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National Baby Swimming Week & The Benefits of Baby Swimming

Posted on 18th October 2019

National Baby Swimming Week & The Benefits of Baby Swimming


Now in its third year, National Baby Swimming Week is a time to discover and celebrate all the joys of baby swimming for both babies and parents.

Created by Water Babies back in 2016, National Baby Swimming Week runs from the 13th - 19th October this year.

It is the perfect time to raise awareness of the importance of water safety and water confidence, as well as the documented benefits of swimming with your baby.

The Benefits of Swimming With Your Baby

By Emma Reed.

Water Confidence

A weekly swimming lesson will start to build your baby's water confidence from an early age.

The routine will soon become very familiar to your baby, the fun of the lessons will aid in building up water confidence and it will become an activity that they will learn to love week after week.

 

Water Safety

Once your baby becomes more confident in their swimming lessons, they will learn exactly what they need to do in order to remain safe in the event of a water-related accident. In baby swim classes your little one will be taught how to safely blow the water away, rather than inhale it.

They will be shown how to hold onto the side of the pool in order to keep their heads above water and they will be encouraged to swim under the water and then safely return to the surface all by themselves. Babies as young as 4 months old can often prove that they can do this very quickly and with ease.

 

Builds Muscle, Strength and Improves Health

Compared with non-swimmers, baby swimmers generally show that they have stronger heart and lung functions and will often walk earlier. Recent research by the German Sports College, Cologne have studies that show babies who swim are significantly stronger and more coordinated.

Better Balance

As your baby’s body is predominantly supported by the water and, of course by you, they can focus their attention on working on their balance.

The actions babies use whilst swimming incorporates the whole body and they will begin to fully acknowledge how everything feels, moves and works.

A Norweigan study which was carried out in 2010 has shown that swimmers have a far better balance over babies who do not swim, hence why they also tend to walk at a younger age.

Brain Development

The findings from an extensive 4-year study in 2009 by The Griffith University in Australia have remarkably shown that children, under the age of 5, involved in learning to swim were not only more advanced in both their cognitive and physical development than non-swimming children but that they were also far better at math solving problems.

Your Bond

One of the best parts about going swimming with your baby is the fact that you get to further work on that all-important bond.

Your baby has to fully trust your every move, they have to focus on you through the duration of the lesson, making plenty of eye contact and positive gestures, not to mention all of that wonderful skin to skin contact you get to enjoy.

Releases Endorphins

As we all know, exercise releases endorphins, the happy hormones, around our body and it works in the same way for babies too.

Your baby will feel so much happier during and after their lesson.

Sleep Like a Baby

Exercise promotes sleep and everybody wants a baby that sleeps well! You will most probably find that naptime after your weekly swimming lesson will be the easiest one to put your baby down for and maybe even the longest as well as the most peaceful.

A Better Appetite


Exercise will always improve your baby’s appetite and swimming is a perfect way to keep them active but in a gentle way.

Don't be surprised if your baby requires a snack or extra milk after their lesson!

A Routine

Having a routine in your week will benefit both you as a parent as well as your baby.

If you join a weekly baby swimming class, it will become a regular sociable activity for the both of you, it may spark up new friendships and prevent that loneliness a lot of parents can experience at some time or another.

Swimming is such a fantastic all-round activity for you and your baby and as you can see, it provides plenty of benefits for their physical, emotional and cognitive development as well as being great fun.