Swimming Lessons for Babies. When did you start?

[2010BEBES]

I was wandering when would be the ideal age to start with swimming clases with your babies.

I read an interesting article of brillkids.
These 2 questions and answers called my attention:

What is the best age to start swimming lessons?
    EL: When it comes to using a swimming pool, I recommend waiting until after the baby’s first set of immunizations, at the age of two months.


Up to what age do babies automatically hold their breath underwater?
    NA: Until about 6 months [the mammalian dive reflex will stop water from getting into a baby’s lungs]. But even after that age, a baby will not try to breathe once she is under the water. So you just have to get your baby to hold her breath as she is about to go under. To do this, blow on her face hard, right before putting her under.


So according to this if the climate is ok and your baby is not sick, you can take swimming classes starting best between 2 and 6 month old?
That is why i would like to know if you took swimming classes with your babies
a) at what age did you started
b) would you recomend it? Why or why not.

[2010BEBES]

Sorry, I forgot to rediredct to the whole article for those of you who have babies and are interested.

http://www.brillbaby.com/teaching-baby/physical-development/baby-swimming.php

[Kimba15]

I have started both my girls at 4 1/2-5 months old.

I would recommend it both of them love the water. We live near the beach so it is imperative that my dd are water confident and are able to understand basic water safety. Not that I would let them in the water unsupervised but it only takes two seconds for something to go wrong. The swimmimg lessons have also strengthened the bond between my dd and their dad as he gets in the pool with both of them.

The younger the better I say.

Kimba

[2010BEBES]

Thanks Kimba, i find the 'bonding' result as an extra benefit of starting swiming clases.

[baz]

Hi Kimba15..

You mentioned you live near a beach.. did you start introducing your 5 months old girls in the beach?
or at a pool?

I leave near a beach too! but the water here is not clean i'm afraid.. so my only choice is the club pool.

Now all shared pools are chlorinated! and I read in the brillkids article mentioned about chlorine.. (copied below)

I’ve heard that chlorine is bad for babies’ respiratory health, especially when used in indoor pools. When should I be worried?

EL: As long as your child has no specific allergies or respiratory problems, and you do not stay in a chlorinated indoor pool for more than half an hour, she should be fine. [If you can smell the chlorine, it means the amount in the water is higher than it should be. Minimize use of such pools, or ask the pool’s management to consider reducing the chlorine level.]

hmm.. the article recommends only half an hour of pool time 
did you follow this advice?

thanks

[Kimba15]

Both have been started in a pool. They both take formal swimming lessons in a pool with their dad.Also the pool is heated much nicer on the baby and their dad who hates the cold.. They both go to a swimming centre near us called blue dolphin swim centre. They specialise in baby swimming lessons and the swimming centre starts the kids at 4months.

The swimming lessons are no longer than 1/2 an hour and the kids do a lot in that time. The babies and toddlers are very tired after swimming and any longer than that and they would be exhausted. All the babies start in a group called Merry Merbabes and they have to complete a no. of tasks to go to the next level. I believe one of the tasks was an underwater swim for 1-2seconds with a parent , learn to float on their back and 1-2 other things that escape me right now. than you move up into Frolicking Fish and finally Dancing Dolphin after that the child is deemed a strong enough swimmer to get in the pool by themselves with an instructor.

The other reason for the pool is that the pool is heated so swimming is all year round as the beach in the winter months is just too cold. The water here is very clean in Australia just have to watch for sharks ! . My eldest DD goes swimming at the beach with her Nonni and Nonno. My parents live on the beach which is why my husband and I have enrolled them in swimming very early. Water confidance and water safety are very important to be taught at a very young age.

As for the chlorine well the benefits of early swimming outweigh a little bit of cholorine, and if we worried about every chemical that is around us we would never leave the house. Also as far as I am aware swimming is one of the best things for kids with respiratory problems  especially asthma as the whole process of swimming is to make the lungs stronger. If you are really concerned about the chlorine see if there is a salt water pool near you.

I hope this helps
Kimba

[baz]

Wow, many thanks Kimba15 for sharing! Learning new things everyday from this forum!

I've never heard of formal swimming classes for 4 months old (mostly due to ignorance on my part) 
now i wish there is a swim center like that in my area!

and you're right on the benefits of swimming and how it outweights the effects of the 1/2hr of chlorine dip 

anyways, I found these interesting videos in youtube about baby aquatic survival!
we always hear about the dangers of child playing in pools.. and drowning . glad to know there are skills that can be taught to babies and toddlers to prevent unwanted accidents like that..& potentially save lives.
 
" <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/aseQsDBJS6c&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/aseQsDBJS6c&rel=1</a>"

" <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/7zesZi6rqGA&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/7zesZi6rqGA&rel=1</a>"

" <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/-cn-dSZEjjQ&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/-cn-dSZEjjQ&rel=1</a>"

" <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Odp1OIDN_FY&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/Odp1OIDN_FY&rel=1</a>"

[baz]

oh ya,

for those parents who are uncomfortable with letting their babies into swimming pools.. I found a solution ! stumbled upon this product online earlier.

now with about USD60, you can buy a baby swimming pool!

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/HdVrnTTScAg&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/HdVrnTTScAg&rel=1</a>

my husband says  haha

[lelask]

We started swimming when my daughter was of almost 7 months. Here it is recommended at the age of 6 months not younger.
We don't have a sea but I think that becouse babies swim under water with their eyes and mouth open that would be way too salty for them.
The 1/2 hour at the pool it's recommended becouse of the protective function of the skin but also babies get tired. We go to the sauna  after swimming for 5-7 minutes and we have never had any respiratory problems. Swimming is great for the immune system and we have never been ill.
If you are worried about their ability to hold their breath under water there are simple excersises which will teach them to hold the breath. And if you are worrie about too much chlorine in the water try to attend the later classes when is the chlorine level lower.

[DannyandAmy]

I hurried to get my daughter started at 3 months. She was so chubby, I felt she would be behind in her physical education if she didn't have any opportunity in the water—the only place her baby fat would be helpful in movement! :P

The Domans suggest you start the DAY of the child's birth, in the bathtub at home.

Some pools use salt rather than chlorine. None in my area did, so unfortunately I had to take her to the pools with chlorine.

[2010BEBES]

We started swimming when my daughter was of almost 7 months. Here it is recommended at the age of 6 months not younger.
.... Swimming is great for the immune system and we have never been ill.
If you are worried about their ability to hold their breath under water there are simple excersises which will teach them to hold the breath. And if you are worrie about too much chlorine in the water try to attend the later classes when is the chlorine level lower.

lelask, thanks for sharing.

I am worried about the climate since we are starting autumn and the cold days are starting to feel. Maybe it is better to wait until days get warmer (November).
My doubt is that then she will be 9 month old.
Since you start alfter 6 month old did you experience any problem with breathing under water?
After how many classe did you see our baby confident under water.?

qzee, those videos really talk for themselves. It is very important to teach a baby to swim and the benefits are many. Thanks.

[greenlemmons]

Wow, many thanks Kimba15 for sharing! Learning new things everyday from this forum! I've never heard of formal swimming classes for 4 months old (mostly due to ignorance on my part)  now i wish there is a swim center like that in my area!

Here is a website that offers instructions on how you can teach your baby (starting as early as 3 months) to swim.  Complete with instructional videos and lesson plans. 
http://www.uswim.com/home

My baby is only two months old.  I have taken him swimming once and he absolutely loved it.  He even tried to put his face in the water a couple of times.  So I cannot wait to start following this program. 

I also noticed that the very first skill can be taught in the bathtub.  So even if it is cold in your part of the world right now you can still get started.

Happy swimming

[baz]

Many thanks Greenlemons for sharing the link!

happy swimming everyone! *splash splash

[DannyandAmy]

Starting in the cold months? No problem. Just make sure you warm your baby after the swimming session (the pool we go to has a hot tub and sauna to warm up).

The pattern I see is that no matter when you start the child, he or she will have a runny nose or a slight fever after the first couple of weeks after starting swimming lessons, and then will be FINE, perfectly fine, afterwards. SO fine that they are almost immune to colds after that first month of slight cold symptoms. The swimming builds their respiratory system and water babies hardly get sick at all!

[nebuchudnessar]

I started my daughter at 9 months, because my husband wanted to wait before taking her swimming, I wanted to do it earlier, but she hasn't suffered from waiting, she loves swimming

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