Swimming

So how many of the kidlets have been swimming yet? Or go on a regular basis? Lessons?

We took Paris to the local pool last night for the first time. She had a ball...regular little fish. She has been in a backyard blow up pool before but this was different. I can't believe I actually went LOL! I have been putting it off for so long, but I finally got some swimwear & shorts I can be modest in :oops: and I actually didn't feel too self conscious, so I had a great time. She's going to be doing swimming lessons at my gym, so that when she's old enough to do it on her own, I can use that time to have a workout...good plan I thought :D She also needs to get a new swimsuit, as the one she wore last night is a size 0 :shock: but she actually fit into it fine.

It was so great last night to see all the little ones swimming...I remember when I was a kid and I don't think there were as many little ones who could actually swim. I think its really great and shows how things have changed...for the better.

Anyway rambled long enough LOL!

*hugs*
Cailin

I keep thinking about taking kameron to weekly lessons but one indoor pool close to us was a bit pricey I thought. Lady next door used to take her daughter there and told me.

We have outdoor pools not far the other way but I Have never seen them advertise for lessons. So for now he is stuck with his Clam Shaped pool.

Love

Does your council or local pool offer membership or any type of discount service? We are looking into buying booklets of entry coupons as it works out cheaper then paying for normal entry each time. I love how most of the pools in Vic are indoors. I am terrified of the sun, literally I have the fairest skin imaginable (next to albino I am sure LOL) I burn in 5 mins even burn with sunscreen. When I was a kid I was hospitalised many times with severe sunburn :evil:

I am super paranoid about paris' skin I don't think I could take her if it was outside unless it was at night maybe...goodness knows what I am going to do when she's older LOL!

*hugs*
Cailin

Hey Cailin

Have you tried paris in one of those full bodied swim suits ?? Like what Ian Thorpe wears LOL.

I have seen them about on occasions but not often. I saw the short arm short leg variety the other day for $40 for a size 2, but decided I'd wait a bit LOL.

Might be able to get the full ones in a surf shop or something.

Love

I have but they are a bit ewwww iykwim. But I WILL have to invest in something like that when she's older. I just don't want to risk it. Hopefully she has marc's skin but seeing how fair she is I don't know if thats the case.

*hugs*
Cailin

I think Jeremy will start lessons next year. I would have started him with gymnastics but our centre arent having the younger classes next year so swimming it will be.

All my kids have the shorts and tshirt style bathers with the UV protection. The best places I have found for this style are Pumpkin Patch and Target. We had a full piece long pair once but they outgrew them quicker because they werent separates. IFYWIM.

Hi all,

We have taken Olivia into the pool with us a few times and she was OK with it, but we didn't actually do much, just held her and bobbed her up and down a bit.

However, the NT Government are starting a Babies Water Program (for free, god love'em!) at my local pool, for babies of 6 - 8 months. I am really keen, as I would love her to be a water baby, but wondered what others experiences were of babies in the water so young?

Does anyone else attend this type of session with their baby? What are your experiences?

I always said I was going to get Kameron into swimming right at a young age, but then i heard the price of our local indoor pool ($11 a session) at it was too steep a price for me so he never went. I don't think there is any free ones here.

Love :smt049

Lucy,
Here in Melbourne there is a woman who starts babies swimming basically from birth. She advocates starting them very early as you can easily teach them to take a breath before they go under the water, whereas once they get to about 10 months it is difficult to teach them that again. (apparetnly they have it naturally when really young) I tried my dd at 5 months and she hated it and screamed the whole time but the other 7 babies there loved it. They can be very confident and in theory, can get themselves out of the water if they fall in by the time they are 2.
I think it is a great idea especially in a warm climate where you are.

Our local swim centre starts with 3mths... my close friend started her little one at 6mths and she only waited that long because it was midwinter at 3mths and Mum didn't want to be too cold...

I am also in Adelaide, I wish there were cheaper and earlier classes here. We have to wait until bubs is 6mths to start and then they are very expensive. It is such a shame.

Nops. Come and join the girls in the SA Forum :) You can find it HERE

Love :smt049

Anney,

Where is that? And is it expensive?

I want to start Brandon learning to swim, but with his excezma, the doctor doesn't think the chlorine would be great for him. She said short periods in the sea is ok, but fresh water would be best. Guess there's not much chance of getting lessons like that though.

Hi Lucy,
I started taking Kate to Stateswim ($11 a lesson) when she was 4 months old, she loved it and learned to take a breath before going under.
It was a really nice experience for both of us to get in the pool together and have fun with the other bubs and mums.
We stopped going when I broke my foot when she was about 10 months old and I didn't put her back in lessons 'til she was 2 and a half and she hated it then. #-o I wish I had kept it going right through.
I say give it a try and see how you and Olivia like it.
:D

Emma started swimming at 6 months ... and loved it. We went to State Swim as well and I prepaid for the lessons. We moved when Emma was 10 mths old to a small country town in Victoria and there were no swimming lessons. When I moved back to Adelaide she went back! She was 4 then and loved all over again!!!

Jack has never had a lesson but is reasonably confident in the water as everything I learnt taking Emma, I used with Jack in the bath and whenever we went swimming. Jack has had HUGE ear problems hence the no lessons for him. He will have his first lot of swimming lessons during the summer holidays (hopefully).

I want to take Asha soon as long as I can go on a Thurs or Fri as Emma & Jack have tee ball on Saturdays.

Cheers

I think swimming at an early age is good for them. Emily has been swimming for over 6months now (but I first took her into the pool when she was three months), and she LOOOVES it! I would definately recommed it.

Tanya

We are lucky and have a pool and Kimberley loves to go in it when it is warm. She screams when you take her out.
I would have started her swimming when she was younger but i choose a day at day care instead of swimming.

Hi there we started taking Alex at 6 months he loves it so much and i wish i did the same with my first , as he was scared of the water until he was 3 years old!
But every baby is different and you do what you think is best for them when!

Take Care!
Kylie

Our local pool has free lessons in school holidays(Laurie Lawrence Swim Centre) for 5 days in a row, I took Felix when he was 4 months excatly, and even though he loved the water, he took some in on the first day and then got really sick for the rest of the time. So we missed out!
I took him again recently just for a dip and he just seeemed that bit more excited about the water IYKWIM, I think for Felix 6 months is better.

I am hopefully am going to get him into the free clinic this summer, and then start lessons in the new year

Thought this was due for revival, being an ex swimming teacher I have pretty strong views on water safety which of course means teaching kids to swim as early as possible, by either a proffesional or mum/dad. With so many back yard pools etc in Australia it is so important.
So, who of you take your kiddies to swimming lessons or teach them yourselves?? How old were you when you learnt to swim or did you never get the opportunity to learn??
I learned to swim when I was about 5, and taught all of my kids from about 3, should probably have started earlier, but them are the breaks..
I taught for about 4 years, had a realised how much I enjoyed it I would have started teaching so much earlier. There aren't to many things better, than seeing a youngster who was terrified of water hopping in the pool and loving it so much that the parents have trouble getting the little tyke out again :)

Thanks Jackie on reviving this. I have started Matilda on swimming lessons at 7 months old, and she adores water. She loves playing and splashing & going under...she's not too mad keen on laying on her back, but she will get there! :D

Shayla will be starting swimming lessons in the next few weeks, once we work out which days are best for us. We will be using State Swim.

I have been taking Shayla to Water World and she loves the water, I put her under and everything, so I thought it was about time for real lessons.

It's great that you are introducing your babies to water at such a young age :)

Took Mitchell for a little paddle today and he loved it (born into a family of fishies). He didn't mind when the younger kids gave him a splash when they ran past.
It was far too steamy inside, but there were lots of little babies in that pool. I sort of thought it was a bit icky though (public pools sometimes give me the shivers) because they were only very tiny and I worry about the chlorine on such new skin.

I know what you mean about the chlorine, some pools seem to be a bit generous with the amount they put in, especially in summer when the pool is busy.
Winter is always a better time I think, as there are less people swimming and so the chlorine doesn't need to be boosted up as often.

mmm I worry about the chlorine too, I always shower Matilda afterwards with baby soad & moisturise :)

I have only recently taken Mason back to swimming. I took him every week until I had Angus and then couldn't get organised enough to go back LOL!
Mason has a ball. I don't get in with him now as he is old enough to just have the instructor but he never does what he is told. But what 3yo does!

I took Angus in last week and he screamed bloody murder. I had scratches on my face and shoulders so we got out and I'll try again in a few months.

We have been in our "family" house for around 18 mos the first summer we barely used the pool and DD was around 18 mos old! The year we put a heater on the pool and started swimming quite a lot. DD was a pighead/stubborn sh#5 and wouldn't use floaties/jaacket we tried everything. So she just paddled around on the steps under constant supervision from one of us.

Then on Xmas day we spent the morning in the pool - she got goggles for xmas (amongst othrethings \:D/ ). She started swimming under water like a little fish, discovering that she could JUST touch the bottom of the shallow end of the pool. No lessons!

She loves swimming, dives in the deep end, jumps up and tries to touch umbrella, swims to the bottom of the pool to do "hi-5s" with you, does breast stroke and dabbles in freestyle, swims under the pool toys and pops up onto them etc etc A PURE NATURAL!! its quite amazing what she can do at 2 and half!!

She wears sunscreen all over - she starts off in bathers but always ends up a "nudie".

Has discovered the warm water jets that feed the warm water from the solar heater and "backs up to them" :-#

Its funny what you learn about labour that you didn't know when you were a "younger woman"..... I always swore I would be the sort of Mum who had her new born baby in the pool doing the cool floaty thing. This is until I realised about the bleeding afterwards, and how it might not be possible!!
I'm hoping to teach our baby to be comfortable in water myself as I have done swimming instruction in the past. I figure if my baby is happy in the water getting a bit of splashings on the face, can learn to blow bubbles and use goggles etc, when they are about 5-6 I'll get them into formalised lessons. I'm hoping for a swimming champ!! If nothing else, a child that is comfy in the water as Shane adn I have alot to do with anything watery... Sailing, swimming, fishing, etc.....
Its one of the best things we can teach our kids!
Fi

Kaleb loves the water - we've got a pool at home and I take him in most days, only for about 10 mins, and he kicks around like mad. I don't put him under the water though, as I figure he's probably too young yet. The swim school near us starts lessons from 3 months. I am wondering if there is any benefit in starting that young, if he'll actually take anything in? What is a good age to start? Can you experienced ones advise me?

The main thing that babies learn, is to put their face in the water, lie on their back (with mum's help) and to find the side of the pool (usualy with use of a toy) on the edge in case they fall in.
At Kaleb's age, it more getting familiar with the water and not panicking if when his face get's wet. I would probably only start taking him to lessons at about 6 or so months, as you are already getting him used to the water and can start teaching him to lie on his back etc at home.

Not sure if this helps you :)

I love swimming with my DD. We had a pool in our old house so I wanted her to learn from a safety perspective and get used to the water. She started at about 18months and has now graduated to swimming lessons in a small group with just the instructor. If anyone saw my recent post on her dangerous fall into a friends pool you will know she got to the side and I think it saved her life! =D>

With my 2nd DD I think I will try and do some swimming practice with mum and dad first. We learnt a lot of tips from taking our first daughter to lessons so we know the songs to sing and the little games to play to practice. The cost is a bit much to bear! My SIL (in Darwin) has 5 lessons per term paid for by the NT govt for children under 5. This initiative has reduced childhood drowning by a HUGE amount. What a fantastic idea, I think all State Governments should implement this.

The NT are doing the right thing, even if they just subsidised lessons,just until the kiddies are able to save themselves.

I also think that parents should know basic cpr, you never know when it will come in handy..

Thanks for the advice Jackie. :D I will wait till he's six months I think.

That is a fantastic initiative by the NT government, what a good idea, because I think the cost of lessons can make it prohibitive for a lot of families, especially if you've got a few kids.

The NT scheme is fantastic.....the NT Government & the Royal Lifesaving Association do it as a joint venture, & bombard all parents with information through the mail and TV advertising, & you just ring up to get 5 free lessons per year, for all kids from 0-5 years. So in total you get 25 free lessons, in blocks of 5 lessons, which make up a course.

The first lesson is CPR & basic water safety, and the subsequesnt lessons are all so much fun, but also so much learning. They really encourage both parents to attend with your child, so that the enjoyment and the learning are all combined for the whole family.

Everyone seems to take advantage of it, rich & poor, which is great. And all of the local council and private pools support the initiative, so you can always get a place on a course without a waiting list, which is a relief.

Olivia has had her first 5 free lessons at 6 months, and we continued on with them at $7 per lesson, and I am hoping to squeeze in her 2nd free course before we move back to Adelaide.

As such, water related infant mortalities in the NT have reduced incredibly, which has got to be a good thing.....

WOW that is fantastic Lucy!! That is such a great thing & to have the mortality rate drop shows what a great incentive that is!!

The other states should really learn from NT, that is just such a great idea.
I just hate when they show the drowning statistics, so many of them can be avoided, unfortunately not all :(

I've been taking Emily since she was 6mo, so about 10.5 months. She loves it!! Only thing is she gets used to the warmer water and when I take her to the pool here, which isn't heated, she is reluctant to get in. Also she has gotten to that age where she just want's to swim with either me or her Dad, and has a little sook when the instructor takes her. But she'll get over it.
She actually likes going under the water, which is cute, 'cause when she comes up from under the water she has a big smile on her face.

Tanya

I took the twins when they were 6 mths, but kept getting ear infections. Left it until they were 2 they are 6 and still having lessons. Little one went for a splash whilst big ones had lesson. She has no fear and loves the water, So now has lessons Since 12 mths coz she just runs into the deep pool, and doesn't even panic. Loves them, flirts with the swimming teacher!!

I started Claire when she was 18 months old. It goes by the term which lasts 10 weeks and its $11 a lesson. The instructor is fantastic with the kids and its at her house which is indoor with a heated pool. She only allows 4 kids to class which makes it very fair on the littlys. The class runs for 1/2 hour to which is fine by DD. She has a good sleep on the way home.
It may be costly but i dont care. I think its important that she know how to swim. We dont live near water (yet) but you cant avoid it.
She is doing so well with it, being nearly 2 she's had a good go. I will certainly keep going with it till she can save herself.

kerrie