If you are a regular reader you will be aware that Baby was chosen, back in March, to be an official Swimologist for Konfidence. Baby had a turbulent start to her learning to swim journey, but made an incredible amount of progress in just four weeks. You can read about it here.
I want to continue her swimming diary as a permanent record of how far she has come. A couple of weeks ago Mr Hubby came with us and got authorisation to take some pictures.
10th June – As we were waiting by the pool, Baby was so interested in what was going on. A few times she even wanted to get off my knee (gone was the limpet Baby from week 1!). Once in the pool, we sang our hello song and bounced around and already I could feel Baby was completely different in the water than on that first week. Being splashed and laughing, nothing phased her. We all dived the babies under water and Baby was absolutely fine. We played games and swam for fishes, we did sitting on the side or float and jumping in. Then there was a test. We had to teach the babies to turn round above and under the water and swim back to the side. After the above water turns, we talked to the babies and then submerged them, turned them and lifted them back up. We did this about four times and again Baby took it in her stride.
17th June – After the usual start, we used floats to swim the babies on. On their fronts, then turning to their backs. We chased our floats and surfed back to the side, obvs singing Hawaii 50 as we went. Baby did some jumping in and then it was time for the biggest test yet. Teaching the babies to swim to the surface, so they had to be submerged on their own…. Kate, our instructor, is really amazing and does give us parents lots of confidence. We started by Kate standing behind our babies and throwing them to us, after a couple of goes, it was time. This time we wouldn’t catch them, they would go under; hopefully buoyancy and kicking would bring them to the surface, where we could pick them up and make a fuss. I was slightly apprehensive and watching the first baby, it seemed to take ages for them to surface, but next it was us. Baby did it, she was amazing! Thank you Kate for inspiring such confidence.
24th June – We started as usual with swishing and singing. Then Kate took all the babies in turn and they were encourage to swim a short distance to us parents. We then focused on arms and getting babies used to ‘reach and pull’ of the swimming stroke. Baby was amazing, so confident and couldn’t wait to get stuck in. Then the babies jumped in from the large float. Baby and another little girl stood up (while the others sat), one by one jumped in to us mummies. I was amazed that Baby jumped in! I am so proud of my little water baby.
1st July – We rode the woggle horses today (long tube floats that the grown ups get to ride!) and the babies did some swimming with the floats under their arms as we went chasing fishes round the pool. We all had a race on the woggle horses! The lesson ended by jumping in again from the float. Kate said Baby and another girl (who has been swimming for some time) will get to try the swim fins next week, which will mean they can be a little more independent.
8th July – Baby was given a swim fin to wear, but unfortunately the straps were too long and it wouldn’t stay in place. So after a bit of a dunking, we had to take it off. We focused on their legs today, trying to encourage them to kick and swim to the side (only a short distance). Baby was very keen on jumping in and almost couldn’t wait until we had finished the song. At the end she did a big jump in from standing on the float, clever girl. Further news is she seems to have completely cured herself of her bath fears. She now has a bath every day and has so much fun.
That is the end of our initial 10 week swim course. We would like to thank Konfidence for the opportunity to be Swimologists and for the amazing kit we were sent for Baby. I would also like to thank Aqua Babies West and especially to Kate who has been such an amazing help in overcoming Baby’s water phobia. We move onto the Toddler class next!
Comments 47
Oh Baby looks like she is having so much fun and loads of confidence!! I really should take my toddler swimming
Author
She has a blast! You should it is great fun x
It looks like such a lovely group that you go to. I’d love to take Abby to a swimming group, I’ll have to have a look into it. You LO does look really confident in the water!
Author
She is super confident. Our group is so lovely x
Baby looks like she is having a brilliant time in the water. From your 1st post about baby going swimming, it looks like she has grown a whole load of confidence. Fantastic blog post! x
Author
Thank you huni. She has undergone such a massive transformation! x
Fantastic progress! It’s wonderful watching them learn and grow 🙂 hope Toder class is a big success 🙂
Author
Thank you! I am amazed with her x
Oh wow this is amazing! Had similar triumphs with my son and his swimming lessons with school! Well done little one! 🙂 xx
Author
Thank you! I am so pleased with her x
I wish I’d been able to take mine on a course like this when they were tiny. It’s taken them ages to get confident in the water.
Author
It is a brilliant course, our instructor is fabulous x
Good for you in moving up to toddler classes. it is an invaluable skill, both mine went from 3 weeks old a nd are like fish now. I wish we had some pictures.
Author
They said she was ready to move up. The change really is amazing! x
Aww bless her she is really coming along with her swimming and learning to love the water. I wish I had taken Tigger to baby swim classes as he hates swimming
Author
Thank you. Aww that’s such a shame. I hope he starts to enjoy it x
oh i wish i’d had a pleasant experience like this when learning to swim! i’m sure she’ll be amazing in no time 🙂
Author
Thank you. She is so confident, it is just amazing x
It’s so lovely to see her swimming development and great that you were allowed a camera in there to capture the special moments. It won’t be long until she is 100% confident in water
Author
Thanks, She is so confident and swam on her own a tiny bit today x
Yea, looks fun! Glad that she’s really taken to it! My daughter loved her swimming classes when she was a baby but I haven’t taken my 2-yo son swimming–not once.
Author
We have such fun! You should take him hun 🙂 x
She has done so well. It looks like a lot of fun. Swimming is one thing my girls really enjoy x
Author
Thanks hun, we have so much fun. I love taking her x
Oh look at her – she looks like she is having such a wonderful time in the water! Water baby away xx
Author
She was having a ball! x
Aww sounds like she has done so well! Makes me think we should have done swimming classes with Monkey when he was younger, but they were all so expensive and I wasn’t sure it was worth it…. Maybe I wad wrong! Looks like she has so much fun and fantastic she is over her water phobia! Xx #ssamazingachievements.
Author
She has, I am very proud of her. I definitely couldn’t have taught Baby the things our instructor has xx
Great news. Baby looks like having a lot of fun in the swimming pool.
Author
Thank you. She really does adore it x
She is doing so well and what a lovely record to have. It looks as if she really enjoys it too.
Author
Thank you. She adores it x
It sounds like you and Baby are doing fantastically. We have never really taken the kids swimming but it’s something I’d like to start soon x
Author
She ha come so far it is really amazing. She loves it so much. Oh you should I am sure they would love it x
Well done Baby, she’s doing brilliantly, hope the progress continues #SSAA
Author
Thank you so much. She has amazed me x
I love how quickly they progress at this age.
Harry loves swimming too
Author
I am glad Harry enjoys it. She learns new stuff everyday x
Awww the trusty yellow rubber duck! Well done baby 🙂
Author
He really helped her through the first few lessons. He has been relegated now though x
Well done to Baby! It’s amazing that babies can actually start swimming. Good luck for the toddler class and thank you for linking with Loud ‘n’ Proud.
Author
I am just so proud of how far she has come x
What a gorgeous post and great photos. It sounds like you have a real water baby and there is nothing more exciting than having a baby in the water and just loving being in there. It sounds like you’re little one is growing in confidence each time and is loving the water. So cute xx #SSAmazingAchievements
Author
Thank you so much. She loves it and she makes me very proud x
That course is such a fantastic idea, it’s brilliant that the children can start getting confidence in the water from an early age. Loved the happy pictures too.
Thanks for linking up with #SSAmazingAchievements
Author
Thank you. She adores it and has so much confidence now x
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