scared of water

[squirmyworm]

anyone had this? my ds - 6 months - went swimming for the first time to aqua tots (they were excellent) yesterday. all the other babies loved it and splashed around but poor old ds started to cry when he got some water on his face and just got sadder and sadder until I had to take him out. He is generally quite ok in his bath and loves being washed but he DOES get a bit panicky if you pour water on his head and it runs over his face. He sort of pants and looks scared. I am exactly the same, a total water wimp and I'm worried I may have passed on my anxiety one way or another. any advice? I'd love him to enjoy it

It may just take him a while to get used to it. Some of the other babies may have been going ages you know! Try taking a couple of his favourite bath toys along with you, it may help him relax a bit.

My dd (2) is happy in the bath, but absolutely refuses to contemplate the idea of going swimming! We took her for the first time last Summer, during a Mum's and babies session at a nice warm pool, sat in the shallow end for ages, then picked her up and walked into the deeper water, and she just freaked, even when she could see other much younger babies having a great time. Even now, if we see children swimming on the TV, and we ask her if she wants to go, she says no and looks worried! A recent episode of Balamory even had Spencer learning to swim with some little children, and I thought that might encourage her, but no....

My 6 month ds is not even keen on having a bath. He tries to smile but then lays in the water with a worried frown on his face.

oh dear - fellow water worriers! I think we'll try again next week and see how it goes...poor little chap - hope he learns to enjoy it