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Original poster

Water Babies

30 replies

IWishIWasAFrog · 18/01/2010 13:55

Hi all,

Thinking of going to Water Babies with DS (15 weeks). I'm going to observe a class next week, but wondered if anybody had any experience with them. I am especially interested in your experience of 'dunking'. He loves water, he loves bathtime and we had a swim with him almost daily when we were on hols and he seemed to really enjoy it. Any thought most welcome.

Thanks.

OP posts:

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ilovehenryboy · 18/01/2010 14:14

Henry loves it. Been going for over a year now - he is nearly 20 months. He was fine with going under untill he got to about 14 months then all of a sudden didn't wat to do it - got better after a month or two, now is fine again though. The teacher is very good and seems really in tune with the kids, Is a positive thing for us!! enjoy.

mamasunshine · 18/01/2010 14:46

We love waterbabies too! Have ds1 22 months and ds2 7 months that go. Both started aged 4/5 months.

pigleychez · 18/01/2010 15:14

I do swimming lessons with DD. Not Waterbabies as the dont do classes near us but Swimtotz which is the same underwater swimming.

I first took DD at 13mths and she loves it. Shes now 17mths and can swim underwater about a metre to the side of the pool and hold on.

Re dunking- Our teacher worked up to it over a couple of weeks, starting with splashing then a handfull of water over the face, then small amounts in cups over the head. Together with a verbal cue they learn whats coming and that they are going under.

Its great fun

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Original poster

IWishIWasAFrog · 19/01/2010 08:58

Thanks all. Will go and 'sit in' on a lesson. I can certainly see the value of getting this done early, and sounds like great fun too!

OP posts:

reddaisy · 20/01/2010 11:20

And I find that swimming really tires my 12month old out and she often sleeps through after we have been swimming

mrswee · 20/01/2010 21:49

I just started a water babies type class with my (almost) 15 week old. this week will be her third week.

She loves the bath but is a lot more reserved at the pool, obviously still not sure what it's all about, but doesn't get upset.

I have found that because she is so young, she doesn't move around in the water much - she keeps her arms right up to her body, but in the bath would be the opposite, thrashing and kicking happily. Maybe she feels exposed, I'm not sure.
Not moving around means she got cold quickly even though it's a warm pool. The first week I had to take her out early as she suddenly got very cold and went all wimpery and shivery.
So I got her one of those body suits like a wet suit and was advised by the teacher to put her in a long sleeved vest under that. Works a treat - Just so you know because I had no idea and it freaked me out a bit when she got cold... especially as it was not long after I had to dunk her head under water for the first time!
The head dunking was fine by the way... a shock to my system but fine, especially after the second week when I over came my new found fear of it!

Even though she is not too sure of it all and she is the youngest there, I am glad that I am taking her and expect her to start getting into it very soon. The teacher is very encouraging too.

It does really tire her out... so far both weeks she has fallen asleep while I'm getting her dressed after swimming!

good luck!!

Original poster

IWishIWasAFrog · 21/01/2010 09:33

Thanks mrs wee. I think I'm more worried about the dunking than DS would be, last night he got accidently dunked in the bath by being a real wriggler but seemed quite happy afterwards, was just for a second though...

OP posts:

Surfermum · 21/01/2010 09:38

I didn't bother with classes, I just took her myself. I just couldn't bring myself to dunk her but it hasn't affected her swimming ability or love of the water. It just came gradually with jumping in, diving in, and throwing her about.

So I'd say if you want to go as a social activity then it would be great, but if you don't then maybe watching what they do and then going on your own is just as good, if not better.

The baby wetsuits are fab. They do keep them warm, but also they make the baby easy to hold onto. But I used to find that it was when we got out that dd got cold, and I used to take a hooded towel with me onto poolside to wrap her as soon as we were out of the pool.

paisleyleaf · 21/01/2010 10:18

We did Little Dippers which I think is similar. We live on a riverbank so water safety is an issue for us.
The classes were one of the best things we ever did. It was good for DD in so many ways - confidence, communication etc.
DD was around 5-6 mths when we started - that little bit stronger for gripping, holding head up than others in her group.
I know the goal isn't to learn to swim, more confidence and not panicking in water, but DD was swimming 10m by 2.5y.
She didn't love it every week and we went through ups and downs. We went through a phase when she wouldn't go to the teacher, but would do the stuff with me.
The dunking thing you start small and have fun with - a sprinkle of water over his head in the bath, building up to a toy watering can.
I don't think we'd have invested so much into the swimming if we didn't live where we do, but I'm glad we did.

bellamysbride · 21/01/2010 19:03

I agree with Surfermum. We do Waterbabies but prob won't do another term. It's ok but I think DS prefers swimming when we go alone or with friends. It means that we can go at the optimum time for DS, take his toys and go with the flow a bit more. He is not phased by the dunking but doesn't actively enjoy it so it seems a bit mean. Our class isn't particularly sociable, some of the songs are a little grating and it is quite expensive and rather corporate!!

CokeFan · 22/01/2010 07:46

We do water babies - DD is 16 months old and currently on her 4th term (started at about 5 or 6 months old). She's the oldest in her class and it's the highlight of her week but TBH I wouldn't have wanted to take her any younger because she's BF and didn't have a regular feeding/sleeping pattern for several months so I'd never know whether she was going to be hungry/sleeping for the lesson.

The teachers are brilliant with the babies - they never force them to do anything they (or you) don't want to. I've found that the more positive you are (even if you're bricking it inside) the more they enjoy it.

HollyGoHeavily · 22/01/2010 08:01

We have done Waterbabies classes and loved them. My DD was about 20 weeks when she started and I think the secret to a good lesson is making sure they have had a feed and a nap before the lesson. DD used to find the class very tiring and wanted to feed and go back to sleep as soon as she left the pool. The dunking thing is a bit odd at first but they build up to it fairly slowly and you never have to do anything either of you is uncomfortable with.

DD is now 2 and we have stopped lessons and take her to the local pool - she is easily the most confident toddler in the water, can swim a couple of metres and hold on to the rail and she loves diving in.

lilyrose123 · 19/09/2010 11:38

i take my daughter to waterbabies and she is now 2 years and three months and in a toddler 4 classstarted when she was 4 months old
she is now swimming on her own, and just beginning to learn to come up for a breath and carry on!
she loves it, she can jump in and swim to me, or turn around hold on and get back out again
its the best thing i ever did
so much so that i became a waterbabies swimming teacher, i love it,
i have seen babies start at 3 weeks old as long as the pool is warm enough its not a problem
i hope you enjoyed the class you watched, and subsequent classes you may have attended!

YunoYurbubson · 19/09/2010 11:47

Waterbabies was not for us.

It was all about speeding them into learning to swim regardless of their own pace, and dunking them so they would be ready to do the photoshoot.

When I asked what to do about dd screaming when she was dunked I got not much more than a shrug - I could either dunk her or not, but if I didn't she wouldn't keep up with the class. For the amount those classes cost I would have liked a minute of the instructor's time. I think the classes work out at £2 a minute or something silly (can't remember now but I remember working it out and being shocked).

All of the other parents were very excited about the underwater portrait, which I wasn't really. I think it was my misunderstanding though - I was expecting a super, new, confidence building, fun swimming class for babies. What I got was a preparation for an underwater portrait, and a race to get my child swimming as early as possible.

YunoYurbubson · 19/09/2010 11:49

Oh, I should add, I stopped doing Waterbabiesa and went to the local leisure centre lessons instead and dd LOVED them, her confidence grew and she was a very early swimmer because we spend so much time in the water.

lilyrose123 · 19/09/2010 12:02

thats so sad that you had that experience :0(
it should not be all about the dunking and that does not delay any progress in the class, and i agree you should have been able to have a minute of the instructers time

i would ensure you feed this back to your local office as i know they would want to know about this, as it is not their policy to dunk just to get them readyu for photoshoot

i'm glad she loves going swimming with you, thats the main thing!

PutTheKettleOn · 19/09/2010 14:35

we did it for a while and although DD did enjoy it and the people were very nice, if you want my honest opinion it is way overpriced and the whole underwater swimming thing is a bit of a gimmick imo - yes it's good for them to get used to the sensation of falling in and going underwater, but 'solo' swimming through hula hoops underwater?! not sure any of them enjoyed that bit particularly and don't think it's necessary!

We stopped as DD was getting persistent ear infections and couldn't go underwater. Recently i've taken her to council-run classes at the local pool that are a fraction of the price and just as much fun.

withorwithoutyou · 19/09/2010 14:44

We did water babies, DD quite liked it.

I thought it was an astonishing rip off. Like putthekettleone the underwater stuff just seemed really gimmicky and the photo session was ludicrously expensive - something like £20 just to attend the session and then photos started at something like £50 and you didn't even get the jpeg for that price.

Just felt like a big old money making scam to me.

withorwithoutyou · 19/09/2010 14:48

Oh - and I didn't bother with the photo shoot and wasn't particularly bothered about dd swimming underwater, I just wanted her to have fun and she didn't particularly seem to enjoy being dunked.

We were given goggles to watch them underwater and I was the only one who didn't want to go under myself - it was February when we did the lessons and we always went into town afterwards - I didn't want to walk around in winter with soaking wet hair. The instructor acted like I was missing out on some kind of life affirming experiendce for not wanting to do it

MrsC2010 · 19/09/2010 16:51

I quite fancy doing this with DD, she's only 5wks though...should I wait?

Roo83 · 19/09/2010 22:36

Ds1 has done a similar class (he's 2yrs 4mnths now) since 3 months old. At first it was a great way to tire him out but now he absolutely loves swimming. He can jump in, turn round and swim back to the side (underwater) which is great to know if he did fall in anywhere. He has sooo much fun at our local pool swimming down for dive sticks, and swimming from me to the side etc. Its the only class I have continued with right the way through. Just had dc2 and will def.be taking her swimming too.

Baby wetsuits are a must I'd say, ds used to cry if he was too cold, but was fine in warmer pools. Try a wetsuit and try to go to a specialist pool where the water is warmer.

Rhubarbgarden · 20/09/2010 12:38

I've been taking my 14 week old to Babyswimming for the past two weeks. First week she didn't enjoy it, lots of crying, but the instructor was really good and spent time trying to calm her and encouraged me to cuddle her till she stopped. Sprinkling water in her face set her off again, so the instructor suggested I get out and wrap her in a towel and rejoin the class if she settled. She didn't. We tried again this week and she was much better; I wouldn't say she loved it but she was certainly up for having a go and didn't cry when sprinkled. She did cry when dunked but only for a minute or two. I'm hoping that as she gets used to it she'll start to enjoy it more.

The instructor is lovely and there is no pressure to dunk, it feels a lot more about the babies having fun.

BikeRunSki · 20/09/2010 12:50

I observed a Swimbabes class, then also to a baby class at our local pool - a "Leisure Park" rather than just a lengths pool.

The baby classes at the pool seem pretty much the same, but far cheaper and you only pay for the classes you go to, when you go.

Class size is limited to 10 (you need to book in advance, but not pay), warm baby pool, v patient, experienced (and lovely) instructor, dunking, splashing, structured learning bit of lesson, swimming through semi-sunken hoops, dive sticks, floating balls, floats, playing bit, then opportunity to go and play in the big pool. DS and I have been going since he was 7 weeks old. He was 2 last week, and could swim a width at 20 months.

If you live anywhere near the Barnsley Metrodome, save some £ and go there!

lilyrose123 · 20/09/2010 22:18

mrs c2010
can start from birth if water is warm enough, or 12 weeks if in a normal pool
baby's tend to love water and in my experience the earlier the better :0)

has been worth every penny for me!

naturally children under 4 will swim head down, hence the underwtare swimming, but no child/baby shoold be put underwater unless they are happy, else it will only make then hate it more :0)

moajab · 22/09/2010 22:24

We do similar classes. (Ducklings) DS2 went from about 5 weeks. He never minded being dunked, infact he would often come up smiling and became the demo baby for the instructor to show nervous new mums. But no one was ever forced to dunk their baby if they didn't want to. This was only one part of the lesson - also lots of songs and chasing balls or ducks across the pool. DS2 was able to swim at the age of 2 and did naturally swim head down. I loved doing the classes and am now doing them with DS3. We only pay for the classes we go to and there's no need to book.

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