Waterbabies

[SuzySunshine]

So I have to recommend this class to anyone with an infant. We are loving it, Adele loves the water and seems like a natural. She just kicks and kicks and giggles. It is too cute.

So I had to share a picture of her in her adorable swimsuit.



We're hoping that DH will be able to attend tonight or tomorrow and take some video.

Re: Waterbabies

She is adorable! I love that cute little belly sticking out. My kids are about the right age to be introduced to swimming pools. They love the water. It's just a matter of finding a place to do it.

[SuzySunshine]

Re: Waterbabies

Ours is at the Y. As a person who has never taken a swimming lesson a single day in my life I'm thrilled to be able to expose her to this. I'm even thinking of taking a private swim lesson myself so I can that I swim for exercise and actually get something out of it.

Re: Waterbabies

Are they the type of lessons where they dunk the babies under to get them used to holding their breath? Someone was trying to encourage me to do that with Jack but I am not sure
I would like to get him in the water though.
Adele looks adorable!

Re: Waterbabies

Are they the type of lessons where they dunk the babies under to get them used to holding their breath? Someone was trying to encourage me to do that with Jack but I am not sure
I would like to get him in the water though.
Adele looks adorable!

I don't know how those work, but I know my mom did it with me. She literally "threw" me in the water at 6 months. (I'm sure she was in there, too - she wasn't crazy). I think it's instinct for the babies to hold their breath, and they take to the kicking better if they learn to do it before they can walk. I think the sooner you get them in and used to it, the better. I spent 4 painful weeks this summer listening to little ones screaming and crying in terror at the idea of putting their faces in the water (a younger class going on at the same time as my kid's classes).

Re: Waterbabies

How fun! Adele is too cute in that swimsuit.

Kirsty, DH used to be a lifeguard and taught swim lessons. He started dunking DS in the water when he was a baby (if you blow on their face, they will automatically hold their breath). DS was swimming...and doing cannonballs and diving in head first...a couple of months before he turned three. I think the earlier you can get kids in the water, the better.

[SuzySunshine]

Re: Waterbabies

Tonight was the 3rd night and it was the first night that we fully submersed them. We basically hold them under their armpits and do several activities with them. We walk backwards and they "swim" toward us. We set them on the wall and bring them in and splash them, we put a beach ball in front of them and encourage them to reach for it, we help them "swim" toward floaty letters. It really is just to get them used to the water.

Tonight we did fully dunk them. The exercise was that we blew in their face and then both went under, supposedly when you do that they automatically hold their breath. Adele coughed a little bit but none of the kids really cried.

We have a nice zero entry pool at the Y so I think when they have open swim I'll probably take her more. I think I'll sign her up for this class again in October or so too. This class is six months to 18 months then they go to water tots and then at age 3 they can start swim lessons or you can still take a parent/child class.

Re: Waterbabies

OK thanks for the info. I think because I don't like being underwater myself the idea scares me, probably all the more reason to get Jack used to it!