Swim Lessons

[Atlaua]

Ok this could go in NDR but I consider it very early training :D.

What I believe is the youngest future diver among us, my 6 month old daughter, starts her swimming lessons tomorrow evening!

Any tips from those who have been down this road?

James

[DeepDiverBob]

Good luck with the lessons.

I am sure Becky will have all kinds of good info for you on this one.

[M&P+4]

Ok this could go in NDR but I consider it very early training :D.

What I believe is the youngest future diver among us, my 6 month old daughter, starts her swimming lessons tomorrow evening!

Any tips from those who have been down this road?

James

Get her in the water early and often....your on the right track.

Our 5 year old is jumping off the diving board with no fear (except from her parents!). The older three kids swim well, mostly from just being in the water often.

[nauifins73]

That is soooo cool!! Is it a Mommy (or Daddy) and me class? I start my class with going over the terms with the parent and then we repeat them through out the class. We talk about how the parent should practice putting the little one on their hip and doing a so called sidestroke. On about the 3rd class we let the little one and Mom "experience" the little one going under. I have the little one glide back and forth between Mom and me; "kicking"; "pattycaking' aka splashing. Basically everything Mom doesn't want the little one to do in the bath - we do in the pool.

At her age comfort is what should be the desired goal. I am sure with the cool folks she has she will be a natural.

Please let us know how it went and what you did.

Becky

[Atlaua]

That is soooo cool!! Is it a Mommy (or Daddy) and me class? I start my class with going over the terms with the parent and then we repeat them through out the class. We talk about how the parent should practice putting the little one on their hip and doing a so called sidestroke. On about the 3rd class we let the little one and Mom "experience" the little one going under. I have the little one glide back and forth between Mom and me; "kicking"; "pattycaking' aka splashing. Basically everything Mom doesn't want the little one to do in the bath - we do in the pool.

At her age comfort is what should be the desired goal. I am sure with the cool folks she has she will be a natural.

Please let us know how it went and what you did.

Becky

Mommy and Daddy are both going to be there. It's a 6 week class, 2 times a week and I have no idea how things will progress.

She has good genes. My parents always had backyard pools and I was in the water at 6 months the hard way :D, times change and now you do classes...

My wife was an olympic IM hopefull until she developed tendonitis in the shoulder. When I was 6 the instructors at the community pool used to use me to demonstrate to the "adults" taking lessons, but still my wife can swim circles around me if the distance is > 100 yards. Still both mommy and daddy can do >1m swims without breaking a sweat...

We are hoping for a fun experience, but anybody who has had a baby should know, at 6 months you just don't know what the reaction will be....

James

[Atlaua]

Please let us know how it went and what you did.


We did float on back, stomach, moved her around on a kickboard, submersion, passing over and under water, kicking of the wall, "the kids in the pool" and the hokey pokey :D.

She did well. It's very serious business for her but she never cried and we got a few smiles out of her.

The instructor wasn't sure at 6 months if she could submerge 2 times in a 20 minute session or more than that. Do you know?

James

[nauifins73]

I just went through my Instructor manuals and I found that during the 3rd class Red Cross recommends submerison & no more than 3 times per lesson. This is a 30 min class. This is for ages 6 mo to 3 yrs. I would think that 2 times in a 20 min class would be ok.

The 3rd class is just a guideline. I have had little ones ready on the 1st day and some that weren't ready at the end of the 8 weeks.

Becky

[Atlaua]

I would think that 2 times in a 20 min class would be ok.


Oops, typo, it was a 30 minute class. Is this a physical thing, like bad for the ears or just a comfort thing. I.E. if she enjoys it can she do it more?

James

[DeepDiverBob]

and the hokey pokey :D.


hey, thats what its all about.

[Atlaua]

Oops, typo, it was a 30 minute class. Is this a physical thing, like bad for the ears or just a comfort thing. I.E. if she enjoys it can she do it more?

James

Ok, after a lot of looking (surprinsing little info on this on the web) I've figured out the answer myself. Seems the reason for this is hyponatremia from too much injested water.

[nauifins73]

I waited until I got to my LDS and checked and they said the same thing - injesting water plus getting water in their little ears.

Becky

[Atlaua]

Well, tonight was the last class. 8 classes over 4 weeks. My final thoughts:

I'm glad we did it. Audrey had some fun and some not so much fun. Over all she was a real trouper and never cried, though she might have come close a couple of times. When we go to Mexico we'll be very comfortable with takeing her to the pool and possibly the ocean.

Now the downside. This class was for 6-36 month olds. Everyone else in the class could walk/run. Most of the stuff we did was way above Audrey's level. Jumping off the side, kicking off the wall, kickboarding, diving for objects. None of these are things a 7 month old baby is even close to doing. I spent a lot of time just entertaing her in the water. Additionally, this pool gets used for a lot of things, including lap swimming. It's too hot for lap swimming but too cold for infants. She was turning purple by the end of each session. I was never concerned about hypothermia but I was waiting until the last minute to get her wet and getting out as soon as the half hour was over. The UK Waterbabies program has "baby wetsuits" and I'm embarassed to say I'm actually considering getting one.

On her last class she had the most fun. Just her mood. She was batting at the water with her hand and being vocally happy. She did learn after only a couple of classes to close her mouth when it got near the water, which was very impressive, but not much more. I've seen what the waterbabies people have done and think an infant specific class would have been much better. Unfortunatly I have not been able to find one here.

James