swimbabes any opinions

[lou222]

am thinking of booking these for my 8 month old - my friend says they don't know to close their mouth at that age so how do they do the whole under water thing? what does everyone think

the better you teach your kids to swim the better. I started taking them at 6 months (to classes but by myself at 2 months). They don't have the chance to develop a fear of the water that older kids do. Its relaxing and fun. Kids know how to close their mouths. If they dont they soon learn. You are with them the whole time so they cant drown. Go and enjoy

My dd keeps her mouth open underwater but it's not a problem! She loves her swimming lessons (started at 3 months)

I started taking dd to waterbabies at 3 weeks but there were babies in the first class who were 8 - 9 months and they all coped fine. They don't close their mouths as such but there is a diving reflex which stops the water entering the throat and this doesn't fade until they are about 18 months.

Hope this helps - dd is one now and is confident and happy in the water, the classes are quite expensive but it was the one thing I really wanted to do with her and there is no way I would have been able to do all the underwater stuff myself and I used to be a swimming teacher so am pretty confident in the water anyway but that first underwater swim is scary business

Don't bother paying the money. Just take them yourself. The classes are soooo expensive and all they need at this stage is to feel safe and have fun.

You will meet other mums and babies at the pool anyway, so you will get the social aspect too.

thanks all
i think i will go for it especially completely going being a teacher an all!!
he's not a massive fan of bathtime though so wasn't sure if he would enjoy them but i suppose the younger he learns the better

lou, I hope you both enjoy it, it has been a really good experience for me and dd, I know the classes are not for everyone but I find the whole baby group, chatting to random people really hard and find it much easier to have something with a bit of structure if that makes sense.

You will be amazed at how natural they are in the water - dd is like a little dolphin when I let her go underwater and kicks her way to the surface she can also hang on to the wall herself and knows how to turn around and find the wall when she jumps in, which I think is a great thing.

wow sounds amazing, i hope he likes it - dreading getting into a cossie myself more - will have to drag the old wax pot out!