Swimming question

[Cosmogirl]

My DD is 7 months old - I haven't taken her swimming yet. I can swim (badly!) myself but don't really enjoy being in the water that much...

Is it bad that I've not taken her swimming yet? All the other mums seem to be doing it. Will she be missing out by not going?

I wouldn't bother if you don't want to.

We took dd1 and dd2 every week from 4 months, swimming was the one thing I really wanted them to do young as we do a lot of watersports. And frankly, at 5 or 6 their friends who'd never been before started lessons and quickly overtook them. now they are 9 and 8 they can swim OK but certainly are not good for their age.

so with dd3 we didn't bother taking her, she started going at 5 to lessonsm, a few months ago, and is much better for her age than her sisters despite very little swimming as a baby or toddler.

don't waste your time, I'd say, unless you actually like getting into a swimming costume and sitting in cool water for ages with your child.

Thanks Fennel. Good to get your insight on this. DD is my first so wasn't sure what to do for the best but think I'll leave it then. I'm certainly in no rush to get into my swimming costume either!

Of course it's not bad.

She's 7 months old. Stop stressing and concentrate on doing things with her that you both actually enjoy.

There are loads of things you are not doing with your DD yet, and loads of things you may never do with her. It doesn't actually matter though.

At 7 months!

Our DSs didn't go until 2yr old and when we did go they just splashed about in a really nice warm toddler pool.

You should not even be thinking about this yet.

I totally agree, I love swimming so I took dd a lot as a baby. We both really enjoyed it. But you and your baby should do something that you enjoy.

As a parent who religiously took her first three DC swimming every week, I really don't think it made them swim any sooner/increased water confidence. I don't think it matters in the least.

Only take her if you enjoy the whole experience...
I waited yrs before I took mine to swimming lessons. Actually, ds learnt to swim unaided at 5 with no lessons, just over the summer holidays.
Waiting saved me from tantrums and the typical phase when they are scared of the water.
At 4 and a half/ 5, they are usually ready and have enough stamina to cope with 45 mins of being in the pool, imho.

I took ds3 for weeks when he was that age and he hated it with a passion - screamed through the whole thing - terrible.

Tried again recently (he's now 2.4) and he loves it. We go to one of those pools that has a 'fun pool' with a sloped entry so you can stay and paddle in very shallow water if you want to. It's great. He's getting braver and braver every week.

So OP - would definitely wait!

Fennel put it so much better than me . I second everything she said!

the only really good thing about swimming with babies as I recall, was that it was guaranteed they would fall asleep for a few hours afterwards so you could get something done.

I don't think you should worry about not taking her.

The only difference that I've noticed with children who have been swimming from a young age versus ones that haven't is the ones that haven't are a little more likely to dislike putting their faces in the water. If you let her have a good splash in the bath & let the shower water go over her face at home every now & again instead she should avoid this possible drawback.