd want to find while theoretical baby no.2 was very small.

Thanks everyone, seems pretty unanimous so far. My concern right now is that I've paid upfront for a block of lessons and no idea if they'll give me the money back!

12 weeks as in 3 months as in not even eating solids yet?
Not sure they'll gain anything from formal lessons that they wouldn't get from going with you and sibling and just generally getting wet and seeing how it works

There's absolutely zero reason to take your 3 month old for swimming lessons. And even more so if the pool is dirty, and probably not warm enough.

Of course there are benefits, just like there are in most baby activities, but you just choose the ones that suit your child/interest you as you can't do/afford them all. Not sure why people are getting mad about the OP having free will and choosing to do something that she's well within her rights to do 🤷‍♂️

If someone wants to do baby swimming classes at this age do it. If you don't, that's your choice and both are fine. I found it to be an incredibly wonderful bonding activity and also value the friendships I and my DS have made from it.

If anyone isn't clear, they aren't being taught how to do front crawl or anything 😅 It is just splashing and bobbing about mostly and you can do that on your own without an instructor if you like, but doing it in a class is also fine. If it's your first baby you might find it helps with water confidence (for you both) and water safety.

I wouldn't go back, but I'm also not confident you'll get your money back without at least raising it as a complaint and giving them a chance to rectify it first.

But while swimming lessons for babies/toddlers might not be essential, or popular on Mumsnet, I have several friends who have done them weekly from 10 weeks to 3 years and absolutely rave about them. I couldn't fit them in, work-wise, but wish I had been able to, even just for the memories - but their kids swim well, and underwater.

The benefit is to the parent (and the bank balances of those that run them). You won't get your money back so can either cut your loses or finish up the block.
I would be concerned about how they are chlorinating the pool as I'd assume they aren't putting enough in and wouldn't particularly want to be in a pool of baby pee and not enough chlorine.

If you enjoy swimming with baby just take her yourself no need for lessons.

It's my second child and we thought they were great with my first (but, different location and company, no availability this time). The pools are definitely warm enough. A bit like doing your own made up home workouts versus paying for online videos to follow, the structure/ lesson plan helped especially for the bits around taking them under water which I wouldn't be confident doing myself. But yes, I'll probably just take baby myself/ go as a family rather than go back here now as most of the classes have quite a waiting list in my area and I'm back to work in a couple of months (part of how I justified paying for things like this!). I'll be on the phone on Monday making the case for a refund - but I agree they'll probably deny the mould/ take the opportunity to deep clean it instead and I obviously have no photos as no phones allowed - will need to think about whether I'd be willing to go back if they did reassure me things had been cleaned!

The thing is in the UK swimming lessons for tiny tots really are not necessary, a bit different if we lived somewhere with lots of swimming pools at home, and no matter the number of swimming lessons a tiny child falling in a lake or sea is going to be overwhelmed by cold water shock and the tide.

To dunk them before 6 months you just blow on their face so they take a deep breath and dunk them during 'Ring a Ring a roses' and let them swim/float to the top. This is all reflex and is about them being happy with water on their face and being water confident.
Otherwise teaching them to roll onto their backs and float until help arrives is the only thing they need to know.

I took DD swimming regularly until she was 7, once she could jump in the deep end happily and doggy paddle a couple of lengths, swim under my legs, play ball games out of her depth - then I enrolled her in lessons so she could learn proper technique. Saved myself a fortune in swimming lessons, saved years of DD having to wait patiently at the side and only having about 5 mins of swim time in group lessons. She went straight in at stage 4 and quickly progressed, swan a mile in their distance competition a year later and joined the competitive swim squad at 9.

@Singleandproud that is a bit of an assumption! We live on an island so plenty of people live by the sea or rivers, we are hardly landlocked.

I live by the sea and my kids started lessons at 10 days ish old. They are all strong swimmers and have confidence in water because of it.

OP I'd just do the lessons you've paid for. Water and humidity sometimes cause mould. Maybe complain and see if they get it cleaned.

I've just learnt to swim at 55. Do make sure your kids can swim, the earlier the better. I've struggled with the fear of drowning and it's only with having a good teacher and being prepared to spend some money, have I realised that I won't.
But it's a council run pool and pretty dirty it's because they have young 6th formers as life guards and part of the role is to clean.

To update anyone invested - they've tried to assure me over the phone that the pool and float aspects have been addressed (new deep cleaning regime; binned that float) so I'm planning to go the next lesson and see if I feel comfortable/ agree! As some posters above have pointed out, it's unlikely they'll refund me without having first giving them the opportunity to try to rectify!