Water babies- am so scared of the water!

[Rumi2019]

Hi

I need advice (am so embarrassed)! I signed up my 9 month old to Water babies swimming lessons. I cannot swim at all and tbh do have a slight phobia of the water. When booking on I asked if I could do it without swimming and was told the pool was small and shallow etc. Mind you I am only 5ft so that doesn't help. I think I was expecting a very shallow baby pool, but the pool was a small but normal shallow depth for me.

As soon as I got in (which was like after 15 years) I thought OH MY GOD this is deep it came upto my shoulders! Then I got given my baby who then screamed the entire lesson. He is going through severe people anxiety at the minute also. When we were stood splashing I was ok, but when they started to go in a circle that's when I felt extremely wobbly and thought I was going to fall with my baby

What should I do? Am dreading the second class. Think I'm gonna have to just stand in the corner of the pool and do the moves! So embarrassing :-(

There isn't a water babies class near me so we go to the local leisure centre, it's in a baby pool not much more than waist height, this does mean lots of bending and crouching so you and baby are cheek to cheek. We do the underwater push with the babies and dunking as part of Humpty Dumpty, but no need for you to be under water. The class before our class is 3 year olds and they are swimming half widths now (surprised water babies aren't at this stage by 4?) . The instructor is always really clear about what the purpose of each exercise/nursery rhyme is. It's part of a full swimming and diving club so DS can progress up to 18 and compete if he wants to.

There are only 3 babies in our group. The biggest is apparently 5 babies, so you get a lot of sorry from the instructor. It's also cheaper than water babies. So if you can get out of your WB contract it might be looking at alternative classes that are more suited because they're not all the same.

I do agree he's picking up on your fear though, so it might be better to change days and let his dad take him

Right I called WB; She said she will speak to the teacher and make her aware of me being nervous etc and she can support me in adaptations and not make me do anything which will make it worse.
LO is older than the other babies so he's more aware of his surroundings she said also and it's very normal and he will get used to seeing the teacher and bonding and swimming etc so stick with it she said

Let's see how I get on next week now! Will update

Thanks everyone for positivity am really going to try and give it another shot xx

To come out of contract first there is a charge I just checked as well :-s and then you will get refund

I think part of me doesn't want to give up and give it one other go

However I'm going to ring local leisure centres as well and see what the options are as well for babies

OP I would honestly give it a chance. I do WB with my 9 month old. There are people in my class who are scared of water/swimming and the teacher is just great. She doesn't make you or babies do anything you or they aren't comfortable with and can adapt all of the exercises to suit each individual need. If you want to go and stand at the edge of the pool they will of course let you do that. It is important both you and baby feel comfortable. My son absolutely hates going underwater. Has from day 1. The teacher is brilliant and really reassured me when I got down about it (all the other babies in his class love it and aren't phased at all) and I do everything at his own pace under her guidance. I would give them a go :) good luck x