Babyswim Secrets

5 Ways to Increase your baby's water awareness...

1. Introduce your baby to the water in a safe and controlled environment, such as a baby pool or bathtub.

2. Show your baby how to blow bubbles in the water to help them get comfortable with the feeling of water on their face.

3. Hold your baby in your arms and slowly lower them into the water, letting them become accustomed to the sensation of water over the ears and body. Introduce both tummy time and back floats during bathtime.

4. Once your baby is comfortable with being in the water, try gently splashing and playing with them to help them develop a sense of enjoyment and fun in the water.

5. As your baby gets older, you can encourage them to kick their legs and move their arms to develop their swimming skills. Always supervise your baby closely and never leave them unattended near water.

If you want to find out more visit babyswimsecrets.com and we will send you some information on how to reach your baby's breath control.

Enjoy the process!

With my mummy..
In a warm pool..
Lying on my back..
Feet up..

Toughest Friday yet.

☘️

Love this photo.

Here Im introducing two skills at once.

Shallow water play + building on breath control.

🐳

A Note.

Dr. Masaru Emoto, the Japanese scientist who revolutionized the idea that our thoughts and intentions impact the physical realm, is one of the most important water researchers the world has known.

For over 20 years until he passed away in 2014, he studied the scientific evidence of how the molecular structure in water transforms when it is exposed to human words, thoughts, sounds and intentions.

There are now many scientists diving deeper into what’s possible with the energy of water.

We think we know the benefits of introducing Water Play in a child's life.

I guarantee the best is yet to come.

The final stage of your child's first year of learning to swim.

As children start to become more independent this translates to the type of skills we can now introduce between 8 and 12 months of age.

Above all else we continue to create a positive environment for our children to learn and grow with confidence.

If you would like to find out more about baby swimming and download resources to help you get the most from your pool visits, please head to www.babyswimsecrets.com to find out more.

Stage 2: The 'Big' Introduction

By 4 months we introduce baby to the big pool! When babies develop good neck control it enables the parent to focus on various skills from introducing submersions to learning how to transition to free-floating.

Babyswim Secrets to committed to keeping the process as simple as possible for parents. When you don't overthink it, it allows you to be there for your baby and enjoy every moment.

This is what continues to motivate me to learn, adapt and continue to find better ways to keep our children safe around water.

Image Courtesy of Royal Life Saving

What are the benefits of starting at 4 months old?

Let’s face it, little children are not going to swim laps from four months, but there are still many benefits for starting at this age.

- Bonding between parent and child
- Stimulation and early learning in the water
- Early understanding of water dangers, and their own abilities in the environment
- Engagement in group social interaction with other children
- Learning a lifelong skill which could one day save their life

A recent four-year study by Griffith University on the Gold Coast shows that young children (under 5) who participate in swimming demonstrate more advanced cognitive and physical abilities than other children.

The study showed that children were from 6-15 months ahead of the normal population when it came to cognitive skills, problem solving in mathematics, counting, language and following instructions.

Never to early or late to start.

Spoke with a lady last week who was enquiring about swimming lessons for her 6-month-old baby.

She was currently and enrolled at another local swim school but wanted to enquire elsewhere after a bad experience.

Her words exactly...

''....I was curious about trying another swim school because the teacher kept putting my daughter underwater during the lesson and she would come up coughing.

She said don't worry - eventually, they will just learn to hold their breath''

After two weeks she cancelled the lessons. That was after the baby had returned home after her lesson and vomited twice all over the floor.

I can't even start to explain how upset this makes me.

Let me explain something for everyone reading this post.

Swim Schools (and swim teachers) are not bound by any regulation on how swimming lessons should be conducted.

> If you are unsure about a process that you think may be causing harm to your baby - stop immediately -.

> If you are unsure about the direction you are receiving on the HOW's and WHY's a certain skill is being performed then my advice would be to find someone who does know.

Sometimes it's just swimming lessons.

Every time it's necessary if we want to continue to keep our children safe around water.

The Importance of Teaching Breath Control

'Conditioning' is a common term used when teaching babies breath control.

The process is simple but very effective. We use a certain verbal trigger followed by an action. If the process is constant and rhymical the baby will start to react to the 'verbal trigger' and anticipate the action. Every child is different but to see a positive response usually takes between 1.5/2 weeks.

By following this method we can confidently prepare the babies for their first underwater experience.

Steps for Conditioning:

1. Sit baby upright
2. Get a cup of water
3. Use the trigger words “(Childs Name), Ready Go”
4. Pause, then pour the water on top of the forehead
5. Allow the water to run evenly and quickly over the babies face
6. Congratulate on a job well done