Evie is now 4 months old so it’s time to graduate her swimming lessons into the big pool.
Anywhere between 4 and 6 months is the perfect time to start your baby swimming in the pool. At this stage the baby has good neck control and is interested in new surrounds. Furthermore the parent is much more relaxed and comfortable handling and interacting with their baby
When taking the baby to the pool for the first time parents should consider things like water quality and water temperature. It’s very important that the water and surrounds are clean and it is vital that you have warm water. The ideal water temperature for teaching babies to swim is 32 degrees Celsius.
If warm water is not available the parents should choose warm parts of the day, dress baby appropriately and stay in the water for shorter periods of time. The typical baby swimming lesson with heated water should run for about half an hour.
When teaching your baby to swim you should always wear a T-shirt in the pool. This enables the baby from a very young age to learn to grip and hold on to your T-shirt rather than you picking them up all the time. As children grow with age this becomes particularly important to establish a respect for the water.
When holding your baby in the pool make sure to hold them very softly so that they can feel the waters buoyancy. This means that the parent should sink down as low as possible in the water. Parents should also try to maintain eye contact with their baby and communicate soothing words to ensure the baby is relaxed and comfortable. Remember your baby looks to you to determine how they should react to new situations.