Our Baby Swimming Adventures: What We Learned

Hey there, fellow parents!

We started taking our little one to baby swimming lessons when they were around 9, almost 10 months old.

I have to admit, I was nervous about it at first. Our baby can be super fussy, and even in the bathtub, they didn't always want to play, often cried, and had tantrums.

But then my sister's nephew, who's 7 months younger, just loved the tub from birth and had a blast playing in it.

We had a pretty standard muscle tone in our baby's legs, according to the pediatrician.

We tried physiotherapy and massage to help with the tone, but it didn't quite work out. One time, the massage therapist seemed to hurt the baby, and they would scream and have a meltdown. We gave up on that.

Then my sister invited us to try out baby swimming lessons with her. Her son was about 2.5 months old at the time.

We organized a trial session, and it was worth it. We were initially upset about combining our babies and swimming together, but it ended up being a great experience.

My baby had a meltdown during the trial session, clung to me, and screamed, so we couldn't even think about doing any exercises.

But the nephew had a great time with the trainer and enjoyed the session.

We were then sent to the shallow end of the pool to get used to the water. My baby got a bit more comfortable and stopped screaming. We were given toys, and we played.

Playing in the poolI thought that was it, we wouldn't be coming back. But the trainer said that some babies take up to 4 sessions to get used to their mom in the water.

We had given up on massage because the baby refused to participate, but we thought we'd try swimming to help with the muscle tone. So, we went to the shallow end just to hang out and have the baby get used to the water.

Stretching the legsBut miracle of miracles! The next time we came for a session, the baby was a different child: they participated really well and completed most of the exercises.

We decided that while individual sessions with a trainer might be more effective, we'd stick with group lessons. Plus, I'm not trying to make my baby a champion swimmer; we're doing it for the benefits, not for the results.

My sister's nephew was showing great results from the very beginning, so I don't see the point in pushing our baby too hard.

Our fun groupGroup lessons, then. At first, it was really tough to get organized. You have to get changed, then the baby, and in winter, it's even colder.

The baby can be fussy, and they often refuse to leave the potty station. Everything has to be done in a rush.

After the pool, it's even harder because you have to dry off and apply cream. And in a group, there are lines for the potty station.

Honestly, it was tough at first, I was exhausted. Some people even needed extra help.

My kid with their mom and a bunch of toys But then I got the hang of it, tweaked the process a bit, and with my kid growing up, we could finally put them in the playpen to play while I took a break.

The downside of group classes is that it can be hard to get individualized attention. Even the instructor can help you take a shower with your kid afterwards.

In the pirate ship But I've also found some major pluses. First of all, the social aspect. We have a group of seven moms (though it's usually less than that, sometimes just two of us work out together).

We've met other moms and kids, and over the past year, our group has remained pretty consistent.

It's really important to have support from other moms in your situation.

Swimwear for infant swimmingSecondly, the activities are really engaging. The instructor is always coming up with new exercises and ideas.

We have a bunch of toys and props to play with. My kid loves collecting balls in a bucket.

We play with a ball using our legs, hang and sway on the rings, jump on the cushions, and crawl through the tunnel.

Baby swim group classes - a great way to spend time with your little one!Doing it with the other kids makes it way more fun. We used to go to these development classes, but they were so boring, and the benefits were questionable – at this age, kids can't focus on the tasks, and it's mostly the moms doing all the work.

In the pool, we've learned to throw the ball to the instructor (at home, we couldn't get it to work), assemble puzzles, kick a ball, and hang a ring on a stick.

Playing in the poolBut it turns out, the real benefit of these classes is the diving. I read online that it's really good for you:

The benefits come from developing the respiratory organs, strengthening the muscles involved in breathing. Regular early swimming with diving helps increase lung capacity, deepen breathing, and serves as a prevention for colds and respiratory diseases.

We do at least seven dives per session. At first, it was scary to put my kid in the water, but the instructor is always there to support and supervise.

They even used to hose us down with a water spray before we got in the water to get us used to the sensation.

Before interacting with the water, you need to say the command 'Dive!' It's essential to get the kid used to it.

In the pirate ship My kid isn't a big fan of diving, so the instructor has a bunch of tricks up their sleeve.

They'll show the kid a ring, and the kid will be interested, then the instructor will drop the ring in the water, and the kid will happily pick it up underwater. It's a great way to make it fun.

It's really important to praise the kid after they complete a task successfully.

Baby swim group classes - a great way to spend time with your little one!In terms of organization, you'll need to bring the standard pool gear: swimsuit, slippers, soap, towel.

Since I don't dive, I just wear a headband. Most moms do the same.

You don't need a sports swimsuit – a beach one will do.

Swimwear for infant swimmingFor kids, there are special pool underwear.

I didn't notice anyone writing in the pool. The kids are distracted - they don't care. So, you don't necessarily need a special swimsuit.

That's why we bought swim diapers.

You'll definitely need to bring soap, of course. Even though the water in the pool is sanitized with UV light, it often can't handle the dirt, so they add a bit of chlorine. It smells like soap and swimsuits afterwards.

The water doesn't dry out the skin too much, even my little brother with eczema doesn't suffer more than usual, but it's still a good idea to bring some moisturizer along.

In the pirate ship A towel is a no-brainer. Ours has a hood from the governor's gift - it's super convenient.

You can bring flip-flops for the kid, but I prefer to just carry them on my arms all the time, otherwise they'll run off or slip on the wet floor.

I also recommend bringing zip-lock bags to carry wet clothes in.

It's a good idea to bring some snacks for the kid, so they don't get cranky while you're getting ready, and they'll be hungry after the workout too.

You'll need a doctor's note with a negative result for an enterobiasis test to get into the pool.

Swimwear for infant swimmingHere's what they say online:

Swimming improves overall body tone, increases endurance, refines movements, and strengthens the nervous system. Sleep quality improves, appetite increases. Regular swimming sessions promote bone growth and strengthen the skeletal system.

We've been going to swimming lessons for almost two years, twice a week, and what I've noticed.

Honestly, I haven't noticed any significant benefits.

My kid sleeps terribly, wakes up frequently.

Yes, after the swim session, he does sleep because he's exhausted.

I even fall asleep with him because I'm tired from swimming.

Baby swim group classes - a great way to spend time with your little one!My kid has a terrible appetite. His appetite is awful.

Of course, after the swim session, he might get a bit hungry from the exertion.

In the pirate ship After a year, he started getting sick all the time, and the pool didn't do anything to boost his immune system. (Maybe it would have been worse without it, who knows)

No one in our group can swim yet.

There's an individual lesson next to us in the pool, and the kid is 1 year and 10 months old - he's already swimming, and has been walking since 3 months old.

But I will say that my kid can already move his arms a bit in the water. He's even learned to do it in group lessons.

The instructor gives him a bit of extra attention and pushes him underwater, so it's just a matter of talent, I guess.

Baby swim group classes - a great way to spend time with your little one!I don't have any special talent, and he's not even kicking his legs much in the water - I have to move them for him.

But we'll keep going anyway, because everyone says it's good for you, and doctors recommend it, so I guess it's not a waste of time.

I actually prefer going to the pool more than taking the kid to development classes, and we need to go somewhere, or I'll go crazy stuck at home with the kid.

So, I'd definitely recommend these classes!