How babies swim underwater. Forcing swimming doses

Most modern parents are fond of early developmental techniques, including teaching newborns to swim. What is it - a newfangled hobby or a necessary condition for the harmonious development of the baby? Is it necessary to teach babies to swim, when to start and how to do it so as not to harm children's health? In our article we will try to answer these and other questions.

Why is swimming good for babies?

From birth, children are already able to swim: they can hold their breath under water and enjoy splashing in the bath. This is explained by congenital reflexes - before the birth, the baby in the mother's belly was in a liquid environment. By about three to four months, this innate reaction fades away, and it will take much later to teach the baby to stay afloat.

However, the essence of such activities with a newborn is not to make a future out of him. Olympic champion. Increasingly, pediatricians are talking about what baby swimming brings invaluable benefit.

Regular water procedures teach children to be calm about temperature changes. Thanks to hardening, immunity is strengthened, which reduces the likelihood of colds, contributes to a dynamic physical development and helps prevent a variety of health problems.
The result of systematic studies is the formation of the correct, beautiful posture, a strong muscular corset for a children's spine.
Water exercises are much more effective for improvement motor system than massage and stroking. They strengthen or, conversely, relax the muscles of the back, arms, legs and neck. By the way, young swimmers start to crawl, stand up and walk earlier.().
During bathing, when the child has a little difficulty breathing and the body does not have enough oxygen, the child's body additionally secretes red blood cells (erythrocytes), which contributes to an increase in hemoglobin levels.
Swimming and diving have a positive effect on the lungs and cardiovascular system, help stimulate the blood supply to organs and normalize blood pressure.
When the child dives, the flowing water clears the maxillary sinuses. And this is the prevention of a cold in a newborn. The children's nose is also washed, all bacteria, dust particles and possible allergens are removed.
In water, the child calms down, gets rid of fears. Also, water procedures strengthen the bond between mother and baby, taking time for the baby to swim, you can better understand his body language and gestures, which will allow you to quickly find mutual understanding with your baby.
A child taught to swim from birth will not be afraid of open water.

Another undoubted plus is that many children, after swimming and diving, quickly fall asleep and do not disturb the young mother almost all night. What, you see, is important!

Rules for swimming with a baby

Teaching a newborn to swim will not be difficult for parents if you follow the basic recommendations.

Optimal age

Training should start from three to four weeks. Firstly, by this time the umbilical wound heals. Secondly, the child gains weight, gradually adapts to the new reality. Finally, infant reflexes (swimming and breathing) have not yet died out.

Bath preparation

All procedures should be carried out in a familiar environment for the crumbs. Before diving, wash the bathtub with ordinary laundry soap, and rinse it once a week with soda, not forgetting to rinse thoroughly. Be careful with a solution of potassium permanganate and herbal decoctions - a child can swallow liquids. After getting the basic swimming skills, you can move on to more professional lessons - in the pool.

Water temperature

Perform the first workouts at an average temperature of 35 ° C. It can be reduced little by little, but remember - small children under three months old should not swim in water whose temperature is below 32 ° C. To create ideal conditions, monitor children's behavior:

if the baby cries when immersed for several minutes, the water is too cold for him;
if he whimpers at first, and then falls silent and actively flounders with his arms and legs, you have chosen the optimal temperature;
if he is too relaxed and passive, the bath is too warm.

During bathing, the water gradually cools down, but do not rush to bring it to its original temperature. This is the meaning of the procedure - babies happen.

How to do baby swimming lessons?

Water procedures should be performed approximately one hour after a meal: the baby is not hungry yet, and the milk has already been digested. Another important point- deal only with well-rested children in order to avoid tears and whims.

Leaning over the bath, holding the baby in the water, is quite difficult - it gets to both the back and shoulders. Try doing this while sitting in a chair. Be sure to cover the floor in the bathroom with a rubber mat so that it is not so slippery. Take a clean diaper with you - you can wipe the newborn with it after the swim. You can also wrap the baby in it before bringing it to the nursery. However, if there are no drafts in the apartment, doctors recommend blotting the skin of the baby a little, without wiping it dry, and taking it to the crib naked. It's another one effective way hardening.

So, everything is ready for bathing - the bathtub is filled with slightly warm water, and your child is in a great mood. First, touch the surface of the water with his hand, then immerse the child's feet in it. Lower your baby vertically while talking in a confident, calm voice.

In infant swimming, two types of supports are used: under the chin and under the back of the head. In the first case, the baby lies on the water with his stomach down, and you hold his head so that the baby's chin is in your palm. In the second option, the child lies on his back, and you pick up his head by the back of his head. Try both positions and choose the one that your child likes the most.

Moms take note!

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Basic bath exercises

(at the end of the article there are many video instructions on what exercises you can do with a newborn in the bath)

If you think that water procedures at home are an uninteresting event, then you are mistaken. Of course, the baby will not have the opportunity to perform complex somersaults under the guidance of an instructor, but you can do a few simple manipulations on your own.

Advice: For your own peace of mind, purchase an inflatable “life buoy” or a foam cap. They look quite nice and help the baby to be on the surface of the water even without mother's support.

Pushes and turns

Bring your baby's feet close to the walls of the tub. Feeling the support, he will start to push off the sides and try to swim. At this stage, your help is minimal - you just need to support the baby, who will roll over from his back to his tummy.

splashing

The child lies on his stomach, completely immersed in water, and you hold his head by the chin. Show him how unusual the circles running across the water look if you splash a little.

"Let's follow the ship"

Starting position, as in the previous lesson. Place a bathing toy in front of the baby and try to get it out, while saying: “Look, our boat is sailing away. Let's get her." It is necessary to gradually increase the speed and length of the "distance".

"Eight"

When the baby learns to move in a straight line, try moving on to the next lesson. It can be performed both on the back and on the tummy. "Draw" the child the number 8, individually selecting the speed of the task.

"Swing"

Turn the baby on his stomach, holding the head by the back of the head and chin so that it remains above the water. Simulate back-and-forth and up-down swimming (dipping and lifting), making smooth movements.

Attention, let's dive!

Perhaps the most difficult element of infant swimming is diving. And it is difficult not for children, but for parents because of the fear that their beloved child will choke. However, a child from birth knows how to hold his breath, he only needs to be reminded of this.

Before dipping the baby with his head, you should prepare. Say the keyword "Dive!" and blow the baby in the face. He immediately closes his eyes and holds his breath. We repeat the exercise for 10 days.

Then the task becomes a little more complicated: after the agreed phrase, you need to blow and sprinkle water on your face. Have you mastered this stage? Go actually to total immersion. Try to make the first dives when your little swimmer is in a good mood and has had time to swim for a while. Say a familiar command and lower it not very deep for a couple of seconds. Later, the dive time can be increased to five or six seconds.

Contraindications to exercise

Before starting systematic water procedures consult with your pediatrician. He will explain if this activity is suitable for your offspring, and identify possible restrictions. Swimming is contraindicated in the following health conditions:

disorders of the musculoskeletal system, which require fixation of the limbs;
congenital heart disease;
purulent dermatitis;
colds and viral diseases (after a course of treatment you can swim);
disorders of a neurological type, which are accompanied by convulsions.

Remember that you can not insist and force children to bathe, swim and especially dive. Such efforts will not add health to the crumbs, but, on the contrary, will lead to psychological problems.

So, baby swimming is an extremely exciting and extremely useful activity. The child is immersed in a familiar environment, develops muscular system, strengthens the immune system and recognizes the world around. Babies who started swimming from the first days of life adapt better to the conditions kindergarten and schools. Isn't that a good reason to take up swimming with your child?

READ ALSO: Overview of popular techniques early development child with video consultations and films — Moms take note!

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However, the essence of such activities with a newborn is not to make him a future Olympic champion. Increasingly, pediatricians are talking about what baby swimming brings invaluable benefit.

Regular water procedures teach children to be calm about temperature changes. Thanks to hardening, immunity is strengthened, which reduces the likelihood of colds, promotes dynamic physical development and helps prevent various health problems.
The result of systematic training is the formation of a correct, beautiful posture, a strong muscular corset for the children's spine.
Water exercises are much more effective for improving the motor system than massage and stroking. They strengthen or, conversely, relax the muscles of the back, arms, legs and neck. By the way, young swimmers start to crawl, stand up and walk earlier.(what a child can do at 1 year old).
During bathing, when the child has a little difficulty breathing and the body does not have enough oxygen, the child's body additionally secretes red blood cells (erythrocytes), which contributes to an increase in hemoglobin levels.
Swimming and diving have a positive effect on the lungs and cardiovascular system, help stimulate the blood supply to organs and normalize blood pressure.
When the child dives, the flowing water clears the maxillary sinuses. And this is the prevention of a cold in a newborn. The children's nose is also washed, all bacteria, dust particles and possible allergens are removed.
In water, the child calms down, gets rid of fears. Also, water procedures strengthen the bond between mother and baby, taking time for the baby to swim, you can better understand his body language and gestures, which will allow you to quickly find mutual understanding with your baby.
A child taught to swim from birth will not be afraid of open water.

Another undoubted plus is that many children, after swimming and diving, quickly fall asleep and do not disturb the young mother almost all night. What, you see, is important!

READ ON THE TOPIC:

Check out the article: what to do if the child is afraid to bathe in the bath and useful article how to bathe newborn babies

Teaching a newborn to swim will not be difficult for parents if you follow the basic recommendations.

Optimal age

Bath preparation

Water temperature

if the baby cries when immersed for several minutes, the water is too cold for him;
if he whimpers at first, and then falls silent and actively flounders with his arms and legs, you have chosen the optimal temperature;
if he is too relaxed and passive, the bath is too warm.

DETAILS: The optimal water temperature for bathing a newborn baby

During bathing, the water gradually cools down, but do not rush to bring it to its original temperature. This is the meaning of the procedure - the babies are hardened.

Water procedures should be performed approximately one hour after a meal: the baby is not hungry yet, and the milk has already been digested. Another important point is to deal only with well-rested children in order to avoid tears and whims.

(at the end of the article there are many video instructions on what exercises you can do with a newborn in the bath)

Advice: For your own peace of mind, purchase an inflatable “life buoy” or a foam cap. They look quite nice and help the baby to be on the surface of the water even without mother's support.

Pushes and turns

splashing

The child lies on his stomach, completely immersed in water, and you hold his head by the chin. Show him how unusual the circles running across the water look if you splash a little.

"Let's follow the ship"

"Eight"

"Swing"

Then the task becomes a little more complicated: after the agreed phrase, you need to blow and sprinkle water on your face. Have you mastered this stage? Proceed, in fact, to full immersion. Try to make the first dives when your little swimmer is in a good mood and has had time to swim for a while. Say a familiar command and lower it not very deep for a couple of seconds. Later, the dive time can be increased to five or six seconds.

Before starting systematic water procedures, consult with your pediatrician. He will explain if this activity is suitable for your offspring, and identify possible restrictions. Swimming is contraindicated in the following health conditions:

disorders of the musculoskeletal system, which require fixation of the limbs;
congenital heart disease;
purulent dermatitis;
colds and viral diseases (after a course of treatment you can swim);
disorders of a neurological type, which are accompanied by convulsions.

Remember that you can not insist and force children to bathe, swim and especially dive. Such efforts will not add health to the crumbs, but, on the contrary, will lead to psychological problems.

So, baby swimming is an extremely exciting and extremely useful event. The child is immersed in an environment familiar to him, develops the muscular system, strengthens the immune system and learns about the world around him. Babies who started swimming from the first days of life adapt better to the conditions of kindergarten and school. Isn't that a good reason to take up swimming with your child?

READ ALSO: Overview of popular methods of early child development with video consultations and films -

P.S. You can search the Internet for two books by the authors Nikita Yanuschanets and Z.P. Firsov "Swim before walking" and download for free.

Swimming is good for general condition health. It promotes the development of blood circulation, respiratory organs, central nervous system and musculoskeletal system. Swimming is especially beneficial for children. Moreover, they already have this skill, because before birth they already had contact with water. And the task of parents is to develop this skill and teach the baby

You will need

Bath with child-friendly water.

Instruction

A newborn baby is excellent at

and hold your breath at a reflex level. But after two-

three months

this skill is lost. Therefore, it needs to be restored and developed. And so that the baby is not afraid, try to make water procedures interesting.

The baby should be taught to swim and dive only after the final healing of the navel. As a rule, this period takes two to three weeks.

Before preparing the baby for water procedures, warm it up by doing a massage and doing a little gymnastics with it. Children up to three

light strokes are enough, older kids can add

rubbing

The massage is performed all over the body. To do this, lightly stroke and rub the child's breast, tummy, intercostal muscles. Do not touch the area of the nipples and heart!

Movement during the massage should be continuous. Stroke the tummy clockwise: such exercises have a beneficial effect on the work of the intestines. Lightly massage your arms and legs. After five to seven minutes, you can move on to water activities.

Before diving, it is necessary to teach the baby to hold his breath. Up to three months, while the reflex has not yet been lost, it is not difficult. Lightly blow on the child's face. As a rule, while babies themselves hold their breath. The child must understand the meaning of the word "dive". Therefore, after performing several "eights" (this is one of the first skills already available

newborns

sailing time

in the bath, say: "We dive!" and blow on the baby. Repeat this exercise two or three times.

When the baby learns that after the word “dive” you need to hold your breath, start lightly spraying and washing the baby with water. If you see that the child does not like such procedures, do not insist, postpone them for a while. And repeat later.

will get used to spraying and washing, about a week after the first exercise, with one hand hold the baby's chin, and with the other hand scoop up water with your palm, say "dive" and pour it on the baby's face. Do this exercise more often. When you are sure that the child has learned to hold his breath, and not just close his eyes, you can proceed to the next step.

While bathing, perform three or four "eights", say "dive" and pour water over the baby. The child must remember to hold his breath. Then make two or three more "eights", say "dive" and abruptly, literally for a split second, lower the baby under the water. Then swim again. For the first time, one or two dives are enough.

Then gradually teach

child be

under the water

for 1-2 seconds. Alternate swimming with diving. But be careful: otherwise the child may swallow water, and then the hunt for

may disappear for a long time.

If the child does not want

bathe

Don't insist. Try another time. Remember: everything should be in moderation.

Helpful advice

Prepare the bath before bathing your child. First, wash it with laundry soap and rinse with hot water. Then - baby soap. Rinse the tub again. And only after that draw water. It should be a comfortable temperature, 36-37 degrees.

Gradually, the water can be brought to 32-30 degrees.

Sources:

how to teach a child to dive

You can start teaching your baby to dive and swim already in the very early age, because the aquatic environment for the newborn is "native". She reminds him of the time when he was still in his mother's tummy. You should start bathing in a small bath, then switch to a regular bath. What is important to remember when teaching your baby to dive?

Instruction

Classes should start before three

child not yet

reflex to hold your breath. Water must be at least 36 degrees. The first exercises can be started with a simple watering

child water. Take some water and pour it on the top of his head. Do not splash water directly on your face

child. He may be scared. After 5-10 such simple exercises you can begin to gently lower the baby into the water. If he is older, then you can first show him everything by your own example. Let him pour water on you first and see that it is not quite

While the baby is in the water, you should put him on your arm and hold the head and shoulder. Talk to the baby, he

must know

that you are near. Then roll onto your stomach. With one hand, you should support the chin so that water does not get into the mouth, with the other hand - the chest and stomach of the baby.

You need to come up with a command by which the child will hold his breath. For example, "dive". Under water, the child can be no more than two seconds. In the future, gradually increase the time to ten seconds. Do not forget to praise and support the baby. He should not be frightened or afraid of water. Bathing should bring him only pleasure.

When your child is older, you can start teaching him

from the side. Slowly pull it towards you, holding both handles. Gradually, he will cease to be afraid and will jump on his own.

Children love it when their parents learn with them.

nearby and dive. There are many different ways to turn learning into fun game. For example, many babies love it when dads toss them up and then dip them in water. It will be useful to dive into the water with the child, blowing bubbles that will cause a storm of delight in the baby. IN

basin

you can also play with a ball. For example,

him and swim after him, or get various toys or bright objects from the bottom

basin

All this will bring you closer to your child and will allow you to spend the weekend pleasantly and with health benefits.

How to teach a child to dive

When and how to start classes with the baby? You can start swimming lessons when the umbilical wound heals, usually in 2-3 weeks. At first, parents take care of the child in an ordinary home bath. When the bath becomes small for the baby, and he acquires basic skills, you can go to the pool. As a rule, this happens at 2 months. Nine months before birth, the baby was swimming in amniotic fluid. And if you do not scare him away, then he will gladly accept the water in the bath. You need to deal with a child when he is in a good mood, he is full, does not want to sleep, nothing interferes with him. You must be cheerful and friendly. It is desirable to turn swimming lessons into an exciting game that will give pleasure to both you and your child. You need to be patient and not rush. Gradually increase the load, gradually add new exercises. Remember that your main goal is not the achievement of results, but the pleasure and health of your baby. baby swimming It's easy and all parents can learn to do it. You must be calm, and your hands must confidently and securely support the child. The child feels your mood. It is important not to cause fear, overwork and distrust of water in him. Once a mistake is made, it can permanently discourage a child from learning to swim. infant does not know what fear is, he is not afraid of water. During his stay in the womb, he was constantly surrounded by amniotic fluid, and if the child has fear in the bath, then the culprit should be sought among the parents as soon as possible. How can parents gain confidence? If you want to teach your child to swim, it is also advisable to practice in the water during pregnancy. Parents who love the water and know how to swim have more confidence in the expediency of exercising with their baby. Read the manual carefully. Imagine how you will perform supports in the water. Pick the right time, and you can start. Swimming lessons are held in a large bath. Because in a small bath it will be as uncomfortable for a child to swim as in a regular one. What should be the temperature of the bath water? According to the method of Z.P. Firsov, the temperature in the first lessons can be 37 degrees, in the fifth lesson -36.5, in the ninth - 36, in the fourteenth - 35.5, in the twentieth - 35, in the twenty-fourth - 34 degrees. Further, the water temperature drops to the temperature of a conventional pool - 28 degrees. We usually start at a lower temperature. You must choose the temperature for the child individually. He should be warm and comfortable in the water, but at the same time, the water should not be too warm to encourage the child to make active swimming movements. As a rule, the water temperature for a child just born and weighing up to 4 kg should be about 35.5 - 36 degrees, and for a plump child, with folds should be 34-35. IN In any case, you select the temperature for your child, focusing on how he behaves in the bath. During the first lessons, you and your baby will feel more confident if you dive into the bath together. This is not required for later sessions. You will stand in front of the tub and bathe the baby. Plain clean water is collected in the bath. You need to take care of your child every day. The first lessons last 5-10 minutes, then 20 minutes. From the moment you enter the pool, you can practice for 40 minutes. Method Z.P. Firsov designed for classes within 9-12 months. The ultimate goal is to teach the child up to the age of one, firstly, to independently stay on the surface of the water for 20-30 minutes, and secondly, dive to a shallow depth, reach the toy from the bottom and swim underwater for 7-8 seconds. Thirdly, being in light clothes - a summer suit, shoes, socks, a hat - jump off the side of the pool in clothes into the water and in these clothes stay on the surface of the water for 2-3 minutes. The latter seems to me particularly relevant in the light of the statistics of tragic incidents that occurred during Last year with kids. It turns out that a large number of children die from drowning every year, and the strangest thing is that in 78% of cases children die in ordinary puddles, that is, they fall and die terribly from the inability to hold their breath in this way. By teaching a child to swim from infancy, you will forever save yourself from this tragedy. At first, we studied Firsov's methodology, then - the experience of his foreign colleagues, and over time, our own experience came. The methodology you are about to read is based on our experience in teaching newborns to swim. It is somewhat different from the basic methods and is one of the modifications of the soft swimming methods and seems to us the most optimal. Immerse the child you need to slowly, gradually, after checking the temperature of the water so that it does not seem too cold or too hot to the child. The immersion begins with the legs in a vertical position.. At the same time, you can calmly explain to the child that he will be in the water, that now he will swim. Then, when he gets used to the fact that he sank into the water. You can easily translate it into horizontal position while supporting from below. Supports at first should be stronger so that the child feels secure. Later, supports fall under a smaller area of the body. If you are in the bath with the child (as a rule, the father is at first, because it is not recommended for the mother to take a bath while there are lochia), the child can be kept on bent knees, you can put your hands completely under his back, and wrap your palms around head and shake the child in this position. You can put it on your stomach and on your chest so that the child's head is above the water. When you start classes, being in front of the bath, the most convenient support is this: the left hand is under the back of the child's head, and with your right hand you grab the hips either from the outside, or between the legs, or from your side, as you wish. Try to keep the child in the most horizontal position in relation to the water while swimming on his back, which contributes to the rapid learning of independent swimming. Don't worry about getting water in your ears. The child was constantly in the amniotic fluid inside the womb, and it got into the ears. If you start classes before 3 months, you can not be afraid of the harmful effects of water on the baby's ears. For all the time of classes, we did not have a single case of inflammation of the ears in children. At first, you make small wires on your back along the tub back and forth, and then, preferably, master the figure eight movement along the maximum length of the tub. You support the child, as in the previous exercise, and cross your arms during the turns. You can change the speed. In general, there are children who like slow, calm movement, and there are children who like it when an adult sets a sufficiently high speed. Such wiring on the back is the main exercise that prepares the child for independent swimming on the back. The next exercise is repulsion from the wall of the bath. It is performed as follows. You hold the child under the back of the head, bring the child with his legs to the side wall of the tub, set two legs with his feet directly on the wall of the tub and slightly move the child to the side. He kicks off with his feet. And how much he pushed off, so much you take him back. So that the child feels a direct dependence: how strongly he will push off, how far he will sail. Some children do this exercise easily and immediately, others are not very willing. But, as a rule, over time, the child likes this exercise and he rejoices, sailing far back. The next wiring is done in a pose on the stomach. The child lies on his stomach, the head is above the water. With your left hand you grab the neck area, with four fingers right hand support under the chin, and cover the child's mouth with your thumb. Firstly, this technique insures against water getting into the mouth, and secondly, the baby will swim more calmly by sucking on your finger. In this position, you swipe back and forth at low speed, and then move on to the movement of eights, the same as when swimming on your back. There are children who willingly swim on their backs and on their stomachs, there are children who prefer swimming on their backs or on their stomachs. It is better to start classes from the position that is more pleasant for the child. Then, with games, jokes, gradually move to the position that you like less. If you don’t like some exercise, it’s better to switch to another exercise, but don’t take the child out of the water and don’t press it against you, because this can lead to a general reluctance to do anything in the water later. Therefore, if you don’t like swimming on your stomach, then you swim on your back, if you don’t like it on your back. then profit. If you are tired of both this and the other, you are prayed to take a pose for rest. Resting posture, vertical. You support the child under the chest so that both of his "arms were thrown over your right arm. At the same time, you can either support the head and back, or pour water on them. The child, as a rule, calms down in this position. There are children for whom the position is more acceptable rest is not horizontal, but reclining on your side.After a few lessons, you will understand the characteristics of the child, adapt to them, and it will become much easier for both of you.Do not try to take the child by force.The main thing in the first two months, while you swim in the bath, is for the child to get used to to the water and feel trust in it.Initially, his posture will be more tense, and the further, the more relaxed.In addition to these basic movements, you can rock the child so that he has a better feel for the water.As long as the child is calm, he enjoys the activity and is actively involved in swimming - continue the lesson.When you see signs of fatigue - the child begins to whimper, act up, arch, or his nasolabial triangle turns blue - the lesson should be gradually ended. After your child learns how to correctly perform the wiring on the back and stomach, swimming lessons will lengthen, will bring him pleasure and you will see that he trusts the water, you can start diving. Diving is a necessary component of teaching a child to swim independently and the main thing that will save you in the future from the danger of drowning a child. You will be calm on the beach, that your child can play in the water, nothing bad will happen to him. How to start teaching a child to dive? This should be done gradually. At first, when the child swims on the back or on the stomach. You give a loud, clear command: "Attention, dive" or "One, two, three, dive!" And at the same time blowing intensively into the child's face. He will wince, close his eyes and hold his breath. This should be repeated for several days. When you master this exercise, you can move on to the next one. On the command: "Attention, we dive" You splash the child in the face. It is desirable so that water does not get from the bottom up into the nose. You will notice that the baby also holds his breath. Then you can perform in the supine position next exercise. On "Attention, we dive" you lower the child a little deeper into the water so that only the nose and mouth remain on the surface, and the forehead and eyes cheeks so that they sink under water. And finally, if you have mastered all these exercises, you can move on to real diving. The first dive is best done when the child is very well tuned, relaxed, has already swum for some time. It is better to perform it from a position on the stomach. You give a command and submerge the child for a second in shallow water and bring him to the surface. At the same time, you do not let him go under water. When a child appears above the water, for the first second he will have a misunderstanding and an expectant reaction: "What was that?" You should praise, say that the child did everything very, very well, that he dived wonderfully. Then he will not burst into tears and will want to dive next time and please you again. At first, diving should be done 2-3 times per session. After you have mastered short dives for some period of time, you can move on to longer ones. Near one edge of the bathtub, you dive the child, run along the entire length of the bathtub and emerge at the other edge. Over time, dives can be extended up to 5-6 seconds under water and on a short time release the child under water, then pick it up and bring it to the surface of the water. More than 5 dives in principle on early stages it is not recommended to do, but you can adjust them according to the reactions of the child. The main tasks that you face in teaching your child to swim in the bath are friendship and trust in the water and the ability to dive without swallowing a lot of water. By this time, your baby will be 2-3 months old, and you can move to a large pool. There are a number of advantages in the pool: firstly, the water level is higher and the water holds the child better, and secondly, there will also be mothers with children, and children miraculously adopt what other children have already learned and start swimming better next to them , thirdly, it will be more convenient for you to support the child when you are with him in the pool, and not tilted over the bath. In any case, we recommend using assistive devices from 2-3 months of age. This is the Little Mermaid set. The main component is the "mermaid crown". She puts on a child from about 2 months of age so that he can lie on the surface of the water on his own. From birth, the child has a stepping reflex. Sometimes this reflex is not very clearly expressed. It is difficult for a child to walk on land. But if you put a rubber mat on the bottom of the bath, take in not as much water as for swimming, but so that it reaches the child to the chest or a little higher, take him under the armpits and slightly tilt the body forward, he will walk very cheerfully along the bottom baths. Children learn to walk in the bath much better than on land. You only insure, look and there is no need to be in an inclined position all the time, supporting the child. Over time, he will learn on his own, without any help and without a "mermaid" to lie on the water. At first, you support the child quite strongly, then you support the child much weaker, only with your fingertips, then the child is supported by the "mermaid", from which you gradually remove the cubes through one. Then, during postings, you release your hands for a short time and again When you go to the pool, basic exercises and wiring will remain the same, but the depth of the water and the spaciousness of the pool will help you diversify these exercises in every possible way. You can diversify diving. The child can dive with you. You can hold it behind your back and dive together. You can keep ahead of you, and then he will emerge first, and you after him. You can swim on your back, while the child will lie on your stomach and chest. The kids love it. Two adults can stand against each other, and a child who has already learned to dive well can push from one adult to another. He will swim a meter and a half, and then another adult will accept him, wait until his breathing returns to normal, and in the same way direct him to the first one. For swimming on your stomach, you can use the "mermaid necklace", it will support the head, and you will not need to do it with your hand. There is another way to more calmly transition from supports to independent swimming - these are "mermaid pendants". With them, you support the child lightly to help him balance correctly on the surface of the water. You can use a circle with a small diameter and teach the child to work with arms and legs at the same time on the circle. An older child can be placed on the side of the pool. You, being in the pool, call the child to you, and he will dive towards you. As a rule, children really like this exercise. To diversify activities, you can use various inflatable and floating toys, as well as toys that you can dive to the bottom for. At first, you can dive for one toy, then you can throw several rings or objects that the child can simultaneously grab and emerge to the surface. The child also likes such exercises very much. Any way of swimming is based on the ability to exhale air into the water after a deep breath. This child needs to be taught. You can do this exercise. The child lies on the chest in a horizontal position supported by pendants or a belt. You lean towards his face and gently say: "Look how mom or dad is doing. We blow on some water like this." At the same time, you collect full chest air and slowly exhale it to the very surface of the water. The child sees circles forming on the water. He likes it and he tries to reproduce this action. You can blow on a light boat or any toy so that it moves through the water, and encourage the child to do so. After a few sessions, demonstrate to the child exhaling into the water, immersing the mouth and nose in it. The bubbles that form on the surface of the water will attract the attention of the baby, and he will want to do the same. In the home bath, you can bathe the child naked, and it is better to wear panties or swimming trunks in the pool, because sometimes he can poop while swimming or diving. And in order not to dirty the water in the pool, it is desirable that the child has something to wear. In swimming lessons, consistency and regularity are very important. Usually, good results reach those parents who calmly, but constantly deal with children. At first in the bath every day or at least 5 times a week, then when you go to the pool - 2-3 times a week. In this mode, the child does not lose the acquired skills. Swimming gives him great pleasure. With swimming lessons, your little one will learn a lot. He will learn to stay on his back, swim on his tummy, and most importantly, he will learn to dive, and this reflex will be fixed in him forever. But the most important thing is that you can give your child a unique joy. taken

A useful skill for every person is the ability to stay on the water. Many parents want to teach their kids to swim as early as possible. When should you start your first swimming lessons? Best of all from 3-5 weeks of age, while the baby still “remembers” the water and is not afraid of it. By this age, the “swimming” reflex is still preserved, so teaching a child to swim is the easiest.

But some parents of a newborn baby are scared to even imagine how small and such a helpless creature can be taught to swim. And, most often, the communication of the baby with water for a long time seems like a minute bath with herbs in a small bath, preventing the baby from moving in the water once again. And at this moment, few people think that this is the “native” and such a familiar habitat for the baby. Indeed, in the mother's tummy, the child swam freely at first, then the place became less and less, but still there was such warm and pleasant water around.

Where can a newborn baby learn to swim?

Basic swimming training begins literally from the first weeks of life. Up to 3-5 weeks of a child's life, it is necessary to bathe in boiled water (until the umbilical wound heals). It is very important that the first baths take place in good mood the baby and, first of all, in a good mood of the parents. If parents plan to go swimming in the future, first of all, they must get rid of their own sense of fear. Of course, a newborn baby looks tiny and fragile, but he is quite viable, and the less your fear and insecurity, the more successful your communication with the baby in the water will be. So, if the umbilical wound has healed, you can proceed to bathing in a large bath and start swimming lessons.

For what baby learn to swim?

Teaching a child to swim, we simultaneously solve several problems:

* increase the body's resistance to temperature changes and strengthen its immunity;

* acting on the skin and small blood vessels of the child, we facilitate the saturation of tissues with oxygen and improve the blood circulation of the child's brain, contributing to its more rapid development;

* train correct breathing the child, we develop his bronchopulmonary system, we teach him to hold his breath;

* we act on the skin of the child with a soft massage: water is the best masseur for a small child, very gentle and effective.

Preparing a bathroom for bathing a baby

The room where the classes are held should not be hot, room temperature is enough (so that when leaving the bathroom there is no strong temperature drop).

It is necessary to wash the bath thoroughly with baby soap and preferably clean with baking soda. After that, rinse well with hot water.

Necessary conditions for bathing a newborn baby

* calmness and confidence in the movements of parents;

* pleasure from swimming: classes should be held only if it brings joy to both you and the child;

* regularity: it is necessary to swim with a child every day, without "holidays and weekends". Preferably at the same time, 30-40 minutes after feeding;

* absence of contraindications: it is necessary to make sure that there are no contraindications for swimming. To do this, you need to consult a pediatrician, a lactation consultant and a neurologist.

Massage before swimming

Be sure to prepare the baby before starting the lesson. To do this, a light massage is done (stroking and light kneading), gymnastics (moving the arms and legs up and down, flexion-extension). The duration of the preparatory stage is 20-30 minutes.

Immersion

You need to immerse the child in water slowly, gradually and always in an upright position. Avoid sudden movements that may frighten the baby. Calmly and balanced explain to the child that now he will be in some water, will learn to swim, praise the baby.

If the baby is crying, do not force him into the water! Try to calm the baby, something to distract. Particularly beneficial effect has on the baby joint bathing with mom.

Water temperature for baby bathing

During the first 6-10 sessions, the temperature of the water should correspond to the temperature of the baby's body, i.e. 36.6-37.2 degrees. In the future, the water temperature gradually decreases (by about half a degree per week), and the time for swimming with the child increases. There are many different methods for lowering the temperature of the water, but it must be borne in mind that each child is unique, and therefore the reaction of children to the same water temperature in the bath can be completely different. To determine the comfort temperature for your child, you need to take a closer look at him in the first minutes of bathing:

* if the child cries when immersed in water, and does not calm down after 3-4 minutes of being in the water, then most likely the water is cold;

* if the child, having cried a little, begins to actively move his arms and legs, while stopping crying, then the water is at the optimum temperature for swimming and hardening;

* if the child is passive and relaxed in the water, does not want to move, then most likely the water is too warm.

Basic Support

Parents need to focus on those supports and movements that the child likes the most.

1. Palm support under the chin

The child is in the position on the tummy. You need to bring your palm under the baby's chin so that he rests on the middle phalanx of your ring finger. Sliding on the surface of the water, the index and middle fingers control the position of the baby's head. At the same time, the baby's face looks forward and slightly up. Try to keep your head straight. With your free hand, hug the baby on the side farthest from you, bringing four fingers under the stomach, giving the baby's body a horizontal position. The thumb should be left on top of the back for insurance.

swimming for babies

2. Palm support under the head

The baby lies on its back on the surface of the water. With one hand, bringing your palm under the back of the head, you support the child's head from below, with the other hand - under the back. Only the face remains above the surface of the water.

swimming for babies

3. Underarm support

This is vertical support. You will need it for transitions from one exercise to another, for relaxation, games.

swimming for babies

Basic exercises

Exercise 1: "Plop-Plop"

It is carried out in the support position with the palm under the chin. The child is completely immersed in water (except for the face). Parents show the baby how interesting it is to make “splash-splash” in water, how circles scatter on the water, how a trickle of water from the tap sparkles and overflows.

Exercise 2: "Swimming after the duck"

It is performed in the position on the tummy, support with the palm under the chin.

Try to catch up with the floating toy ahead. Be sure to accompany the game with verbal commands, such as: "Catch up with our duck soon, Look, our boat has sailed away." Gradually increase the speed and distance of the swim. From swimming in a straight line, gradually move on to swimming in "eights" (with a turn of 180 degrees).

Exercise 3: "We work with the legs"

It is done in any position, both on the back and on the tummy. Most babies enjoy these movements, they are useful not only for further learning to swim, but also for learning to walk. Swimming to the side of the bath, rest your half-bent legs against the side. Babies in this position themselves reflexively push off the side with their legs. Parents must catch the moment of repulsion and give the command “pushed off” and sail away from the side.

Exercise 4: "Swing"

After immersing the child in water, use palm support under the chin. Perform gentle swings. Forward - so that the baby's breast is half out of the water, back - to the usual position.

Diving is a necessary part of teaching a child to swim independently. Having taught the baby to dive, you will be calm for him when he plays in the water, the possibility of accidentally choking for him will be practically excluded.

Learning to dive is best done gradually. The first stage: with the command "one, two, three - we dive!" strongly blow in the face of the child. He will wince, close his eyes and hold his breath. So you need to repeat 7-10 days.

The second stage: we use palm support under the chin. On the command "one, two, three - dive" you splash the child in the face with water. Try not to get water from the bottom up into the nose. After you have mastered all these exercises, you can proceed to the next step.

Third stage: diving. The first dive is best done when the child is in a good mood and has already swum for some time. It must be performed from a position on the stomach. You give a familiar command and submerge the child for a second in shallow water, then bring him to the surface. Immediately after this, you need to praise the baby. At first, diving should be done 2-3 times per session. After you master short dives, you can move on to longer ones.

After the baby grows up to 6-7 months, learns to dive and swim in the bath, you can go to the pool. Classes in the pools are conducted by specialists who are always ready to help, besides, in the pool, the mother will be with the child in the water. Joint swimming causes closer emotional contact between parents and a child.

Swimming is best view sports. You give the child the opportunity to get used to the water and thereby contribute to his physical and mental development. Don't be afraid of anything! You don't have to strictly follow these exercises. Improvise, choose exercises that are convenient for you and your baby, those that bring him joy, turn bathing into relaxation. Thanks to close communication, you will learn to understand your child, learn to help him, and the baby, in turn, will begin to trust you much more!

In the womb, the fetus develops surrounded by amniotic fluid, so after birth it does not lose the ability to float and breathe properly in it. If a child is engaged in swimming from infancy, then the reflexes will not fade away, and the baby acquires extraordinary skills, good health and harmonious development. How training in the aquatic environment affects the body of the baby:

The cardiovascular system. Swimming movements activate blood circulation. They help strengthen the heart muscle, have a beneficial effect on the walls of blood vessels, and activate the processes of hematopoiesis.
Respiratory system. During swimming movements, the drainage function of the lungs is enhanced, thereby ensuring the prevention of infectious diseases and the healing effect. The baby takes deep breaths, the nasopharynx is washed and cleaned.
Urinary system. Active muscle movements contribute to the intensive work of the kidneys, they develop properly. As a result, harmful substances are excreted faster.
Musculoskeletal apparatus. Exercise stress on the bones, all muscle groups, joints and ligaments due to the water evenly distributed. This contributes to the harmonious development of the body. Overcoming the resistance of water locomotor system strengthened. Babies swimming in infancy crawl faster, begin to walk, they develop correct posture the spine stays straight.
Central nervous system. Thanks to the courses of infant swimming, blood circulation in the cerebral vessels is activated, and enhanced nutrition of the organ is provided. Exercise strengthens the nervous system. Emotional reactions change, mood improvement is noticeable.
Immunity. Getting used to temperature changes helps the baby harden.

Indications for baby swimming

Classes will be useful for almost all children. However, there are a number of conditions in which infant swimming is not only not prohibited by doctors, but also recommended for health reasons for medicinal purposes:

muscle hypertonicity;
cerebral palsy;
muscle weakness;
torticollis;
low birth weight;
congenital musculoskeletal defects;
joint diseases.

Principles and rules of procedure

Every parent should understand that any activity with a baby should be approached with all seriousness and responsibility. What you need to consider in order to practice baby swimming with maximum comfort:

Select right time for training. The baby should be alert, well-rested. Do not exercise when he is hungry or has just eaten. The optimal time is an hour after feeding.
For myself put a rubber mat on the bathroom floor to avoid slipping.
In advance prepare a clean diaper, which wipe the crumbs.
If you see that the baby for some reason does not want to engage, is naughty or just not in the mood, in no case don't force. It's better to skip the workout.

At what age to start classes

Reflexes are lost approximately 2.5-3 months after birth. If you do not have time to start swimming with a baby before this time, then it will be very difficult for the child to learn. It is advisable to conduct the first workouts when the baby is three to four weeks old. For regular classes both a special pool and a large home bath are suitable. Parents should train with the baby, even if the sessions are group. It is strongly recommended that a professional baby bath instructor be present for the first session.

Bath preparation

If you will be practicing at home, then the tank for baby bathing the baby must be carefully prepared. A home bath should be washed with laundry soap before each workout, and cleaned with baking soda once a week. Be sure to rinse the container with plenty of water. Do not use herbal decoctions and potassium permanganate solution, aggressive chemical detergents. All this can partially remain on the surface and enter the baby's body.

Water temperature

This parameter must be carefully controlled. In the first lessons, the water temperature should be 35-36 degrees. It should be reduced gradually. The acceptable minimum is 32 degrees. At the same time, you need to make sure that the child is comfortable. Children are hardened, immunity is strengthened. The child must be completely immersed in water. Recommendations:

if the child whimpers when immersed in water, but after a minute or two falls silent, then the temperature is chosen ideally;
if the baby does not stop crying, then the filling of the bath is too cold;
if the baby in the water is too passive and relaxed, this indicates that the water is excessively warm.

How to teach a baby to swim

You can choose one of two ways: train at home on your own or attend classes at public swimming pool children's center. The first option is convenient in that it is free and always available. The advantages of the second method are that the training will be conducted by a professional instructor. Check out some of the features of both options.

Swimming lessons for babies

The duration of the workout is usually 30 to 45 minutes. Lessons can be individual program or group. You can visit both, and then decide how comfortable it is for you and your baby to train. For the first session, be sure to bring medical certificate that the child has no contraindications. Usually, A baby bathing lesson consists of the following steps:

Dry workout.
Introduction to water.
Warm-up with gymnastics and various exercises at the side of the pool.
Baby swimming with noodles, rings, boards and other equipment.
Games in the water with elements of scuba diving using special techniques.

Swimming lessons for newborns at home

When your tub or toddler pool is full, start introducing the baby to the water. First, let the baby touch the surface with their palms. Then dip your feet and soak in the water for a few minutes. Gradually immerse the legs, and then the whole body in an upright position. Do not stop talking to the child in an affectionate voice, smile at him, gently pour water over him.

Parents should master two types of infant support: under the chin and the back of the head. The first is used when the baby is lying on the tummy, and the second when he is in the back position. You can use one of them, but it is better to learn both techniques confidently and alternate them: this will be much more beneficial for the child. Additionally, it does not hurt to master infant swimming with a special support circle - with it the baby will be more relaxed.

A set of exercises for babies

Swimming a baby is not just dipping a baby in water of a certain temperature. The purpose of the lesson is to complete a set of exercises. They are completely simple and completely safe for the child. In the process, you yourself will understand which of them the baby likes more, which ones less. Mom or dad, who are engaged with the baby, should be as collected and calm as possible during classes so that the child does not become anxious. Remember how to do the exercises.

splashing

Hold the baby under the chin on the stomach with one hand. Another pat on the water to show the baby how it splashes and trembles. Make different movements with your palm, drive along the surface. Show your baby how water drips from your hand, flows down. Gradually, the child himself will splash in the water and get great pleasure from it. Do this exercise until the baby is completely comfortable in the water.

Pushes and turns

Bring the child closer to the walls of the bath so that he, feeling the support with his legs, pushes away from it and swims. You should support him while turning, but try to participate in the process as little as possible. The child should feel that there is a connection between the force with which he pushes off and how much distance he will be able to swim as a result. As a rule, all children like this exercise.

Swimming in a straight line

Keep your baby on your tummy. In front of him, place some bright, interesting toy. Let the baby try to catch up with her. Move the toy a little further away from the little swimmer each time. Vary your speed and technique. Gradually reduce the intensity of support so that the child understands that he can swim on his own, stay on the water.

Eight

The next new exercise is allowed to be performed only when the child has already mastered swimming in a straight line. Hold the child alternately on the stomach, then on the back, drawing figure-eights, zigzags, and other wave-like figures on the water. Change the speed until you find the optimal one. Some children like to move as fast as possible, while others like very smooth movements.

Exercise Swing

Place the baby on your stomach. Hold the head so that it is completely above the surface of the water. Gently guide the baby so that it moves up and down and back and forth, plunging into the water and rising. This exercise is the first step to diving. Do it for a long time, do not try to immediately go to the most difficult element, otherwise the baby may simply get scared.

Diving babies in the bathroom

This element is the most difficult, you should move on to it only when all the basic techniques have been mastered. When starting it, you should clearly understand that the child has swimming skills and a breath-holding reflex, so you have nothing to be afraid of. How to do the exercise:

Start with a workout. Clearly say the word "dive" to the baby and blow in the face. He will hold his breath and close his eyes. Perform the element for 10 days.
Make the exercise harder. After the “dive” command, not only blow, but also splash the baby with water in the face.
Move on to the full item. First you need to learn how to dive for a second or two, gradually increasing the duration.

Where to swim with babies in Moscow

If you live in the capital, are going to work with your baby and do not want to do this at home, it's not scary. There are many places in Moscow where you can learn the technique of baby swimming. Short description some of them:

Swimming pool for babies Kapitoshka in the club Golitsyn. Classes for babies from three months, duration 45 minutes, children's massage, exercises, games, the depth of the pool is 1.5 meters, the walls are cleaned twice a day with a special vacuum cleaner, the price of a single visit to the pool is 1000 rubles, a subscription for 8 workouts is 6500 rubles.
School of infant swimming in Moscow in the Aquatory of childhood. Individual and joint classes for 45 minutes, pre-registration, flexible system of discounts, single session - 900 rubles, when buying a subscription for a month - 850 rubles. for a lesson, for three - 800 rubles each, large children, children with disabilities - 750 rubles.
family club Kimberly Land. Individual sessions with a certified trainer, muscle strengthening exercises different groups, session - half an hour, visit from 2 months, a subscription for 10 classes costs from 17500 to 21700 rubles. depending on the qualifications of the instructor.
Baby Swimming Center Second birth. 45-minute exercise classes, for babies from 1.5 months, multi-level water purification system, temperature 32-34 degrees, 3 branches in Moscow with different prices, Volgogradsky prospect - 1200 rubles, Veshnyaki - 700 rubles, Petrovsko-Razumovskaya - 600 r.
Swimming pool for babies in the center Bright Family. Early infant swimming, classes are held according to the Birthlight method for babies from one and a half months, training in a specialized pool with a water temperature of 32 degrees, experienced instructors are trained to work with not quite healthy children, the cost of one lesson is 1200 rubles, there are subscriptions for 4, 6 , 8 visits.
Swimming training for babies in the early development center Dolphin. Several branches, classes for children from a month old, a parent training course for independent training at home is possible, there is a home visit, the cost per session is from 1500 rubles.
Pool mother and child. Classes from 1.5 months old, a large swimming pool for babies, water is purified without the use of chlorine, adults are trained for independent training with children at home, group sessions, prices from 1200 rubles.

Baby swimming - pros and cons

Opinions of pediatricians, as well as parents, vary greatly on this issue. For example, Dr. Komarovsky claims that swimming lessons contribute to the accelerated and correct mental and physical development of an infant. They only benefit the body, strengthen muscles. Although under the influence of infant swimming, many infants grow up too hyperactive. However, it cannot be overlooked that exercising in water increases the risk of developing respiratory diseases.

Most parents whose children attend baby swimming classes are satisfied with the results. They claim that their babies sleep better, eat better, get used to the daily routine well. It is also encouraging to see how positively children behave during training. They experience positive emotions. The degree of trust and mutual understanding with their parents is higher than that of those kids who have not been swimming since infancy.

Contraindications

Some children are prohibited from water procedures in general or for a certain period. The absence of contraindications can only be determined by a doctor. Breast swimming is contraindicated in:

acute inflammatory processes with fever;
infectious diseases, including viral hepatitis, syphilis, tuberculosis;
problems of the musculoskeletal system, which require fixation of the limbs;
purulent processes;
renal and hepatic insufficiency in the stage of progression;
skin diseases with secretions;
heart failure;
wounds;
mental illness with seizures.

After the birth of the baby, fathers and mothers are seized by a burning desire to immediately begin to develop the child. But how? He's tiny and doesn't know anything...

Useful from all points of view

Swimming is an amazing sport. Almost all the major muscles of the body are involved here, and the load on the spine (and, therefore, the risk of injury) is minimal. Swimming develops the cardiovascular system, increases endurance and has a beneficial effect on breathing: the lungs straighten out, and their volume increases. Most newborns love water: they splashed in their mother's tummy for nine months, and therefore they are more comfortable in the bath than on land.

Water is especially useful for premature babies: the body in it weighs less, and babies quickly catch up with their "land" peers who were born with normal weight.

Like a fish in water

Experience shows that a one-year-old baby who can swim is real. First, children learn to swim underwater, then little by little they begin to float on the surface. Hence the conclusion: in order to teach a child to swim, he must first be taught to dive. In most cases, kids are not enthusiastic about this idea, and a lot of perseverance and patience are required from parents so that the baby understands that diving is great. Many fathers and mothers doubt whether the game is worth the candle, that is, whether it is necessary to spend time and nerves on teaching a child to swim. At the age of five, he will learn like all normal children! Let's try to weigh the pros and cons.

A word to supporters of early sailing. Here are their arguments:

Swimming improves health, and the ability to hold your breath underwater develops the lungs.
Early swimming is a guarantee that the child will not be afraid of water and will not drown if he accidentally falls into the water. Statistics show that children drown (many children!) every year, and in 78 percent of cases they choke in shallow waters and even ordinary puddles, unable to hold their breath.
After swimming, the children sleep soundly. Swim with your baby and sleep peacefully at night!
Diving - good way rinse the nose and treat a runny nose.
Swimming with parents in the pool is a great vacation for the whole family.
By swimming, you learn to communicate with your baby and understand the signals that he gives you.

Objections of opponents of early sailing:

The first diving experience often ends with a heart-rending cry of a baby and a pre-infarction state of dad - mom - grandmother. Isn't it better to save the nerves of the parents and the psyche of the child?
If a grown-up kid is not afraid of water, he may well take the initiative and try to swim in the pond on occasion (naturally, without adult supervision). Do I need to say what such an initiative is fraught with?
At a more conscious age, teaching a child to swim is much easier.
What kind of trust between a child and parents can we talk about if a mother puts a baby under water with her own hands? In fairness, we note that if the first difficulties are overcome, the child is calm about the water: he knows that his mother's hands are there too.
By the age of six months, the baby bath becomes too small for swimming, and not everyone has a pool near the house.

Mom is the best teacher

All authors of early swimming methods agree on one thing: there is no better teacher than a mother. The key to success is mother's confidence. If you decide to teach your child to dive, you need to start after birth: after all, by three months, the breath-holding reflex completely disappears. Ideally, for the first time, an instructor is involved with the baby, who shows parents what and how to do. From the age of one and a half months, you can go to a special Children's swimming pool, where the "baby group" is engaged. Such pools have now appeared in kindergartens and clinics in Moscow. You can do a lot there. useful exercises for whom the bath is small, and for grown-up kids, the pool is a great opportunity to swim to their heart's content.

Only the brave conquer the seas

Our mothers and grandmothers bathed their children in special baths, with the greatest precautions: so as not to catch a cold! But the kids are happy to splash in the usual, adult bathroom, if you give them such an opportunity. You can start swimming when the umbilical wound heals. Sterility in the bath is completely optional: just wash it well before bathing. There is also no need to add potassium permanganate to the water, but if the baby has irritation on the skin, bathing with a decoction of the string will benefit him. Baths with sea salt traditionally used to treat children with disorders of the nervous system. These baths are exciting, so they are not recommended before bedtime.

The water should not be too warm cold water children move actively, and fall asleep in the warmth. Don't be afraid to keep the door open - it's not so much the cold that causes the baby to catch a cold, but the change in temperature (which is exactly what you'll get if you move your baby from a heated bathroom to a cool room). Many parents are afraid that water will get into their ears, and insert cotton wool there while bathing. This is completely unnecessary - water cannot cause diseases of the middle ear.

How long to swim in the bath? Look at the baby: someone is ready to bathe for several minutes, but you can’t pull someone out of the bathroom without a scandal. If your baby is an active bather, keep a steady stream of warm water running to keep the tub warm. Dousing with cold water after bathing is a great way to harden your baby; it can be used from the first days of life.

Everyone bathes

The baby is immersed in water immediately. If the mother talks to him and explains what is happening, the baby feels more confident. Of course, he won’t understand the words, but his mother’s friendly intonations will certainly reach him. Some babies like to swim on their tummy, others on their back. Start the procedure with what the baby likes best. When bathing on your stomach with your right hand, support the head under the chin, and place your left hand on the back of the head. With the thumb of the right hand, you can cover his mouth, and besides, many kids are happy to gnaw on their mother's hand - this adds to their courage. In this position, the child is "led" through the bathroom back and forth and in figure eights.

Choose the pace of movements individually: some kids love sharp turns and waves when the bath is almost overflowing, others prefer to move slowly. Bring the child close to the side: feeling support under his feet, he will push off and swim to the other end almost on his own. When the baby swims on its back, support the head with one hand and the bottom with the other. Many children enjoy turning from back to tummy and vice versa. You can also swim in an upright position - in the "frog" position. At the same time, with one hand you support the baby under the breast, and with the other, you press the bent legs to the tummy. This position resembles the position in which the baby was in the womb, children love her very much.

The most crucial moment is diving. At the word "dive" the child is gently blown in the face or splashed with water on him. As a rule, at this moment the baby closes his eyes tightly and holds his breath. Then you can briefly dip his head into the water. When the child has mastered diving and can hold his breath for a few seconds, you can try to let him go free swimming (not for long!). The kids love it. Over time, the baby will learn to swim the entire bath under water.

In the pool you can catch a floating toy, dive with your mother and sing "Baba sowed peas", as well as swim with your mother or father on your chest and stomach. For grown up champions, jumping from the side into the water causes a storm of delight.

If at home something suddenly went wrong with swimming (diving, swimming), going to the children's pool and consulting an experienced instructor will put everything in its place.

There are special devices for bathing babies - armlets, a "mermaid cap", leg cuffs, flippers. How and what to use, the instructor will show you. But experts are unanimous on one thing: do not give your child an inflatable ring. This initially forms an incorrect body position and harms further learning.

Captain, captain, smile!

As a rule, babies love water. But when it comes to diving, the roar can start. After two or three attempts, at the mere thought of diving, parents are horrified and put an end to this idea. Here are some ideas on how to make diving fun.

Take your child around the bathroom at the same pace, then (literally for a second) dip his head into the water and, as if nothing had happened, continue to move.
Sing a song or tell a rhyme, and do not change the intonation and tempo: the baby should hear his mother's even voice both under water and after emerging.
Swim together! Nothing soothes like a mother, if she herself is relaxed and calm.
Feed in water. Children under water open their eyes, and if the baby sees his mother's breast right in front of him, he will swim to it at all costs, you can be sure! And the reward will be the wonderful mother's milk, which the baby will receive when it emerges.
The sound of running water has a magical effect on children, so do not turn off the tap: the murmur calms the little swimmer.
Notice which movements the child likes best, and move on to them immediately after emerging. It can be vertical jumping or frog pose.
Make the bathroom inviting: hanging bright toys and colorful balloons from the ceiling is a good way to distract the child.
Be sure to find a way to soothe the little one in the bath. He must leave her without tears, otherwise he will develop a persistent fear of water.

And one more thing: bathing should not be a duty. Don't go swimming and diving just because it's fashionable and the boy next door can dive. If you do not have a soul for this, and the baby will not get any pleasure from the water.

Personal experience

I really love to swim. And when the child was born, I decided that swimming is what we need. From the very beginning, I saw that the baby liked to swim: he immediately calmed down in the water. But he dived, frankly, without enthusiasm. We started going to the pool. And after the very first lesson, the kid changed his attitude to diving: at the word "dive" he broke into a smile and, emerging, burst into laughter. At the sight of a bath or a pool, he impatiently waved his arms and legs, saying with all appearance: "Faster into the water!"

When my little one began to sit, we quickly mastered jumping from the side, and by the age of one, the whole family splashed in big pool with sea water. The kid confidently swam under water from mom to dad and back, and everyone got great pleasure.

A friend also decided to go swimming with the child, but the baby reacted to diving with heart-rending cries. Mom decided not to torture the child. Yes, her perfectly healthy three-year-old child cannot swim, but I don't think he suffers much from this. I have no doubt that they have found other ways to make communication harmonious and joyful.

Article provided by the magazine "Family Doctor"

Discussion

You know, we also had such a problem, but then it slowly began to fade, they began to add soothing herbs, extracts, toys, laugh together))) and you still do everything the same way and everything is fine !! what have you tried??

Answer to
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Renat Khamitov 13.9.2008
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It is not possible to “put such children on the water”, which means that you cannot technically teach how to swim correctly. - for more details, see Question No. 7 here: http://swim7.narod.ru/pam.html

12.10.2008 15:15:59, Shcherbakova Yu.M.

But experts are unanimous on one thing: do not give your child an inflatable ring ....
Tell me, please, why can't you give an inflatable ring? Our daughter has been swimming with a ring around her neck since she was 4.5 months old. Does this threaten us?

13.09.2008 11:52:32, Renat Khamitov

My son was born full-term, but early, a week while he was eating off, I cried looking at his thinness and bluish heels (considering that they were discharged from the house in a day) And I was afraid of catching a cold, bathing him, he did not have time to squeak, I was already near him. From two weeks I just started bathing him. But then I read a few articles about swimming (unfortunately we don’t practice swimming) and we started swimming in the bathroom with our son from three weeks, at first it was scary how to hold him properly, I was afraid to let him into the water. Now we both enjoy the lesson, Small because he likes to swim, and I because I like to watch how he likes to swim. This is my second child and I can compare the development of the older and younger. The physical development of the youngest at 2 months is ahead of about 2 weeks, despite the fact that we do not break records , just floundering amateurishly. It’s a pity that I was not interested in swimming babies at the first birth, one delight in children’s eyes when a child understands that he is going to swim is worth a lot.

23.02.2008 15:23:59, Sibel

This article is intended for those people who want to teach their children to swim first and then walk. Of course, we understand that not all young parents have such a desire, but this question is of interest to many people. So, how to teach a baby to swim and whether it is necessary to do this, you will find out by reading this material to the end.

About the benefits of water procedures for a child

Physical training in the water for kids is not only very enjoyable, but also extremely useful. Of course, to ensure that a one-year-old baby can swim independently is a very difficult task, but doable. The mere fact that a child in the water can perform those movements that he can never do under normal conditions is a huge plus for the development of his muscles. In addition, the very fact of being in the water and the opportunity to perform previously unexplored movements there bring great joy to the baby. Plus, with repeated and short-term immersion of a child under water, his brain experiences short-term oxygen starvation, which, subject to a certain methodology, is a powerful general strengthening factor. Therefore, knowledge about how to teach a baby to dive young parents will not be superfluous.

You need to understand that these procedures are not exactly teaching the child to swim as such, but simply teach him to feel comfortable in the water and, of course, not to be afraid of it.

The procedure for teaching a child to swim

All children react differently to water, so the technique how to teach a newborn to dive and swimming in each case requires an individual approach. By the way, some children do not like to be in the water at all and are naughty even when their mother bathes them. In such a situation, parents should gradually accustom the baby to water and do everything possible to ensure that being in the water brings him joy. by the very effective way for this is to play with him in the water. When you notice that your baby has fallen in love with water, then you can think about how to teach a child to dive and swim. This is done in stages and until the child has mastered all the necessary techniques, it is not worth moving on to the next stage of training.

First stage.

At the initial stage of training, parents must accustom the child to water and learn how to properly maintain it in it.

Support under the chin

This method is the most important in training a child. The baby should lie in the water with his tummy down. You should place your palm under the child's chin so that he rests on the ring finger of your hand. At the same time, the little finger must be positioned so that it does not touch the baby's throat. It can simply be taken aside or brought by the ring finger. The index and middle fingers need to be slightly apart, slightly bent and placed in front of the face of the young swimmer. Thus, these two fingers will slide on the surface of the water and thus, as it were, control the position of the baby's head.

Hold the baby's head so that he looks forward, and the head itself is slightly raised. In this case, the head should be located exactly in the direction of movement of the body, and the chin should touch the surface of the water. With the other hand, you need to support the child by the barrel farthest from you. To do this, you need to put four fingers of the palm under the baby’s chest, and thumb for safety, hold on his shoulder.

Support under the bust

You need to put the child with your chest on your palm so that the thumb is on top of the shoulder, and the remaining fingers are on the barrel of the child farthest from you. Thus, the baby's head will lie on your forearm. Next, you should immerse the child in water in such a way that his head and back would be on the surface. At first, with the second hand, you need to hold the baby under the tummy, and as the baby stops being afraid, the second hand can be completely released.

This is the most natural position for a swimmer in the water. It helps the baby get used to such procedures as soon as possible. In the future, this position can be used as a means for the child to relax in the water. While swimming, the baby needs to be rocked a little, slightly pressing down on his tummy. Thus, if air or water enters his ventricle, he will quickly regurgitate them.

Support under the head

The baby should be placed face up in the water. At the same time, place the palm of one hand under his head, and the second palm under the back. The entire body of the baby, except for the face, should be under water. Usually, children do not like this position, so you do not need to support the child in the water for a long time in this way. However, it's worth it for the short term.

Of course, when accustoming the baby to water, you can use other grips, for example, under the armpits or by the handles. True, such grips are purely gaming options, and not teaching diving and swimming.

In essence, the first stage is to get the baby used to movements in the water, and you have learned how to deftly support his body.

When you use the grip "under the chest", you need to gently rock the baby, move him back and forth on the surface of the water. At the same time, you should learn to rock it in such a way that the rocking would coincide with the rhythm of the child's breathing. To do this, lean closer to the baby and listen to the frequency with which he breathes in and out. When you use the “under the head” support technique, it is worth moving the baby until the moment when he rests with his legs against the end wall of the bath. Thus, at the level of reflexes, he will begin to learn to push off. If you hold the baby “under the chin”, then it is worth moving his body in the water along the path of the number eight. At the first stage of training, any sudden movements should be avoided. In no case should you allow the baby to be scared. When you understand that the child is fully accustomed to the water, then you can proceed to the second stage of that how to teach a baby to dive and swim.

Second phase

The purpose of the second stage is to teach the child to hold his breath while immersing his face under water. Such an event should be carried out by both parents at the same time. For example, dad supports the baby under the chin and moves the swimmer along the trajectory of the eight. Mom at this time at the same point of the eight should pour water on the head of the child in such a way that it flows down his face, preventing breathing. Mom must be very careful. You need to pour water only at the moment the baby begins to exhale. In such a situation, the baby will reflexively hold his breath. If at the first such receptions the child began to cry or began to breathe spasmodically, then you need to swim through the figure eight several times without pouring water on the head. When the baby calms down, you can resume the procedure. The main thing is to achieve a clear rhythm of all actions.

It happens that the child cannot master holding the breath for a long time or does it for too short a time. In this case, you need to try to pour water on his head, the temperature of which is three to four degrees lower than the temperature of the water in the bath.

When you learn to accurately feel the rhythm of the child’s breathing, and the child himself learns to clearly hold his breath when water gets on his face, you can proceed to the next stage of training.

Third stage

At this stage, the child learns to hold his breath when he is completely immersed in water. To begin with, the baby's head needs to be watered with a stream of water from the shower. At the same time, carefully monitor whether he interrupted his breathing at the very moment when the water hit his face. When you are sure that the child resumes his breathing only after the water has completely drained from his face, you can start diving into the water. The first dives should be very short and infrequent. Over time, the exercise needs to be a little more complicated. To do this, at a certain point of our eight, you need to completely immerse the baby under water and at the same time not stop moving. The duration of being under water should be about two - three seconds. The frequency of such dives should be such that during the pauses the child has time to fully restore his usual even breathing. But at the same time, you must always immerse it in water in the same place of the figure eight. After your baby will quite normally make several dozen of these rhythmic dives, you can go further along the path of teaching the baby to swim and dive.

Fourth stage

The purpose of this stage is to teach the baby to hold his breath without first pouring water on his head. To do this, you need to support the baby under the chin and, in the process of moving through the water, slightly shake. As soon as he inhales air, you must immediately submerge him for a short time under water. When the baby's breathing returns to normal, this will need to be repeated again. After such one-time dives are fully mastered, you can move on to serial rhythmic dives. At the same time, after each dive, you need to ensure that the child must exhale and inhale. After inhaling, it must be immersed in water again. The number of such dives must be set by yourself. At the same time, in no case should you do this if the baby is tired or he is simply already tired of it. Thus, the child will love these dives and there can be more than a dozen of them in one training session.

It is very important to monitor the temperature of the water in the bath. It should not be higher than 32-34°C. If the water is warmer, then the baby will simply relax and not want to do the exercises. After completing the workout, the water can be made a little warmer so that the child relaxes in it and rests a little.

In no case should you bring training to the point where the baby begins to get tired. It's easy enough to notice. If the baby, after diving, does not exhale sharply, but smoothly, this is the first sign of his fatigue. Diving must be stopped immediately. In no case do not continue training if the baby has blue lips. If you correctly follow all the above tips, then the learning process will be only bliss and pleasure for you and your baby.