The Benefits of Baby Swimming by Puddle Ducks The Benefits of Baby Swimming by Puddle Ducks As our friends at Puddle Ducks explain below, swimming is one of the most amazing experiences you can share with your baby! Babies have a real affinity with water (they spend nine months in the womb, after all!) and can be taken swimming from birth - you don’t need to wait until they have had their injections. Very young babies love the freedom, massage and gentle exercise that the water offers. The benefits to both parent and baby of swimming together are immense: - plenty of eye contact; - plenty of skin contact – it’s a wonderful way to bond with your baby; - helping you and your baby feel relaxed and confident in the water; - makes swimming a fun and socially stimulating activity (for both you and your baby!); - even parents who can’t swim can enjoy relaxing in the water with their baby. Baby swimming is an entirely safe and gentle activity but coming to classes often provides a parent with the necessary support to enable them to relax and enjoy the experience. There are further benefits too, especially if you join a fun, progressive class like those run by Puddle Ducks: - Only in the water, can a baby move freely and develop actions they wouldn’t otherwise be able to in their first year of life. This gives “swimming babies” the opportunity to develop crucial higher brain functions, core muscle development and co-ordination far earlier than they would otherwise be able to. - Even though gentle, baby swimming classes provide a complete physical work-out: strengthening your baby's heart, lungs and respiratory system, which again aids development of the brain. - Regular swimming often improves eating and sleeping patterns. - Learning to respond to key words (within a few months) can make your baby sharper mentally, increasing levels of awareness and understanding as well as improve communication between you. - Encouraging a baby to take regular exercise from such a young age is also an extremely healthy routine to instil which may prevent childhood lethargy. Most importantly of all, baby swimming should instil a love of water for the rest of your child’s life. There are many things to consider when taking a baby swimming for the first time but don’t be put off by the logistics! Here are a few hints and tips: - choose a clean and well-managed pool, ideally heated to over 30°C; - in a warm pool, your baby just needs to wear a disposable swim nappy (or a wrap and liners) with a neoprene swim-nappy over the top; - when your baby gets out of the water they will probably be cold, tired and hungry(!) so bring a hooded bath towel for them to the poolside, have a small toy to distract them in the changing room and milk or a healthy snack for when you get outside; - bring a changing mat (or extra towel); - finally, don’t forget to bring your own swimming costume/trunks and towel!
To find out more about Puddle Ducks West Kent & East Sussex visit www.puddleducks.com/local-teams/west-kent-east-sussex @PuddleDucksWKES westkentandeastsussex@puddleducks.com 01892 617246
10
www.thefamilygrapevine.co.uk/west-kent www.thefamilygrapevine.co.uk/west-kent
