Kate Freud meets the founder of the organic baby food brand to talk ingredients and sustainability MAKE A SPLASH Sarah Dawson reveals what you need to ace that fi rst trip to the swimming pool with your newborn

Sarah Dawson OUTLINES EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO ACE THAT FIRST POOL TRIP WITH YOUR NEWBORN SPLASH Make a

Ythe thumbs up. Swimming is so important for a baby’s emotional development, too. “It’s the only time your baby can feel truly independent,” says Ali. Signing up to baby swimming lessons gives your little one’s brain a workout, as they learn to respond to certain key words and thrive on the repetition. Not to mention meeting their fellow bathers “Classes are a fun and socially stimulating activity for both parents and babies,” Ali explains.

As well as all of this, swimming classes are a great way to bond with your baby through all that skin-to-skin and eye contact. “The bonding experience is second-to-none,” says Ali. “It’s a time for you and your baby to relax together, plus it helps your baby build confidence in the water, and you, too, if you lack water-confidence.” It’s a fun way to give your baby some undivided attention, plus it’s great for your fitness (not to mention providing a bit of structure and sanity to those hazy newborn weeks), is something both parents can get involved with and can even help improve baby’s eating and sleeping patterns – music to our sleep-deprived ears! Classes are the perfect way to start a habit that will hopefully last a lifetime. “Encouraging a baby to take regular exercise, such as swimming, will make it easier to establish a healthy lifestyle in the future,” Ali explains, plus, what could be more important than teaching them a potentially life-saving skill?

One thing to keep in mind when introducing your baby to swimming, is how spending time in the pool can a‡ect their super-soft, delicate skin. “Chemicals used to disinfect swimming pools are known to dry out skin,” explains Dr Stefanie Williams, Dermatologist and Aveeno Baby expert, “but if you take the correct precautions before and after time in the water, baby skin can be protected. Wet skin is less absorbent that dry skin, so by rinsing your baby in non-chlorinated water (or at least less chlorinated) before getting into the pool, you can reduce the amount of pool water absorbed by your baby’s skin. I’d also recommend washing away the chlorine straight after you’ve taken your baby swimming, using a moisturising wash like the Aveeno Baby Dermexa Wash.”

If your little one has eczema, it pays to be extra careful when taking them swimming, as the pool water can irritate baby’s skin further. “In this case, I’d recommend applying a lipidrich barrier cream all over your baby, such as Aveeno Baby Dermexa Emollient Balm, before they get in the water,” suggests Dr Williams. “It’s also worth speaking to the leisure centre to find out what time they add more chlorine to their pool, so you can avoid swimming directly after this, and ask what the temperature of the pool is too. The warmer the water the more likely skin will dry out – especially eczema-prone baby skin. Finally, be mindful of how long your baby is spending in the water – a newborn should start with just 10 minutes in the pool, building up to 20, then 30 minutes max, until they’re over a year old.” It goes without saying that any outing with a small baby can be a little daunting – throw in the prospect of wrangling them out of wet costumes and swim nappies, while desperately trying to keep your towel firmly wrapped our first time in the pool with your baby is a moment you’ll never forget. There’s something magical about a baby in water – born with the natural reflex to move their arms and legs when supported in the water, as well as hold their breath and open their eyes underwater, babies really are natural swimmers.

There are no rules as to when you can take your baby swimming for the first time – the NHS advises you don’t need to wait until after their immunisations – so it’s up to you when you feel ready to take the plunge. Get baby used to the water at bathtime, with plenty of splashing. It can be handy to play with bath toys and sing songs while they bathe, then use these as reassuring prompts when you’re in the pool for the first time. Just make sure the pool water is warm enough – 30°C for a baby older than 12 weeks or heavier than 12lb, and 32°C if they’re younger or smaller.

The first year of life is crucial to your baby’s development, and swimming has an impressive number of benefits. Ali Beckman, technical director and head teacher at Puddle Ducks, explains, “Swimming is a truly amazing activity, facilitating development of higher brain functions, core muscles and coordination. In fact, swimming gives your baby the opportunity to develop all of these skills earlier than their non-swimming peers.” Studies have shown that, on the whole, babies who swim have much better balance out of the pool than those who don’t. Swimming is the only opportunity babies have to move freely, plus all that grasping for the colourful swimming toys is great for their early motorskills development.

It’s not just the physical benefits that get INSTILLING A LOVE OF WATER AT AN EARLY AGE IS SOMETHING YOU’LL NEVER REGRET

POOL YOUR RESOURCES Ready to start swimming with baby? Here are the water-ready essentials ...

Surf suit £26, muddypuddles.com

Babies who swim have better balance on land than little ones who haven’t taken the plunge

around you, and it’s understandable that a lot of first-time parents can be nervous about the first trip to the pool. As a mum who’s been there, done that (and dropped the towel far too many times than I’d like to remember), it pays to be prepared. The first rule of baby swimming? Double up! Always dress them in a swim nappy, with a Happy Nappy (a pullon, neoprene nappy with snug fabric bands around the thighs and tummy) on top, to keep any accidents out of the pool. A lot of public swimming pools and classes insist on this. Have a soft, hooded towel on the sidelines to wrap your baby up as soon as you leave the water, then make sure you have a clean nappy and change of clothes laid out ready to get them

Cotton hooded towel £22.95, snuz.com

3 in 1 Swim £3, childsfarm.com

Happy Nappy £10.99, splashabout.com

dressed as quickly as you can. This is not the time to be frantically scrabbling around inside the change bag searching for that ever-elusive matching baby sock!

Another thing to bear in mind is that swimming works up a serious appetite, so try to find a quiet spot to give them a quick feed or bottle before heading home. And if they cry? Don’t stress. All the other parents are in exactly the same boat as you, so just relax and know that no one is judging.

Whether you opt for some solo swimming with your baby or decide to sign up to classes, instilling a love of water at an early age is something you’ll never regret. Time to dig out the swimming costume... Pop-in Change & Go mat £19.99, closeparent.com

Aveeno Baby moisturising wash £9.99, boots.com Organic Babies by Green People body wash and shampoo £8.50, greenpeople.com Trainer seat (three to 12 months) £20, zoggs.com

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