Forum home Babies Baby

Taking baby swimming/waterbabies info?

Megan is 5 weeks old on Thursday (where does time go?) and as of last week started to enjoy bathtime - i cant wait to take her swimming and plan to wait until she is about 8 weeks old but i have a couple of really silly questions 1st (please bear with me lol)

1) Can you get baby arm bands? I tink this sounds a bit ridiculous and imagine you would just hold them in the water?

2) Do they just wear a swim nappy or do you put a swimming costume on wee girls over a swim nappy?

Told you they were a bit silly lol...

Lx

P.s anyone got any info on water babies - costs, how far in advance you have to book, what exactly you do at the classes etc as i am looking into this at the minute - i would be keen to hear anyone experiences and how you babies got on?

[Modified by: Lauz41 on 28 July 2010 22:07:51 ]

Replies

  • We use a swim nappy and then a swimming costume for lo, she loves swimming but her first time it took her a little while to get used to it all! I don't know if they make baby armbands but we hold Olivia she loves splashing mummy and daddy!
  • Hey hun,

    I just take my dd to a local pool for lessons which isn't that warm so i use this:

    http://www.mikes-diving.co.uk/two-bare-feet---baby-neoprene-wetsuits-sunsuits---age-0-mths-to-4yrs---633-p.asp

    It is super cute and keeps her nice and warm so she can enjoying splashing image

    Lx
  • Hi

    My son wears a swim nappy and then a happy nappy over the top. He did wear a baby wetsuit when he was very small but doesnt need it now.

    We have just finished our first term of water babies and it is the best money we have spent. Finley started at 6 weeks.

    I live in dorset and the lessons are ??130 a term. We were lucky and got on a course straight away.

    Previous post explains really well what lessons involve. Finley LOVES it and at our last lesson yesterday I got to watch him swim under the water to me. It was incredible.

    I can not recamend water babies highly enough, in fact i love it so much that I have applied to be an instructor.

    image
  • Hi we go to waterbabies and have done since LO was 12 weeks old - we're just finishing our first term. He wears a happy nappy and a baby wetsuit. The classes are 120 pounds a term (we live in Cardiff). I think the classes are great but have to admit that LO has not been too sure about them! He is usually a very smiley baby but is very serious in waterbabies! Howver something seems to have changed in the last couple of weeks and he's been much more relaxed, blowing raspberries and smiling - so I'm glad we've persevered! I'd definitely recommend the classes, we've signed up for the next term x
  • We do waterbabies-took Amelia to her first lesson when she was 9 days old-our lessons are at a special needs school so the pool is 34oC, i would say she loves it but so far she has also only had the serious face in the pool, but she hasnt cried so far so i see that as enjoying it-lol. although she did fall asleep a couple of weeks ago while waiting for her turn to go for an underwater swim, bless her! If you do decide to do Waterbabies you will have to but a splash about happy nappy as they wont let your little on swim with anything else! image
  • We got Benjamin a body warmer from mothercare to wear over his swim nappy - this is all he wears. We've been taking him from 5-weeks & he loves it. We just hold him in the water - his neck control is still not good enough for him to bob by himself & those things that they can sit in will firstly require good neck control & secondly have them mostly out the water so they may get a bit chilly (though the pool we go to is very warm, almost bath temp!).

    Enjoy xx
  • in my class all they have to wear is a swim nappy! i've been using huggies!

    i don't think armbands are recommended for under 1s. you just hold them all the time, apart formt he odd bit of ndependent swimming.
  • thanks ladies...

    i figured we would just hold her (and not really be in the pool long?) we plan to take her about 12 weeks (for the temp of the pool and also when she has had one of each vaccine although i know she can go before having any its just my opinion as pools are full of germs)

    i have looked at water babies - hubby not keen as he thinks its a lot of money and would be a waste but once i show him the website later im sure he'll agree it does sound worth it so will let him be the decision maker on that one or whether she just has 'little duckling' lessons in the local pool but we cant wait to take her...

    when i was buying lots of pink girlie clothes (v.exciting) seen as i had none in before the birth i got her a little pink swimming costume with ruffles (hubby thinks im mad lol) its a 3-6 months so im hoping it fits her when we go as my plan was just to put a swim nappy under it (maybe a huggies one but have looked at the other links as i didnt know about these) and hopefully that will do - if the costume doesnt fit her then she might just have to go in the nappies for a bit....

    i cant wait to take her...she hated her bath time for the first few weeks but now seems to enjoy it and its something nice the 3 of us can do as a family...

    Laura x
  • Ohhh you'll have so much fun swimming with Megan! image

    We've been going to WB's since Lyvi was about 8 weeks old and it is absolutely fantastic! Are you on Facebook? I have loads of pics on there of our WB's lessons if you fancy having a look. They focus a lot of water safety and teach your baby how to get to the edge should they ever fall in. They also do the underwater swimming (right from day one!) which is really good for teaching baby to be confident in the water. We also do lots of fun things and nursery rhymes etc.

    It's best not to use water aids such as arm bands as it gives babies/children a false sense of security in the water and they don't learn to swim properly.

    We use a happy nappy for Lyvi (a requirement for WB lessons) and although we do have a cute little costume for her we don't use it as I think she has more freedom to move properly in the water without it. When we go to our local pool we have a mini wetsuit for her as it's a lot cooler in that pool (we're still in a hydro pool at WB's until next term). Also (and I know this might sound a little crazy) I like to have her covered up at the public pool.

    Enjoy!

    Love NN xx
  • hey NN,

    we have decided to do water babies (i knew hubby would go for it when he read the website lol) although im a bit paranoid about the underwater bit espec at 1st but obviously theres method in what seems like madness to an outsider lol..

    i dont have facebook (i really have to get with the times) is there any chance you could maybe email me a few pics? if not thats cool its just to show hubby from someone with personal experience....

    i would take her in the happy nappy (had a look at their webisire) but for public pool would still maybe use swimming costume but would see in the long run if she was restriced...

    how much does Lyvi weigh now? Megan is a little chubster (thats an affectionate term by the way) at 11lbs 3oz already and she's only 5 weeks so think by her weight when we go about 12 weeks (10 weeks if we can get on the water baby course i want but am waiting on them gettin back to me about that) she should be an ok weight but would need the hydro pool at 1st based on her age i think?

    i prob wouldbt have her covered at the local pool well no more than her swimming costime but due to bugs etc i would wait til she was 16 months and had had her vaccines although i know they dont need these to go swiming...

    i cant wait to take megan!

    Love Lxx

    [Modified by: Lauz41 on July 24, 2010 11:43 AM]

  • lol Laura sometimes i think we are he smae person, I just posted in bij asking if you want to go to waterbabies. I emailed them earlier about classes starting in the marriott hotel in glasgow, asking costs etc, will let you know what they say xx
  • lol i know...

    Lx
  • Oh you'll love it!!!

    We started WB when Lucas was just 4 weeks old and he loves it! The underwater bit was scary at first, but he just sees it as normal now, we now let him go underwater and watch him swim to us! Amazing!

    One thing I will say for WB is make sure she's had plenty of sleep before the class, and don't be put off if one week she doesn't react well, persevere. Apparently the worst thing you can do is take them out the water upset as they'll associate getting out the water with calming down, stay in and calm in the water instead.

    Hope you get on the one you want!!

    H and LJ xxx
  • Thanks girls...

    i phoned waterbabies today and she said the waiting lists for both venues i would be interetsed in are quite big and they are going to start allocating to classes in next week or so (they are last week in august and 1st week in september) she said she couldnt guarantee a place and it might be winter term but i had actually phoned up to find put if there were any sessions coming up in a few months so that Megan is a bit older and has at least had one of each vaccine (i know this isnt a necessity and is the advice i give people regularly but its just my personal preference)

    she said the winter term starts in november so we have put our name down for then and will hopefully get a place as that list isnt too big at the minute (though will be effected by how many people dont get on the autumn course) Megan will be 19 weeks then so im happy wo wait...i really think she'll enjoy it and cant wait to take her swimming as she splashes about like mad now in the bath...we couldnt have gone in august anyway as at 10 weeks she would need the hydroo pool and neither of the venues near me (including one i would have to travel to) have a hydro pool just lesuire ones...

    she said its ??12 a lesson so less than ??500 for the whole course which i think is pretty reasonable and she is going to send me an info pack including a dvd showing what the lessons will involve (im still a bit paranoid about the goign under water part!)

    just of interest did any of you take your LOs swimming yourself before waterbabies and if so did it affect the classes? we didnt plan to take Megan til about 16 weeks anyway (though found out today her 1st vaccines wont be til she is just under 12 weeks as the surgery i am with is hopeless - apparantly her '6 week check' will get done then too grr..just as well i know what i am checking for myself as to me thats a bit late - the vaccines are different as still within the period but hey ho!)

    Lx
Sign In or Register to comment.

Featured Discussions