How To Teach a Toddler to Swim!

welcome summer 2015 and associated heatwave discomfort!

some pics below of our swimming session with Max, and some tips we are finding helpful for age appropriate 'lessons,' check it out!

• let the toddler get comfortable, at their own pace. it really helps if there is a wading area leading into depth or even stairs to maneuver. let them get their feet wet, cool down their body temp and relax their nerves. water can be pretty scary! please don't throw your child in the water in an attempt to teach through trauma surviving the plunge!

^^ shallow end to...^^

^^ smiling at chest deep!! ^^

• be an example of how the body can safely move in water, how buoyant the body can be when relaxed! make those splashes fun and huge, kids love how it looks and want to naturally imitate

^^ but be careful, kids also can't stand getting splashed in the face! hey dad, watch where you're going!! ^^

• patience, patience, patience! practice, practice, practice!

• and when it's time to stop and take a break, listen. there will be plenty of other opportunities in the summer to work on getting the basics down

• add some fun and games to the lessons! who knew that this bannister was the perfect height for a pretend fireman sliding down a fire pole?!

• an unpressured child will want to return to the waters over and over again '(vs. a traumatized child who will want nothing to do with the water- even worse, for the rest of the summer!). swimming is a survival skill!

in the end, Max is nowhere near knowing how to swim. my husband though is a fantastic and patient teacher and i love how he's able to build a foundation for Max to not only be comfortable in the water but wanting to go to the water. maybe he'll be able to dunk his head in the water by the end of 2015? or hey maybe even jump into our arms from the deck? whatever the turnout will be, we had fun (and cooled off) in the process.

happy summer to you!

Swimming!

Remember my posts on Max swimming last year? if not, find them here and here. when Max was a baby, he was pretty darn easy to get into the water. Sure he had the look of uneasiness the first few times we went in, but there were definitely no major meltdowns or cries of fear and discomfort. So the entire 2012 summer, we went swimming and went swimming often. Trips to the pool side involved taking Max in my/our arms walking into the deep end, bouncing up and down...side to side...circles..front...back..you name it! Multiple times over- easy breezy!

Summer of 2013 however was another issue. at first site of the pool and first taste of the cold water (in an indoor heated pool i might add), Max was uncomfortable, scared, and did not want to come back even 10 seconds later! Im totally kicking myself for having such a large gap of pool exposure. I admit it was naive of me to think that Max would remember his positive pool experience feelings and carry it over to the next summer.  i was expecting his eyes beam with excitement watching other kids splash around, the urge to just cool off in the water instead of hanging out in the arid poolside, the natural need to splash little wet puddles! he used to loves having a bath, how could he not love the pool? he loves mud puddles, why can't he splash at the shallow end? ol Maxiboy was scared of the water.

^^ pool side view! seriously, how can anyone refuse? ^^

My only strategy for this was some tough love on the little guy. basically, pick him up bring him in the water, keep him close and get him wet! then after some protesting, we'd follow his demands and take him out and let him explore the deck. we continued this pattern for the duration of the day. it was really like the eating experience, he has to try it before he refuses, and then he can choose what to do with the information. So nearly everyday at the community center (indoor), the local pool and our condo pool (outdoor), we took Max and repeatedly exposed him to the water. I'm pretty sure we broke the ice after the first day as i got many moments (and i stress, moments) of splashing and squealing with  delight

Today, about 7 weeks or so since we started bootcamp, Max is 80-20 about going into the water. There are days when he cant wait for us to get in our swim gear before he starts getting all antsy- basically telling us to hurry the heck up so he can get in. And of course, there are days when we have to wait it out at the pool deck and woo him in (one on the deck, the other in the water). Lately, what's working best is the baby slide at New Brighton- it has little steps/stairs, and since Max is so obsessed lately, it's an easy lure :o)

Alas, he might not always stay in waist deep water, but we're fine with hanging out at the shallowest end of the deck as long as he's getting wet and having fun. We do still just pick him up and bring him into the deeper end every now and then, mainly because we want to cool off as a family (not just 1 goes and the other stays), so far he's been fine with it as long as he gets to be tossed in the air and splashed in the water once he is caught over and over again (it's like throwing a watermelon in the air and catching it, a workout all on its own).  Plans for the future? swimming lessons and indoor pools during the cold months!

^^ i have to admit that my husband has WAY MORE patient than I when it came to teaching Max that the water was safe. Even today, he's still gentle with him and will entertain him around the shallow end while i take some full body dips or soak in some UV rays. Thanks xoxo! ^^ 

^^ looks like someone is loving the water! yay! ^^ 

Hope you're cooling off somewhere and having fun too! 

Mer-man Outdoors!

With the weather finally feeling like summer (let the complaining begin), we definitely were on a mission to seek out activities to keep us cool. It was actually a toss between going Berry picking in Richmond or go swimming, but sadly and fortunately, the U-Pick place i wanted to go to was closed on Sundays, so we went to a lively outdoor pool with gorgeous views of the north shore mountains...New Brighton Park!

Amazing view from New Brighton Park (photo credit)

Mind you, i didn't exactly pay THAT much attention to the mountains, but when i did notice the unobstructed scenery, i was definitely impressed!

Outdoor pool sun safety:

1)  Sunscreen for the wee one

I chose the Badger baby sun block as it had zinc in it, i've used this brand before as a lip sunscreen for mexico, and that it scored relatively well on the GOOD GUIDE. 

photo credit

Although it was a whopping $20+ tax, I think it's a good investment to keep baby's skin (and health) well. It was a little greasy which made it very easy to apply- rub in the palms of your hands and THEN apply to the exposed baby areas. Max didn't stay ghostly white. Although i kept reapplying it after every dip, i still saw the product on this skin while in the pool (water resistant), and he didn't have any weird skin reactions to it. The staff at Little Earth assured me that this one tube will last all summer.

Where else to buy this product I don't know as I haven't gone on any major hunts, but probably Whole Foods.

2) Sun Shirt with sunblock

OLD Navy

I added an extra protection from the sun for Max with this rash guard/swim shirt/sun shirt from Old Navy (clearance time alert!). The tag said UPF 50, so it was a perfect thing to swim in with his Bummis as the bottoms. Because of this tangible physical block, I only needed to put sunscreen on his exposed areas like face, forearms, and legs.

3) Umbrella

Max was under a beach umbrella by the pool when not in the water.

4) Sun hat

Ok, I neglected to put a hat on Max when we were in the pool. I don't know why. It's not like i was dunking his head! Now that i see the pictures and that he was squinting in every one, i am slapping myself on the forehead. I have a sun hat with the UPF 50 factor about it, but i only used it when he was sitting in the shade...dumb I know. Next time, Sun Hat while in the pool! I'm thinking of getting one like this for the pool and in general, as I'm not too happy about how big his current sun hat is on him, thus covering his eyes and irritating him. but i can't decide or figure out if there's a big difference between the flap style or the wide brim style (the latter a little more feminine i guess? just personal preference?)

Mer-Man!

We decided to go swimming today at the local community centre. Even though we lasted only about 15 minutes (on purpose), we still had so much fun!  Why so short you ask? Well, I wasn't sure how Mr. Sensitive Skin was going to react to the chlorine as husband apparently was covered in hives due to chlorine when he was a child.

Good news, NO reaction! Woot! The little man is destined to be the next Michael Phelps I tell ya! (jk, no pressure)

The initial entrance was a cautious one. Kept him close to me, slowly dipped his legs then went deeper and deeper. Lots of bobbing up and down but no head dunks just yet. Did some side swims, back swims, and forward swims. It may be mean to say but it's so cute when his bottom jaw/lip chatters because he was cold (the pool was heated).

On a green note, we used BUMMIS Swimmi in medium, that i purchased from Lussobaby in North Van. They can be found in most places in the lower mainland. No poop in the swimming diaper!

Key things to bring when bringing a baby to the pool:

• whatever diaper you'll be using after
• your swimming diaper
• a hooded towel
• and dress the baby in a sleeper going there and for going back (same one and preferably with a zipper). I can imagine it being hard to dress a wet squirming, shivering baby
• a hat/skull cap (i failed to bring this and Max was chattering from being moist after we got him dressed)

Pregnancy and Fitness

Photo Credit

Excerpt from What to Expect When You're Expecting...

 

The Benefits of Exercise

What's in it for baby? Plenty. Researchers theorize that changes in heart rate and oxygen levels in exercising moms-to-be stimulate their babies. Babies are also stimulated by the sounds and vibrations they experience in the womb during workouts. Exercise regularly during pregnancy, and your baby might end up being:

* More fit. Babies of moms who exercise during pregnancy are born at healthier weights, are better able to weather labor and delivery (they're less stressed by it), and recover from the stresses of birth more quickly.

* Smarter. Believe it or not, research shows that babies of moms who exercise throughout pregnancy score higher, on average, on general intelligence tests by age 5 (meaning that your workout may boost both your muscle power and baby's brain power!).

* Easier. Babies of pregnant exercisers tend to sleep through the night sooner, are less prone to colic, and are better able to soothe themselves.

 

***********************

 

In hindsight, I was probably about to pass out last Bikram's session because of the big fat positive (BFP)!  My body was probably working extra hard just to maintain a body temp for two, hence I was feeling so sleepy and tired during the first half.  Oh well, now I know!  I've read there are some major no-no's with overheating the baby, so at this time, i've indefinitely stopped Bikram's.

 

Now onto better and brighter things; with a swim cap and goggles in tow, i've decided to take up lap swimming and aquafit at the Renfrew Community Center.  Should be fun and definitely not super strenuous on the body- but just enough.  Later on, i'll consider some prenatal yoga as i've heard some wonderful things about the inclusion of baby bonding while in-utero,  something I definitely need as i'm admitting to a state of shock and disconnect.   As well, i've decided to set up some sort of strength training regime at home with some weights as I need to strengthen my upper back for all that baby carrying I need to do!

 

20 pushups

2 x 20 arm curls

2 x 20 behind arm curls

Lifting and whatever related at work!

Yay swimming pools!!! 

Eww to slimy pool and shower floors!!