The one sport your baby can do naturally…
can you guess what it is?
yep, you are right! it’s swimming!
Science have proved that baby can instinctively hold their breath under water from birth to approximately 6 months due to a bradycardic reflex, which is part of the mammalian diving reflex. When the face of an infant is exposed to cold water, the heart slows down and blood is shifted away from the peripheral muscles to conserve oxygen for the brain and heart, and they typically hold their breath.
This doesn’t mean babies are born with the ability to swim, though this reflex means babies hold their breath and open their eyes when submerged in water. If you are interested in the scientific research regarding this, you can take a look at https://www.popsci.com/blog-network/kinderlab/born-swim
I was intrigued by the science behind this and enrolled Eli to a swimming course by the popular Waterbabies when he was 6 months, it was so in demand that all the places were filled and we had to wait for another 3 months. When Eli turned 9 months, we started taking him to these swimming lessons. This is by no means a marketing post for Waterbabies as different parents have different concerns regarding infant swimming, but I was so keen as I love swimming myself and would love Eli to learn at a young age so he could perhaps develop an interest in sports later on.
The Waterbabies course is divided into different chapters according to the level of the baby (not to his age!) and I was quite surprised that they are very organised lessons, incorporating singing and playing into learning. Hence, albeit the price tag of the course is pretty dear (£165 per term-10 lessons), I found it worth the price. Joining Waterbabies also means you get to swim at hotels where the warmth of the water is guaranteed (normally 30-32 degrees celcius), meaning babies can stay in water for longer without getting a cold.
So much about Waterbabies now, if you would like more info, you can go direct to their website- https://www.waterbabies.co.uk/ or you can ask me in the comment box below.
Below is a video showing Eli having an underwater shoot-
It would be a great memory for them to look back when they’ve grown up, don’t you think?
Do you do any sports/exercise with you little ones? What do you do normally?
Let me know in the comment box below!
Ophelia xo