How young can a baby be to learn how to swim?

Question

I have heard of people throwing babies in pools and they learn how to automatically, but I cant imagine doing that with my 2 month old. Is that true and what kind of swimming experiences do you have with your youngsters.

Answer 1

Babies can learn how to swim soon after their birth. Some say that "water birthing" is the less intrusive technique there is. Now, without going to that extreme, your 2 month old can start learning. there are classes and special instructors specialized for this kind of thing.

Answer 2

My son learned how to swim at a local pool at the age of six months old. I beleive that that is the age recommended by experts, especially for families that live near water or have a pool. We went to Australia, when my son was four years of age, and my mother put him in lessons with an Olympic medalist, where he then learned the proper strokes etc. My son is now a very good swimmer. People have learned from experience that throwing babies into a pool, sometimes has a negative effect on the child, the children grow up not liking the water, such is the case of my brother, who was thrown into the pool at six months old. My brother is now a very good swimmer, but he does not like swimming. Finding swimming lessorns where they do not throw the baby into the pool, would be your best bet.

Answer 3

They say that if you throw a newborn baby into a pool after birth they will swim because that is the skill they learn in the womb. A risk I do not want to take. However, I know from experience that children learn so fast when they are young and retain everything. At 6 months with both of my children I signed up for mommy and me classes where we take swimming lessons together. He couldn't swim by any means, but they had a lot of fun. Now my son is 2 years old and we still take the classes together. He can actually doggy paddel hopefully within the next year or so he will learn to swim. The only reason I started at 6 month is because I don't want my children to fear water as my father did.

Answer 4

Last night I was actually reading different things about babies and the age at which they should begin solid foods, when they will start getting their first teeth in, etc. I was amazed that it said at 6 months, swim lessons can be given. To be honest, I would not trust my child to be given swim lessons by another adult in a swimming pool, even if there was a whole group of other kids and parents watching. I would do it myself, but I would give the baby time to be a baby and not be forced into anything. When the child becomes old enough to make his or her own decisions, present the option of going to the pool to them and explain what the pool is like. Assure them you will be there and not allow anything to happen. Until the child is comfortable with the idea, I would not rush them into anything. Especially not something that so many children die doing (or trying to do) each year. I hope this helps and that you make the right decision when the time comes! ;-)

Answer 5

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Answer 6

The instinct people are talking about when they "throw" babies in the water is a survival instinct that infants have. They use their arms to force their bodies upward but it's not "swimming". What it is is the reaction to sinking which will soon develop into the drowning reflex; this is what victims do who are actively drowning. It does help the kid come up for air but there are better ways to go about it. As the person above me said, making the child comfortable in the water is your biggest step. Outside of using the bathtub, try taking a parent-child swim class. These classes are group classes for infants and toddlers where their parent oarticiaptes in the water with them. A good instructor can make this class amazing for both babies and parents. The soon you get your baby in the water the sooner he or she will develop the skills needed to swim. The longer you wait the more fear he or she will develop about the water by being told to stay away and that they will drown if they fall in. If you are not afraid, your baby will not be afraid. By the time he or she turns 2 you can think about parent-free swim lessons. My favorite classes are full of 3-year-olds who are not afraid to jump off the side of the pool water and swim around underwater. If you start your child early you will be very pleased with the results! I've been teaching children to swim since I was discovered giving lessons when I was six in my backyard pool to a friend who was scared. Since then I've never left the water world. Competitive swimmer, swim instructor and coach each provide their own challenges and I can confidently say that you should be in the water with your child as soon as possible, it will be a great bonding experience ( = Good luck!!!

Answer 7

I would never just throw my baby in the pool...some people are crazy. I have even heard of people giving birth in a pool.
I have 4 kids and each one of them was taken into the pool at a very young age. I used to hold them and encourage them. It amazed me that they instinctively kicked their feet. When they got a little older between 1 and 2, I bought them the suits with the floaties built right in. I kept taking one piece of floatie out every couple of weeks and by the time they were about 3 they all swam pretty well (my 3 yr old will hopefully be successful this summer).
Here at the school they also offer swim classes for babies and toddlers accompanied by a parent. They were very reasonable and sponsored by the American Red Cross. You might want to look into that.
Congrats on the baby!

Answer 8

It seems strange, but it is true. Once a baby has learned how to crawl, you can lower it into the water in the pool in a crawling position and it will "crawl" in the water too (actually the "dog paddle" stroke) without any special training. Crawling babies hold their heads up and reach forward with their hands, while pushing with their legs in a kicking motion. If you try this with your baby, and it swims, all you need do is keep bringing it to the pool every week or so until it is a toddler, and you will never need to teach it to swim!

The key is lowering a crawling baby gently into calm water. Babies crawl at various ages, so there is no specific age at which to do this - it is dependent upon ability, not any specific number of months of age.

Answer 9

I would say that the youngest a kid can be to learn swimming depends on the lifestyle. If the kid is around water a lot, you could start as young as 1 yrs or even 6/8 months. Just go as slow as you can- dunking in the water, just to get the child used to the water. actual swimming comes later, much much later.
But if the kid isn't as connected with water, swimming and the child's relationship with it will not begin for a while later. And because of this, fear of water can result, and make it much more difficult to teach the kid.

as for the pool throwing- it actually can work, but don't try it. Slow familiarization with water is the best approach.

good luck with your kid!

Answer 10

I have been an aquatics instructor for 30 years. My kids started in the water at 6 months old. That was when the doctor told me they were old enough. Lessons at that age are to teach the child to have no fear of the water. Do not just throw them in and let them swim. Once you start the lessons don't quit as children learn to develop a fear of the water. My girls were good little swimmers at the age of 2-3.