Newborn Swimming Tips for Learning at Home
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 before conditioning, including exactly how to carry it out.
Tips for Newborn Swimming
-
Ensure you have all the equipment you need for practising conditioning so you can get started straight away.
-
Ensure you have bath towels, nappies and clothes on hand for when you are finished.
-
Make sure you and your 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 are warm.
-
Try to turn off and remove anything that may cause a distraction. Put your mobile phone on silent, take the house phone off the hook and 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 when it is just the two of you. This allows you to 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 your baby is more comfortable and prepared for their first swimming lesson.
Want More Information?
Want to learn more about newborn swimming, water familiarisation and helping your baby become comfortable in the water?
Explore our free eBooks for practical information, tips and guidance for parents and carers. You can also visit the Swim Library to access short videos and helpful resources designed to support parents and carers at home.
Continue learning with World Wide Swim School and discover resources to help you and your baby build positive experiences around water.