Take your baby to the pool. We often hear that paddling babies is a very important experience, stimulating their physical and emotional development and boosting their immunity. What does it look like in practice? Are all the claims we’ve heard about newborn babies and their ability to swim true? An excellent interview answering questions.
As soon as we start talking about babies in the pool, it’s obvious to everyone: we’re teaching them to swim! What is the reality, is it true that from the first months of the swimming pool will your baby learn to swim very quickly?
Not quite true! Parents are often misled by the fact that babies have an innate swimming reflex, which, if maintained and developed, will not simply “forget” how to swim. Unfortunately, reflexes are not developed, so the swimming reflex is bound to disappear as the baby grows. It is true that while this reflex is strong, the baby can be taught other things that will come in handy later on when learning
swimming – for example, consciously holding his breath – will also be useful to stimulate his interest in water. It is important to understand that babies do not swim the way we imagine swimming. The baby will neither dive nor swim on its own. So it can float in water, stay afloat and hold its breath underwater. We have some very nice examples of babies who regularly visit the pool at 6 months of age and can float without any support. A child can learn to swim consciously when he or she is a little older. Our 2-3 year old “dolphins” swim across the entire pool and pick up the rings from the bottom of the pool when they are submerged! Unfortunately, it is often the parents’ belief in the power of that swimming reflex that leads to babies being dunked unprepared and unsuitable. Not surprisingly, this practice often gives rise to a fear of water.
How many times a week do you think it is appropriate to go to the pool with your baby?
The standard answer to this question is once a week, but looking deeper it all depends on the purpose of the pool and the parents’ expectations. If the pool is used for physiotherapy and treatment purposes (for developmental delays or specific diagnoses), it may be used more often, depending on the disorder and the doctor’s recommendations.
Meanwhile, if you are looking for results in the pool, if you want your baby to be able to float and dive as soon as possible, visit as often as possible, at least 2 times a week, as the number of visits will determine the result. If the pool is just a great leisure and entertainment activity for you and your baby, if you are interested in general body strengthening, prevention and hardening – set an intensity that is suitable for you and that you want.
Who’s a better helper for your baby in the pool – mum, dad or… a physiotherapist?
The bond between mum or dad and the child is strengthened when the baby is in the pool. After all, sailing is a time for two, when you learn to understand each other better. For example, parents may still have other things on their minds when doing blocks with their child, but in the pool they have to focus all their time and attention on the little one. Through touch and eye contact, parents convey a wealth of information to the baby. But floating with a physiotherapist is also a very valuable experience for your baby. This is a practice that has recently become particularly popular. During this time, Mum or Dad can get involved by observing and actively participating in the process: by talking to the child, encouraging him, maintaining eye contact, and enjoying his achievements. On the other hand, while the baby is being carried by an experienced professional, mothers can enjoy half an hour of “hands-free” relaxation – a coffee or a film of their baby.
When is the best time to start going to the pool with your baby?
Swimming in the pool is possible from the first weeks of a baby’s life, but only if the ‘homework’ is done and the baby is prepared for the larger water area – at home, in cooler water of 34-35 degrees Celsius, with the baby safely restrained
bathing is allowed. It is important to understand that the first few times in the pool will last 10-15 minutes, the slow and careful movements will be more like getting used to the water, and you can even avoid wetting your baby’s head to avoid scaring him/her, if he/she is stressed and not ready for it. It is also recommended that the first rafting sessions are carried out by professionals, as it really takes skilled hands to hold a newborn safely in the water.
Mothers often fear that swimming pool water is unhygienic for babies: after all, they suck it into their mouths, and sometimes even special nappies leak some of their contents into the water. Would you please dispel the following doubts?
There are no specific requirements for baby pools under the current hygiene standards, but in practice, baby pools are maintained at a minimum level of chlorine, which does deal with all the “bad” stuff in the water. Hygiene
I might raise the issue in community pools, where there will either be high chlorine levels or a risk of dirty water. Specialised baby pools are designed for this purpose – lower customer traffic, more responsible visitors. After all, these pools are only used by families with babies and pregnant women. For example, our pool does not use chemical chlorine; we use a special electrolysis chamber that produces chlorine from salts in the water.
For a toddler, the pool is a workout, exercise and play. And what have you noticed in your own practice about how the pool affects mothers? Is it more of a hassle for them, or are there physical, emotional and psychological benefits?
As I say, there are two types of clients in our work – babies and mums. With babies it’s very simple, they mostly enjoy water. If they don’t like something, they let you know by crying. Then it’s just a matter of understanding what’s wrong, responding to his needs and there’s a smile again! It’s more interesting with mums. The pool for baby and mother doesn’t start when they get in the water – it’s all about the overall emotion: whether the mother likes the water herself, whether she’s willing to go swimming with her baby, whether it’s a relaxing and enjoyable experience, or whether it’s just a duty, a chore and a chore. Physically, it’s an extra strain on mums, just like any activity with a baby. Bringing the baby to the pool at the agreed time (as if they’re going to fall asleep at the wrong time) is stressful, and changing the baby before and after the pool is also a separate job. But we mothers do it all the time. It’s much more important how we feel at the time and the emotional experience we get.
And here’s a situation that terrifies all parents: they bring their child to the swimming pool and instead of relaxing, he cries incessantly. What to do?
We see that parents get stressed if the baby cries and does not want to be in the water. There is no need to be afraid of it – crying is baby talk. It is better to try to understand what does not suit him.
– First of all, let’s make sure your baby’s physical needs are met – eating, sleeping and not being disturbed by teething.
– Arrive at the pool on time and get ready calmly, letting your baby settle in.
– If your baby is sensitive, talk to a physiotherapist about it – you can turn down the lights in the room, turn down the music, or just let your baby get used to the water.
– If the baby still cries despite all efforts, we suggest in our centre not to continue with the transfer. After all, bathing should be done with a smile. However, we always discuss with the parents how much they can let the child get angry but still try to continue the activity.
What do you think about floatation aids in the pool – are they more of a benefit or a detriment? Maybe they are worth using at home?
There is a wide range of expert opinion when it comes to assistive devices, i.e. wheels, inflatable rafts, life jackets, etc. We have done a lot of research on the subject, looking for answers in other countries’ baby pool practices, and the decision we took two years ago not to use any aids has worked very well for us. First of all, these aids, and especially the neck wheels, are dangerous to health,
high risk of injury. Inflatable flippers or vests reduce parental vigilance, but do not guarantee that the baby will not drown. For these reasons, we strongly advise against their use in the home. Another very important point for us is that all the aids only hinder babies from learning to float naturally, and to know the water and their bodies correctly (in the water, the baby has to be horizontal). Unfortunately, most of the aids like
only prevents all the swimming results that babies and children want!