Conditioning your newborn is one of the best ways to prepare them for swimming lessons, water familiarisation and submersions. Here are some handy tips to consider prior to conditioning and exactly how to carry it out.
Tips for Newborn Swimming
- Ensure you have all the equipment you need for practising conditioning so that you can get started straight away
- Ensure that you have bath towels, nappy’s and clothes on hand for when you are finished
- Make sure that you and baby are in a comfortable and stable environment before practising your cups. This will help keep the atmosphere nice and relaxed. It is important that the water and air temperature is warm
- Try to turn off and remove all things that may cause a distraction. Put your mobile on silent, take the house phone off the hook, leave all cooking to a later time
- Finally, enjoy this precious bonding time with your baby. If you happen to have a large bath, hop in with your little one and embrace this special time where it is just the two of you and you can really focus on conditioning and working on your baby’s breath control in preparation for their first swimming lesson
Now you and your baby are ready to start the process. Therefore, here are some newborn swimming tips on exactly what to do:
- Fill the plastic cup with water
- Give your child the verbal cue of Name (their name), Ready, Go
- Confidently pour the full cup of water over your baby’s head
- Look your baby in the eye, smile and congratulate them on a job well done
- Give them a little cuddle
- Repeat the above steps 5 to 8 times provided that your baby is displaying signs of positive behaviour. Never condition a crying baby
We recommend that conditioning is practised daily to obtain good breath control. This will help to ensure they are more comfortable and prepared for their first swimming lesson.
Jane Lawrence