Baby Swimming – When A newborn Is Ready To Swim

little swimmer

A new syndrome that has become common these days is information overload. We get totally confused from all the info that flows around us. Something we’ve read, a video we’ve watched or a picture we’ve seen could make us believe that we are aware about something that we barely understand.

This is the case with baby swimming – most of us have heard, watched or read about it but hardly can imagine the whole picture.

To start I would make clear what baby swimming is not.

Baby swimming is not a sport so don’t  expect your baby to be able to float for 30 min in the water or to go for a long distance swim.

What is the right age for a baby to start swimming lessons?

The thing is babies are born with a natural instinct to hold their breath under water. You could start by diving them for a couple of seconds and then after some continuous training they will keep this instinct and be able to stay for about 10 seconds under the water.

Usually babies will lose the instinct to hold their breath between their 3-rd and 6-th month. That is why it is very important that swimming lessons start when the baby is around 2 months old. At that age a simple bath tub for adults will be the most suitable and comfort baby swimming pool for your baby to move, dive, jump in or even fall asleep.

But babies grow up so quickly. When the baby is 6 months old the bath tub will be his favorite play spot where he could explore the water and his body.

I highly recommend that you read this book if you intend to take your baby to swimming lessons or even only to the local pool.

I must tell you, I am not a great swimmer and never loved the water and was very uncomfortable handling my children in the water, but by reading the books and studying the videos it has become second nature.

I look forward to summer and lots of family nights at the pool spending quality time with my kids.
A HUGE thanks to the Mc Kays…they are truly amazing:)

After the baby turns 8 months it is recommended to start swimming lessons in a normal pool. The ideal baby swimming pool will be about 3.3-5.0 feet deep and filled with warm enough water, which means around  84.2° -89.6° Fahrenheit

In the first swimming lessons the baby-parent connection is of great importance. That is why swimming lessons should target parents to learn how to be an instructor for their own babies.

Parents should take a brief course of 5-6 lessons so they know the basic rules for safety in the water as well as what are the appropriate exercises for a baby at every age. After this course parents can continue to give swimming lessons to their babies on their own or in a group.

How long should a lesson in the water last?

It depends on the baby’s mood at that moment. After some swimming practice parents will know when the baby is tired and the lesson should end.

Basically you should start with 10 to 15 minutes and slowly increase the time. 1 year old babies can spend almost an hour having fun in the water especially if mom or dad are around.

When you make the step from swimming in the bath tub to swimming in a pool you should consider reducing the time spent in the water. Be prepared to leave the pool only after 10 minutes when you visit it for the first time but don’t worry. The baby will quickly get used to the new surrounding and pretty soon you will have to drag him screaming to get him out of the water.

Swimming has a great positive influence over the baby’s physical and emotional development. The games in the water will turn boring bathing that some babies just hate into a favorite fun game that both parents and kids love.

Baby swimming is a great way to strengthen the parent-child relation and is widely used in cases of adopting a newborn or a breast-fed baby. The time spent in the water is enjoyable and beneficial for the whole family and is a excellent way to stimulate an active and close to nature life style.