Baby swimming

[PreggieMum]

I've finally plucked up the courage to book some swimming lessons for DD (aged 6 months) and they start next week.(Decided to go through www.babyswimming.co.uk.)

I haven't had the leaflets etc through from babyswimming yet, as our post has been dreadful recently.

Has anyone taken their DS/DD to lessons? Just wondering what happens in the actual lessons and what to expect for the first lesson.

Do you take your baby in the pool showers with you or do you have to wait until you get home to bath them to remove the chlorine?

Also, what are the best swim nappies to use. I've already bought a pack of dispoable "Little Swimmers" nappies in the smallest size, but they seem a bit big - per packet they are suitable for babies from 16lbs (I think DD is around 15.5 lbs).

Thanks.
PG

I used reusable swim nappies - the sort that look like trunks, no the tie on ones which always looked rather inadequate when full of water! In fact, the company I used for lessons insists on "double wrapping" with parents using both a disposable and a reusable nappy at the same time. I've also used the Little Swimmers ones too as well as Asda's own brand (I think).

At your first lesson, you'll probably just get your baby used to the water and to having water on her face. At ours, you would use the verbal cue "name, ready, GO!" and on the go, scoop up water and splash it in their face. This builds up to dunking them under briefly on the word go. Always look happy and relaxed when your baby comes back up, no matter how nervous you might feel .

We also used to hold them round the middle, out to one side and "swim" them through the water saying "kick kick kick" in a really silly sing song voice. They won't kick just yet but they soon get the idea.

Um... moved onto sitting the baby on the side , doing the ready go routine and getting them inthe water, building up to getting them in and under (and up again!!)

Showering, there may be showers there - I never bothered with my DSs though as they did not have sensitive skin. Be careful with the showers as the temperature can be unpredictable and the force of the shower can feel quite strong to a small baby. Take a towel to the poolside to wrap your DD in as soon as you come out as the air temperature can be a loot colder than the water. The water is usually much warmer than a normal pool.

Above all - have fun.

"...not the tie on ones..."

Didn't do the lessons but from what I've seen, they seem to involve a lot of singing as well! My Dss have never used the disposable swimming nappies for the pool. We bought our in Boots but maybe your pool will insist on double wrapping like SD syas. I never take mine into the showers as it all seem a bit complicated but they have a bath every evening anyway. Definitely take a towel and/or bathrobe for baby to put on straight away as they get reall cold otherwise!
Most importantly, I hope you really enjoy it. I've been taking DS1 since he was about 12 weeks (now 2 and half)and him and DS2 (12m) really love it!

Hiyah,
I took DS to swimming lessons when he was 6 months. Used little swimmers in this size and DS isn't very big, but then he always had chunky thighs!!!

A few tips that might help:
Make sure you wear your cossie to the pool (I mean underneath your clothes!!) as it makes things quicker when you get there.

I took two towels and wrapped DS in his as soon as we got out of the pool. You'll have to drip dry for awhile whilst you see to DD but, wrap your towel round your head or you'll drip all over DD whilst your dressing her!

Make sure you take clothing that's easy to get on and off, for both of you, track suit bottoms etc. as you may find that you don't manage to dry yourself properly and trying to get jeans on when you're damp is a nightmare.

Have nappy sacks in a handy place for the nappy you take off before the swim, and the swim nappy.

If it's cool where you are, make sure you take an extra layer of clothing for DD and hat and socks.

Some classes provide changing mats, find out if they do and if not, then take a fold up mat or extra towel to put DD on.

At the class I went to we just moved the babies around in the water for the first lesson and moved in a circle singing songs. We used a different technique to Soupdragon's class, ( "1,2,3 mmmmm" then duck them under ) but I think they all do the ducking if you're happy with it.

As SD says, relaxation is the key. My DS absolutely loved it and was a complete natural in the water... unfortunately I had to go back to work so I couldn't keep it up, but I enjoyed it immensely.

Have fun!!

BR

If you've got a light weight dressing gown (I have a waffle textured cotton one we, ahem, "acquired" from a hotel) then take that for yourself rather than a towel. What I do is take my cossie off, put the dressing gown on, deal with DS and then I'm dry ready to get dressed. I do take a hand towel to wrap my hair in.

SD, Tommy and Bunny have pretty much covered everything I was going to say...

At that age it is just about getting the baby used to the water and enjoying it, so the most important thing you can do is be enthusiastic and let her see you're having fun.

I always use Little Swimmers (we have our own pool so we're in a lot). They'll be fine. Better too big than too small. The one disadvantage is that if they poo while they're in the water it ends up throughout their whole crotch area - several wipes are usually needed. (Sorry - you probably didn't need to know that.)

Definitely don't bother with a shower, wait till you get home. Wear your cossie under your clothes. If the pool isn't too far from your house I would even get the baby ready before you leave home, just to make it easier once you get there.

Have fun!

kushies swim nappies are great. can get them here