Baby swim lessons - what to expect?

[goddessofdawn]

My 11-month-old DD is starting baby swim next term, which I was excited about....
until someone told me, "They just dunk them under, you know!"
which kind of freaked me out a bit.

Is this standard practice?.... I know, I could contact the swim school, but I'm embarrassed.

[Visitor7]

Is this standard practice?

Do you mean, to dunk them, or that that's all they do?
Yes, it is standard to put them under water. But no, it's not all they do. Swimming lessons introduce the child to water in a safe and happy environment, and always teaches them how to swim, and all about pool safety.

[goddessofdawn]

Oh I guess I knew she would go under at some point.... but I was imagining like - first lesson, get in pool, dunk under water!

[Visitor7]

Oh no! The swimming instructor will ensure bub is confident and happy in the water before they go under. This could be the first lesson, or it could 4 lessons later.

[onthefly]

only do it if you and your baby are happy to. You don't have to force them to do anything they don't want to.
There's generally a lot of singing/nursery rhymes and moving through the water. Eventually the idea is that they get used to being in the water and also going under. In the baby classes there's always at least one having a bad day who just cries and doesn't want to do anything.

[Ozziehoffy]

It's not that harsh. Generally the teacher will scoop water over the head with a command (this is after letting bub know... where mine go swimming it's "child's name, ready go" then water over head or child under) so that they get used to knowing when they're going to be going under. Elijah LOVES it so much he demands you pour water over his head in the bath lol. They hold their breath and everything quite quickly. It's like Jodi said too... it's about making it fun but also water awareness.

[*Belle*]

Tara is just learning swimming and is attending the water babies class
At ours we are holding our baby the whole time.
No dunking under water unless baby is comfortable
We start with a song and splashing in water and the babies grab water toys
they learn to float backwards with us holding them and then go forwards to grab the toys
We then do a song called motorboats and we go round in circles in the water with a kickboard and holding the baby on the kickboard, Tara loves it.
Then we put baby on the wall and sing humpty dumpty and then bring them slowly in the water, tara jumps cause she loves the water i catch her
She learns to stand in the water
She is learning also to put arms forward to reach for me and then swim towards me
We do other songs on a mat with the babies splashing kicking and then crawling/walking on the mat to the end then coming into the water
Then other songs in the water
Hope this helps.

[Jennie13]

My 9months DD starts next Tuesday....I was wondering how it would go also.

Probably a silly question, but what if they choke on the water while being dunked? :s

Im looking forward to it apart from that, ive been waiting for ages! oh but not the bit about me getting in the water being preg wasnt kind to me! lol

[tan32]

Hi all.
I am a water baby swim instructor.
At my pool I don't like to put bubs under water until around their 4th or 5th lesson. This also depends on how bubs is.
Somedays the bubs are having a sad day , if they are teary, stressed etc I won't put them under. I also like to speak to the parents before I submerge baby.

In the weeks leading up to submerging we get baby prepared for going under water . we do this by giving cues like ready go and then a gentle lift and lower without submerging. I find most babies by about the 5th week will start to prepare on their own for submerging. However some are not ready.
If you are not comfortable with bubs going under at any time tell the instructor. At no time should an instructor force you or bubs to do something you dont want.
The main aim is water familiarity and basic skills.
And if you or bubs are stressed or uncomfy it wont happen.

We sing lots of songs and nursery ryhmes and generally have a great time. I have taken all three of my children swimming and I find its a great bonding time.
Then again I love being in the water..
Oh and don't worry what you look like, no one cares..they are all busy having too much fun

[goddessofdawn]

Thanks everyone for the info. Am feeling a lot better about it now. Sounds like DD will love it.
I have been pouring water over her head in the bath so she is fine with water on her face. She splashes herself in the face pretty vigorously in the bath, and doesn't seem to notice.

[Jennie13]

How much are other peoples bub swimming lessons costing? Ours are $115 for 10 weeks, which I thort was pretty good!

How big are the classes normally?

[roses]

Our swimming lessons are $148 for 10 weeks. 30 min lessons and 7-8 per class. Worth the cost in my opinion. He loves it and sleeps like a log after.

[goddessofdawn]

Well our first lesson was today! Went pretty well, although not exactly as planned.... the class before ours was going on when we arrived. People from our class started arriving and got in the water, but I wasn't sure when DD should get in.
Then the first class started coming out of the pool via the stairs, and our class was starting but DH & DD hadn't gotten in yet, and the people getting out were blocking the entrance.... and the instructor started our class and talked about the first activity, which was about dunking bub under water.
DH wasn't listening of course, when the instructor said "If this is bub's first lesson or hasn't been under before, just dip their chin in". So they went around the circle and one by one the bubs went under.
I had a feeling DH hadn't heard about just dipping DD's chin in, so I went over and told him, but he didn't know what I was saying (but pretended he did!) He's so funny, he thinks I don't know what he's doing! Anyway, sure enough he put DD under water.....
But thankfully her mouth was closed and she must have been holding her breath, so she only looked a bit shocked but didn't cough or anything, and recovered immediately which was reassuring.
He put her under one other time during the class, and she spluttered a bit but recovered within a second or two.

After that when they came to where I was sitting, I made sure I told him not to do it again, and listen to the instructor about just putting the chin in!!
I wish I had spoken to DH beforehand... I forget that he doesn't think about things the way I do, especially when it comes to DD. It's not his fault - I'm her mother and I think about things a bit more.
Also would have been nice if the instructor had made sure DH had gotten there completely, so that he heard what she was saying. DH also doesn't like to 'make a fuss' so would just go along with things even if it wasn't in DD's best interest. Whereas I won't care, if it means DD is safe!

[Jennie13]

G-O-D glad that your lesson went okay!

We had her first lesson last Tuesday, lots of fun, no dunking yet, just tipping water over their heads and lots of singing slashing.

So lesson 2 is tomorrow, but I dont think im going to take DD shes been sick all weekend, took her to docs today, no chest or ear infection but a high temp. so she advised us not to go. Shame coz i didnt want to miss any

[trishalishous]

Im glad it went well, I think men dont worry as much and are 'she'll be right' about these sorts of things
We take DD to the pool/beach a fair bit, and I worry heaps more!