Worrying about baby submersion at swimming

[busybee94]

So we just got back from our second mini swim class and now I'm freaking out about secondary drowning and water inhalation.

Dd is 3 months and we did the submersion with the instructor, but she had her eyes open as she went under and cried afterwards.

I'm worried silly - and obviously won't be doing it again, but can anyone reassure me?

Don't do it then. You don't have to. Instructors wouldn't be allowed to do it if it imposed any risk. My niece was fine and we have photos of her submerged.

It's totally fine! Thousands of babies do it all the time, and if it was dangerous it wouldn't happen.

I do it, but I'm always guided by DD. Sometimes she's just not up for it, and that's fine. Never any pressure from the teacher.

3 months is so tiny. If she hates it, don't do it. I never did with either of mine and both of them eventually were fine with putting their head underwater (by their own choice, not me forcing them) and both can now swim just fine.

If it's not essential (and dunking your baby is definitely not essential) and it causes them distress, just don't do it.

It’s stupid if you ask me. Would you like being dunked underwater unexpectedly?

That seems so tiny and such a daft thing to do on only the second time she is in the water.

Medically she will be fine but I wouldn't be happy about it. Surely swimming at that age should be enjoyable and all about getting baby comfortable in the pool not dunking her under and making her cry.

I agree - I think the instructor pressured me into it. If I'm honest I'm wondering if the swimming classes are really for me. She seems completely exhausted by them, and I just find it anxiety inducing!

@busybee94

I agree - I think the instructor pressured me into it. If I'm honest I'm wondering if the swimming classes are really for me. She seems completely exhausted by them, and I just find it anxiety inducing!

She doesn't need the classes. Millions of kids have learnt to swim who were not taken at 3 months. The classes are supposed to be enjoyable and if neither of you are enjoying them it's a lot of money to waste being miserable.

I honestly wouldn't bother with it if she's not keen. We took DS when he was that age and he hated it. We persevered for a while but gave up in the end. It's not cheap is it?!

DS started proper swimming lessons at 4yo and loved it. He swims like a fish now.

Don’t do it if you don’t want to. Or find another class that is child led with correct signalling methods. All the latest research around baby swimming suggests this should be child led and never forced however many swim schools are still quite old fashioned and want to put babies under water all the time. Look for one that is following the latest techniques and research.

You don't have to do it but please don't worry. At 3 months old your baby still has certain reflexes present from the womb which prevent them from inhaling water.

@Peanutsandchilli

You don't have to do it but please don't worry. At 3 months old your baby still has certain reflexes present from the womb which prevent them from inhaling water.

Thank you, this is really reassuring. I'm not doing it again but need to get through this anxiety!

My personal opinion is that it's daft and a waste of money! Also the whole 'saying their name and splashing them in their face' what on earth?? Every time someone's going to say your name they're going to put water in your face??!! Nope!

At that age I just take my daughter swimming with me or we do it as a family! She loves it! We float around, have a splash! Now she's 2 (due to covid we obviously couldn't go for a while) she likes to jump in the water, sit on the sides and kick her legs! She's just frustrated that she doesn't automatically float!!
Don't stress yourself out with these lessons and have an enjoyable time with your child doing it yourself x

Baby lessons aren't teaching babies to swim, it's just fun for parents.

They learn to swim aged 3 or 4.

The only reason they make you dunk the baby is to sell you a cute underwater photo at the end of term.

We are taught this in Australia with babies - its because they still have the reflex from birth to hold their breathe. In Australia the swimming is all geared towards teaching a baby/child the right things to instinctively do if they were to accidentally fall into water. Like float on their back - and when they get out of the pool they go to the nearest side and hand walk themselves on the wall back to the steps. She cried because it was a shock but so was birth. She will be OK.

No 3 month old needs to be taken swimming. Just stop going.

Just don't go to them. Go to a swimming pool at your leisure where it's fun for you both. My daughter started swimming lessons at three and can now swim and put her head under the water just fine at seven years old.

@AliceinBorderland

Don't do it then. You don't have to. Instructors wouldn't be allowed to do it if it imposed any risk. My niece was fine and we have photos of her submerged.

This is somewhat naive. Do you really think there is no activity in the UK that causes danger that isn't 100% effectively regulated?

Learning to swim happens somewhere between 3 and 4 years old in my experience. They literally don't have the strength or co-ordination to do it before then. Once they're ready, they learn really, really fast.

Swimming lessons before that age are for the parent. A 3 month old would probably just prefer a lovely warm bath?

@ittakes2

We are taught this in Australia with babies - its because they still have the reflex from birth to hold their breathe. In Australia the swimming is all geared towards teaching a baby/child the right things to instinctively do if they were to accidentally fall into water. Like float on their back - and when they get out of the pool they go to the nearest side and hand walk themselves on the wall back to the steps. She cried because it was a shock but so was birth. She will be OK.

Yep most UK preschool classes are also geared up for this. We found this when DS (20mths old) slipped into the pool and instinctively got into a right floating position he had been taught every week.

If you aren't comfortable and baby isn't enjoying it then don't do it. It really isn't necessary, I'm assuming you don't have a pool at home and baby doesn't need to learn these skills now?
When my dd was having lessons there was a baby class on that I used to watch. One boy (about 12 months) used to start crying just before the dunk every single time, the mum always seemed uneasy but the instructor put a lot of pressure on her to do it. One of my regrets is not telling her that she really didn't have to do it if it wasn't comfortable.
What other sort of class/activity would you insist on doing if baby cried throughout? None.

Hmmm my baby is 6 months and absolutely loves her swim class - she’s been going since about 15weeks!

The calling her name and asking if she’s ready before I splash her has helped as now when I do it she closes her eyes or turns her head if she doesn’t want the water in her face - so I’m not totally buying the whole it’s pointless thing

As for the dunking tbh I never really thought about it as an issue - I did it in first lesson and now she does it every time - she never cried!

All babies different I guess

But if sound like swim lessons aren’t for you

It's just a fun activity for parents to do with babies. It does very little, if anything, to prepare them for learning to swim properly when they're older.

We took my first when a toddler because we vaguely felt you were supposed to. He quite liked it, I guess, but he learned to do actual swimming starting when he was 4 and really nothing he "learned" from baby swim was relevant.

We didn't bother with our second born because it was expensive and awkward and if anything they're the bigger water baby, and rapidly learning to swim now at 3.

Yeah I always thought these classes were to help save them if they fell in somewhere while little. Floating and whatnot. Rather than teaching them how to swim.

Stop the lessons. Take many swimming yourself just for fun.

Get them into lessons when they're 3ish.

Not sure what company/place you’re swimming with but we use puddle ducks and during the up to 6month class there’s was zero mention of baby going underwater. 6month plus you can if baby looks up for it, but again entirely optional. Think they even have that as a statement on their website that they don’t force it.
Might be worth seeing if they do any classes near you if you want to try elsewhere?