Swimming Progress

Baby M has come on leaps and bounds recently in his swimming.  We are so proud of him

When we first started the pool was cold and he would get very upset about having to go underwater and even half way through his class would become upset.  He was wearing a wetsuit too.

Since we moved to the new pool he has been improving slowly and building his confidence again.  Our instructor has been amazing and a great support to both us and Baby M. 

At our last class he seemed to improve so much.  He did 3 underwater swims with no crying.  Big grins from mummy and daddy.  He is holding onto the side himself.  His kicking is fantastic too, he's always kicking his little legs. 

The best thing though is now when we get into the pool he has a big grin on his face and starts splashing and laughing in the pool

We're so proud of our little water baby

Swimming Class - Intermediate 1 - week 3

This week I feel that we have made a breakthrough with swimming.  This week Baby M did and underwater swim and immediately recovered.  There was no crying through the lesson either.  Mummy and Daddy  were so proud!

This week we did a few new swims as well.  Usually we do kicking in the pool on our backs, this week with did back and front - Baby M enjoyed both. 

We were given a fish to throw around the pool and baby to swim after the fish.  Baby M loved this!! So much so that when he had to hand the fish back the bottom lip came out. 

We progressed Ring a Ring a Roses so that parent and baby went under at the same time.

Hopefully things will continue to progress, he's doing so well

Swimming classes - Intermediate 1 - weeks 1 and 2

We have now moved up to the Intermediate 1 class with Baby M and Water Babies

We've moved pools to a hydrotherapy pool.  Wow what a difference!!  As soon as we got into the pool Baby M was splashing - that's right splashing!! He's never done that before!

Week 1

In week 1 we learned a new way of swimming, rather than using the old method of having baby's chin resting on your hands they will now swim forward next to you with your hands under their armpits on the torso.  Baby M seemed to love this and was splashing his hands in the water.  We chased a spaceship around the pool too.  However he did a face plant into the water and got a little upset. 

We then did the first underwater swim, our lovely instructor held baby in front of us and we both went under water at the same time.  Baby M cried after this but was reassured, however remained grizzly.  We did the armchair swim which Baby M didn't like and also there was crying during his lying on his back swim.  I felt deflated.  I thought the new pool would be an improvement and he wouldn't get too upset.  We did the second underwater swim but he was too upset to do the third. 

Week 2

I went into week 2 a little worried we would have a repeat performance.  Lots of splashing when we got into the pool again.  We did our newly learned swim and again happy baby.  First underwater swim went really well, he had a cry when he surfaced but instantly reassured.  He held on for the first time each time we did it and loved the swimming on his back and kicking, he was laughing!  Great!!

We then tried a new song "ring a ring of roses", Baby M was fine until I went under the water, the bottom lip came out and then when he saw the other babies going under the water he started to cry.  We didn't do another underwater swim that lesson.  The armchair swim went well and every other part of the lesson he seemed to enjoy. 


He is making improvements and the new warmer pool is helping.  Hopefully his issues with underwater swims will resolve themselves - we've agreed to only do the last underwater swim for the next few classesso he can enjoy the rest of his class.

Swimming - class 9 - our last beginners class

I have mixed emotions about our beginners class coming to an end.

I am sad because the other mums in the class are starting beginners again at a new pool on the same day as the beginners class whereas we are moving onto the next class at a different pool on a different day.  The reason we decided to do that is after this next batch of lessons I will be going back to work so won't be able to go on a Tuesday anymore.  When we were told the current pool was no longer going to be used and we had options it made sense to pick a Saturday class now so we didn't have to change days again.

I won't be sad to see the back of the pool we have been using though, it's been so cold!!  Baby M is temperature sensitive and on days it's been very cold he just hasn't enjoyed his class.

Sadly the pool was very cold for our last lesson and Baby M just wouldn't settle.  He enjoyed his splish splash and some swimming but he was whimpering through most of the lesson

I am hoping when we go to the new pool he will enjoy it more as it is a thermal hydrotherapy pool and much warmer.

We start our new class next Saturday, I'm a little anxious but I'm sure he will be fine.  I just want him to enjoy his classes

Swimming class - week 8 our penultimate beginners class

This week was our penultimate beginners class.

I had been debating whether to take Baby M to his class as he has been so upset with his teeth, however last night he slept a little better so I thought we would go and see how we got on.

The pool was sooooo cold this week!! Even with his wetsuit on Baby M could tell the difference in the water temperature - I knew this wasn't going to be a good class.

We did our usually swimming and splish splashing however Baby M was grumpy throughout

We didn't do any of the underwater swims this week - due to the temperature of the pool and Baby M being grumpy with his teeth both myself and our instructor thought it would be best if he didn't do them

We did a new swim - mummy has a foam tube under her arms and wrapped round her back (it's called the armchair swim if that helps you visualise it better).  Baby lies on their back with their head under your chin and lying on your chest.  You then lie on your back and kick across the pool.  Saying none of us had done it before we all did a pretty good job!

Next week is our last beginners class, we then move up a class and to a new (warmer) pool

Swimming - class 7

This week swimming was back after a 2 week break for Easter

It's amazing how much can change in 2 weeks! Before the break Baby M had been thrown by the clocks going forward but now he is sleeping well through the night and had his bottle at a really good time.  We even managed a 20 minute nap before our class

It was great to see everyone after the break and everyone has grown!

It was like we'd never been on a break, the babies really enjoyed their class. 

We did our usual lesson plan and our underwater swims were unassisted.  Baby M did great but still seems to feel the cold. 

Our last underwater swim was brilliant as mum's we donned our goggles for the first time and as our instructor lowered baby into the water we went down too and could see them for the first time underwater.  It was really special!!

We have 2 weeks of class left (we started a week later than everyone else) and then we move to another pool.  I have really enjoyed the lessons but I can't wait to move to the other pool.  It's a hydrotherapy pool and the instructor says it's the warmest pool she teaches at.  The pool we currently go to is at a hotel and Baby M just doesn't like the cold water on his head.  He is so sensitive to temperature anyway - you can tell when he is too hot or cold as he proper cries. 

I loved going underwater with Baby M this week and look forward to doing it again

Swimming class - week 6

We are more than half way through our beginners swimming class

This week the clocks moving forward has totally thrown us, we had our pre-swimming routine down to a fine art, the clocks going forward totally messed that up.  Baby M didn't have his pre-swimming nap - I knew that would mean we'd probably be cranky.

Again another week where the class didn't disappoint.  We did all our normal routines, the babies are definitely getting used to them now and enjoying themselves.

This week our first underwater swim was like last week and we had to let baby go, touch the wall then pick them up. 

This week we did our second underwater moving swim where we let baby go.  I'm not sure if I put Baby M too deep or whether by this point (20mins) into the class he had had enough but he cried and continued to be a bit grumpy. 

Our instructor gave me a spaceship and I blew bubbles to see if this would distract him but I think he was just a little too tired.  He didn't do the 3rd underwater swim due to the fact we thought there was no point upsetting him further.  He did cheer up a little after that though and finished the class.

We now have a 2 week break for Easter.  We are going to keep doing Name, Ready, Go in the bath to keep that up whilst we have the break.  I'm hoping that by the time we go back to class we will have him in a better morning routine and we won't have the tiredness issue we had for this lesson.

Swimming class - week 5

This week we have decided our swimming future, we are moving pools and days but keeping the same instructor.  The pool we are moving to is a hydrotherapy pool and therefore much warmer than the pool we are currently using.  The 3 other mums are going to a new pool opening in June and staying on the same day but starting the class we are doing again.  I would have to change class anyway to a weekend (when our new class is) anyway when I go back to work so I thought it was silly going to the same class as everyone else then having to change again.

Our class this week was BRILLIANT!!!

Baby M enjoyed it for a start :).  Our instructor asked me to try wetting his head in preparation for going underwater as he appears to get a shock.  We tried this before our first underwater swim and it seemed to work - he still cried but quickly stopped after a hug.

Our first underwater swim I had to let go - I was petrified (as were the other mums!).  We have to do a normal underwater swim but let go, touch the wall then pick up baby.  Baby M was fine (of course) and even did a little kicking.

We then did the usual splish splash, humpty dumpty and space ships.

We then did our next underwater swim where we swam in a circle then baby did a moving underwater swim.  Again we wet Baby M's head prior to this, again he cried but was easily reassured with a hug when he surfaced.

More splish splash, lying on our back, etc.

The for our final underwater swim.  This time the instructor held baby and we had to let them swim a little then pick them up.  Baby M did so well, he had great kicking action and did his first proper unassisted underwater swim!! Even our instructor commented on his kicking.  **PROUD PARENT**

Again a cry but cuddles and he was fine.

We ended with twinkle twinkle again - I don't know why but Baby M doesn't like this.  As soon as I turned him on his front the crying stopped.  He was fine when we did the lying on our backs though.  Every week he cries at twinkle twinkle!!

I'm really looking forward to next week!!

Swimming Class - week 4

This weeks swimming lesson started with a bit of bad news - our classes are no longer going to continue at the pool we currently use.  To be honest after the lesson myself and the other mums discussed this and we all felt the same - let down.  We are a beginners class and it started 5 weeks ago (we started a week after everyone else) surely it was known when we booked the classes that the pool wasn't going to be used for much longer.  The other options aren't that great for me (or from discussion with the other mums for them either) we all felt a little let down that this hadn't been explained to us earlier.  We have some thinking to do!  And we have to think quick as the rebooking period has already started. 

The class was really good as always, our instructor is great!

We did our usual splish splash, underwater swims and humpty dumpty among other things.  We did start "hold on" this week.  We sat the babies on our knees and put their hands flat on the side of the pool and said in their ear "hold on" continually.  One of the babies even held on - great for his first time!

Baby M and another baby who are the youngest in the group didn't quite grasp it but there's lots of time for that. 

Baby M laughed again throughout the lesson.  The only times he cried was due to going underwater but a hug from mummy and he was fine - the instructor doesn't think there's anything wrong with his breathing as he cries as soon as he surfaces, she thinks he doesn't like the cold as he makes a shocked cry.  He is like his mum in that respect, I don't like cold either!

We are looking forward to next week's lesson but also having a think about our options for our swimming future

Swimming class - number 2 and 3

Baby M is loving his swimming classes.

Last week he attended his 2nd class.  He did his first underwater swim! There was no crying!! He did so well, we had proper proud parent moments!!

As baby was swimming we put a space ship between our arms and blew bubbles into the water.  Baby M thought this was hilarious, there were lots of smiles.    

We are practicing our Name, Ready Go's in the bath still every time, he now closes his eyes as he knows the water is coming - such a clever boy!!

This week was his 3rd class - again we did 2 underwater swims.  Baby M had his vaccinations the day before and was a little grumpy.  After the 2nd underwater swim he had a cry so we didn't do a 3rd with everyone else.

He really enjoyed the spaceship again, there were lots of giggles.  He also enjoyed sitting on the side of the pool for humpty dumpty and Name, Ready, Splash.  He's so nosey!!

I feel our swimming classes are going really well.  Although Baby M was a little grumpy today he had a reason - plus we all have bad days.

We're looking forward to next week already!!!

Water babies swimming - class 1

So we had our first swimming class with Water Babies. 

I was excited but a little apprehensive.

Our little man looked great in his wetsuit.

As we got into the water he was fine, yay!!

We started bouncing our babies around in the water, still looked like he was enjoying it!

We did our first swimming move, he really took to that well.

Next we did the Name, Ready, Go.  This is where you prepare baby for going underwater - you say their name, then ready, then go, then put water on their face.  Baby M DID NOT like this part.  He got very very very upset!!  It took a while to calm him down.  We got out of the water and he had some cuddles.  This calmed him down so we got back into the water. 

No crying - good sign!!

I kept him close for the next few parts of the class and he didn't seem to mind being in the water.  Towards the end of the class we did humpty dumpty where you sit baby on the edge of the pool then bring them into the water - I brought him in for a cuddle which he liked.  We then did some more of the swimming move and then ended the class on twinkle twinkle little star.

Apart from the water in the face part he didn't seem to mind the class.  I think I felt like the class hadn't been successful due to the length of time he was crying and that he had got so upset however afterwards talking to my mum she made me realise that 90% of the class had been successful. 

The instructor told us to practice Name, Ready, Go in the bath so that he gets used to having his face splashed. 

Will have to see how class 2 goes, I'm sure he will get used to it

Swimming Lessons booked

I really want Baby M to learn to swim but I also want him to have fun in the water.  I don't want him to grow up scared of the water.

He loves his baths, the loves kicking his legs and splashing so I think he would love swimming.

We had a look to see what was available in our area.  Our local pool does swimming lessons for babies under 18 months.  I then found out that there are water babies classes in our area.  I have heard great things about water babies online and would like to take Baby M to their classes. 

Yes I know it would be cheaper to take Baby M to the local pool but I think he will enjoy water babies.  The nearest class to us is at a hotel. 

Water babies are focused on making the experience the best it can be for you and baby.  They help build baby's confidence in the pool and it also helps bonding with mummy and baby. 

I phoned my local office who had been really helpful with my inquiry via email and booked the class.  We were informed that they have a double nappy system.  This means that baby must wear a swimming nappy with a neoprene nappy over the top.  Water babies provide a neoprene nappy for £9.99 which I didn't think was too unreasonable since you will get use from this.  Due to our lessons being in a hotel the water temperature is good but the air temperature can be cool.  For this reason baby must wear a warming wetsuit.  Again one is provided by water babies for £23.  Our local office didn't have Baby M's size so I ordered one from their website.  I ordered it in the afternoon and it arrived the next morning - quick!!!

I can't wait for Baby M to start his swimming classes and I think he will love them.  I'm glad we have chosen Water Babies

Disclaimer:  This post contains my own views.  I have not discussed this post with Water Babies and neither have I been offered any incentive to write this post