Should I take newborn swimming?

fernliebee

never_enough wrote: »

My friends all take their babies swimming from an early age. I think after some jabs at 6 or 8 weeks? Can't say I've noticed any of them talking about ear infections. The babies love it too, even when they're just bobbing around. My godson can swim, he's fearless in water & not even 2 yet which is brill, but slightly scarey to watch too! :eek:

not picking on your post, it's a very common assumption but it's a bit of a myth about waiting for their jabs, although still many swimming pool's use this as a guideline. Apparently going swimming poses much less risk of infection than going to the supermarket or other crowded places, due to the chlorine. Although my main concern with taking DD so young was the chlorine on her skin. However when they are so tiny they get cold in about 5-10 mins and then I would rinse her skin off straight away under the shower, then use water and cotton wool on her face, and she never got a rash or had a reaction.

pandora205

I took my three as soon as they were allowed (after immunisations at a few weeks) and never had problems with ear infections. They used to love splashing in the water and floating, and we made sure they got used to having water all over their faces and going under water. We attended parent and toddler sessions from about a year onwards and had a great time playing games in the water. They could all swim by two and a half.

I think the earlier they experience swimming pools and water play, the more naturally they take to it.

Js_Other_Half

DS has been swimming since he was 14 weeks, accessing specialist baby swimming classes. He's had one ear infection in that time.

No needs for jabs before swimming now:
http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1035.aspx?CategoryID=62&SubCategoryID=63

never_enough

fernliebee wrote: »

not picking on your post, it's a very common assumption but it's a bit of a myth about waiting for their jabs, although still many swimming pool's use this as a guideline. Apparently going swimming poses much less risk of infection than going to the supermarket or other crowded places, due to the chlorine. Although my main concern with taking DD so young was the chlorine on her skin. However when they are so tiny they get cold in about 5-10 mins and then I would rinse her skin off straight away under the shower, then use water and cotton wool on her face, and she never got a rash or had a reaction.

No offence taken fernliebee!
I don't have children myself, so only go by what my friends tell me or I overhear from discussions. I sometimes get that wrong too if I wasn't concentrating...

smeged

Yes, yes ,yes, take your little one swimming, we took ours very young and he is a natural swimmer, took him every week, just to get him used to the water, splashed his face a couple times, dunked his head under the water a few time. They become very confident quickly, unlike myself, wish my parents took me when I was young. He suffered with Glue ear for many years nothing to do with infections from the pool but water getting in the ear and not coming back out I would agonise over whether to or not but giving him the choice he would go swimming and take the risk of a painful ear, he's like a fish now and I'm soo gutted I can't have the same amount of fun he has.

fernliebee

never_enough wrote: »

No offence taken fernliebee!
I don't have children myself, so only go by what my friends tell me or I overhear from discussions. I sometimes get that wrong too if I wasn't concentrating...

No it's not you getting it wrong, many health visitors still tell people this as they are not up to date with latest advice! I always assumed it was the case, however on the form I received explaining all the jabs and how they worked it mentioned a change in the guidelines.

shirlgirl2004

Another person in favour of early swimming. Both my DDs aged 4 and 2 can swim. The 4 year old was about 3 months when she first had "lessons" and the 2 year old was 13 months. TBH the younger has even less fear (didn't think it possible!) than the older one. Mine do have a shower every day though. DD2 could sit unaided from 4 months so would join us (DD1 and me) in the shower so was used to being splashed. In fact DD2 is being allowed to leave the parent and child classes early because she is just so amazingly confident in the water and she has very good water safety sense. Safety is the major advantage for going to good lessons. It is amazing how many parents don't use the basic safety rules with their children.
Children should always;
Walk don't run.
Put toes over the edge of the pool before jumping in.
Only get in or out when told to do so.
Swim back to the side as soon as they've jumped in.
Hold on to the side unless told they can let go.

and for the parents

If you have a young baby and want to have ago at underwater swimming then the baby must go under at LEAST 6 inches for the dive relflex to kick in.

The dive reflex is lost between 6 and 12 months but obviously IF you want to do this with your child it is better to do it supervised so you can be told if you are doing it wrong. I've probably forgotten loads but if you book up for a short course of lessons they'll probably get you on your way.

Nikabella

Our DD goes to Waterbabies where they learn to swim underwater from as early as 6 weeks and at 2.5 years old she can now swim half the width of the pool on her own (without arm bands etc - she has never used these).

DD suffers terribly with ear infections - she's had about 12 in the last 18 months. However, I don't believe these are caused by the swimming (or not any more than just showering/bathing) as during the Waterbabies 6 week summer holiday last year - when we didn't manage to get to the local pool with her - she had 2 lots of ear infections!

I don't believe I was taken swimming much as a toddler, however, like DD I suffered continual ear infections until an op at 5 years old. We feel the benefits of taking DD swimming far out weight the risks of ear infections.

A.x

mazza111

If you have one of those children who are prone to ear infections, then i'm afraid swimming can make it worse, as can underwater in the bath. Although, if they are prone to it they are going to get it anyway, if u see what i mean, and learning to swim can never be a bad thing can it?

I was lucky with my first, she loved the water, unfortunately she was prone to ear infections, so limited her time in the water, she grew out of it eventually, but still gets the occasional ear infection, usually when she's been swimming. The 2nd one hated the water from day 1, couldn't encourage him to take swimming lessons, eventually he taught himself, with the help of us at the age of 12, now there's no stopping him. Just wish he had the confidence to have done it at an earlier age.