Taking Baby Swimming

Choosing to take your baby swimming is an excellent idea. The earlier babies are exposed to the water the more comfortable they will be around it as they get older.

            There are many programs at local pools and swim clubs that have classes for taking your baby swimming. They are usually called something like DIAPER DIP or MOMMY AND ME. All these classes require one or both of the parents to participate and go in the water too. It's best to start in water about chest deep on you so that you're not bending over or bouncing to stay afloat. The activities are fun and there is a lot of singing involved to help soothe the babies.

            One great activity that's a favorite is the race across the pool. In this exercise you start with baby held in front of you, facing you and you drag them across the pool dipping them so only their head is above water. As you walk backwards encourage your child to "kick, kick, kick". This is a natural reaction and after a few times they will get the hang of it.

            Another fun exercise when taking baby swimming is to play "humpty, dumpty" on the side of the pool. Hold your baby on the side of the pool with one of your hands under each of their arm pits and make it seem as though their standing up while you're in front of them in the pool. As you sing the "humpty dumpty" song when you get to "humpty dumpty had a great fall…" you lift them towards you as though they are jumping in and submerge them to their shoulders. The benefit of this is to get them comfortable with the act of jumping in.

  It is very important to also expose your child to being on their back in the pool as well. The best way to do this is to face your baby up and put the back of their head on your shoulder with your arm palm up running down their back and supporting their bottom. Submerge them so their ears and face are above water still and slowly go backwards so they have the feeling of floating on their back. You can also encourage them to kick as you do this.

            The last thing to practice with them is submerging. The best way to do this is to hold them with both hands while their facing you so only their head is above water to start. Count to three taking a deep breath before three and blow in the babies face as you submerge them bring them under the water and up toward you as they come out. When they enter the water make sure the baby's face is angling downward as not to get water up their nose. Once a baby is under water they will naturally continue to hold their breath for a few seconds till you bring them up. This should only be done in a pool with life guards certified in infant resuscitation.