Baby swimming should be fun for parents and babies. This can be achieved if the baby is not submerged under water. This is because it activates the child's protective reflexes against drowning.
Many of you have probably seen photos like this, showing an infant diving underwater while swimming. Cute, adorable? Not from my point of view. Such pictures make me sad. And I ask myself when I see them: Do the instructors in the baby swimming courses seriously not realise what they can do to these tiny tots with these actions? I want to shed some light on this in this blog post.
But first things first. Firstly, I would like to point out that a baby brings innate reflexes into the world. I have summarised some particularly important ones for you, such as the search, sucking and swallowing reflexes. here described. In all reflexes, the body reacts quickly, involuntarily and unconsciously to a specific stimulus. These reflex reactions are anchored in the nervous system. Most of them are lost with increasing months of life or are replaced by newly acquired skills over time.
When small babies are immersed in water, the breath-holding reflex is activated. It supplements the reflexes that close the glottis (glottis reflex and diving reflex (the circulation adapts to the lack of oxygen in order to compensate for the situation for as long as possible)).
The baby's breath-holding reflex
The innate reflexes also include the Respiratory reflex. It is quickly explained: because the baby holds its breath, it is also known as the breath-holding reflex. This reaction can be triggered in babies by two different stimuli: the child automatically stops breathing when cool wind blows against its face (or when you blow on it) - and it holds its breath reflexively when water wets its face or its head even gets under water. This instinctive blockage of breathing serves the Survival - so that no water can enter the small lungs. Otherwise the baby would drown.
Although the breathing reflex is an ingenious invention of nature, it is only temporary. This is because babies lose it at some point in their first year of life. However, no one can predict exactly when this loss will occur, as it varies greatly from person to person. Some babies no longer have a breath-holding reflex by the age of four weeks, while for others it takes several months for it to disappear.
Conversely, this means: NEVER rely on the fact that your baby still has the breathing reflex!
This brings me to so-called "baby swimming", which in many cases deals with precisely these issues. Survival reflex against drowning of infants. In such courses, babies are often still pulled under water by their parents under supervision. Quite deliberately. Because it's so funny? The only question is for whom...
Baby swimming does not make children better swimmers
Mums and dads love baby swimming and enjoy taking part in such courses with their little ones. Almost everywhere in Germany where there are indoor swimming pools, baby swimming is offered - often from the age of three months.
The term "baby swimming" is misleading. This is because the child does not learn to swim, of course, and it has been proven that it will not learn to swim better or earlier just because it has splashed around in the water as an infant.
The purpose of the courses is rather to familiarise the child with the element of water in mum or dad's arms. There is nothing wrong with this aim. On the contrary: I am absolutely in favour of any feeling of security in parental arms and the associated skin contact. And familiarising your baby with water can also be quite enjoyable and fun.
I'm just wondering: do you have to book a whole course in a public swimming pool for this? In my opinion, this is misunderstood early intervention. As mentioned, many of these courses are offered from the age of three months, when the child is already able to hold its head in a more stable position. For me, however, this is no reason at all to expose them to all the stress and health risks that such a course can entail for the baby at such an early age.
Baby swimming can be stressful for the baby
- Fixed weekly appointments are stressful for babies - In the first few weeks, babies are still busy adapting to the basic challenges of life. This includes sensing hunger, drinking, digestion, breathing, practising the day-night rhythm, getting to know attachment figures and building trust. Let's just imagine what a 12-week-old baby would say if it could already speak: "Hey dear parents, can't you see that I'm still quite busy adapting to this world? Physically and mentally, it's hard work for me! You can see how often my still immature Digestive system causes problems. And that I don't yet have a good wake-sleep rhythm either. It all has to settle down first! And yet I'm already supposed to keep a fixed weekly appointment - come what may? How am I supposed to manage that?"
- Stimuli quickly turn into sensory overload for babies - Let's listen into the child's mind here too: "Dear parents, I understand that YOU think baby swimming in a group is great. You can meet other mums and dads with children of the same age and even make new friends. But classes with so many people often stress ME out. And everyone is sooo loud. How it echoes in the swimming pool, my poor little ears! Besides, I don't know anyone there - and I want to keep it that way for the time being. I still have a lot to do to get to know you and my family. Yes, yes, I know, after every baby swimming session you say it was good for me because I usually fall asleep straight afterwards. But in reality, I just feel overwhelmed and exhausted. And that's also because I'm moved back and forth like an object in the water without a break during all the exercises."
- Chlorinated water is unhealthy for babies - What would the baby say? "Yuck, how it stinks here! I can hardly breathe. And the water bites into my skin because it's still so sensitive!"
Speaking of stinking: Yes, quite a few indoor swimming pools give off that typically unpleasant chemical chlorine odour. However, this does not come directly from the chlorine that is added to the water as a disinfectant, but rather the so-called Trichloramine. This chemical compound is formed when the chlorine comes into contact with nitrogenous substances such as the urea of bathers. So not only with urine, but also with skin flakes, cosmetics and sweat of the guests. This is precisely why you (and the baby) should not only to shower well after swimming, but also be sure to Before that! Otherwise you are contributing to the formation of trichloramine - and that can literally take your breath away. Proven it irritates the mucous membranes, respiratory tract and eyes.
In addition, chlorinated water is still suspected of causing asthma or allergies in later childhood. This has not yet been proven with certainty - but if your child has a high risk of allergies or is already allergic, you should refrain from swimming with babies or at least seek paediatrician's advice beforehand.
- Swimming pools increase the risk of infection for babies - and we hear baby's voice again: "Just because YOU want to go swimming with your baby, I get respiratory and ear infections a bit more often in my first year of life compared to babies who don't have to go to the pool. Well, maybe I can accept that, because that's always the case with swimming pool guests, even if they are older. But what I find really stupid as a tiny toddler are all the stupid Gastrointestinal infections. I get them much more often from swimming than the other babies. It's probably because I swallow a lot of water, no matter how careful you are. You can't prevent it - and afterwards I feel sick as a dog with all the diarrhoea and vomiting!"
In fact, the highly contagious rotaviruses are one of the most common causes of diarrhoea and vomiting in children. Without vaccination against rotaviruses, almost all children contract the disease in the first five years of life - most of them by the age of two. This infection is particularly risky for infants. This is because vomiting diarrhoea can quickly lead to a dangerous loss of fluids and salt. The Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) therefore recommends an oral vaccination against rotavirus for all infants from the sixth to 12th week of life. Depending on the vaccine, the vaccination series consists of a total of two or three doses (four weeks apart).
The general recommendation is as follows: No baby swimming without a completed vaccination against rotavirus! And wait at least another 14 days after the last dose, as this is how long children excrete the vaccine viruses in their faeces and can therefore infect other babies.
- Baby swimming can also stress parents: Don't imagine the regular lesson (usually about 30 minutes) to be that easy. Your baby would say: "Mum (or dad), you're packed like a donkey for the swimming pool!" That's right. You'll need to lug a few things with you to the appointment: e.g. two swim nappies for the baby (you never know...), a changing mat, towels for you and the child, fresh clothes and warm clothing (including a hat) for the baby, normal nappies and wet wipes, care products if necessary, a bottle of water for the child, a bottle of water for the baby and a bottle of water for the baby. care products, a drinking bottle for the child (if it is not being breastfed) and possibly a porridge with spoon (if it is already receiving complementary food), bathing clothes and fresh linen for the parent, care products for the adults and so on and so forth. Everything included, nothing forgotten? Then let's get started right away! That can be a lot of stress for 30 minutes of "water familiarisation"...
My interim conclusion: All of these are good reasons to go for a early baby swimming and only start towards the end of your child's first year. Until then, however, your little ones don't have to miss out on water fun if they enjoy it. You could just as easily take them into your bathtub at home, for example. Your child can get used to the water without any stress. And it's also easier to control the temperature, because babies need to be able to at least 30 degrees, even better 37 degrees warm water. And it's guaranteed chlorine-free at home.
My criticism of the "dive" during baby swimming
As reported, many baby swimming courses make use of the congenital Breath-holding reflex of the baby to show the parents this "sensation". I can't even imagine how much stress this means for the baby! After all, the reflex to hold his breath in the water is a very important one for the baby. Survival there - which means that it only kicks in when it is life-threatening becomes. And you can definitely say that for an infant on a "dive", because without the saving breath-holding reflex, it is in danger of drowning. You have to admit: That doesn't sound very funny!
In addition, the baby is protected from the water entering the lungs by the closure of the epiglottis (glottis spasm). As with all people who are submerged in water for a longer period of time, it is not possible to predict with certainty that this spasm will be released again afterwards. In addition to the certainly very unpleasant feeling, this also harbours the risk of "dry drowning".
The automatic drop in blood pressure caused by the diving reflex puts additional strain on the sensitive circulation of the diving baby.
Now many parents argue that it's not all that bad, because the baby was surrounded by amniotic fluid in the womb anyway and some children are also born under water. And none of them have ever drowned. Yes, that's true - but both in the womb and during a water birth, the baby's oxygen supply is still guaranteed via the umbilical cord - unlike during a "dive" when a baby swims. The baby is not yet dependent on lung breathing at this time. And that is a essential Difference!
The question arises as to why diving is still so often part of baby swimming courses. After all, the DLRG (Deutsche -Lebensrettungs-Gesellschaft e. V.) has been warning of these dangers for years.
Many mums and dads have told me that they had a queasy feeling and some said that their babies were not at all amused when they emerged, but often looked really frightened or even shocked and then cried or screamed. Then, of course, comfort was needed. We can imagine why. And we can also imagine that the infant's panic, which was brought on by the parents themselves, can severely disrupt the parent-child bond and the trust that the baby has already built up.
Apart from this risk, diving poses a real danger to life. Because it cannot be said often enough: when the breath-holding reflex disappears varies from child to child. So don't rely on the fact that your child is still equipped with it!
Some course leaders believe that this can be tested safely. To do this, water is first run over the baby's arms and shoulders, then over the back of the head and finally over the face. "Ideally, the latter leads to closure of the mouth and eyelids, breath holding, opening of the eyes and orientation to the surroundings (parents). A release of the stimulus usually leads first to chewing movements and then to the resumption of breathing," writes the German Life Saving Association (DLRG) in a leaflet on baby swimming and diving. However, it warns emphatically: "Regular testing of the breath-holding reflex, possibly in every lesson, is difficult to implement. Furthermore, the test must also be interpreted correctly and the weakening of the reflex must be recognised in good time during the exercise." Because this cannot be guaranteed, the medical management of the DLRG has been saying for many years: No submerging exercises during baby swimming!
This means that the DLRG is right on track with many paediatricians and midwives - and with me anyway! I therefore recommend that you follow your "queasy" feeling and refrain from diving with your little one during baby swimming for the benefit and safety of your child.
Perhaps some of you will also find this difficult because there is often a lot of social peer pressure in the courses. There are always parents who dare to "try it out" and encourage you to do so, and some course leaders promise that it won't harm the child if it is pulled under water.
All I can say is: It's a shame that babies can't talk yet - they would tell you all about it! And to remind you once again: The immersion of the child, including a "nice" souvenir photo of the underwater baby, is an integral part of most courses. Additional offer. And you shouldn't accept that under any circumstances!
My conclusion
It is undisputed that stimulating movement in early childhood is important for the child's further development. Such stimuli can come from a variety of activities, which is why baby swimming is by no means a must. However, if both the baby and its parents enjoy it and the little ones are stable enough for it, there is nothing wrong with baby swimming. In this case, my recommendation, together with other experts, is for the reasons mentioned above: from the age of 9 months at the earliest.
To summarise, you should pay attention to the following when swimming with babies:
- Course start only with completed rotavirus vaccination
- Baby swimming if possible between take two meals, i.e. when the child is neither hungry nor too full
- Hands off swimming pools with an intense "chlorine odour"
- Water temperature in the pool at least 30, preferably 33 degrees
- Extensive showering for parents and child before and after each lesson
- Prevent the child from swallowing water
- No longer than 30 minutes per lesson in the water
- Only attend classes with a healthy child
- If there is a risk of allergies and asthma, seek paediatric advice before swimming with your baby
- Keep the child warm before and after swimming (in the changing room, on the pool walkways)
AND: Never immerse the baby (even if the breath-holding reflex is still there)!
I believe that the much-cited effects of early baby swimming, such as improving coordination and balance, strengthening muscles, intensifying the parent-child bond and much more, can also be achieved through other activities that may cause you and your child less stress all round!
