How old was your DC when you first took them swimming

[Mammie81]

7 months pregnant and went mad in Next sale.

I wanted a 6-9 month swimming costume, but they only had 3-6 and 9-12 (of course I bought both )

Now Im thinking, will I get much use out of the 3-6, as baby might be a chubba and not fit the smaller suit (dependant on when I can start taking him of course)

So, how old were yours?

I took both of mine as soon as I could swim & they'd had the first set of jabs so about 7 or 8 weeks I think. Sooner the better IMO as I now have two total water babies including a 4 year old who can swim unaided
LCN

I wanted to get him in as soon as possible as Im a strong swimmer too and want him to take after me! So they can go from 8 weeks?!

Brilliant!

few months old I think. They're both real water babies because of it.

8 weeks here too, and they both swim like fish.

Mine swam from about 4 months. They wore swim nappy only, reusable one, size 3-6 months until they were 18months or so.

Saw a baby in wee wetsuit at pool today - fab idea! Wee babies can really only stay in for about 10 minutes at 3-6 months before getting cold, so this suit let her stay in longer without getting cold, which makes it more worthwhile.

Until about 6 months, mine were always so exhausted by the experience that getting them dressed afterwards involved more crying than was pleasant for me... but they were fine while they were in the water.

10 weeks. They both have been very confident in the water as a result.

8 weeks too and was swimming unaided at 4 too

8 weeks each. They love the water.

7 weeks. And have been every week since, execpt for illnees. 2 yrs 2 weeks now.

5 weeks. Was in lovely warm Singapore though. I used to dunk her under every day. We live in a building here with a pool but it's not that warm in autumn, but we still go once a week, several times a week.

She's 23 months and will throw herself in the deep end and approximate a few strokes of swimming.

I should also say she was 4 weeks early, so I guess that IS early. My paed there said it was fine.

I got my DS in an Aquatots class asap once jabs were done - think it was about 5 months. He wore a swim nappy (re-usable) from John Lewis. He is now 10, swims competitively and has never worn armbands/rubber ring etc. I actuaslly think is more fish than boy and is happier in the water than anywhere else.

Another early one, I think DD was about 6 weeks old. We lived in an extremely warm country so no wet suit necessary. She too is fish girl

By the way, my paed said there was no reason to wait for jabs.

ds1-4months
ds2-7 months

ds1 was stillwearing his 12 month trunks at 3.6, though, when DH insisted I buy some more to ensure we may actually get grandchildren

I took ds in the sea (Sweden!) when he was 2 months old and dd when she was 7 months, but didn't use swimming costumes until they were about 4 (foreign parts).

6 weeks, and she was 4 weeks prem, so was only about 6lbs when she first went in. It was a hydrotherapy pool though so nice and warm

She is now 3.10 and can swim a width unaided. Enjoy it

both of my boys were in the pool by 3months and DS1 can swim unaided at 3. DS2 still needs armbands but he is only 2.

We only use the pool at my gym which is nice and warm as the local pools are blimming freezing and DS2 just shivers.

Before 3 months, both of them once a week. Ds was swimming across the pool unaided by age 3.

Did any of you dunk them early? I think I took my daughter underwater at about 7-8 weeks. I got grief from another mother about it (but noticed a few days' later she was doing the same)

DD went under on her first go (well done DH). We were told to blow on her face which would make her hold her breath. He didn't do that, just pulled her under and she didn't stop screaming for about 10 minutes after . He was mortified, the child he'd waited 14 years to get and nearly drowned. He did make up for it though.

They can go as early as you are ready to take them. Both mine have done aquatots classes-depending on the temperature of the pool they can go from birth. When ds was young I used baby wetsuits as the only time he ever cried in water was when he got cold.

With a young baby make sure you take a towel onto poolside, dont stay in more than about 15/20mins, and be ready to get them warmed up as soon as they are out. I used to give ds a bf in the changing rooms-swimming makes them hungry and also it warms them up having a close cuddle.

Def.advise taking them to some sort of classes where they do submersions....its better in classes as they work up to it gradually and tell you how exactly how to do it safely. Ds is 2.4 and is so water confident. He can jump in and swim back to the side (underwater), swim down for dive sticks in shallow water, and swim with just a float/woggle for support. He absolutely loves going swimming too.