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?

You’re not enjoying, she’s not enjoying it. Stop the lessons. Revisit when she’s 3 and will actually learn something.

I think the organised class when they are so little is helpful as the tutor is properly trained in both teaching and first aid for babies, it does familiarise the baby with water and submersion but just be careful you are doing fully as instructed. I took my premmie from 6mths (there was a weight limit and this is when she reached it rather than it being about her actual age) and if you want to be a little more gentle about things (I used to dunk myself and then her to show her) you can be. I found it great for getting her used to a shower as well as we went in the warmer shower when we came out and she never bothered about a splash etc. I would give it two or three goes if its still an issue change what you are doing.

My daughter who is a county level swimmer screamed non-stop when I tried taking her swimming at 3 months. In fact she was pretty awful until about the age of 9 at swimming.

If its stressful just leave it till she's older. The key is to make sure she has lessons from 5ish and to take her in a few months so she gets used to it casually - probably not 'the done' MN way but its surprising how they can swim with armbands at around 1. And both of mine loved that.

I took my daughter to water babies from 3 months and she was swimming independently without flotation devices before 2. Mine was fine being dunked but it's not for all children and some wailed through the class. They are water safety classes really though and do teach what to do if
You unexpectedly fall in.

agree it's all about selling you an expensive nirvana photo though.

Thanks everyone. I do think you're all right that it isn't really needed at this age. I had hoped that she'd enjoy it but will need to be guided by her!

I just can't shake the worry about the submersion though. Assumingly her natural reflexes would mean she didn't inhale any water this time??

I loved swimming precisely because it exhausted them and I had a nice quiet afternoon that day

Stop the lessons. You don’t enjoy them. I gave in to some performance parenting pressure (PPP 😬) &
joined a baby swimming class with my eldest. He obviously didn’t enjoy it and I felt enormously guilty for dunking him under the water repeatedly. Despite the instructors reassurances I never went back. I couldn’t see the benefit in causing distress to such a small baby. He started formal lessons again when he was 4 and crucially could understand the instructions! He’s now a confident swimmer. More recently after a knee injury, I’ve relearnt how to swim using the immersive technique and it’s been a complete revelation. DS ( now 14) has also signed up and the difference in his technique and enjoyment is astonishing. Take it gently and do it for pleasure as much as safety.

@NellieBertram

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.

Totally disagree with this! It's about water safety and swimming. I can't believe the things my toddler can do now and they aim to get them swimming before they start school, and I can believe she will be, or well on the way!

OP, I started my youngest at 7 weeks. She's 2 1/2 now and she absolutely loves it. It's a safe and controlled environment. It's recommended to start them young because they have the laryngeal reflexes. They would know if baby had taken on water, and if you google it you will be more than reassured that baby is not at risk of secondary drowning as will have no symptoms. I'm assuming you've paid for the term? I'd keep going (even if you do not do the submerging) before making any decisions. There is always one or two babies that seem to cry out as newbies but they soon settle down and begin to love the sessions. Every kid in both my toddler and baby's class enjoy it. My 11 month old kicks his legs madly when he sees the water, he can't wait to get in. He then spends the toddlers lesson trying to make a run for it to get back into the pool!
Swimming is such an important life skill. I have no regrets at all although I was very nervous for a short time with my first.

And proper breathing technique is crucial in the immersive method . The first thing you’re taught is how to overcome the instinctive response to close down your airways. I though I was fine until it was explained how my bad breathing technique was the root cause of my problems. Now I love being under the water so much that I do breathing drills for pleasure. To the extent that the pool life guard intervened to make sure I was okay. Fine - just sort of meditating under the water…

Sorry, what I meant by I didn't agree with the PP comments was that they aren't teaching the baby to swim. They definitely are, and important water safety. Swimming doesn't happen overnight. It takes a lot of things for that to happen; water confidence, desire to learn, coordination, technique. It's all building blocks. I'm sure there are lots of kids that don't start as babies that learn just fine, but both of mine enjoy it and are learning something. It seems pricey but it's actually only similar to a fun swim where I'd have no idea what steps to take with them

It’s not good that you felt pressured. As others have said, swimming lessons will have next to no impact on your three year old. It’s for you to enjoy spending time with your little one - if you’re not enjoying it then find something else to do. Especially for the price - baby swimming is extortionate, why pay if it’s going to cause you stress?

Sorry that’s should say three month old, not three year old - I’m sure for a three year old it’s great!

Sorry, what I meant by I didn't agree with the PP comments was that they aren't teaching the baby to swim. They definitely are, and important water safety. Swimming doesn't happen overnight. It takes a lot of things for that to happen; water confidence, desire to learn, coordination, technique. It's all building blocks. I'm sure there are lots of kids that don't start as babies that learn just fine, but both of mine enjoy it and are learning something. It seems pricey but it's actually only similar to a fun swim where I'd have no idea what steps to take with them

Totally

People on mumsnet tend to completely rubbish stuff that they see as 'unnecessary' but if its enjoyable then great. If not then it isn't something that you need to do.

My younger daughter learnt to swim before she started school but round here you can only do that in private lessons, they won't move them into stage 3 in the council ones till they are 5. It was great, she absolutely loved it. Then spent several years swimming in her own style and refusing to change it so it didn't really get her further ahead. But she loved it and it was great for her.

Agree with a few other posters the baby swim classes (there was dunking) but it was very much linked into safety - so they where taught to turn and grab or float. It was over a term.

We got asked to leave the classes as she got older she was a real water baby splashing and having fun - but it upset the other babies who didn’t want to be splashed. Both my children water safety was really important to me - they both confident swimmers from an early age and we never used swimming blow up things just a noddle.

Only do it if your baby happy and find a more suitable class?

@Marelle

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

This. DS was never dunked as a baby. In fact, never one swimming lesson until he was 3yo. I'm currently sat next to a pool on holiday watching him being projected through the air by his father, with glee, into the water. He's 6yo now and can swim, unaided, perfectly well without that absolute nonsense.

They learn to swim aged 3 or 4.

Mine could all swim 5m at about 2.5, including coming up to breathe. Enough to get them out of trouble if they fell in a pool. They could also turn round and grab onto the side after jumping in.

Would you like being dunked underwater unexpectedly?

It's not unexpected. You build them up to recognise a cue before doing it. At least that's how the lessons I went to worked.

Personally I think the obsession these classes seem to have have with dunking is pretty off-putting, but I also found baby swim classes a total rip-off and just an utter faff, so I don't think I was the target audience anyway! We did a lot of classes when DD was a baby and the swimming one was the only one I regretted.

I've just started taking my three month old and the swim coach said dunking isn't advisable until a child can actually dunk themselves so they feel in control at all times. We've never done it.

Our sessions aren't lessons just playing and songs but it is with a swim coach who does proper lessons with the 3 year olds and up.

@Shmithecat2 why don’t you grab yourself a nice cocktail, put your phone down, chill out and just enjoy your holiday. You seem rather wound up in your post, if you think taking a baby swimming is ‘absolute nonsense’. I struggle to muster up quite such an intense reaction.

OP - don’t dunk your LO if you don’t want to, but baby swimming can be a fun activity with benefits for mum and baby, so I don’t agree with those dismissing it off hand. I’ve taken my DD since she was 5 months and can see her growing in confidence and learning basic swimming skills. I’ve taken real joy from seeing her splash about, and the structure of the class is clearly having an impact on her abilities more than I could do myself at the pool (although I do also take her outside the classes). There hasn’t been a camera or a ‘Nivana’ shot in sight - the teacher isn’t doing it for shits and giggles - so I don’t share others view on this My DD has now learnt to close her eyes and mouth when I use the ‘trigger’ phrase before submerging her, and she shows no sign of distress when she’s back out of the water. But if you’re not enjoying it, then maybe ask if you can ‘bank’ your lessons for a few months. Either way, do what you feel comfortable with. Swimming classes are definitely not essential, but they can be a helpful way to build confidence in the water for both you and baby. Oh and the quality of their naps after swimming is reason alone to go!!

People getting way too het up about this. Swim classes at that age are just another fun activity to do with them, and if you’re lucky you make some other parent friends. If neither of you like it, don’t do it. They’re not there to turn babies into triathlon competitors.

I did a baby swim class with my baby too. She was about 3 months and they wanted us to submerge them in water. My dad's a doctor (but definitely not a swim teacher) and said it is funking stupid. I find it so unnecessary and when they make out that it makes them safer in the water I roll my eyes inside out.

Obviously if they love it and the parents love it too, crack on, but shoving them under when they clearly hate it, because someone who's only done a bit of swim teacher training says you have to is not right. I know you can teach infants to swim. It's considered a bit cruel, but infant self rescue training works I think. We don't have it in the UK as it's unnecessary. They do it in places where there are swimming pools in everyone's back garden. But baby swim lessons in the UK are just meant to be entertainment and maybe a bit of "getting used to the water", plus underwater photo shoot IMHO.

Fucking*

@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.

Yes, this is the same in Spain and leads to children just being able to swim. No more lessons needed. (Unless for technique when they are older)

In fact watching in Spain, parents just dropped their babies in from the side.

Yikes I didn't realise this would be controversial! Thanks for your thoughts everyone. Decided to continue with the classes as they're paid for, and aside from submersion she seemed happy and enjoyed it.

I'm just going to learn to assert myself next week and tell the teachers I'm not comfortable with submerging her this young.