Infant Swimming: Survial Skills vs. Water Exploration

When is comes to infant swimming, two clear approaches exist: One is about focusing on life-saving techniques, the other is about feeling more comfortable in the water.

How do you decided what is right for you or your baby? It’s sort of a trick question to ask whether or not you’d like your child to be as safe as possible in the water. Of course you would. But learning infant survival skills comes at a cost. The price can be stress, for both the parent and the baby.

To Turn Over or Not to Turn Over — That is the Question

Infant survival really breaks down to teaching a baby to turn over and float unassisted on their back, should they fall into a pool, so they can breathe. All mothers should watch this amazing video clip I posted on this entry. It shows 11-month old Miles falling into a pool wearing his jammies. Miles is able to roll onto his back, stabilize a float, and just relax, breath, and cry until help arrives five whole minutes after the fact he fell.

It should be noted Miles is the baby to a doctor who started and teaches an infant survival swim program. Miles, in all reality, has had the most and best practice. And that is what would come down to you and your baby being able to do this: consistent (as many as five sessions a week) and frequent (10-20 minutes) of just placing your baby in a face-down float and assisting in a roll over until they prove they can do it themselves.

Stress is the Price You Both Pay for Such Safety

Obviously, an infant survival approach to swimming takes a lot of nerve as well as faith in your instructor. It is an involuntary act for the infant, meaning they do not get to make a choice in the matter.

It can be very stressful to watch your infant float face-down and will them to turn over. But to deal with this,  it is good to know infants have two physical instincts when water hits the face. First, they have a Diver’s Response. This is a fancy term to describe infants sense the lack of oxygen and their bodies start conserving what oxygen they have in the system — for as long as 1/2 hour. Second is the Gag Reflex. This means the epiglottis, a flap that closes off the trachea (which leads to the lungs), creates an air-tight seal. So water does not enter the lungs. However, the esophagus, which leads to the stomach, remains open. So if your baby coughs, it is because water entered the stomach. Why some babies don’t swallow and some do is genetics — some Gag Reflexes are just stronger than others.

Developing A Confident Relationship with Water

Comfort takes a backseat with infant survival techniques, but fun and “water exploration” comes first with a baby class like my Mommies-in-Motion or a Splash! class.

Water exploration is about learning water skills for mom and baby at a speed they are comfortable with. I reviewed an outstanding book about teaching babies water explorations skills here.

Often in my classes I can clearly see an overprotective mom with a very water-curious baby; although I encourage the mom to push her comfort boundaries, I don’t force. I use ‘exploration’ verse ‘swim’ in order to indicate our traditional definitions of swimming — independently swimming from one person to another — will not be achieved.

Definition of Swimming is Different For All

I usually ask participating parents at the beginning of any infant class what their definition of swimming is. Then I ask if they expect their baby to meet those expectations, which is met with a gasp and howl of ‘no.’ But sometimes not. Sometimes the parent has high expectations. Sometimes they want infant survival skills.

In the end, you have to ask yourself what it is you want, and whether or not you are ready and willing to do those things to achieve it. I am not against the teaching of infant water survival skills. I personally teach from a comfort-based philosophy, focused more on the mother and baby coming to terms with their individual water confidence as one, but it doesn’t mean I’m not interested in the latter.

Some might argue that in order to feel more comfortable in the water, you must first feel as if you could survive. I advise to work with the body language you have, rather than the body language you want, to address building water safety.  You simply cannot force a participant — mother or baby — to have confidence with water. They must develop it.

Swim Lessons for Cheap: 6 Cost-Efficient Ideas

Is your budget taking a hit in our newly-founded economic crisis? Maybe you have to start cutting cost corners. Obviously, necessities like food and gas take precedence over entertainment expenses, which is where a category like swimming lessons might fall into a family budget.

But swimming — or survival education, for that matter — is important. This isn’t about running around on a soccer field, after all. Plus, you or your child might really enjoy it. As a seasoned professional swim instructor, I can teach you how to cut corners and save some dough with this recreational activity. I’ll give you 6 ways right now:

1. Switch from private lessons to group. While I’m a huge advocate for privates (if you need more one-on-one instruction), if your child is an adjusted swimmer and good in group settings, you’ll find a much better deal on signing up for group verse private. Rarely do I ever have all kids attend each and every class (sickness, scheduling conflicts, ie. life) so the ratio gets narrowed down. That means a bit more individual attention than you anticipated.
2. Drop swim lessons down to once a week. No need to go twice, really, unless you’re headed for the Olympics. Doing this is the quickest way to cut swim lessons costs in half, reducing your entertainment budget by significant strides.
3. Take a break. Do it from Thanksgiving until the New Year, when any indoor pool gets closed a lot for holidays. Or rest for one entire season.
4. Adults, too, need to go with a group class. Usually the ratios of an adult swim class are relatively small and you’re just as focused to get something out of the instruction as you would be in a private. Also, you might make a swim buddy who can help keep you motivated and met up for workouts. Being good or safe at swimming is all about practicing.
5. Buy in bulk and ask for ‘The Recession Discount.’ Just like Costco, you should get a break if you buy a lot. If the discount isn’t built into the fees, what is wrong with asking this request with a little humor?  Restaurants are creating Recession specials for their menus. We all know if you are cordial and personal with customer service, they’ll help you out somehow because they love your business.
6. Just wait a little bit longer for lessons until the kid turns 5. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: 5 years of age is a perfect time to take formal swim lessons. Why? Because at this age, the child is so mentally and physically prime to understand what it takes to swim, they learn how to do it in as little as one lesson.

Look, I know how much swim lessons can cost. Sometimes I wonder how you people can pay for it. It’s more chic than ever to be frugal (but certainly not cheap). If you have a clear and comfortable understanding of the two, don’t be afraid to take or share such cost-efficient ideas around the pool.

Your Fall Swim Plan (For Kids & Adults)

With the change of wind, summer is quickly becoming nothing more than a fleeing memory. This doesn’t mean you have to stop taking your child to swim class or stay out of the pool yourself. Fall is a wonderful time to take on swimming for all ages. Here’s your Fall Swim Plan For Kids & Adults:

• Pare down lessons to once a week. Swimming is a great after school activity.  There are many inside pools boasting water temperatures between 80-90 degrees.
• Non-swimmers, think about going twice a week. Especially if your child seems to be on a roll — you want to roll with it by getting them in a class or with a private instructor.
• Experiment with class instruction verse one-on-one, or reverse that. Maybe it’s time to see if your little one might make a bit more progress if you switch things up and get a private teacher; or if things look a little dull with your current instructor to get enrolled in class and experience the group environment-thing.
• In terms of germs, the chlorine barrier is on your side. With the cold season creeping up, chlorine has the power to kill bacteria and viruses. You won’t get that kind of protection in afternoon art classes with all that crayon-sharing going on.
• It’s colder out there than it is in the pool. I often say this to my students when the overcast weather plays games their mind. If you’re in a pool that is between 80-90 degrees, it doesn’t matter if it is raining or cloudy: That consistent lovely temp in the water beats the cold air and keeps your body feeling right. Now, standing out in the rain soaking wet … that’s another story …
• If you’ve never swam in the rain, it’s time to live a little. It sounds like a weak ploy to get you to work out, but it is a heart-lifter (and extremely peaceful) to float on your back and do laps. I’ve never met anyone who swam in the rain and said they didn’t have a good time. It’s also one of the least-crowed times to get your workout on.
• Think about your swim goals. Want Jimmy to swim on his own by the New Year? Looking to try your first triathlon in June? Without the pressure of summer — and summer puts a lot of pressure on swimmers, as there is a general attitude (and misconception) this is the best or only time to swim — you can get a little breathing room to slow down and swim the right way. Swimming is always done best when calm and comfortable!

Squidkid Answers Your Questions: Should You Pull Your Crier Out of Class?

Although I do my best to write about timely topics as they pertain to teaching swimming, there’s nothing like a good swim question to both inspire content and keep readers closely involved in making Squidkid a popular and helpful resource. I received a great one from Squidkid reader “Debra” yesterday:

I have a 3.4 year old and he has been taking small group lessons once a week for about 6 weeks. He cries everytime. He says he is afraid of the water. I want him to learn to swim for survival reasons should he fall in. Should I keep going with the lessons – it is a great school- or stop and when does he start again?

RESISTANCE IS NORMAL AT THIS AGE. First of all, these responses are normal, from the child crying to mom wanting her son to have water survival skills. This push-pull dynamic of resistance is to be expected.

BEFORE MAKING A CHANGE, LOOK DEEPER AT THE CURRENT SITUATION. Before you put the work into changing the situation, you can do a couple of things. First, rule out if water trauma is affecting the current situation. It is important for a parent to recognize and honor water trauma, which can happen by the child falling in a pool or being away from the parent’s reach for even a few moments . If you can recall a situation that brought on wide eyes, crying, or emotional talk (either by the parent on child), that was a situation that could have caused water trauma. This kind of trauma lasts and rears its head in swim lessons. If you’re not sure, note current body language: If the child grabs fearfully at the instructor with wide eyes in discomfort, it’s a sign of a past negative water experience. Water trauma is very different from basic water fear (fear of the unknown) – it’s a fear based on a past experience.

Another item to consider before any action is if the swim lesson is the first teacher-student relationship your child has ever had. Your child might need help understanding expectations in these situations. Using rewards and repercussions helps a lot. For example, explain that crying behavior during swim lessons is not OK. And explain a small treat — something they have chosen — will be waiting for them if they follow the teacher’s rules. Another word for this is called Tough Love.

GROUP LESSONS NOT BEST CHOICE FOR THE FEARFUL. If the above has been ruled out, here’s a plan of action. First, make note that group lessons don’t always provide the support a fearful beginner needs. The instructor’s attention is always divided in a ratio, never allowing them to really devote their skills for a long enough time to make an impact on the child. Nor should you expect the instructor in this situation to be able to change things up. It’s just the nature of group lessons.

GET A PRIVATE INSTRUCTOR — NOW. With that being said, find yourself a private instructor for your fearful child. In Debra’s situations, find that person now — do not take a break. This is how you keep giving the message swimming is important. Even if it is just for 3-4 more lessons, keep going. Ask the swim department to credit you for what money you’ve put in to a group lesson, if policy permits. Discuss with the instructor on the first lesson the child’s swim history, and tell her you want to meet after each class and discuss if any progress is being made. Progress is no crying and attempts to do what the teacher asks. No progress is continued tears. If you’ve got progress, keep going with an instructor once a week. Don’t rush it. If no progress, pull out and wait until they get a bit older. Replace swimming with a new activity for the child and explanation this is the reason for a “short break” with swim lessons.

AGE LENDS TO READINESS. This leads to age, which plays a huge factor: The younger the fearful child is, the more slowly you need to work with him/her; and the older a fearful child is, the quicker they end up learning to swim.

PARENTS GET INTO THE POOL. Also, if you want your child to find swimming important, you must join them in the pool. Just get in and play. Go underwater. Show them how you do it. Ask the swim department what the policy is for parents playing either beforehand or after a lesson in the pool (if you’re not a member).

THEY MIGHT LIKE WATER, BUT WATER RESPONSIBILITIES HAVE JUST BEGUN. Yes, we’d all like our 3 or 4 year-olds to be water safe. It’s not an unheard of desire. But parents need to remember what Red Cross preaches: Just because your child can swim does not mean they are water safe. I’ve seen some 3 and 4-year olds do some amazing stuff in the water, but this does not make them any more developmentally ready to understand the complexities of pool safety any deeper than their non-swimming counterparts.

Send me your questions! I’d love to do my best to answer them.

Do’s & Dont’s of Taking Swim Lessons in August

This post comes as after the fact, as August is almost behind us, but that’s kind of the point.

If your child took swim lessons this past month, how did they fare? I’m going to look into my magic crystal ball and predict the lessons came up a little short.

Let’s take the example of a family I know that recently signed up their first-timer — a really sweet little girl of almost four — for group lessons that took place this past month.

I shared the pool space with my own student and out of the corner of my eye, caught that things weren’t going well. The father actually ended up pulling the daughter out of class and scolded the young group instructor for forcing her to go under.

There were three Red Flags in this situation: Beginner, group lessons, and August. Bad combination.

For a beginner, group lessons are never the best choice. Especially if you feel your child is at all sensitive or shy, and is truly a beginner, meaning they don’t know how to enjoy putting their face in yet. For swim instructors, the month of August is the hardest. After a busy summer, instructors are extremely weathered, exhausted, and very short on patience.

Put it all together and you get a bad experience.

I’ve written about this issue before, way back in December, about the Best and Worst Months to Teach Your Child to Swim. I discussed the top 5 five reason why the coldest months of the year are the best months for your child to take lessons.

If you’d like to read about some more pro’s and con’s of swim lessons, particularly involving babies, I found this link here at Baby Blog From Real Mama.