I'd especially like to hear from those who started as young as 6 mos.
2007-02-08 05:16:08 · 14 answers · asked by a280baby 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
Start in the tub. fill it up pretty full and get in with her. Hold her all the time you're in there. Try not to let her fee touch the bottom. Practise blowing bubbles, laying her on her back (floating) and moving her around in the tub. The nice thing about this approach is that you don't have a lot of chlorine and the tub water is nice and warm. Public pools may not have a comfortable water temperature. Eventually you will have to move to a pool, but in the mean time, this will help get you started.
2007-02-08 09:26:02 · answer #1 · answered by rinib2 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
In the bath tub and if the baby loves that move on to a momy and baby swim class or just go to a local pool and introduce baby to the deeper water for awhile before you take a class. Both of my children swim My 6 year old is a great swimmer and my 3 year ld loves the water.
2007-02-08 13:19:44 · answer #2 · answered by Ann D 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
We started that young with my neices and nephews. We went to a swimming class with professional lifeguard instructors with the first one and this is how he showed us how to do it:
We would let one of the adults into the pool and we would hand them the child (just so they were not tring to climb down the ladder with them in their arms) then the adult would slowly lower the child into the water (they would get scared of it if you went too fast) then when most of their boby was in the water we would do a quick blow in their face (which would cause the child to hold their breath) and quickly dunk their head under the water (you may have to do it a few times) and they were no longer scared of the water and loved it after that. Now we can hardly get them out of the water
2007-02-08 14:03:54 · answer #3 · answered by Monica T 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Our lo has recently been introduced to swimming and she absolutely loves it, shes 9 months, we started off taking her with her sister who is 5 and she saw her having fun, I think as long as she feels secure with you in the water she should be fine. We go every Sunday morning to keep it regular for her and she just loves splashing about, at our local swimming pool we also have a parent and baby session where the instructor helps to encourage them to get used to the water, singing and splashing we havent been to this yet but are hoping to start soon. Hope your little one enjoys it
2007-02-08 13:45:11 · answer #4 · answered by mumoffour 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
We live in Florida. My mom had me start taking the kids to the pool when they were 5 months old. Of course, we held them in the water. Check with your local "Y" or county department of parks and recreation. There are infant and toddler swimming/water survival classes available from almost birth forward. Like anything else, if you start the child early and repeat it often, s/he will be very accustomed to it.
2007-02-08 13:20:59 · answer #5 · answered by Stimpy 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
both my little ones started at ~ 1 month, find a warm, quiet pool, they love it! apartment pools are the best if you have access to one, they are usually fairly deserted. Don't plan on staying more than about 20 minutes, even in a warm pool, they chill fast. Have fun!
2007-02-08 13:22:21 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
My daughter was about 10 months old the first time she got in the pool and she loved it, we were at my mother-in-laws and my husband and I were in the pool and put her in there and she had a blast splashing around, she wore herself out too, b/c she fell asleep on me in the pool. We got her one of those baby boat floats to play in too she had fun.
2007-02-08 13:22:14 · answer #7 · answered by Jennifer H 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well the sooner the better...they jsut spent the last nine months "swimming"
I think the sooner you get them used to it the better...If it wasn't so damn cold here I'd have my son in there already (he's only 3.5 months)
2007-02-08 13:49:46 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
my uncle put my cousin in a floatee for babies and it held her pretty good and just was holding the floatee and moving it along in the shallow part in the pool. and my boyfriend and i go to the beach a lot, so we just went to the shore and dipped her feet in, and in the pool just hold her so she can get used to the water.
2007-02-08 14:18:40 · answer #9 · answered by Dr. PHILlis (in training) 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Most local YMCAs or YWCAs have a "Mommy and Me" swim class for babies. If you start them young, they won't have a fear of the water.
2007-02-08 13:40:09 · answer #10 · answered by zippythejessi 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋