• Contact us
• About us
• A-Z topics
• Symptom Checker
• Service Finder
• Linking to us
• Information partners
• Terms of use
• Privacy

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby is funded by the Australian Government and operated by Healthdirect Australia.

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby is provided on behalf of the Department of Health

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby’s information and advice are developed and managed within a rigorous clinical governance framework. This website is certified by the Health On The Net (HON) foundation, the standard for trustworthy health information.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

This information is for your general information and use only and is not intended to be used as medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes.

The information is not a substitute for independent professional advice and should not be used as an alternative to professional health care. If you have a particular medical problem, please consult a healthcare professional.

Except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, this publication or any part of it may not be reproduced, altered, adapted, stored and/or distributed in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Healthdirect Australia.

Support this browser is being discontinued for Pregnancy, Birth and Baby

Support for this browser is being discontinued for this site

• Internet Explorer 11 and lower

We currently support Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Firefox and Safari. For more information, please visit the links below:

• Chrome by Google
• Firefox by Mozilla
• Microsoft Edge
• Safari by Apple

You are welcome to continue browsing this site with this browser. Some features, tools or interaction may not work correctly.

When Can I Take My Baby Swimming?

When can I introduce my baby to swimming?

Is it ever too early to take your baby swimming? Here's what you need to know

When can I take my baby swimming?

Babies can be taken swimming immediately after giving birth! The NHS advises that babies can be taken swimming at any age, and there’s no need to wait until your newborn has had their first immunisations. Although your baby is safe to swim, to avoid infection, mum should wait until around 6 weeks or 7 days after vaginal bleeding after birth stops. If you do want to take your baby swimming beforehand, it’s the perfect opportunity for dad or other family members to bond with your little one. 

It’s a common myth that babies can’t swim as soon as they’re born. While not able to immediately start paddling across the Channel, babies are born with a remarkable ability to control their breathing in water and have a reflex reaction that moves their arms and legs in a swimming motion, called the Bradycardic response. This natural ability commonly disappears after about 6 months. 

Advertisement

While your baby has these abilities, always remember that it will be a little while before they will be able to properly support their head to breathe out of the water and hold their breath intentionally. This is why at most newborn swimming classes babies are taught ways of controlling their breathing before they go underwater.  

Why should I take my baby swimming?

Babies love water! Getting in the pool with your little one is great for both you and your baby. Being in warm water is nothing new for your baby as whilst developing in your womb your baby was surrounded, protected and even nourished by the amniotic fluid you produce, so getting into a pool isn’t a completely unfamiliar experience for your newborn.

Being exposed to the sound, colours, feel and temperature of the pool will also ignite your baby's senses, and their reactions to being in water is something all parents should try to experience. Swimming, splashing and paddling with your baby should be really fun, and a great bonding experience. 

Getting in the pool early with your baby also helps build both your confidence and your baby's confidence being around water, getting used to swimming early can also help prevent your baby fearing the water as he grows. 

Tips and Precautions:

Before you paddle out into the water there are a few practical tips and precautions you should be aware of for both you and baby’s comfort and safety:

• Babies prefer warmer water, so you should find for a pool heated to from 30°C to 32°C until your baby gets a little older

• Make sure you dress your baby up in a swim nappy to keep any accidents sealed in! Neoprene baby swimwear is also useful to keep everything in place.

• Before you go, check what changing facilities your pool has - a change table is best.

• Don’t forget towels for both you and your little one; coming out of the warm pool into a fluffy towel will keep you warm and comfy.

Advertisement

Baby swimming - articles from the specialists of the clinic "Mother and Child"

Arefieva Natalya Yurievna

Dentist, Dentist-therapist for children, Dentist-therapist for adults

Lapino-1 Clinical Hospital "Mother and Child"

arguments for

Immediately after birth, the child from the aquatic environment enters the air, where he begins to breathe on his own . But for some time after the birth, the child retains the breath-holding reflex, and sometimes he can even swim and breathe properly at the same time. Many methods of infant swimming are based on this, especially the technique called diving, when diving and breathing under water are fixed. Therefore, supporters of infant swimming believe that in the first months of a child's life, the swimming reflex and the ability to hold the breath must be developed and consolidated, otherwise they will simply be forgotten and in the future the baby will have to be taught everything again. nine0003

And of course, being in the water hardens the baby, trains his cardiovascular system, develops the musculoskeletal system, in general, strengthens the child's health in every possible way.

arguments against

Opponents of infant swimming, especially diving. have their own, and very weighty, arguments.

• The ability to stay afloat and hold your breath are protective reflexes, they are saved only at first for use in critical situations, which adults recreate in the pool. In other words, this is an artificial simulation of a critical situation, which is accompanied by stress for the baby. nine0024
• From the point of view of physiology, if the reflex of holding the breath in water should die out, then it must be allowed to do so - after all, this was conceived by nature for a reason.
• It is not necessary for a child to swim for physical development. This can be too stressful for a baby who does not even know how to crawl yet.
• Baby swimming (especially in public pools and baths) can lead to inflammatory diseases of the ear, nasopharynx, respiratory tract, and in some people even weaken the immune system. And swallowing water can cause indigestion. nine0024

what to choose

Bathing and swimming itself is not harmful, but rather useful. It is harmful to carry out this procedure incorrectly, not to take into account the developmental characteristics of the child and use the wrong methods. Pediatricians, neurologists and neurophysiologists believe that, for example, the so-called diving (when a child’s head is immersed under water so that he learns to dive) leads to brain hypoxia (albeit short-term), and it is not known how this will affect the condition of the baby. In addition, the stress that occurs at this moment is also likely to affect the child negatively. Both hypoxia, and stress, and simply extra loads often lead to some kind of developmental disorders. One child will start to get sick more often (and not necessarily with colds), the other will become more excited than necessary, or in the future it will be worse to concentrate. nine0003

Therefore, it is possible for a baby to swim, you just need to take into account several factors.

find a swimming pool and instructor

Being a swimming instructor is very important. As such, there is no specialty “baby swimming coach”: most likely, the instructor will take some short-term courses. The main thing here is his experience and your trust in him. Before the start of the lesson, talk to the instructor, or even better, go and see how he conducts the classes, how he relates to the desire or unwillingness of the child to do some kind of action, how comfortable the baby is with the instructor. First, the child must get used to the instructor, and only then should classes begin. No sudden movements, haste and discomfort. Both parents, and the kid, and the instructor should be on the same wavelength. nine0003

As long as the child is small, you can swim at home, in your own bath; when the baby grows up, look for a clean and warm children's pool with a good water purification system, with pleasant conditions and a benevolent environment.

listen to the child

It is impossible to find out from the baby himself how much he likes what is done to him while swimming. There are children who smile and laugh while in the water; there are those who scream and cry even during a simple bath, especially when swimming (and certainly when diving). And it happens that the baby, as it were, freezes emotionally during swimming - here it is generally difficult to guess about his reaction. Therefore, starting water procedures, listen and look closely at the child. And accept his wish. Start with a regular bath in a bath, then gradually move into an adult bath. And you can immediately dive into a large bath with the child, holding him in his arms or at his chest - this way he will be even calmer (though, for this, you will first need helpers). If swimming brings positive emotions to the baby, you are on the right track. If the child is naughty and nervous, the more clearly he demonstrates his unwillingness to swim, give up this idea and postpone swimming until better times. nine0003

simple exercises

You can train with the baby on your own, just do the following exercises:

• steps in the water - an adult holds the child upright, helping him to push off from the bottom of the tub;
• wiring on the back - the baby lies on his back, the adult supports the head of the crumbs and leads the child along the bath;
• wiring on the tummy - all the same, only the child lies on the stomach;
nine0023 exercise with a toy - you need to lead the child after the toy, gradually accelerating and explaining: our toy is swimming away, let's catch up with it.

When swimming, don't aim for anything spectacular, as long as your little one's health, safety and enjoyment are paramount.

There is no unequivocal opinion whether a baby should swim or not, because the experience of each family is individual. There are children who, even before the age of one, easily and joyfully master the aquatic environment, and there are those who do not like water for a long time and agree to classes only at a conscious age. Therefore, focus only on the desire of your child. nine0074

Be sure to show your child to a pediatrician and a neurologist before starting lessons to rule out possible contraindications for infant swimming

Quite often, children who have been engaged in infant swimming, at a more conscious age, have to be taught swimming again, according to standard methods

Often diving is perceived by the child as a potential danger

Make an appointment

to the doctor - Arefieva Natalya Yurievna

By clicking on the send button, I consent to the processing of personal data

Attention! Prices for services in different clinics may vary. To clarify the current cost, select a clinic

Clinical Hospital MD GROUPClinical Hospital Lapino-1 "Mother and Child"Children's Clinic KG "Lapino" on New Riga (branch)Clinic "Mother and Child" KuntsevoClinic "Mother and Child" SavelovskayaClinic "Mother and Child" South-WestClinic "Mother and Child" » Novogireevo

All directions

01.

Kinesiotherapy for children

02.

Specialist consultations (adults)

03.

Specialist consultations (children)

04.

Massage/manipulation for children

05.

Therapeutic research

Nothing found

The administration of the clinic takes all measures to timely update the price list posted on the website, however, in order to avoid possible misunderstandings, we advise you to clarify the cost of services and the timing of the tests by calling

Why should a child swim

nine0126

Home \ Center services \ Why should a child swim

17 reasons why a child needs to swim.

You will immediately recognize a swimmer child: strong and slender, mobile and cheerful. Walks straight, stays straight. The look is confident and lively. Almost does not get sick: she catches a cold 5 times less often than her peers, and does not know about the flu at all.

But swimming develops not only physically. Judge for yourself:

nine0137

Swimming builds character: the child becomes more self-confident.

Children swimmers have an excellent figure: they are slender, harmoniously built, their posture is beautiful, even.

Swimming is the only vital sport. Save the life of the child and others.

Only two sports use all of our muscles. This is Nordic walking and swimming.

It teaches children to set goals and achieve them. Children swimmers are more organized, stubborn and purposeful than their peers. nine0024

Children who go to the pool tend to do better in school and do more (see previous paragraph).

Swimming hardens and strengthens all body systems: from the nervous to the cardiovascular.

A child who can swim can easily master other water sports - from water polo to scuba diving.

This is the safest of all sports: there are no fractures, concussions and serious injuries.

The effect of swimming is noticeable after a month. And for this, the child does not have to live in the pool: it is enough to swim at least 400 meters every day. Or a kilometer three times a week. Three hours of training is enough for this. nine0024

Let's see why doctors are so fond of advising children to swim and what is its use?

What can swimming really do for your child? Let's start in order.

1. Swimming saves you from colds. Yes, the fact that the child becomes stronger and healthier is understandable. But thanks to what? Thanks to the breath. Nothing develops the respiratory system like swimming. Why is it important? In children, the volume of the chest is much smaller than in adults, the respiratory muscles are weaker, and the child breathes more often than an adult. Because the airways are narrow, and the mucous membrane is tender and vulnerable, the infection gets easily. Too easy. While swimming, your child breathes clean, dust-free, humidified air, and his respiratory organs are forced to overcome the resistance of water. Each inhalation-exhalation is an excellent breathing exercise. What does it mean? His muscles are getting stronger. The chest becomes more mobile. And the vital capacity of the lungs increases. The child catches cold less often and does not know bronchitis and pneumonia. nine0003

2. The child becomes more stable. He gets sick less often, and if he gets sick, then everything goes easily and quickly: a few days - and he is healthy. The reason for this, again, is breathing: when swimming, he breathes intensely and deeply, the nasal passages are washed, stagnation leaves the bronchi and lungs, and sputum is coughed up.

3. His heart begins to work better, and the blood vessels get stronger. Yes, swimming brings special benefits to the cardiovascular system: in the pool, the child is in a horizontal position and almost in weightlessness, respectively, the load on the heart is reduced. nine0003

4. The child is getting slimmer and straighter. Swimming develops correct posture. When we are in water, gravity does not act on the spine as much as in air, and allows it to rest; uniform loads of the spinal muscles help to align the spine. In a child, it is still being formed: it is soft, elastic, and therefore easily curved. The lifting force of the water, which supports the child on the surface, as if lightens the body, and this reduces the pressure on the supporting apparatus, and the spine is formed correctly, evenly. It is the pool that saves children from scoliosis - one of the scourges of our time - and improves coordination of movements. nine0003

5. Swimming makes a child stronger and stronger. In every way. The vital capacity of the lungs increases, muscles and ligaments become stronger. Swimming is one of two sports that use every muscle in the body. In the pool, your child becomes stronger and more resilient.

6. Swimming is soothing: makes the child's nervous system stable.

---

Learn more

• 
  Can u still breastfeed while pregnant
• 
  How to restrain a child with autism
• 
  What is the hcg
• 
  Is walkers good for babies
• 
  Treatment measles babies
• 
  How do board games help child development
• 
  Incontinence after pregnancy
• 
  How to have my child tested for a learning disability
• 
  What does the tissue look like when having a miscarriage
• 
  Apgar score of 2
• 
  How long after getting pregnant can you get an abortion