The following article has been written for the site by Jess Thompson at Water Babies, with additional information from us, our readers and Incy Wincy.

Baby swimming is an exciting and rewarding activity that you can do with your baby from as early as you wish. The only proviso is that the water is warm enough (at least 32 degrees for babies under three months or weighing less than 5.5kilos and 30 degrees plus for any baby beyond that.)

For this reason, many parents who wish to take their babies swimming do so at special classes which take place in extra warm water or hydrotherapy pools (where the water is generally a delightful bathtub temperature).

Swim Babes

When babies arrive for their first classes, many are only a few weeks old, they appear totally dependent on others and are unable to hold up their heads.

However once in the water they acquire a new independence and become really athletic. Water provides such a liberating environment for babies - they become truly empowered.

See more about Swim Babes

Incy Wincy

Swimming Products for Children [incl. Special Needs]

Should your only option be your local swimming pool, either use the baby pool or only take your baby after four months and keep the sessions short - about 10 minutes. This time can be lengthened if you put your baby in a special baby wetsuit (available online from Incy Wincy - www.incywincy.net).

See more about Incy Wincy

There is no need for babies to have completed their first set of immunisations before being taken swimming, as the chlorine in a well regulated pool will kill off any germs that might be present. Further research on this subject can be done on the NHS website: www.immunisation.org.uk

The benefits of taking your baby swimming are numerous and include:

• it is crucial that babies acquire different kinds of movements and physical abilities during their first year of life, in order to promote the development of higher functions of the brain. Swimming gives babies free movement, meaning they can develop actions they wouldn't otherwise have had the opportunity to experience;
• despite the relatively gentle structure of the lessons, each provides a complete physical work-out: strengthening your baby's heart, lungs and respiratory system - which again aids development of the brain;
• swimming is excellent for improving core muscle development and co-ordination;
• regular swimming often improves eating and sleeping patterns;
• learning to respond to commands can make your baby sharper mentally, increasing levels of awareness and understanding;
• it's fun, socially stimulating (for both you and your baby!) and an excellent way to bond with your child.

Specialist baby swimming classes follow a clear and progressive structure and will involve some underwater work, as this allows your baby the experience of swimming completely independently. However, in all classes the overall emphasis is on parents and their babies having fun and no baby is ever forced to do anything against his or her clear wishes.

Babies are born with a mammalian dive reflex which means they naturally hold their breath when submerged. However, in many ways this reflex is immaterial as the lessons mean they very quickly learn to hold their breath anyway through word association.

Below is a list of specialist baby swimming companies:

Swim Babes, Yorkshire, Derbyshire - 01484 682311 - www.swimbabes.co.uk

Water Babies, Nationwide - Call Head Office on 01404 548 348

www.waterbabies.co.uk

Aqua Babies, Manchester - 0161 282 0632

Aqua Tots, Surrey, Sussex, Kent and London - 0208 688 6488

www.aquatots.com

Little Dippers - 0870 303 0102

www.littledippers.co.uk

Aqua Tots, Birmingham to South Gloucestershire - 01684 296 296

www.aquatots.co.uk

Birthlight, UK wide - 07712 885 293

www.birthlight.com

Aquababies, London, Middlesex, Kent and Berkshire - 02392 460 033

www.aquababies-uk.com

Aqua-vie, Leicester and Rugby - 01162 712004, Mobile 07980 046896

www.aqua-vie.com

Your comments and Views

I take both my children swimming to swimming classes in Huddersfield. Rachel has attended since she was 5 weeks old and now at just over 2 can swim a width, jump in, return to the side and climb out all by herself. People are always amazed when they see her swimming so little. Swimming has been wonderful fun for us - Rachel and I really look forward to our classes and whenever possible we take time to practise in the week too!!

Kieran started on the 2+ programme which is for older children and within a couple of terms, aged just 3, was able to swim lengths on his front and back with no assistance. He is really confident and his favourite game is diving for toys. We have attended a couple of underwater photo shoots too and these are really magical - the pictures by Zena Holloway are stunning and great to show to friends and family.

When we go on holiday we really see the benefit of the classes my children have so much fun in the water - and so do I. I am now training to be a teacher and I am really looking forward to running my own classes.

When I took my boy swimming for the 1st time at 6 months he loved it, we went to a swimming session with my friend and her little girl. we only spent 15 minutes in the swimming pool as he was getting cold but he really enjoyed it and slept the whole night too, bless him.