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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Baby seemingly hates swimming lessons

23 replies

lurkinginthenorth · 27/09/2015 16:54

I have enrolled my 3 year old DS and 7 month old DD in weekly swimming lessons 3 weeks ago. We've just completed our third session. DH takes them both in for their separate classes.

DS loves it, making great progress already and gaining in confidence. My DD is another matter.

She screams the place down for most of the session and has done at every one. We've tried to make changes thinking it was one thing or another but still she screams and cries.

We have:
Taken off the body warmer because she was getting red marks under her arms and it was seemingly chaffing her.
Allowed her to have a dummy.
Brought her nap time forward thinking she may have been tired.
We can't control the bowel movements but 2/3 sessions she has done one before the sessions.

Not sure what to do next!

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TheSpottedZebra · 27/09/2015 16:55

Stop the swimming lessons with her and try hem when she's older?

BertrandRussell · 27/09/2015 16:56

Stop taking her swimming and try again in 6 months. Sorted!

FadedRed · 27/09/2015 17:01

She's too little to 'learn to swim' at 7 months. Some babies enjoy being in (warm) swimming pools but some don't, and find the echoey acoustics distressing.
Agree with pp that you leave it until she is older.

mariposa10 · 27/09/2015 17:09

Are swimming lessons compulsory for 7 month olds? Or are you forcing her to do something that clearly distresses her? Why?

Original poster

lurkinginthenorth · 27/09/2015 17:09

I have thought about stopping them but we have reasons to be doing this and it is important in our household that she becomes confident in the water. The lessons as such are mainly games and singing songs and very small group (6) in a small private pool. The other babies seem fine and one mum said 'she'll get used to it'.
Was wondering if anyone had any experience of this and had a positive spin on it!
Really don't want to throw money down the drain (sorry about the pun - not intended!) as the lessons are paid up front for the term. And it's a LOT of money.
Contacted the swimming teacher via messenger for some advice so we'll see what she says too.
But thank you Fdedred, BertandRussell and TheSpottedZebra for your advice.

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Original poster

lurkinginthenorth · 27/09/2015 17:12

cross posts marioposa10. It isn't a 'lesson' as such but really a session for parents to learn how to help babies enjoy, feel comfortable in water and confidence - clearly not yet having an effect on DD! But yes, very important for personal reasons. Couldn't care less if she couldn't swim a metre unaided but i want her to feel comfortable in the water. It's just not working for some reason and wanted to know if there is something glaringly obvious we could do that I am blind too!

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dementedpixie · 27/09/2015 17:14

I really would wait until she is older. It isn't necessary for her to have lessons at that age and if it is making her unhappy then what is the point in carrying on?

OrionsAccessory · 27/09/2015 17:17

I think you'd be more likely to put her off swimming for quite some time by keeping the lessons up when she's telling you she hates it! It doesn't sound like a great way to give her confidence in the water.

BertrandRussell · 27/09/2015 17:18

We live on a boat- you don't get much more of a need to swim well and early than that! But I still wouldn't take a baby that hated it. I just think it would be counter productive.....

Original poster

lurkinginthenorth · 27/09/2015 17:20

Actually fadedred you may have hit upon something there. It may not be the water but the acoustics of the pool room. She doesn't get on well at our local baby and toddler group which is in our village hall due to, what I believe, is the noise. She gets on fine at other baby play groups because they are in a small mobile classroom with a fraction of the number of children!
It's a pity I can't get in the pool (had surgery and can't do for weeks) because DH wants me to see what he is dealing with. Sometimes I think his 'stress' about it (he isn't a baby person) is rubbing off on her and he holds her like a sack of potatoes whereas I would hold her close to me and cuddle her.

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slicedfinger · 27/09/2015 17:20

Water temperature was key with ours at that age. A sun suit rather than a body warmer seemed to help, then when she got a bit bigger a wetsuit (12 months I think). If you can't do it in a warmer pool, warming her up might help.

Original poster

lurkinginthenorth · 27/09/2015 17:23

BertandRussell thank you for sharing! that is so interesting. Do you have children? Would be interested to find out 'your experiences' of swimming and water confidence with little ones.
We're having an indoor swimming pool built and it's nearly finished and I pushed for the kids to go to lessons as I wanted them to learn about water safety, confidence, to have respect for the dangers of water etc, etc. Ideally, I want my DS to be able to swim or float unaided if he found himself in trouble and for DD to enjoy it mostly!
I took DD swimming with me to a public pool a couple of months ago and she was fine! hence why we are a bit perplexed!

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Original poster

lurkinginthenorth · 27/09/2015 17:24

slicedfinger the swimming company do a wetsuit that is fleeced lined. i may try it. Thank you. I thought sunsuits may make her cold!?!?!

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Original poster

lurkinginthenorth · 27/09/2015 17:26

The pool is very warm (warmer than the public pool) and the air temp in the changing room is frezing but that doesn't bother her! More inclined to think acoustics. DS doesn't do well with certain noises but seems fine in his lessons. (In fact loves it!)

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Lunastarfish · 27/09/2015 17:28

Could it be that she'd feel safer with you?

I took my dd swimming for the first time recently. She was 10 weeks. She was fine when I held her but very apprehensive when my DP was holding her

slightlyconfused85 · 27/09/2015 17:31

Mine hated it as a baby. Gave up and took her to a toddler drop in session when she was 16months - she loved it! She's nearly 3 and is a real water baby now- forget it for the time being.

MigGril · 27/09/2015 17:36

It could well be the pool, my DD didn't enjoy baby swimming until we went to the really warm local swimming pool. It was the only pool warm enough for her she would cry in any other pool. I had to stop her lessons in the private pool we went to as she was almost blue after 20minutes. The other babies seemed fine though.
Oh and she's started doing triathlons now at 8 years old so didn't put her of too much. But she isn't a natural swimmer and has to work at it.

slicedfinger · 27/09/2015 17:39

The sun suit worked for her whilst she was still in the water. If she got out at all, she did cool quickly. It does sound like a noise think for you though if being cold doesn't bother her- DD would go blue very quickly, even in a warm pool. Even a hydrotherapy pool was only ok for a short while.
She's 13 now, and swam competitively till recently. We persevered for water safety reasons, but I'm glad we did, because she now also has a sport she loves.

Ifiwasabadger · 27/09/2015 19:50

My DD hated the pool at that age. We have a pool in the back garden (live in a hot country) and our lives revolve around the beach
It was inconceivable to me that she couldn't like the pool.....
However I had to accept that she didn't. We stopped lessons, stopped going in, until she was gone 1...then eased her back into it....
She's not a massive fan of it at 2 but much, much better.
I wouldn't force it.

Florriesma · 27/09/2015 19:57

Have you tried ear plugs? Boots sell paediatric ones? Could it be the water in her ears? She's a bit young for goggles but 2 of mine won't go near a pool without them due to the chlorine irritating eyes.

Original poster

lurkinginthenorth · 27/09/2015 20:20

Florriesma Thank you! i will give the ear plugs a try. My swim teacher hasn't got back in touch with me yet.
Lunastarfish Yes! I do think she is more comfortable with me than DH. DH isn't natural when it comes to babies but fine when they hit 2!! He's brilliant with DS but does struggle with his emotions and therefore a crying baby who needs physical contact (cuddle!)

There is so much to consider, and yes, I have seriously thought about giving up but I keep thinking that she may settle come the next session.

My DM has kindly offered to take her swimming to the public pool again to see how she fairs. if she is fine, I know then it isn't the water as such but something else.

It is so bloody frustrating for me that I cannot go into the water. I keep badgering my nurse on a daily basis to find out when I can!!!

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dietcokeisgreat · 27/09/2015 20:26

I took Ds1 to some baby swimming 'lessons' when he was 7mo ish for a few weeks. I had a body warmer for him and he was used to bobbing around casually when we had been swimming previously. Ds1 HATED it and screamed continuously every session. I persevered cos had paid for 8 weeks but gave up before the end. He is now just 4 and loves swimming :)
I would just abandon for the time being and try again later.

Snossidge · 27/09/2015 20:35

If she doesn't like it then stop doing it, a 7 month old doesn't need to feel confident in the water anyway.

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