Swimming..

Your baby can go swimming at any time from birth, although most baby swimming classes start at around six weeks. There's no need to wait until your baby is immunised.  If you're keen for your baby to be introduced to swimming before he is six weeks old, your partner or someone else can take him to a warm baby pool. Some private baby swimming classes start as early as four weeks.  Baby swim classes tend to use small pools, heated to about 32 degrees C, which are ideal for tiny tots. If you plan to use a big public swimming pool, you may want to invest in a baby wetsuit that will help keep your baby warm. Try to pick a quiet time to visit, so that your baby isn’t put off by all the noise and activity. Most babies up to six months of age can actually swim, with your help, of course! If you start early you can take advantage of your baby's natural ability to do basic strokes. Also, your baby's inbuilt gag reflex is generally at its strongest before six months. This means that he can hold his breath under water without even thinking about it.  Keep swimming times short at first, initially no more than 10 minutes, and build up from there. Don't stay in for more than 30 minutes and take your baby out if he starts to shiver or looks like he's had enough. Give swimming a miss if your baby is unwell or tired.