Category: Swimming

1. Why should I take my baby swimming when they are small?

   Posted on 3:55pm Sunday 31st May 2015

   Just in case I've not written about it enough, our house loves swimming. For a long time my mum took our smallest to her Water Babies lessons, as they were on a day when I'm working. When the chance came to move to a Sunday morning lesson, I took it instantly - I love being in the water with her and seeing her learn. With summer coming and this being the busiest time of year for people wanting to learn more about baby swimming and baby swimming lessons, I asked Tamsin if she'd write for me about all the things people usually ask me when I'm telling them how much we love our Water Babies lessons...

    

   The first thing I'm asked is "Why should I take my baby swimming when they are small? Are there really any benefits to starting early on?"

    

   Over to Tamsin....

    

   To be honest, I don't know where to start - there are so many benefits of baby swimming lessons!

   Water safety is the main reason that most parents chose to take their baby swimming. By introducing your baby to the water at a young age, they become familiar with the environment and would not panic in the event that they fell in water. Swimming is also extremely beneficial for your baby’s cognitive and physical development. Physically, the water allows babies to exercise muscles that they can’t on land as it eliminates the constraints of gravity by providing a supportive environment. Also, the repetitive movements of bouncing and splashing provide a great stimulation for a baby’s sense of motion, co-ordination and balance.

   

   This in turn also helps cognitive development. During your baby’s first year of life, their brain will grow more rapidly than at any other time and every movement they make helps to boost this growth. Swimming provides a complete physical workout for your baby, strengthening the heart, lungs and respiratory system which, in turn, promotes brain development.Learning to respond to voice commands used in swimming lessons can also make babies sharper mentally and increases levels of understanding.

   And one of the best bits?  Regular swimming in warm water both relaxes your baby and stimulates their appetite, leading to improved sleeping and eating patterns!

   I'm so pleased to have opportunity to share with you here on the Little Lilypad, about how great swimming is for you and your baby. But for now, I just want to encourage you to get in the pool, book a baby swimming lesson with any of the Water Babies teachers across the UK and beyond, because it's something that I love and feel privileged to be able to share with families. Seeing the happiness on the face of our babies and their mums, dads, grandparents and carers makes all our hard work behind the scenes worthwhile.

   If you have any questions about anything baby swimming related, please call us on 01295 709221 or email us at [email protected] as we're always happy to talk about our favourite subject!

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2. Can you take your baby swimming after having their injections?

   Posted on 9:19am Sunday 8th Mar 2015

   Is it safe to take a baby or toddler swimming after having their injections?

   This is a conversation starter that I have had numerous times at playgroups and with fellow mums and as a parent, I am not sure that there is a definitive answer. The Water Babies website tells us that NHS guidelines say you can take your baby swimming at any time, regardless of whether they’ve had their injections. The high quality of the water required in public pools makes the likelihood of transmitting infections very unlikely; plus, the diseases against which your baby is inoculated can’t be carried in chlorinated water anyway. 

   The toddler had her second round of MMR injections recently and I was unsure how she was going to react to them. 

   

   She was giving her instructions to me from the side, so I think it is fair to say she was fine.

   

   She has mastered getting in and out of the water safely and loves being able to jump in and swim to me now. She will swim independently around me too, her confidence growing week on week.

   

   Swimming every week has made a noticeable difference in her own confidence and ability. Typically with children, we don't make it every week because little ones get poorly, that's life. The Water Babies team understand if you have a bit of a cold but if either you have any significant illness, including ear infections, (the dreaded) chicken pox, or vomiting/diarrhoea, it is not fair on you, your child, the other families, your teacher, or indeed the pool. We have been there when the pool has had to be emptied as a result of a "poo" incident and it only leads to disappointment for lots of people.

   

   So going back to the debate of whether children should go swimming after having their injections, should you or should you not go swimming? The Water Babies team tell us that they have had lots of little ones who’ve been for their jabs in the morning, come swimming in the afternoon, and had no problems at all. In fact in some ways it may even help them a little, since the warm water can soothe grizzly nerves or stiff little arms or legs.

   Ultimately, you know your baby or toddler best, so if you think they are okay to swim then do as our little one does and just take the plunge!

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3. Konfidence Baby Swimming Bundle - RRP £50.00

   Posted on 9:37am Wednesday 11th Feb 2015

   We may have mentioned our love of baby swimming once or twice and one of the things we love about our swimming lessons, is that Water Babies always choose pools that are a minimum of 30 degrees or more as little ones can feel the cold when swimming and a shivering baby is usually not a happy one.

   So we have always been a huge fan of the Konfidence range of products for baby swimming and beyond and we love that this remains a family business based in the UK. We are therefore thrilled to be able to offer a Baby Bundle worth £50 to our readers. The prize includes:

   

   • Konfidence’s best-selling Babywarma Wetsuit
   • Konfidence’s one size fits all reusable  AquaNappy
   • Konfidence’s swim school approved Neo Nappy
   • Konfidence’s award winning Roll & Go Changing Mat

    

   The Konfidence Roll & Go Changing Mat is perfect for the poolside and changing room.  It is made from 3mm thick chlorine-resistant neoprene cushioned foam, with an embossed treaded underside, which provides grip so that it won’t slip or slide on wet surfaces.

   

   You have a choice of picking from one of the three colours and all you need to do is enter below:

   

   Good luck!

   a Rafflecopter giveaway

   Terms & Conditions:

   UK Entrants Only.
   The winner will be chosen at random by the random winner generator on Rafflecopter and notified within 5 working days by email
   Konfidence will be responsible entirely for the prize
   By entering this competition, you understand that your details will be retained for future mailings. You can unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time.
   There is no monetary equivalent.
   Little Lilypad Co take no /responsibility for loss or damage in the despatch of prizes
   If the prize is unclaimed within 7 days we reserve the right to redraw the winner.
   End Date 28/02/2015 12am

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4. How do you turn a Water Baby into a Swimming Toddler?

   Posted on 5:42pm Sunday 18th Jan 2015

   Swimming lessons have become as much part of our weekly routine, as they have our blog posts but how easy is it really to turn a water baby into a confident swimming toddler?

   You know already that we love our Water Babies lessons and the Water Babies toddler programme can take you and your baby right through until they are 4 years old. This term we are working to help the little ones develop a flat, streamlined body position, coordinated legs and arms and aquatic breathing. (easy right?).

   Aquatic breathing is something that even the tween struggles with at times but somehow it seems easier for the toddler, although I suspect this has more to do with her love of blowing raspberries in the water ..... which is a step up from trying to drink it at least. Blowing bubbles into the water is fun as far as she is concerned but at this stage, she is not conscious that she is learning the skill, merely enjoying doing something she is not normally allowed to do.

   

   The woggle and float play a big part in our swimming lessons now due to the little ones are learning to swim in a flat position as the instinct is still to almost "run" through the water. Interestingly, Water Babies tell us that children lack the strength and co-ordination to swim properly until they’re 3 or 4 as their little bodies just aren’t proportioned for swimming on the surface, so its unreasonable to expect that she will be getting her 25 metre badges any time soon.

   I have been reading a lot about baby and toddler swimming this week and the opinions seem really divided about it. There are lots of forums ( I shan't mention them by name) where mums end up debating the merits (and alleged pitfalls) of baby swimming classes. There are those that adore Water Babies and swimming with their little ones and those that harp on about the cost. I loved one particular womans story who stated that her partner had been put on reduced hours but she was saving money elsewhere to ensure that they could continue with their classes. I think that speaks volumes.

   Cost undoubtedly plays a part in the choices we make for our children, the classes they take, the schools they attend, the clothes they wear but for the safety of my children, I am not sure I can put a price on it. The little one has confidence in the water, she can get in and out of the pool safely herself, she can jump in and come back up to the surface unaided and whether she masters the art of a flat streamlined body now she is 3 or when she is 4, I know I can't put a price on that.

   

   

    

   So how do you turn a water baby into a swimming toddler?

   You just keep swimming!

   Have you had experience of baby swimming? What are your thoughts?

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