Reassure a nervous mom about infant swim lessons

[Anonymous]

My six month old is in "baby and me" swim lessons for babies 6 months to 18 months.

At our lesson this weekend the instructor had us dip the babies' heads underwater for a second.

Please reassure me this is ok. I did it, my son lived through the experience (did it twice, cried a little the second time) but I, however, barely lived through it.

Stories on "dry drowning" kept going through my head....and when my son coughed a few times later that night I just kept worrying he had water in his lungs.

So please tell me this is ok and I should keep doing it so he gets used to it...right?

[Anonymous]

It's OK, but if you don't feel comfortable with it, don't do it. There will be plenty of things that you will have to stress over during his life. Any particular activity in an elective swim class is not one of them. Just tell the teacher you don't feel comfortble doing it and leave it at that. It's supposed to be fun, you know.

[Anonymous]

Find another teacher. I bet there are more qualified instructors out there.

[Anonymous]

It's fine! I used to teach infant swim lessons years ago, and loved teaching babies that age. Never had any problems. It's great that you are having him taught now before he develops a fear of water as a toddler. If you want to practice with them, blow in their faces, which will generally cause them to close their mouths before going under. I'm due in two weeks with our first, and we'll be teaching our little one to swim as soon as it's safe to put them in the pool!

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I wouldn't have done it when my son was that young. I mean - why? What's the purpose? I don't mean to be harsh, I'm really asking - what benefit is there to dunking his head under water at that age? If you are not comfortable with it, don't do it. It's a class you paid for - you can choose to not participate in that part. I have to imagine the attraction to the class for you was bonding (and getting out of the house). Neither of those reasons are dependent on you having to dunk the head under the water.

That being said, I don't mean to imply your child is harmed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's fine! I used to teach infant swim lessons years ago, and loved teaching babies that age. Never had any problems. It's great that you are having him taught now before he develops a fear of water as a toddler. If you want to practice with them, blow in their faces, which will generally cause them to close their mouths before going under. I'm due in two weeks with our first, and we'll be teaching our little one to swim as soon as it's safe to put them in the pool!

While toddlers can go through a phase of being afraid of the water, the phase does not last (at least I've never seen a toddler that it lasted). It is a little crazy to think you have to introduce water that young to "avoid the fear". Actually, the greater fear is a toddlers LOVE for water. Please, please don't think because you took the baby to a baby water class, it is safe to leave them alone with water! I'm not saying don't take the class or that there are benefits (bonding, fun), but don't do the class because its a must for babies to be introduced to swimming.

[Anonymous]

Totally agree that there is no need to start dunking kids at that age. They can start to learn to swim--controlling their own arms and legs--somewhere between 4 and 6 years old. What's the benefit of having a 6-month-old comfortable with being dunked?

OP, if you're not comfortable with it, don't do it.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Babies are quite capable of this. The parents who posted are entitled to their concerns, as are you. But babies can absolutely do this.

[Anonymous]

I taught lessons for years (certified) and this is a standard practice. Don't do it if you do not want to, but also don't think that this is special for one unqualified instructor.

I took my 11 month old yesterday to the pool for the first time and dunked him twice -- he laughed the whole time. But I also know that he isn't afraid of water in his face from taking baths.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Find another teacher. I bet there are more qualified instructors out there.

Certified instructors do this all the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Totally agree that there is no need to start dunking kids at that age. They can start to learn to swim--controlling their own arms and legs--somewhere between 4 and 6 years old. What's the benefit of having a 6-month-old comfortable with being dunked?

OP, if you're not comfortable with it, don't do it.

They can start to actually swim at 3, everything before that is water acclimation. The acclimation is good, because it is one less thing to worry about when it is time to learn to swim. My DD learned to actually swim at 3 1/2 (meaning she could swim 5 yards or so to the edge of a pool and pull herself out), at 4 1/2 she is just now getting coordinated enough for "strokes", although she can easily swim the length of a pool. I am planning to start water acclimation for my 11 month old this summer, I had a summer of a toddler with water fears and frankly it was not fun (screams when anyone she knew went into a pool or the ocean), I prefer getting this one used to the water early. And yes I know that neither of these two are water safe without an adult present.

[Anonymous]

OP here.

I am all for water acclimation and getting my LO very used to the water.

Any advice on how I make going underwater fun? If he does it once a week at class, will it eventually take?

[Anonymous]

Why are you concerned about making "going underwater fun" for a 6 month old? He's got plenty of time to learn this. My 4yo never took swim lessons until a year ago and he's swimming like a fish now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are you concerned about making "going underwater fun" for a 6 month old? He's got plenty of time to learn this. My 4yo never took swim lessons until a year ago and he's swimming like a fish now.

I guess it is because I have a five year old stepchild who is scared of the water, can't swim, and freaks out when water gets on his face or head. For safety reasons and for fun reasons, I'd like to have a child who can swim at an early age (not six months of course).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Find another teacher. I bet there are more qualified instructors out there.

Certified instructors do this all the time.

I'm not arguing that point. I'm sure getting used to putting your face in the water is standard practice. But HOW you go about it is important, especially considering that there are nervous moms waiting around.

So, like educators, not all swim instructors are alike. Some are robotic, unfortunately.