Never taken baby swimming

[helendui]

I need a bit of advice. Basically, I have never taken my little girl swimming - she is 18 months old now and we have just never managed to ever go. Mainly when she was younger I always wanted to wait until my husband was not at work as I wanted us to go for the first time as a family, but it just never happened. My fault I know, we just never did it. Don't get me wrong, we do lots of fun stuff together, just swimming hasn't been one of them.

I have been thinking recently how ridiculous it is that we have never taken her, and now ever since the weather got warmer it is on my mind even more, especially as we brought out her paddling pool a few weeks ago when it was a very warm day, and she wouldn't go anywhere near it when it was filled with water, despite loving it last summer when she was younger.

It all makes me think that I have massively cocked up and it's too late to take her, well rather that she will hate it and freak out and I am kicking myself that we never went before. I feel terrible about it and can't stop thinking about taking her and it being horrendous as she's more of an awkward age now. But then equally I know that if I don't start taking her now it is going to get worse and worse when we eventually do.

My girl is a bit, shall we say 'high maintenance' and likes to be a bit of a diva, which makes me think she won't take to it like a duck to water if you'll excuse the pun.

Basically I know what your advice will be - just take her and get that first visit out of the way - but something is still stopping me and I feel totally pathetic about the whole thing. What is she hates it - do I keep taking her and feel like I am torturing her every time (much like I do during the dreaded tooth cleans ever day "but it's for your own good", "you'll thank me when you're a teenager and you've got beautiful teeth" etc etc).

Or do we do lessons? But isn;t she too old for baby lessons now - won't we feel totally stupid with a load of 3 month olds who are dab hands at this whole swmming thing when we don;t know where to start?

Advice please?!?!?

Does she enjoy bath time? If so, she will probably be fine. Take a bath toy along for her to hold?

Our local leisure centre does baby sessions. Take her to one of those and give it a go.

Lessons cost a lot of money and can be off putting, IME.

Center Parcs holidays are fab for this, BTW. Kids can muck about in the pool and you can try one-off lessons to see how they get on.

I used to take ds1 every week then stopped when I had ds2 and by the time I managed to get back into it it was like he'd never been - he totally freaked out and clung to me complaining the whole time. Our local leisure centre does different drop in classes for babies, toddlers, preschoolers etc and it's basically just singing and bobbing around. I took my 16month old this morning and he's been singing and waving his arms around ever since! He also liked seeing all the other babies in the changing room! (spends most of his time with big brothers and their friends)

If you have a nice, warm, shallow pool then that will make things much easier. If you are well prepared with an extra towel so she doesn't get cold to/from the pool and a snack for afterwards while you are getting changed then she'll also be much happier about the whole experience.

What is she like in the bath? That's the way to start getting them used to water play, then swimming is just the next step!

BTW, when we took DD to classes she was 18mo and by far the youngest.

At that age they miss loads of classes due to illness.

Gezz don't be so hard on yourself.
I think its u that hates the pool not your dd. You've built it up to this huge thing in your head when it isn't.
It's really quite simple. U take her and try her. Keep it short n fun. Don't wait for DH!
Does she like bathtime?
Most kids cry when the first get in cos its a bit cold, but they soon realise its fun and stop.
One step at a time! Try it and see!

bite the bullet and go for it - and have the thought that she may just enjoy it, rather than being so sure she will hate it. lessons may help, maybe ask any baby friends if they know of a good teacher as that can make a huge difference

she'll probably be fine.
we first took dd2 when she was 9mo, and she hated it. we left it until she was 17mo, and that time she loved it, so we now go every couple of weeks. if we ever get another sunny day why not try her in a little paddling pool in the garden?

Sorry - just take her :) I wouldn't bother with lessons at this age. And, no you haven't cocked up. There is plenty of time for her to get used to water.

Do your local research first. Do you know if any local pools have play areas for toddlers? There is one near me that has a very shallow area for toddling in, with a pirate ship and slides. My DD (now 2.80 hasn't liked to be held all the time since she was a year old, so this allows her some independence.

The anticipation is probably worse. The worst that can happen is that she screams and you spend longer getting changed than you spend in the water. Do you have any friends with kids of similar age you could go with?

I'd recommed a snug - even warmish water feels cold to toddlers. Take lots of towels - dressing gown or poncho to keep her warm when you get out and while you get dressed. Take toys, snacks and a drink for that time, too.

I have twins so couldn't take them by myself. They didn't go into a pool until they were two and a half. They loved it then and still love it now. I don't think it makes any difference at all how early you start. Just get your first session over and you'll feel so much better.

I never ever take my children swimming. Nor was I ever taken. We are all happy and fine - don't worry about it. I learnt to swim at age 12 and am a perfectly good swimmer despite all this.

Go if you want to, don't if you dont. Lets face it, pools are chilly or sweaty hot, loud, smelly, the water dries your skin and stinks, changing rooms smell and the lockers are too small. There is no way to get dried and dressed without ending up soggy and cold and harrassed. Babies can have as much fun in a bath or paddling pool.

I mean really, go for a nice walk instead

Alternatively book a week somewhere warm with a lovely pool and see how that goes. Top tip

Does your local pool do any baby/ toddler sessions? Mine did ones with music and toys. Do you have a toddler friend who swims regularly? If so, I'd go with them the first time so she sees another LO having a nice time.

If the pool's Arctic a normal temperature and not a nice warm one, a little wetsuit would be a good idea, to stop her getting shivery and miserable.

I'm biased BTW, swimming with DS (3) is the nicest part of my week at the moment and I have his name down for lessonss in Autumn at a local pool.

OP I'm in the same boat with DS who's 15 months. We live right in the middle of London and the only pools available are linked to hotels or some other odd place where you can only book expensive lessons that I didn't want to pay for.
So, last weekend we took DS to our new local leisure centre (we've moved a bit further out) but I have to say it didn't go well. I think this was because:
1: older kids splashing about as it wasn't specifically a session for babies.
2: too cold. I'd asked them about temperature and they'd said he'd be fine in just a swim nappy but I think it was on the chilly side.
So I'd advise a quiet calm session in a nice warm pool! I'm going to try DS in another few weeks and see how he goes at a session for babies with a wetsuit on.
Just to add, he loves the bath and water in general so it's obviously the environment that's key. Hopefully it'll be the same for your DC. Good luck!

Thank you all for not making me think I am barmy! I know I really must just do it - it's just finding the right pool - deffinitely need to go for a warm one that is shallwo but above all not busy for us - she will just go nuts if there is too much buiness going on around us. And thank you so much for the tips - snacks and extra towels plus toys will be an absolute must!
Unfortunately it's weekend's only as we both work, but perhaps an early morning session before the big noisy kids get there would be best. Am sure the first session will be hell but hopefully she'll enjoy it sooner or later!
And yes, sorry, she does like the bath once we get her in (she prefers to streak around the house naked on the way) but loves splashing and playing with her toys and doesn't mind the water in her face so much either - fingers crossed...

I took my son a lot between 6mths and 10 mths, then i had a health condition that meant I couldn't swim for 5/6mths.

Last week I took him swimming again for the first time since I've been well enough to go. I was incredibly worried he would be scared, but he was absolutely fine and after an initial few minutes where he clung to me, he then just pulled away and started splashing and playing. the lifeguard gave him a watering can and that was it! he was extremely lively and happy. I took him again a few days later and he loved it again.

Go for it OP! It's so lovely to see them exploring something so wonderfully new and exciting.

Don't stress out about this. I had twins and an older child and very rarely managed to take them swimming until they had swimming lessons at about four. It was fine. They learnt then.

Not really sure what your issue is to be honest - your DD is still a tiny baby, why should she have gone swimming??? I think we all get a bit hung up on this sort of stuff which is crazy, there is no need to take an 18 month old swimming. My DD1 first went in a pool around 2 months, and I took her every so often after that, but not that often, she didn't much like it. She learnt to swim without arm bands aged 6 (after starting swimming lessons aged 5 at school). DD2 went in a pool every so often from about 1 yr (i.e. maybe once or twice), but was really scared and hated it. Now aged 5 she totally LOVES swimming - she recently mastered no armbands aged 5 (having been doing school swimming lessons for about 6 months - but only shed the arm bands with me taking her a couple of times). DS is now 3. I so couldn't face taking him swimming as a baby with the older two as well - complete nightmare scenario. I finally took him swimming aged nearly 3, in arm bands, he totally loved it from the minute he touched the water and was almost immediately happy to swim off without me holding him. So fab, he's still in arm bands, but I can now just sit by side of pool and watch the three of them swimming whilst reading a mag (ready to jump in and rescue obviously). Your DD is still a tiny baby - you have certainly not missed the boat! When you are ready (in a month / year / whenever), take her somewhere lovely and warm, put arm bands on and she will love it - best treat ever. In fact it is fair to say that DS loved swimming from the moment he touched the water and set straight off on his own - being nearly 3, whereas my girls who were much younger first time weren't that keen and clung to me. I'd say 3 or 4 is a good age to start, then they'll be out of arm bands in a flash, in my experience, it's all a bit of a waste of time before that - fine if YOU enjoy it, but no real need from the child's point of view, once they are a little older they grasp it all a bit better and also are old enough to properly enjoy it.

Good point Nelly - I didn't swim until age 9. I wanted DS swimming earlier because I love it and hoped he would, too!

We've only just gone and our DS has just turned 3.

You're overthinking it. Just do it! If she hates it you can always just get out.

And, related to bumpsadaisies point, if she hates it, don't beat yourself up if she doesn't - you should have gone sooner, I've missed the window etc
All you'd do is carry in lots of splashy water play in the bath, and try again sooner or later.
I have a couple of pals who doggedly kept going with baby swimming classes even though their child cried most, if not all, the way through. I couldnt see why they'd want the stress of it, as well as carrying on if kid not happy.
I've found it a pleasure going with DS at the age of 3 as he can talk to me, and he listens to me. We're not doing any formal lesson, we're just enjoying wearing arm bands, learning to kick our legs, scoop with our hands, then going down the little slides!

We've read 'Topsy and Tim learn to swim' as good prep for going, and DS was really up for it. So much so, he mentions the book every time we do go! www.amazon.co.uk/Topsy-Tim-Learn-Jean-Adamson/dp/1409300609/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_1

Lastly I have a swimming teacher friend who I asked about this recently- I was worried I'd missed the boat not going as a baby. But her view is that early swimming lessons, or lack of them, do not hold a child back, and the more traditional age 4 ish onwards works better as the children are more equipped to listen, follow instructions etc. So in a roundabout way, it's all turning out ok for us.

Ds is nearly 4 and never been in a pool - as a baby never got round to lessons and then he hated water for ages. He now loves baths and can be coaxed into a small paddling pool, so was planning to try the Lido this summer but weather hasn't obliged.

Will be on holiday next week with an indoor pool so will see what he thinks. But I couldn't go in a pool until I was 8 and ended up loving it, so trying not to worry.

Try the paddling pool with a load of plastic balls (got mine from poundland). DD loves it! We did swimming lessons when she was 6mo and they used lots of floating toys (balls, boats, plastic sea creatures etc). We try to go swimming now once a fortnight. DD loves her bath but the paddling pool was a bit of an issue. Don't know why but the balls tempted her in! As does the good old 'running through a sprinkler'. Ok now the hosepipe ban has been lifted!

I remember being mortified by my brothers first 'swim' at 4. He paraded out proudly in his new swimming trunks put one toe in, cried and was so inconsolable mum had to take him to get changed. He was soon ok once he started lessons. I always just found it quite funny tbh but obviously mum and dad were bad parents.....

OP just relax there is no need to take an 18 month old swimming if you dont enjoy it.

In terms of the paddling pool get a little friend round and some watering cans/ buckets. Just encourage her to play with the water to start with.

DD1 had been swimming once with me before starting lessons after easter. She is 4 and in reception at school

She absolutely loves it, and is not behind the other children at the class. Once they have learnt to swim - unless they want to do it more seriously - I guess they stop having lessons! Her best friend also goes to the same pool and they were taken regularly by parents and have been having the lessons for a year and are still in the same beginning area as DD.

So honestly, don't worry

Hello, I share your guilt! we took dd a handful of times as a tiny baby (she quite liked staring at the big kids) but she has been either getting a cold or getting over a cough ever since- she will be two next month! However..... her little friends who have been to swimming lessons since they were about 3 mo are apparently not exactly doing backflips off the high dive and many still whinge about the swimming lessons. I do think to myself that we live in crazy times if we expect two year olds to be doing lengths before they are even potty trained. I live in a land locked county and am very careful with my flighty dd around anything remotely dangerous so what's the rush?