Swimming for babies

A magnificent procedure that contributes to the physical development of the baby, is considered swimming for babies. Water is a natural element for the infant, as it was surrounded by amniotic fluid throughout the entire period of intrauterine development, in which it felt comfortable and calm. It is for this reason that the swimming process has a positive impact, both on the overall health of the baby, and on his nervous system.

When deciding whether to involve a child in swimming, parents may face a lot of questions, the answers to which we will try to give in this article.

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What is the benefit of swimming for newborns?

If a child does not know how to swim, then in time it can be a lot of trouble for his parents. Constant experiences, fears can be pursued by mom and dad during summer holidays on the sea or the river bank. And only early swimming lessons will help to save the life and health of the baby and protect the nerves of parents.

In addition, water acts on the baby soothingly, stabilizes its immature nervous system. Water procedures increase blood circulation, improve the work of the heart and respiratory organs.

Water facilitates the load on the spine, allows the musculoskeletal system to function normally.

Thanks to the relaxing effect of water, the child sleeps better, his stamina rises, and his appetite stabilizes.

The earlier parents begin to engage in child swimming, the more guaranteed that the baby will not be afraid of water, will be physically active and developed.

When can I start swimming lessons for babies?

If there are no individual contraindications, then to swim procedures you can start with a 2-3-week-old baby. Do not be afraid of such an early age: for a child, water is his natural environment, in which he feels more than comfortable. The task of parents is not to frighten the baby, so that his idea of bathing does not change.

For swimming lessons, it is better to choose the moment when the child is cheerful, fed, not capricious and does not sleep, nothing irritates him. Parents should also be optimistic, since the condition of the father or mother is always passed on to the baby.

Do not immediately start to exercise and exercise. It is necessary to understand that swimming is, first of all, pleasure for the child and for the parents. Therefore, it is better to start an activity with a game, splashing, gradually mastering more and more movements in the water.

If you "missed" the recommended age for the lessons of the child, it does not matter: the main thing is that the kid himself is not against such activities and is not afraid of water.

Is swimming with a circle necessary for babies?

Swimming with a circle is reasonable to spend in the pool, since in the bath for this usually there is not enough space. A circle for a baby is not an obligatory accessory, but sometimes it greatly facilitates adaptation of the child to water and depth.

Lessons with a circle are recommended to be conducted from 2 months of age. The circle is selected depending on the size of the baby, after all it is important that swimming for the baby is comfortable.

First, the child should be introduced to the circle outside the pool. Depending on the diameter, it is worn either on the neck or on the torso of the baby (if it already holds the head firmly).

You can not start swimming lessons with a circle, if the kid has not yet learned how to behave properly in the pool. This can lead to the child becoming confused, frightened, and then attracting him to the lessons will be very difficult.

Is a swimming instructor obligatory for babies?

Of course, the presence of the instructor greatly facilitates the process of training the baby swimming. An instructor in the pool is mandatory if the mother herself does not know how to swim.

If in the pool there are also a mother (or father) and a child, then you can try to learn without an instructor. It's good if other children with parents are present at the lesson.

What you need to know when going to the pool without an instructor:

• Mom should always be near the child, not letting him out of sight;
• it is important for the child to hear from the parents the words of approval; try to show the child that everything is fine with him;
• Allow the child to splash and splash: fun games accelerate the adaptation of the baby to water;
• try to blow bubbles together under water: this way you can teach the child not to inhale, but to exhale the water that has got into the mouth;
• closely monitor the well-being of the child: if something is wrong - do not hesitate, leave the pool.

Even if you decide to practice without an instructor, a preliminary consultation with a specialist is still very desirable.

How to organize a swimming at home for babies?

For the youngest, it is quite possible to organize a swimming at home, using a large bath. Before starting classes, consult a specialist and read the relevant literature - it will be easier for you to do this, and you will get much more pleasure from the process.

Preliminarily recommended to work with the child basic movements, support, grips, so that while staying in the water you are not confused and did not miss the baby.

The bath for swimming of babies is filled with warm water. To begin with, the recommended temperature should be + 37 ° C. Gradually, the temperature can be lowered by half a degree through each occupation, bringing it to +30 or + 28 ° C. Lowering the temperature, watch the baby: during the voyage it should be comfortable, not cold and not hot.

First, immerse the feet in the water to allow the child to get used to the temperature of the bath. Then, gradually and slowly, immerse the rest of the body. Hold your baby tightly: he must feel your support and not be afraid.

The first lessons should last no more than 10-15 minutes. Later time can be increased, as the child will be absorbed in the water.

What are the means of buying swimmers?

If you decide to conduct classes in the pool, you need to know what means to take with you, so as not to get trapped. The list of such things is small, but it takes into account all the most necessary things:

• two towels (one for wiping, the other for putting under the baby during dressing);
• for accompanying parent - swimming cap, swimsuit or swimming trunks, rubber slippers;
• for the baby - a swimming cap (optional, but desirable), a special diaper for bathing (or special panties), swimming trunks or a swimsuit;
• a pacifier, a favorite toy, a bottle of heated milk;
• an extra package to put wet things after swimming.

In most cases, children's pools are provided with swaddling tables, children's furniture and playrooms.

In some cases, additional accessories may be needed, such as swimming goggles, armlets, wetsuits, etc. The need for them must be specified individually by the instructor.

What is a cap for swimming babies?

Surely, many of us paid attention to the fact that some babies in the pool swim in their kind of hats - multi-colored, with a lot of square petals along the perimeter. This is a special cap with foam inserts for swimming babies. It is made on the basis of a cotton cap, to which is attached a strip of satin and cubes of foam. The main purpose of this accessory is to help the baby to keep his head on the water surface.

It is not necessary to buy a foam cap. However, it greatly facilitates the process of training the child in swimming, and also allows the child to stay on the water, without the risk of dipping from the head.

Do we need armlets for swimming for babies, and what are they for?

Use armlets is recommended for older children, starting from the age of 3 years. Their main purpose is to keep the child on the surface of the water, which is very similar to the function of an inflatable waistcoat.

There are many modifications of armlets. They are selected depending on the size of the child, so you need to buy them, after putting them on the baby. If the child feels comfortable, and the accessory does not slip and does not slip, then it is picked up correctly.

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Can I use panties for swimming for babies?

Special panties or diapers for swimming are not only possible, but also need to be used in swimming pools. Often, such panties are an indispensable attribute when visiting a children's pool.

These panties do not let the moisture in, they are safe, they are available both disposable and reusable. Thanks to them, parents can not worry that during the swimming there will be embarrassment. The main thing - to choose the right size panties, so that they fit tightly to the body of the child, and at the same time do not squeeze the delicate skin.

Diapers and briefs for swimming are produced by almost all well-known companies that specialize in the production of disposable diapers.

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Are there any glasses for swimming babies?

Glasses for swimming are an accessory that is used mainly for older children. In infants, their use is not very advisable, because the main function of glasses is to see under water, and in young children, vision only begins to improve. More or less accuracy of vision develops in a baby after 4 months, but even at this age, it is too early to apply glasses. As a rule, they are put on by the child when he begins to understand the main purpose of this accessory.

Where can parents take a swimming course for babies?

Swimming courses for infants are usually carried out in children's polyclinics or in swimming pools. Even on the Internet, you can subscribe to paid and free video tutorials on teaching kids to swim.

Usually courses are basic and advanced. Basic knowledge - these are the skills that all parents who have decided to share their child with swimming should learn. This course involves general questions, and also consists of several practical exercises of parents with the baby.

To listen to the course is especially recommended for those parents who are going to independently teach the child swimming, without the participation of an instructor.

What is therapeutic swimming for babies?

Training in swimming often begins to practice not only for the overall physical and physiological development of the child, but also for therapeutic purposes. For example, therapeutic swimming is recommended for infants with increased excitability of the nervous system, with a violation of muscle tone, cerebral palsy or joint dysplasia.

The essence of the treatment consists in performing special water exercises that help to develop certain muscle groups. Such procedures can not be performed independently, but only with a specially trained instructor.

Where can I find a suitable swimming pool for a child in your city?

Addresses of swimming pools in Kiev for newborns:

• Swimming pool "Syrets" st. Kotovsky, 4;
• Swimming pool «Sport-Life» ул. Zverinetskaya, 59;
• Sports Center "Aquarium" Obolon, Geroev Stalingrada Ave, 45;
• Sports club "The Fifth Element" Podil, st. Electricians, 29a;
• Swimming pool "Kupava", Brovary, st. Shevchenko, 10;
• Health Center "Nemo" Goloseevo, st. Saksaganskogo, 100;
• Center "Akvalend" Svyatoshino, b. Academician Vernadsky, 32.

Addresses of swimming pools in Moscow for newborns:

• Pool "Youth" st. Academician Bakulev, 5;
• Swimming pool Sambo 70 st. Academician Vinogradov, 4b;
• Basin CSKA - Leningradsky Prospekt, 39, page 9;
• Swimming pool Dynamo - Highway Leningradskoe, 39, p. 53;
• Swimming pool Veshnyaki - st. Kosinskaya, 12b.

Addresses of swimming pools in St. Petersburg for newborns:

• Sports Club "Neptune" embankment Obvodny Canal, 93a;
• Pool "Dolphin" embankment of the Obvodniy Canal, 121/3;
• Medical Center "BioSvyaz" ул. Bryantseva, 5/2;
• The Palace of Sports "Volna" Moskovsky avenue 150/2;
• Complex "Leo" ул. Baikonur, 13, building 2.

The pool is recommended to be visited 2-3 times a week: swimming for babies with such a schedule of lessons does not allow losing the acquired skills. As a result, your child can learn a lot: swim, stay on the water, dive. But the main point is that for a baby swimming is a great pleasure and boundless joy.