Image credit: Aquatots Swimming
There’s just something about the allure of water that draws people of all ages into it. The chance to experience a whole new world under mere metres of water while scuba diving, or to take a board to the waves above them is a tempting sensation.
Building a love for water starts from when your child is still young and fearless and there’s definitely no better time to start while they’re still a bub – they’ve spent around 9 months being surrounded by liquids, so being at home in water is a feeling that they’re still used to!
Benefits Of Swimming For Baby!
We all know that swimming is a cardio exercise that helps keep us fit and flexible as adults, but getting baby to swim regularly has benefits specific for them such as:
- Building confidence in the water for both baby and you!
- Improving motor skills, coordination, and balance – swimming requires all those 3, and it’ll help to build balance when they’re out of water as well
- BONDING TIME! When baby swims, you swim. You’ll have a fun time splashing about with baby in the pool for sure
- Better sleep – regular exercise habits help both adults and children to sleep better at night! Though it won’t completely make baby sleep through the night (as they’ll still need to wake up for feeds), it’ll definitely help them sleep a lot more
- Swimming strengthens baby externally and internally; it builds muscles and develops their joints, as well as their heart and lungs
Tips For A Swimmingly Good Time
- Good neck strength is a requirement before you even consider starting swimming lessons, and baby should have that at around their 6 month mark! Just make sure to check with your paediatrician beforehand if you’re worried
- For babies under 6 months, you can still introduce them to the wonders of water at home (i.e. bath time fun time with any toys that you’ve bought for them)
- Keep chlorine away – some babies (like I was as a kid) are more sensitive to the chlorinated water than others, so check their skin for any sign of irritation and make sure to wash them down after they’re out of the pool
- Keep baby dry and warm after they’re done with swimming; check and see if there’s a temperature-controlled pool available
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