Swimming

cc61712

Just wondering what everyone else says about this. DD LOVES the water, she will play in any water she can find and giggles endlessly. When we take her swimming she will crawl deeper and deeper into the water until her face is under water and then she sits up and freaks out. 

How do I teach her to not do this? I'm so scared of dry drowning and her inhaling water. She is 13 months.

 

She also loves to give kisses to everyone and everything and will kiss the water. She has been dunked and has had water poured over her face and every time she hates it and freaks out. But I can't get her to stop crawling in the pool. She has been walking since 9 1/2 months and is a very good walker. I have also tried water shoes but either way she just crawls.

 

 

fryrat

I also have a fish. LOVES the water, tries to drink it. YUCK!!

Anyways... We took her to swim lessons. We learned the right way to teach them to hold their breath by doing 1, 2, 3 (blow in their face) then dunk. The counting teaches them to anticipate the action, and the blowing will make them inhale quickly and hold their breath. After just a couple of lessons, now DD is fine every time her face hits the water. She has rolled out of my arms a couple of times, or when she jumps in, she never comes up gagging. She knows to hold her breath!

As far as crawling, that may be because the water is more resistant than walking on solid ground and may make her feel like she's tripping on something. 

diana.filipi

I've got a fish too but he's not my first one.  You are worried way too much about dry drowning.  He will walk in to chin deep then stumble and be under.  When he was just crawling he'd crawl 'till he was very much too deep.  I just let him do it and get him once he's gone under.  I trained DD that way too.  I would let her fall in (from an underwater bench) and catch her under the water.  'Till a baby is about 18 months (give or take a month or so for developmental differences) it is a reflex to hold their breath.  I am about to have another so I need my babies to learn about water quickly!

 

 

beth2882

We did swim lessons and like PP said, we dunked DD.  She coughed the first time but she's fine with it.  She will stick her face in to far sometimes, but I am not worried she will drown.

 As far a crawling around in the water, our swim instructor said that it was a good thing for babies to do that.  I can remember exactly what she said, but it did help them develop something related to swimming. 

mommymegan831

DD is also fearless.  We're at the beach more than a pool and she just runs right in, and keeps running, especially when she was younger.  I think anytime you're by water you need to be within arms length.  You can try to teach them what ever you want, but if they get caught up in the excitement and go too far, it could be too late.  I won't be taking two kids to the beach or pool by myself anytime soon.

unaveragejane

beth2882:

We did swim lessons and like PP said, we dunked DD.  She coughed the first time but she's fine with it.  She will stick her face in to far sometimes, but I am not worried she will drown.

 As far a crawling around in the water, our swim instructor said that it was a good thing for babies to do that.  I can remember exactly what she said, but it did help them develop something related to swimming. 

Could it be that it is helping to develop the neck muscles so they will hold their heads up when swimming? I'm always afraid DS is going to hurt his knees crawling around on the concrete, but if it helps him be safer when swimming, then I will relax a little.