Friday 25 October 2013

2 years of swimming lessons and look at him now! Ultimate Blog Challenge #16

I was looking back at old pictures today and came across a few of Hayden swimming when he was teeny tiny! 

We started Hayden at swimming when he was just 10 weeks old!! I had heard that getting the used to the water as early as possible was best to get them used to being in such a large body of water and getting them used to being submerged. Newborns have an automatic gag reflex which, on submersion, is triggered and stops water entering the lungs. This gag reflex disappears at about 6 months old so it is best to get your baby used to the water before this time.  

Excuse the terrible phone pictures (and me looking very tired, he wasnt the best of sleepers!) but here he is at his 1st ever lesson at 10 weeks old!! 




And here he is with daddy at 4 months old


And a little video of his underwater swimming - 
the command we use for everything is Hayden, Ready, GO!


2 years later, Hayden can swim so well with just a little floatation device under his arms (arm bands are not used) - he kicks and flaps his arms and still absolutely loves it! 

Here he is now 2 years later! 




I do my swimming with Caroline who runs Turtle Tots Dorset and she is fantastic! She is great with the children, the lessons are fun but really well structured. I have some information from Caroline's Facebook page about the benefits of swimming for your babies: 


Swimming with your little ones is probably one of the best, if not THE best activity you can do with them. You don't have to be an amazing swimmer but introducing your baby/toddler to the water at an early age is so beneficial to them (and you). Here are a few of the benefits they will gain from swimming: 


PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT - Babies can move independently and freely without any restrictions of gravity in the water, learning balance and coordination by using muscles they never would on land! 


BRAIN DEVELOPMENT - By stimulating senses outside of the normal every day experiences, the word association, independence and physical awareness will all encourage brain development.

BONDING - Swimming with your baby is a very intimate activity with no other distractions from our hectic lives. Mothers suffering PND find the bonding time and exercise beneficial to them also. The bond you have grow stronger by the fun you have together in the water. 

HEALTH BENEFITS- Strengthens heart, lungs and muscle development. Is fantastic to get baby used to regular exercising. 1 in four 4/5 years olds are classed as overweight for their age which is a scary statistic. 

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT- word association & repetition is used throughout the classes for a range of different moves, babies very early on know what the words mean which of course is also great for brain stimulation/development. 

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT- interacting with other babies, learning to wait their turn & praise the efforts of others helps encourages their social skills. A fantastic way to make friends. I have seen many new friendships form in my baby swimming groups. 

IMPROVED EATING AND SLEEPING PATTERNS - Swimming is a great form of exercise, the classes are very stimulating in many ways and promotes a good sleep, usually after a good feed. 

A SKILL FOR LIFE - Teaching your baby a skill which they will benefit from for life. Water confidence and respect are invaluable and babies are taught life saving skills right from their very first class. 

Bringing your baby swimming once a week to a structured class is fantastic for parent and child, taking them swimming outside of the lessons as a family where possible is also fantastic bonding and fun time for all and of course a chance for you to show off your skills in the pool! 

I am sure my clients would agree that their child's confidence in the water has amazed them as they have progressed through the course. 

For more information on our classes please get in touch. 01202 802670.


He has always been my little water baby....here he is the day he was born, in the water :) 


19 comments:

  1. I agree. Our son is a water baby from birth and it is hard to keep him dry. Great post.

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  2. This is fantastic! I live in Florida, and there have been many children who have drowned because they've gotten into water accidentally and couldn't swim. So heartbreaking. I'm glad you started him early!

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  3. What fabulous memories and pictures. I learnt to swim very young and it was always a valuable skill in my eyes.

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  4. Delightful. Thanks for sharing and especially including all the many benefits to swimming at an early age!

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  5. i had no idea about the development that a child can have from swimming.. my kids also have been swimming from a very young age.

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  6. Swimming is a fantastic activity for children and adults. We had my son in the pool at 6mos. I can't say he enjoyed it then as it was for therapeutic purposes but now he is a little fish.

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  7. I wish I had learned to swim at a very young age. I didn't take swimming lessons till I was 8 or 9.

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  8. Back in my day, there were not swimming lessons. Great they have them now.

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  9. My son loves the water and became a very good swimmer so young since he was introduced so early.

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  10. Thanks for sharing this story. I'm always fascinated by water births. Looks so scary to me. I'm sure they're not! :-)

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  11. one of my regrets is not getting my son in the water till he was about 4 =( He loves the water.

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  12. The enjoyment kids get from being comfortable around water is immense. My kids all loved the water and going to the local pool and beach.

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  13. I just put my five yr old in lesson last summer. She has become such a water baby wish I did it sooner. Dawn Delgatto

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  14. Teaching them skills like this at a young age is going to help him though out his whole life! It is great to see how much love you provide to your little water baby! lol

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  15. I have been doing this with my baby boy too. It helps ease the mind that if ever he was to fall into a pool he would know what to do.

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  16. We were going to have our first born underwater with midwives but it didn't work out so we had him at home.

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  17. Swimming is truly great for babies, kids, and toddlers, great job!

    http://phyliciamarie.com/post/60650687212/too-cool-for-school

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  18. It's nice to get them started young for them to develop muscle memory at an early age.

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