Diving for babies and children: a safe and rewarding activity from the first year of life Diving is one of the most fun and rewarding sports activities that can be started from infancy. Water is a natural and healthy environment for young children and diving offers many physiological, psychological and social benefits. However, before starting the process, it is important to understand how to start getting used to the water correctly and safely so that the first steps of diving are safe.
Getting babies used to water at home. Where to start?
The initial goal is to create a positive emotional experience so that the baby feels safe and comfortable in the water. One of the first steps is to create an environment where the baby is not over-stimulated:
- It is important to take into account the ambient and water temperature, which should be mild and comfortable. The water should be neither too hot nor too cold to cause adverse reactions, and the difference between water and ambient temperatures should be as small as possible.
- Depending on where the child will be bathed – whether in a bath or a small tub – it is worth considering the amount of water. A little less water is better than more, as it makes it easier to control the child’s movements. You can also use a towel to help stabilise the baby’s position and reduce slippery surfaces.
- If you bathe your baby in the bath, you can give him an extra sense of security and comfort by climbing into the bath together.
- Water can provoke spontaneous (reflex) movements in the baby, so to avoid this – use a cloth that will make the baby feel much safer and more comfortable.
- When bathing, pay attention to the position of the baby’s head and its movements so that it does not get wet when turned sideways.
- Lighting also has a big impact on a child’s bathing experience. Babies often feel better at dusk, where the light is not direct and intense.
- If bathing in the evenings is not very successful, move it to the first half of the day, when the child is rested and alert.
Individual baby carriage with a specialist
Once your baby is familiar with bathing at home, you can move on to the next stage – individual bathing with a physiotherapist. One-to-one work with your baby in the water is a unique activity that not only provides exercise, but also builds trust. Hydrotherapy uses patented AquaSensory and Laurie Lawrence techniques and principles of conscious buoyancy and diving, without the use of aids such as neck rings or sleeves. Each baby receives individual attention and natural interest in water is emphasised.
We recommend that you come for individual baby carriage around the second month of life, but no later than 4-5 months, as babies start to react to their environment and strangers from the 5th month. And a child cannot practise such a complex process – diving – if he or she does not trust someone.
Diving
Diving as a physical and emotional activity for babies and children can have a significant impact on their overall development, but it is important to pay attention to the individual needs and developmental stages of each child. Although diving is most commonly associated with older children and adults, as it requires complex skills such as the ability to breathe underwater, coordinate submersion and resurfacing, it is also a rewarding process for babies, provided it is adapted to their age and development. The development of independence in water and on land is closely linked to a child’s ability to feel comfortable and secure in both environments. Children who acquire diving skills in the water often feel safer and more adventurous on land. In this way, diving becomes not only a physical activity, but also an important component of emotional and psychological development, contributing to a child’s ability to successfully adapt and cope with different life situations.
