Baby swimming

[willow3006]

Hi

Just wanted advice. I'd like to get my 6 month old twins used to the water and get them swimming eventually. I looked at baby swimming lessons but they are so expensive and for 2 we couldn't really afford it.

Do you think babies need swimming lessons or do you think it is ok for me to just take them swimming myself to get them used to the water?

I see that the pools for the baby swimming lessons are about 33 degrees - I presume my local swimming pool won't be heated to this level - are there pools that we could just go to without having lessons that are this heated?

Opinions please!

Willow x

Waterbabies is a bit weird wrt nappies IMO. Most pools just say a double layer - so a disposable or reusable swim nappy and then either another nappy layer or a snug swimming costume.

I'd have thought that in the scenario of a toddler gaining unsupervised access to a pool they'd be more likely not to get in if they'd been to classes as they would have learnt "never, ever go in without mummy or daddy".

Otherwise, I do like the idea of lessons, but the cost is prohibitive so we plan to take DD ourselves. My sister had swimming lessons when she was 5 and I was 2. Mum and dad took me along to play in the baby pool while she had her lessons. By the time I was 5 I was a very competent swimmer and never needed lessons...

It's not really weird if you consider the cost of closing a whole pool due to some poo escaping. It even happens with the disposable and the happy nappy sometimes as baby poo is so runny.

Oh I understand that, I just don't think that an extra layer of disposable makes much difference. Because they are all a pull up design, they are rarely that snug around the legs or waist. I can't imagine an extra one would catch much that a disposable and a happy nappy wouldn't. My pool just says two layers and that they should be properly snug.

Great you got the wet suits - happy sploshing!

WRT octavia - i think you have a valid point in that children are not able to judge when they are fully competent. No one is silly enough to assume that just because your child is confident and happy in the water and has been going regularly since they were a baby that they don't need to be supervised or they re able to play alone in water. Most sensible parents are well aware that toddlers and young children are not able to accurately assess danger and potential hazards in situations.
Same as i wouldnt allow my 5 year old to cross the road unsupervised - even though he s been doing it holding my hand and out of the buggy for the last 2 1/2 years. I m sure if I asked him he would tell me he s well able cross the road. I would nt take a chance on him tho! I try exercise reasonable caution and some common sense. Neither will the same child be allowed swim unsupervised (or without my eye on him at any stage)until he demonstrates the cognitive and physical ability to do so.

But WRT the scenario of the child going upstairs and turning on the bath to practice breathing under water (and I know it s a random example you choose) - well

1. (maybe if you haven't brought a young child swimming and done this you wouldn't know - ) they they don't practice holding their breath under water in that way - we simple play games with goggles on such as waving or doing high 5 s under water - or blowing bubbles, diving whislst holding them or touching the floor with feet/ bottom etc - it s not that they learn to hold their breath underwater infinitely or self suffocate !! It s so they learn NOT to try inhale under water and so they learn how to resurface when they need air - which took my daughter a few sessions to get the concept of - now she is able to re surface when she needs to inhale.

1. Any child could wander into the bathroom un supervised (and as you suggest fill a bath of water - and you know there s danger of scalding and burns from hot water too not just drowning). Sadly a child can drown in a foot of water - so yes children do need adults to exercise reasonable safety measures available to them and reasonable levels of supervision to ensure their safety. We also need to educate our children about not turning on taps, not leave them in the bath unsupervised,

1. As we go along to the pool, and in the pool, We are constantly pointing out the toddlers and children safety activities (hold onto the bar, dont let go, and what you would not do ..... so they get a certain amount of caution and education - eg We ve had to teach my son and daughter not to cling or clamber onto each other but to mummy or daddy as we re stronger and can support them in water. They also know how to get in and climb out of the pool- again this takes a few sessions to get the knack of.

1. No one wants to encourage anyone to behave recklessly or leave children in dangerous positions. And if you dont feel comfy letting your children swim than of course that s your right as a parent as you will have made a reasoned decision. I m just letting you know the other side of the argument.

The neoprene happy nappy is pretty tight around their legs to stop poo escaping. Where does the extra layer of disposable come in?

One of the reasons children drown is they panic underwater and inhale water, they can do this in 2 inches of water. If they are comfortable in water they will hold their breath and make their way to the top.

Mine went to swimming lessons from a baby and they were also taught to automatically turn to the side when they jump in, hold breath underwater and basically relax in water.
I don't regret a penny I paid for their swimming lessons, literally £1000s. DS 16 is now a qualified lifeguard and earns money in his spare time from it and DD should be taking her bronze medallion soon. They both also take part in a lot of water sports and being a strong swimmer is essential.

Octaviapink Mon 21-May-12 10:19:54
"I'm certainly not saying anyone's lying! I don't quite know what you extracted that from, Whip. I'm passing on what I've been told by swimming coaches and what I was told by a paramedic on my paediatric first aid course. There is no such thing as 100% supervision"

So how is that different from children and cars? Surely the unsupervised toddler could just as well escape into the road and a toddler who likes cars would presumably be more at risk?

Keeping children away from water is no guarantee that they will not be fearless or foolhardy. Ime children often have less respect for dangers they are not used to: e.g. children will be more likely to behave dangerously around dogs if they don't know any.

I think bruffin has a point and children are much safer if they do not panic and inhale under water. And any 3-4yo will be safer the more he has had it drilled into him that he must not go into water on his own- just like a child who has been taught to behave around water will be safer than one who hasn't.

I grew up in a place where children are taken down into the sea as soon as the water is warm enough, even if they are only a couple of months old. The vast majority of drownings involve:

elderly men who refuse to accept that their bodies are not what they once were

elderly and middle aged men who have been drinking

immigrants who have not been taught to swim

immigrant children- see above

thanks for the supportive posts re octavia - i see her point in some ways but i still think there is huge value in taking babies/toddlers swimming.

dd is holding her breath pretty well now swimming - doesn't mean id ever let her swim unsupervised. she doesn't need to hold on to me but i wouldn't even risk swimming a length of our small pool if she is with me.

water babies and happy nappies - sigh - they do on the spot checks too! its to do with their insurance and their contract with the host swimming pools. i dont bother with them outside lessons though i have had swim nappies leak before - ming!

yay for wetsuits! they really are worth it :-)

Hang on a minute WhippingGirl - where do you get off taking my posts as a personal attack and thanking others for supporting you? This isn't even your thread. I haven't been rude, or called you a liar as you accused me of - all I've done is pass on advice from someone who has had to deal with more dead toddlers than anyone should have to. This is a public forum and you could dial the aggression back a bit, frankly.

We were advised by family friends (with 3 kids) that starting early wasn't worth the money, as they don't learn anything until at least 18 months. They were right. We hardly bothered until we went on holiday recently with DD (2.2) and took her swimming every day- by the end of the week she was "swimming" with floats, out of her depth (within arm's reach).
I don't think it's worth making financial sacrifices for swimming lessons at 6 months. Just get them in now and then so they know what it's like.

Octavia I agree familiarity breeds contempt, but a six year old may well be totally scared stiff of water.
Even if they aren't scared they are going to feel bloody stupid when the rest of their class are 4!

Swimming isn't about safety, it's about fun, friends and exercise. It's the perfect default rainy day, birthday party, school trip activity.

In each of DDs years there's been at most one DC who can't swim and they don't half look miserable.

In my primary school we had just one girl who was scared of water, I can still remember her shivering in the corner.

Principles are great, but please apply them with caution.

In any case I'm not sure DD2 would have been scared of water if she'd never been swimming. She was never scared of roads, huge climbing frames, large dogs or anything else for that mater.

I don't necessarily think that you need swimming lessons when they are very little. Some children I know started actually swimming before they were 3, some had lessons, others just swam regularly with parents. Most children seem to start around age 4/5, before then it is confidence. I take ds swimming myself, but once he turns 3 I might get him lessons as he is already v confident and it won't be much difference in cost when I have to pay for him as well as me.

The Institute of Swimming Teachers has teamed up with waterbabies to develop a 'pre-fundamentals' course so the powers that be at the top of competitive swimming certainly don't agree with you Octaviapink

I've found waterbabies fantastic- I didn't really relise how good it is until recently. We're now in Toddler 1 and DS (21mo) is climbing out on his own, shimmying down the rail, confident underwater and actually starting to try to propel himself by kicking- all skills that I see now have built up gradually from the start. It may seem like you are just swooshing them about at 6mo- but there is a skill development plan at work!

It is expensive though. I think just going swimming is fine if you have water confidence yourself and so can pass it on to them. (I swam internationally as a Junior and still wouldn't have had the confidence to put my PFB underwater without waterbabies support!).

I second the wetsuit thing. DS is much more comfortable in our local leisure centre pool in his wettie. We just buy them for a tenner on the beach when we go to Cornwall.

Oh fgs see my 1st paragraph of my last post which yes was directed at you. If you think that's aggressive we'll what can I do - that was diplomatic in my opinion.

Since u called me aggressive I think you came across as a bit of a know all. As I said my kids are taught by an A and e doc and by best swimming buddy mum is an emergency nurse - both v pro baby swimming.

Dial back the aggression.... Cos I can tea h out of your computer and bite you right?

I will add though, as a general comment. Dd and her pals are swimming with no flotation aids - no arm bands or shark fins or ba k floats and I don't allow them. I think they create a false sense of security which in my opinion is quite dangerous.
The kids I know who do mainstream lessons at age 4ish learn with back floats - I don't see the point when our learned without at 2.
We live by the sea and water safety is my main reason for swimming lessons as early ax possible. If she falls in the sea or whatever there will be no arm bands etc to help her.

The teacher who taught dd friom a baby and has taught both dcs life saving to bm has been given a life time achievment award for her work with lifesaving also wouldn't agree with Octavia re baby lesson.
But its a bit insulting to assume because we have baby lessons you wouldn't keep a close eye on a child around water.

My pair have both been to baby swimming and love it (although DS is only 10 months) so I'll concentrate on DD who is 4.9 yrs at the moment. She started baby swimming at 16 weeks and has continued from then to now to have weekly lessons which i carried on with during swimming school holiday breaks (I am a qualified swimming teacher but haven't taught anyone other than DD for 20 years). Her swim school never use armbands (makes them over confident in the water) and she was confidently swimming independently before she was 3.5. At 4.5yrs she passed her 25m on her front and back (full front crawl and backstroke) and is now learning breaststroke and butterfly.

She is the youngest in her swimming group by over 2 years. I really struggle to believe she is less safe around water than a 6 year old who has never been swimming before!