Water Babies Chapter 1: Our Experience

I am so excited to be writing my thoughts, experiences and why we are choosing to enroll Hannah and our subsequent children in more than one activity, BUT especially swimming.

WHY SWIMMING?

Both my husband and I actually swim. Not many in Nigeria or Nigerians abroad in the diaspora we know can say that; but at a moderate level I indeed can swim. In the deep-end of the pool I can tread water and float, as well as locate a surface and make my way to it. Most importantly though I believe, I learned as a skill in a class in High School to not have a fear of water. If I was to fall in the ocean or a pool I hope to automatically think to tread water so I may shoot up to the top. This is one of the skills we pray to give our daughter Hannah and all our children to be.

Swimming is also a great activity to use to keep fit, as well as relaxing of one’s muscles (google swim aerobics, prenatal swim and much more).

I also believe looking after children who swam, as a nanny during my University years and enjoyed it at their local YMCA and private clubs and gyms, helped me see its value and the discipline it can have on a child’s mind when added to their routine.

WATER BABIES: WHAT IS THAT AND WHY DID WE CHOOSE IT?

                             Our fabulous Teacher Rebecca

When I first heard of Water babies in my area in the UK I was pleasantly surprised. I was Happy, because there was a really fantastic program that could teach Hannah how to swim as early as possible, and quite interesting to realize they recommend babies start at anytime, even at 1 day old!

Heres why, “Babies have a real affinity with water, and because they’ve spent 9 months floating in the womb, being in warm water feels much more familiar to them than being on dry land. However, this early confidence usually diminishes with time, and can even turn to fear. That’s one of the main reasons why we believe in starting them young. ”

Research by Dr Myrtle McGraw who published her pioneering Swimming Behavior in the Human Infant in the Journal of Pediatrics! (source:https://www.waterbabies.co.uk/baby-swimming/about-baby-swimming).

Doesn’t that make so much sense? It sure did to us.

It also helps Hannah:

• Build self-confidence in an ability to learn and play.
• Discipline by following instructions from her father and I as well as her teacher Miss Becca.
• Bond with her father an I, while in the pool or bath.
• Interact  with other children because Hannah will be a home-schooled baby.
• Learning a routine and understanding a need to keep to it.
• Gives a good workout, helps with her co-ordination and helps get a nice nap after it. 😀

We tried two baby class “taster sessions,” water babies being one of them. So if you are interested in taking your baby swimming with any program within the U.K. ask to join a class to test it out first.

We tried one class with a company who had its own property and everything which was great, but their beginning classes had babies from newborn up until 2 years of age and a half. If you know how rapidly babies grow, a 2-year-old can be way more alert and advanced than a 6 month old. This made the class really big with more than 10 babies.

We choose Water babies specifically because that was not the case. Chapter 1 the beginning class only has under ones. Most babies aren’t walking and are all about the same level cognitively.  There are chapters that last all the way up to 4 years old and we are already on chapter 2.  The chapters make the classes small  and we have never had more than 10 babies, often 6 or 7 on a full class, meaning all babies who registered sometimes may not make class for one reason or another. If you miss a class due to a sickness, with a doctor’s note any classes can be made up! Our teacher Rebecca and all water babies teacher know all children by name and give them individual attention during the class. What is ALSO great is the use of  full-sized swimming pools at prestigious schools and clubs, which makes it well worth the money and instills the excellence we hope Hannah catches. The pools are warm to standards needed for baby swimming but Hannah has extra padding around her swimsuit to keep her warm. The cost is a little higher than other competitors because of the small classes, spaces used within schools and health clubs the company rents, and personalized attention to each baby.

Now unto baby swim gear!

WHAT BABY NEEDS TO SWIM?

To put a non-potty trained baby in any public swimming facility we call it in the U.K the “Happy Nappy” system. They must both fit true to your baby’s size because you don’t want any leakages.

You first need a disposable or reusable swimming nappy.

A diaper disposable brand you can use is Huggies Little Swimmers UK, Huggies Little Swimmers US , but I got my first ones from Lidl using their brand. As a reusable nappy family, we are now using the Bambino Mio, Reusable Swim Nappy UK Bambino Mio, Reusable Swim Diaper US

You then need a Happy Nappy. You can get just that or a happy nappy swimming-suit aka swimming-custom like we did Hannah.

Buy in US $

For extra warmth you may want to consider a baby wrap/wetsuit. We got ours from the water babies franchise but you can get one from amazon UK or amazon US  as well.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN LESSONS?

So to the first class, Hannah actually went underwater that class and has every class since!

Each chapter is about 9-10 weeks, sometimes with holidays in between.

Our instructor looks Hannah in the eye and says to her, her name then “ready set go”, giving each child personalized attention as well as confidence to encourage her and others to go underwater.

Hannah at first didn’t know what was happening, but she has stopped crying now when put underwater.

Toys, props like beach-boards, and lots of songs are incorporated into each class keeping Hannah and dad fully engaged! It’s a great investment of 30 minutes on any day you choose to sign up for it.

We also see the progress from what Hannah learns in good timing. One of the first safety tips Hannah learnt was holding on to the edge of the pool, and to know the edge is a place of refuge. In a short amount of classes Hannah ended up holding on to the edge of anything really especially the pool. It’s amazing!

My husband also finds going in the water is therapeutic and to be great exercise. Putting Hannah up and down in the air and side to side, and taking a few minutes to swim after the class as well.

We also tried swimming at our local leisure centre outside of our Water babies class as a family, with even me and it was fun! 😀 Hannah was just as confident. I would just say some of these other pools are cold and water babies always picks warm pools for our babies

AFTER SWIM CLASS + UNDER ONE BABY HAIR CARE

After our classes because of other classes soon after, things can be a bit rushed in the turnover, but I feel taking care of Hannah’s skin and hair because of the chlorine used in the water is important.

After each class we always rinse Hannah with clean waters in the shower, sometimes adding soap sometimes not. We change her out of her swimming nappy system and put fresh clothes on her, then we make our way home where the real work begins.

At home we give Hannah a full bath, and we start the hair wash process, washing her hair in two sections with the shampoo we have been using since birth. The Shea Moisture Baby Head to toe wash. A proven brand in the African-American community.

It gives amazing lather, smells amazing and is non toxic incase Hannah ends up drinking the bath water. Then I rinse the wash off, dry  Hannah and proceed to replenish the oils lost from swimming unto her body using my favorite Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Multipurpose Ointment UK, Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Multipurpose Ointment US and from washing her hair. For her hair I apply the oil  I am using currently which is castor oil rubbing it into her  scalp, to the tips of her hair strand and then style her hair as desired. I top her hair up with water during the styling process if it is getting dry and proceed.

I frequently get asked or read about how swimming effects baby’s hair and skin:

To us Hannah’s hair and skin have been perfectly fine and healthy!!  Rashes may pop up on your baby because they are getting used to the world, don’t rule out swimming as the cause but also consider other things it could be from anything!

FINAL THOUGHTS

At the end of Chapter one and all chapters Hannah gets a badge. She has now received her Chapter one badge and will soon get her chapter two.

We as parents absolutely love it and so does Hannah. She doesn’t start off smiling when she first gets put in the pool at the start of her lesson, but as the lesson progresses she gets more comfortable and her confidence keeps growing. Her muscles are strengthening and she is getting too comfortable in the water.

Being the only brown skin baby in her class as well. I love the fact she is engaging in classes and she knows no matter your colour, God made her equal to also partake in all activities and to be the VERY BEST in them. (A quick lesson and encouragement for us all without God through Jesus Christ, NOTHING is possible in life)

We look forward to seeing Hannah progress and we would 100% recommend water babies!

Weigh in below in the comment area: Would you enroll your under one baby in swimming?

Yours in Christ,

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