Waterbaby – first baby swimming experiences

I always thought N quite liked the bath as he seems to zone out, however now I’m not so sure as he never really smiles, laughs and simply refuses to splash.  But he’s the same in the swimming pool (we’ve been twice so far).

Swimming with a baby is a bit of a faff. 

Working out whether to change yourself or him first, holding the baby at the same time as trying to stuff all belongings into the tiny lockers, locking them and then doing up the locker key round the wrist one handed. 

Do you take a towel with you to the side of the pool or not (I don’t as we like to go through the shower afterwards which means nowhere to put the towel). Then the same on the way out – getting everything out the lockers, keeping it dry, who to get dressed first etc etc. I’ve still not got it quite right so it’s a bit hit & miss each time so far. 

It’s also really expensive to take them swimming – babies are obviously free, but at £3.50 for the adult, when you may only be in the pool 20 minutes, plus parking (which bizarrely is the most expensive parking in the town) it’s a really expensive 20 minutes experience.

However, it’s good fun even if your little one is a bit blase about the whole thing. 

N has a ‘happy nappy‘ (a neoprene swimshort which goes over the normal disposable swim nappy to ensure double safety in case of accidents), and a neoprene wetsuit/wrap to help keep him warm and provide me with something to help hold on to. 

He loves to be held vertically and bobbed up and down; quite likes being on his front in superman hold and being moved forward like that (as long as his chin doesn’t drop which is a bit of a spluttering surprise).  But he’s not keen being moved on his back which is obviously how he is in the bath too…I think he doesn’t like not being able to see everything.

He’s fine when he’s dunked too – I just hold him upright, say 1, 2, 3 and dunk him.  He comes up fine, no spluttering or coughing, just a bit of a blink and he’s fine.

We start his Waterbabies course this week.  Am really looking forward to it, as I want to get him excited about swimming and want to see him splash about which he doesn’t do now.  It’ll be great to see him progress, and give me some ideas of how to encourage him to swim. Obviously we won’t be able to continue after I go back to work, but will give him a start point. 

Once this course is over and he’s a bit older, hopefully I’ll book him on the class at a nearby pool that his cousins go to – much cheaper, I just hope the classes are at a time I can make once I’ve gone back to work.

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