Swimming

[gitinora]

My ds is nearly 12 months and i have taken him swimming several times from being 4 months old. Everytime i take him he cries, i have now decided it is the temp of the water as he shivers everytime he gets in. I have tried different swim clothes to try to keep him warmer but nothing seems to make any differents.
My question is should i leave swimmimg for a while say till summer and see how he is then, or take him every week and hope he will get used to the water eventually??????
A friend thinks i should take him regularly and he will soon get used to the temp but somehow that seems cruel to me.

I'd leave it - he's not actually going to learn to swim for a few years yet so if he doesn't enjoy it why on earth do it?

Leave it till he's bigger and you're somewhere warm!

Do you have another local pool. I know our nearest one is colder than the others in the area.
Else I'd leave it till the summer.
Also if you are around in the day and can find a baby and toddler session, seeing other babies splashing about might help.

Whatever the reason, if he doesn't like it, why are you still doing it?

I would leave it. The first point of swimming lessons is water confidence and he can only gain this if he is feeling happy. Try again at 3 or so. They can't usually actually swim until about 3.5/4

Have you tried the body wetsuits with the Velcro. They really do keep their bodies toasty. I used one till DS was 2.5. Can pick them up on eBay cheaply.

Are you using neoprene swim clothes like these? They normally keep babies very warm.

The thin, stretchy nylon suits can make babies colder when they're in the pool as they keep the parts of the body that are out of the water wet. The thicker wetsuit style is much better. I think Mothercare sell some called baby warmers.

Alternatively, find a warmer pool! The pool DS swims at is a balmy 30 degrees. Ask about the temperature at your pool.

Do you have any hydrotherapy pools near you? That's where I took/take my son, and it's lovely! Like swimming in a giant bath!! Xxx

How is your DS in the bath? I would concentrate on making bath time fun, and come back to the swimming pool when he is a bit bigger.

Went swimming with ds in warm pools, lukewarm pools, cold pools. He sobbed or was like a limpet at each and every occasion. I gave up when he was about 14 months We went on holiday to Malta when he was 4 and he lived in the pool. One of the highlights of his week now is his swimming lesson. Let it go, try again in a few months.

get a babywarmer bodysuit. when my kids grew out of them they have floatation jackets made of the same material.

my 2yr old refused to leave the pool the other week despite having a blue face from the cold and shivering! the pool in the next town is much warmer so i try and go there when i can.