Can be done immediately after birth. This early learning has its advantages and disadvantages. C can be done in a large bathroom at home. It is not necessary for this to go to the pool. This is very convenient, especially if it has flowering (). With such a rash, the pediatrician simply will not issue a certificate for the pool.
In order to teach a baby to swim, parents need to have some courage. This is especially important for diving. If the mother's hand trembles, then the baby will definitely feel her excitement and cry, and in the worst case, she will begin to be afraid of water. For the first lessons, you can invite a specialist to your home. He will show you what exercises you can do with your baby. In the future, it is desirable that the mother herself teaches the baby, since it is with her that she has the closest emotional contact. This will help her to easily understand the condition of her child and respond sensitively to it.
In addition to the fact that a baby can swim at home in the bathroom, there is another plus of early learning this skill - the absence of fears in a child. The baby's body still remembers how it was in the womb in the aquatic environment. Therefore, water for him is not alien and terrible. There are very rare cases when the newborn himself initially does not like or is afraid to swim.
There are also newborn reflexes, based on which you can easily teach him to swim.
Breath holding reflex
It lies in the fact that the baby holds his breath when water or air flows on his nose and face. Initially, the duration of such a pause is 5-6 seconds. With regular classes, by the year you can teach a child to be under water for up to 40 seconds. That is why a newborn can easily be taught to dive. You just have to be extremely careful: the duration of immersion in water must be increased very gradually.Swimming reflex
The second reflex, which is very useful for swimming, is called swimming. When immersed in water, the baby begins to actively move all the limbs, due to which it can even stay on the surface for several seconds without support. Such activity has nothing to do with really swimming. But on its basis, you can easily teach a child to work properly with his arms and legs, that is, to strengthen the muscles necessary for swimming. Initially, the baby carries out movements at the level of a reflex, there is no awareness in them. The exercises that are performed with the baby to learn to swim are remembered at the level of muscle memory.A child can master coordinated swimming movements at the age of 2.5-3 years. But if they were engaged with him before, then muscle memory will allow the child to learn to swim many times faster and easier.
Both of the reflexes listed above fade away by about 6 months. Therefore, it is easiest to start learning to swim just before reaching this age. The older and more conscious the child becomes, the more meaningful actions he performs. Therefore, he will perform any exercises in the pool only if he wants to and understands how to do them. With age, there are already more than various fears that can also interfere. For example, the fear of diving or the fear of being in the water without the support of the mother, that is, to swim on their own.
Based on all of the above, the mother must decide for herself when to start exercising with her child, since this can potentially be done from birth.
Water procedures are extremely useful for infants. But if some mothers limit themselves to bathing a baby in a baby bath with a stand under the back, then others go further up to following the well-known slogan "swim before walking!" Probably, all mothers have heard at least something about infant swimming, and many, with varying degrees of success, have practiced learning to swim in a home bath, or in the pool of a district clinic. The Motherhood portal offers to turn to the history of the emergence of infant swimming, get acquainted with the theoretical basis of this technique and master some practical skills using specific examples with photographs!
Swimming for babies in a home bath. Photo - photobank Lori
Part I. Theoretical aspects of infant swimming
From the history of swimming babies
Water hygienic baths (toilet baths) for infants aged 10-16 days, pediatricians began to prescribe without fail at the end of the 19th century. Hygienic baths for infants were exclusively passive in nature and were performed on a fixed basis at a constant water temperature in the bath of 37-35°C.In 1962, the instructor-rescuer of the Moskva pool, I.B. Charkovsky, used a kind of incubator-bath for a premature baby weighing 1 kg 600 g, followed by training in diving, games, and swimming.
The first school for swimming and tempering babies in full baths was organized in 1966 in Australia by practical trainers, the Timmermans, who tested the swimming technique on their daughter. The experience of the Timmermans was quickly adopted in the USA, Germany, Japan, England, and Czechoslovakia.
In 1979, at the Scientific Research Institute for Children's Swimming, which was specially created on the basis of the pediatric clinic in Munich, the experience was summarized and analyzed by doctors, swimming teachers under the guidance of Professor K. Vetke. In 1971, Heinz Bauermeister, who was directly involved in teaching infants to swim, reported the results of his work at the World Conference of the Medical Committee of the International Swimming Federation.
More than 700 infants were taught to swim. Almost all of them turned out to be immune to colds, developed faster than their peers, and were much more active.
Zakhary Pavlovich Firsov, President of the FINA International Medical Committee, made a great contribution to the promotion and agitation of swimming and hardening of babies in the USSR, who published a series of articles and organized several television programs about this type of swimming. Active research in the field of physiology of swimming in infants and agitation was carried out by Professor Ilya Arkadyevich Arshavsky.
Hardening with water, sun and air baths, physical culture for infants were given great importance by prominent figures of Russian pediatrics, professors A.A. Kisel, V.I. Molchanov, M.S. Maslov, G.N. Speransky, A.F. Tur.
In the USSR, swimming in organized centers at children's standard clinics in Moscow began in 1976-1977.
Importance of learning to swim in infancy
Success in the primary and repeated prevention of diseases, the normal development and upbringing of infants can only be ensured in the complex of all measures for care, nutrition, accounting for the biorhythms of sleep and wakefulness.In utero, a child develops for 9 months in a liquid environment, under antigravity conditions, and is born with swimming reflexes that fade without fixation at the age of 3-3.5 months.
Physically helpless and unable to move in a coordinated way on land due to the abrupt transition from relative weightlessness during embryonic development to the effects of gravity after birth, the child is surprisingly active and emotional in a full bath. Due to the large amount of lecithin fats, the specific weight of the baby is less than the specific weight of an adult, therefore the baby has positive buoyancy and easily floats on the water if he has developed and fixed the swimming skill in the machine. The reflex of holding the breath when the child is immersed in water is of specific and important importance, which is successfully used in teaching swimming and diving to babies.
Systematic daily swimming lessons allow you to teach an infant to swim by the end of the first year of life. It must be remembered that swimming skills acquired in infancy remain for life, provided that classes are continued at 2-3 years of age. The cessation of swimming lessons for 1-2 months leads to the loss of swimming skills that need to be restored again.
Education in the family of swimming, gymnastics, massage and hardening is of great importance for the education of a harmoniously developed person from early childhood.
Systematic hardening and swimming in full baths:
- They evoke pronounced positive emotions in infants - joy, a smile, cooing, screeching, which, after a swimming session, turn into persistent inhibition reactions - a sound, healthy sleep.
- Simultaneous strengthening of both the cardiovascular and respiratory systems and the musculoskeletal system leads to the normal development of infants, reducing mortality in the first month and year of life.
- Swimming procedures stimulate appetite and increase metabolic processes, along with an increase in digestive function - the basis for the normal development of infants.
Contraindications to exercise
Swimming procedures are stopped if the child expresses displeasure by crying, shouting, as well as in the event of "goose bumps" or trembling.Contraindications to swimming lessons are: diseases in the acute stage, contagious skin diseases, developmental abnormalities that preclude the possibility of classes.
Medical supervision and practical consultations
The best form of control over the dynamics of the baby's health is the control of a neonatologist, pediatrician or family doctor who is aware of the characteristics of the course of pregnancy, childbirth, the first days and weeks of a child's life.Swimming consultations are recommended at least once a month. They are carried out by swimming consultants and/or health professionals at a children's clinic or at home. Parents of a child must receive at least 12 consultations during the year.
Part II. Swimming preparation
Infant swimming is based on:- swimming on the back and chest with manual support,
- standalone support, and finally
- independent swimming.
The nature of swimming in all cases is interval - a swim is followed by a short rest. Swimming begins on the back at the age of 5 days and alternates with swimming on the chest. Depending on individual inclinations, one of the types of swimming may prevail.
The passive backstroke response can be used to relax infants. Swimming on the chest in most babies causes more active motor reactions, which should be used to activate the child from the first month of life.
Swimming preparation
One of the most important principles of teaching swimming to babies is to stimulate the movements that are carried out by the instructor during swimming with one hand.The correct assimilation of movements is promoted by special swimming gymnastics on land for arms and legs in the position on the back and chest, both in reciprocal and symmetrical coordination - king and breaststroke.
The activation of the child's movements during swimming usually occurs at the 8-9th minute as a result of a specific motor mood and improvement in muscle hemodynamics.
water games
A baby is not a miniature adult. This should be remembered when conducting a swimming session. Games and toys in a wide variety of forms help create the necessary background of positive emotions and stimulate the baby's rowing movements.Toys must be prepared in advance. They should be
- safe (preferably rubber and plastic, non-breakable, non-fading)
- clean,
- bright,
- not small, so that the child can immediately see them on the side of the bath, but not huge, so that the baby can easily hold them in his hands.
Gradual dosing
The complex of physical exercises is based on strict co-ownership of the rules of gradual dosing at each stage of the development of an infant.For example, the increase in the dose of swimming at each lesson should be in the range of 10-15 seconds, and the decrease in water temperature at the end of each month should be 0.5 C. In other words, the activation of motor functions is achieved by increasing the number and stimulating movements, and achieving a high degree of hardening - a steady decrease in the temperature of full baths.
Particular attention is drawn to the gradual immersion of the baby's head. In the preparatory period at the age of 1-2 months, only the mouth is immersed in water for 2-4 seconds, which contributes to the training of breath holding through the nose. At 5-6 months, when the child begins to play with toys, he can be allowed to get sinking objects from the bottom of the bath, in a sitting position, gradually increasing the depth, in this way stimulate the immersion of the head with the nose, and then with the eyes.
Resuming classes after a break
Classes interrupted due to illness or other reasons should be resumed as if they were being conducted from the very beginning, with strict observance of the rules of gradualness. Swimming after an illness is resumed only after consultation with a doctor and according to his appointment.Forcing swimming doses. Temperatures and dives
Any forcing (sharp increase) of swimming doses, lowering water temperatures and increasing the time and number of dives is prohibited. For example, lowering the temperature of the bath immediately to 30 ° C or diving with the nose under water for 10-15 seconds. at the age of 1-1.5 months in the preparatory period should be strictly prohibited.Place of employment at home and inventory
Swimming and hardening can be done in a regular home bath, similar to or smaller than a spa bath. Next to the bathroom there should be a changing table, diapers, napkins, cotton wool, room and water thermometers.The table shows that the increase in swimming time for each month corresponds to 2-5 minutes, and the monthly decrease in temperature is equal to half a degree Celsius.
Part III. Baby swimming practice
Getting Started with Swimming
The optimal age for starting classes should be considered 5 days - 2 weeks. At three months, the revived swimming reflexes fade away, and it is much more difficult to conduct classes with the child. Therefore, 3-3.5 months is the latest date for the start of swimming for infants. After three months, swimming lessons are more individual and more labor intensive.Hand supports
The position of the child on the backThe heaviest, sinking part of the child's body is the head. Therefore, all manual supports are carried out under the head and at the same time the neck and upper back.
Hand supports can and should be varied.
* double hand support when swimming on the back with four fingers under the back, neck and head, two thumbs lie on the chest;
* one-handed support "bucket", 
* one-handed "half-ring" support - the thumb and forefinger cover the neck, the hand is on the side of the back of the head and slightly to the side, without preventing the baby from rowing.
One-handed half-ring and bucket support allow the free hand to stimulate strokes.
As soon as the child begins to row correctly, the nature of the support changes. In the supine position, double support is already carried out with three, then two, and finally with one finger under the back of the child's head.
All types of supports should be carried out very softly and gently and extremely freely, giving the child the opportunity to show the instinct of self-preservation underlying the swimming reflexes.
In swimming on the back, supports are lighter and more comfortable than on the chest, and are always carried out with submerged ears.
On the chest
* the most convenient support with two hands of the head for the cheeks and slightly under the chin.
One-handed support on the chest is carried out with a "scoop" and also with a thumb, its back side under the child's chin, the other four support under the chest - the second hand slightly supports the back of the head with two fingers (support with a "grip" - forefinger and thumb). The chin support helps to "lock" the mouth so that the baby does not drink water.
* Support under the bust
Offline support
Swimming on their own on their back is best done with autonomous head support using foam floats inserted into bonnet pockets and positioned behind the infant's ears.
1. The cap should have a ribbon-rope (in addition to the ties) threaded through the bottom of the cap. She pulls a large cap to fit the baby's head. For these ribbons, then, when the hand was removed from under the head, they lead the floating baby through the water.
2. Wear a cap before immersing in the bath.
3. The cap must be dry.
4. Let the baby play with her in advance (in the afternoon).
5. Having lowered the cap into the water, still support it first under the baby's head, gradually releasing your hands.
An infant can swim with this support at 3-4 months, with arms spread slightly to the sides for balance. The transfer of the baby to the pool can be carried out when he is actively rowing and balancing. Autonomous chest lifts are more difficult; as a rule, they should keep the shoulders and chin in line with the water, they can be used only in case of good motor activity of the infant's upper limbs.
Please note that of all standalone supports, the best one is such a bonnet. Neither a cheburashka cap (ears) nor a collar under the neck can gradually accustom a child to independent swimming.
Diving and diving
1. Immersion of the mouth of a baby at the age of one month under water for 2-3 seconds. allows you to train and hold your breath through the nose. Usually in these cases, holding the breath is determined by the feeling - holding the hand under the chest - the child stops breathing - for a few seconds (4-10).
2. Momentary immersion of the mouth leads the child to the immersion of the nose, which all babies breathe.
Diving of the nose, and then the eyes, usually occurs during independent games, in a sitting position, when the child takes out an object from the bottom of the bath.
Diving the mouth under water must be carried out on double manual support in a position on the spot from 3-4 to 6-8 times per session.
As practice shows, immersion of the mouth under water is performed by all children, except for infants with a runny nose. During the crying of the child, immersion of the mouth is strictly prohibited due to the danger of water entering the respiratory tract. It is impossible to perform immersions of the mouth during posting due to the oncoming wave entering the nasal passages.
During games, in a sitting position, the child well immerses his mouth.
Independent advancement to the toy while holding the breath is a prologue to independent swimming. In principle, a child can be taught by an experienced methodologist to dive headlong into the water. As experience shows, many parents carry out such forced diving with their children, starting from 3 months. However, the degree of the art of teaching varies among parent coaches. Therefore, this technique is designed only for forced immersion of the mouth and self-immersion with the head in games.
A child who has learned to hold his breath while sinking his mouth, nose and head, who knows how to paddle well with his hands, can swim independently.
Independent swimming
The transition to independent backstroke, as can be seen from the above, is relatively simple and consists in a gradual decrease in manual and autonomous support, while the infant’s stroke power and the ability to keep his head on the surface of the water become quite sufficient. Swimming on your back, as a rule, is not associated with holding your breath and diving, and therefore is more accessible in training.Decreased offline support
The floats are removed from the cap in pairs from different edges, starting from the top. As soon as the baby adapts to the reduced number of floats and feels confident, you can safely remove a couple more.The photo shows that the last 2, lower ones, remained on the cap.
but here the bonnet is no longer needed (the child is 4.5 months old)
Baby 6 months old Lies on his back on his own and he likes it.
Child at 6 months independently swims the bath, pushing off the side and paddling with his hands. The hand of an adult is nearby.
Photo 13
Photo 14
Another thing is swimming on the chest. In infants, as well as in swimming mammals - dolphins, whales - movement in the water is associated with diving and holding the breath. Therefore, it is natural to first teach the infant to hold the breath and dive independently, and only then, subject to good rowing movements with the hands, apply arbitrary slipping, exercises like "torpedo".
Movement training
Proper control of strokes and kicks in freestyle and symmetrical swimming is of the utmost importance. So, for example, in many babies, the classic push with the legs (photo 14) can be worked out and fixed using the breaststroke method.When swimming on their back, infants are good at rowing with their hands through the sides from the head to the hip, if they are correctly “showed” such a stroke, first on land and then in the water (photo 13). At the practical lessons of infants in the polyclinic, the methodologist-consultant should determine in time the time of transition from swimming on manual support to swimming on autonomous support and the transfer of the baby to the "Malyutka" pool for systematic swimming lessons on "big water".
As practice shows, it is possible to switch to autonomous support when swimming on the back at the end of the preparatory stage of training (3-4 months), and transfer the child to the Malyutka pool from 4-5 months, subject to good balance and quality of strokes.
Improvement in swimming can be carried out at the end of the 3rd - beginning of the 4th stage of classes, when it is possible to improve the skills acquired by children on the basis of innate swimming reflexes, with the help of the second signaling system - by means of the word. The use of the words "row", "push", "dive" is just as important and necessary as, for example, the words "mother", "father", "grandmother", because they are associated with the vital ability to swim.
Part III. From theory to practice
Swimming training for children up to a year can be divided into 4 stages.First step - PREPARATORY
Age: 5-15 days - 3 months, congenital swimming age. Classes begin after the healing of the umbilical wound.ON THE LAND(introductory part) - A set of preparatory activities from 2 months consists of massage, general gymnastics, swimming gymnastics.
It is convenient to carry out special swimming gymnastics (imitation of swimming) on land and then repeat in water, fixing congenital swimming reflexes:
Moro reflex - a symmetrical enveloping movement of the hands while patting the buttocks (4-5 at the first lesson and 8-9 at the end of the stage).
Robinson's reflex - tonic - strong holding of the object (at the first lesson 1-2 times and 4-5 times at the end of the stage).
Reflex Talent - arcuate bending of the body while stroking the skin between the spine and shoulder blade (1-2 at the beginning and 3-4 at the end of the stage).
The Bauer reflex is a crawling phenomenon, or breaststroke with legs. On the chest - repulsion with the legs from the palms of the hands (4-6 at the beginning and 8-10 at the end of the stage).
Reciprocal arm stroke from the head to the hip across the side (4-6 at the beginning and 8-10 at the end of the stage) on the back and imitation of a freestyle arm stroke on the back and chest, as well as a symmetrical arm stroke from behind the head to the hips (4- 6 at the beginning and 8-10 at the end of the stage).
Reciprocal movements of the legs on the back and chest (4-6 at the beginning and 6-8 at the end of the stage).
SWIMMING IN A FULL BATH(main part). "Double" manual support on the back and 8-10 wires along the length of the bath (shuttle wire). One-hand support on the back with a "half ring". Baby's ears in water.
Double manual support on the chest with a "scoop" under the chin and wiring, one-hand support with a "scoop", as well as one-hand support with the thumb under the chin, the rest under the chest and wiring with turns along the length of the tub (25-30 times).
Stimulation of the work of the legs with a breaststroke on one-hand support with the palm and after a push from the side (10-14 at the beginning and 20-30 at the end of the stage).
The toilet is carried out at the end of the lesson at all stages. Feeding is performed after 15-20 minutes. after swimming.
Second step - LEARNING TO SWIMMING
Age: 4-6 months, designed for infants who have passed the preparatory stage, adapted to full baths and a water temperature of 35°C.Further development of fixed swimming reflexes with the help of the word is carried out. Procedures go in a playful manner against the backdrop of positive emotions. The child swims on autonomous support and with its maximum relaxation on the back and on the chest; swimming volume 32-42 min.
ON THE LAND(introductory part) - Increase the dose of massage, general and special gymnastics by 3-4 minutes. Development and complication of congenital reflexes:
Bauer breaststroke on legs towards the toy (4-6 times),
Talent - Performing the swimmer's pose on the palms (3-4 times)
Robinson - pull-ups on the "weight" (3-5 times),
Moro - wrapping hands (10-15). Exercises are accompanied by the words: "push", "row", "hold", "pull".
SWIMMING IN A FULL BATH(main part) - Swimming on double and one-handed support in the position on the back and chest, as well as on autonomous support, as weakened as possible.
"Sliding off" (momentary lowering of the support for I-2 seconds) is well performed when the child is able to hold his breath. Sitting in place self-dive for toys. All the time when swimming, a decoy toy is used, movements are accompanied by the words: "swim", "row", "push". Many games in the water such as "storm at sea", "torpedo", etc.
The child stands and walks in the water with support under the arms.
Third step - INDEPENDENT SWIMMING
Age: 7-9 months.The third stage of independent swimming is designed for babies trained in the second stage to swim, adapted to a full bath and a water temperature of 33.5 ° C; duration - up to 42 min.
Children independently dive under water, dive.
ON THE LAND(introductory part) - Increase the dose of massage, general and special gymnastics by 2-3 minutes.
Crawling towards a toy in a playpen with a ball and toys.
Swimmer's pose: hands pressed to the hips, extended to the sides, forward.
Pulling up by the fingers of the methodologist from a position on the back and chest.
IN WATER(main part) - Swimming on the back and chest with and without manual support behind a toy, swimming on an autonomous support.
Independent diving under water (diving) for a toy.
Fourth step - IMPROVEMENT OF SWIMMING
Age: 10-12 months. The fourth stage is organically connected with the previous one. At the last stage, infants are able to independently swim the entire length of the bath and the Malyutka pool, visit the water treatment room 3 times a week, and like to dive in length and depth for toys.The total time of classes is 62-72 minutes, the temperature is -31.5-30.5°C.
ON THE LAND(introductory part) - The total time of massage and gymnastics reaches 10-12 minutes. and more. Games on land lying, sitting, standing with a ball and toys.
Performing on command various positions of the swimmer in the position on the back and chest. Perform foot and hand work with and without an instructor. Try rowing a dolphin, breaststroke with the help of an instructor.
The exercises are accompanied by a conversation using special swimming terms both on land and in water.
IN WATER(main part) - The beginning of the lesson - games in the water with sinking, floating and hanging toys. Independent swimming along the length of the home bath (2-3 times without stopping) and the "Baby" pool, swimming with toys, on toys. Gliding with outstretched arms, pressed hands on the back and chest. Swimming on legs breaststroke and freestyle with the help of an instructor and on your own. Diving in length and depth for toys, jumping in the water, games.
Stages of learning to swim in the classroom
STAGE I1st SWIMMING CLASS
Age of children - 5 days - 2-3 weeks; duration of classes - 10-15 minutes; bath temperature - 36.5°C.
1. Slow entry into the water with legs and laying on the back on a double manual support.
Slow wiring along the length of the tub ("shuttle" wiring), wiring to the near corner of the tub with the head and turning the legs to the far corner, and the head towards itself and slightly up.
Push with feet from the tub and retrieve to the other side (reel with turns), ears in the water.
2. The left hand under the back of the head and back, the right hand with a "ladle" by the chin and right cheek - turn to the "ladle" (the child's chin is strictly above the water line).
Interception of the left "scoop" under the chin into a double manual support under the chin in the position on the chest.
Wiring in position on the chest on double manual support with turns at the ends of the tub.
During wiring and turns, strictly monitor the position of the mouth above the water line.
3. One-handed support on the back in a "half ring", turns at the ends of the bath and interceptions from one hand to the other.
Supports with one hand and wiring on the "ladle" under the child's chin.
Support with one hand (right) - thumb under the child's chin, the rest under the chest.
4. Stimulation of kicks and strokes with hands in the position on the back and chest on one-handed support with the free hand.
5. Toilet (washing) of the child, getting out of the bath and wiping, drying the ears with cotton.
NOTE: Massage, general and special gymnastics are carried out starting from 2 months; in 5 days - 3 weeks, exclude the immersion of the mouth and carry it out only from a month.
Stage 2(I month) - immersion of the mouth in place, continuation of the exercises of the 1st stage.
Stage 3(2 months) - demonstration of massage, general and special gymnastics.
Stage 4(3rd month) - free support technique, loosening of support, push and stroke technique with hands in the water.
Stage 5(4th month) - testing autonomous support such as a bonnet with a small manual support on the back, swimming for a toy on the chest on a manual support, getting a toy while sitting.
stage 6(5th month) - reduction of autonomous support on the back, getting toys from the bottom of the bath while sitting, immersing the mouth and then the nose, transferring the child to the "Malyutka" pool if he has the ability and swimming lessons three times a week in the water treatment room, three times - Houses.
Stage 7(6th month) - minimal autonomous back support, backstroke without support. Swimming on chest support, loosening chest support, sitting games.
Stage 8(7th month) - minimal autonomous support on the chest, swimming on the chest with instant lowering of the hand support, playing in the water while sitting and standing.
Stage 9(8th month) - improvement of strokes on the back and chest, "torpedo" exercises, diving for sinking toys, a bottle. Games in the water sitting, standing, walking with various toys.
10 stage(9 - 12 months) - continued improvement in independent swimming on the back and chest, improvement of independent diving, games.
NOTE: At all stages of classes, specific movements are accompanied by the words "row", "swim", "dive", "push".
Diving plan
It helps to develop the respiratory system, the vestibular apparatus, as well as to develop emotional and volitional qualities - courage, strength, endurance.Classes in a large bathroom at home, preferably under the supervision of an instructor. In the first part of swimming - swimming, as described above, mainly swimming on the back and in a cap .. Then diving is carried out (2-3 times 3-4 "eights" and dives), alternated with rest and exercises on the water.
Preparatory stage
The age of the child is 1 week - a month.
The child simply floats with the help of manual supports on the tummy. Makes the so-called "eight" - floats around the perimeter of the bath, turning around the "eight".
Stage 1.
Starting from a month, you can teach your baby to hold air. To do this, in the position on the stomach, after 3-4 "eights", you must say: (Baby's name), dive! And immediately blow into the face. Children usually hold their breath. On the first day, repeat this exercise 2-3 times.
Each stage ends when the child has mastered a new skill.
Stage 2.
Everything is the same, only after the words: name, dive! Spray on your face. After a week, you no longer spray, but water. Holding the baby with one hand under the chin, with the other, after the words "dive!" scoop up water and pour it over your face. It looks like a wash.
The transition to the next stage only after you make sure that the child does not just close his eyes, but definitely holds his breath.
Stage 3.
As expected, first 3-4 "eights". After the first "baby, let's dive!" again pour water on your face. The child must remember WHAT to do after this command. Then again 3-4 "eights", the command "dive!" and diving. To do this, you hold the baby's head with 2 hands, and sharply immerse it under water. And immediately take out and continue the movement of the "eight".
keep it up
For the first - second - third time, 1-2 dives are enough. Be sure to pay attention to the child's reaction. If he did not like it, it is better to postpone until the next time.
Then bathe according to the scheme: swimming on the back, flipping on the stomach, 3-4 "eights", dive, again 3-4 "eights", dive, again 3-4 "eights" dive. Rest on the back. Exercises (repulsions, walking, etc.). Again, the cycle of "eights" and diving, rest, play, the cycle of "eights" and diving, rest on the back. ALL! Bathing ends. Thus, you will get about 9 dives per session.
But, if the baby is naughty, you see that he is unhappy, do not stick to the scheme. Do what the child likes. Or maybe he's already tired. Just finish your swim early.
Stage 4.
When the baby is used to diving, start diving underwater. At first it should take 1-2 seconds. If you see that the baby has enough retained air, gradually increase the time by the second. So a week you can dive for 1-2 seconds, the next 2-3, then 3-4 and so on. But for this time you do not just immerse the child under water, but dive a distance under water. All dives participate in the same cycle of exercises as in stage 3.
Stage 5
It differs from stage 4 in that, having immersed the baby under water, you release him and he swims on his own. After the words: “Baby (name), dive!” you need to sharply plunge your head under the water, as if pushing forward and letting go. At first you quickly pick it up, but each time you increase the time of its independent stay under water.
Here you can see that the baby is swimming, and the hands of an adult are nearby. But don't hold it:
dived 
emerge 
surfaced 
Conclusion
I am not a swimming instructor, not a doctor. The doctor is my husband, and I am a teacher-psychologist. I wrote about diving from my own experience. So, for example, my children swam not in 30-degree water, but not below 34. They did not like it below.
At the end, we douse ourselves with cold water after bathing. The pediatrician told us that we should gradually lower the temperature of the water for dousing (as well as in the bath). But children like it more when they are poured with very cold water. After the bath, cold water burns them and they (especially the older one) squeal with pleasure.
Our eldest daughter at 4.5 months. lay on the water without any support, swam the bath on her back and dived with pleasure. The average learned to stay on the water and dive by 6 months. The younger one learned to swim occasionally - there simply wasn’t enough time for daily “swims”. Nevertheless, all three children, getting into an open reservoir, were not afraid of water, they swam, dived with pleasure, and swam independently at the age of 3.
The best way to learn to swim and dive is, of course, to help you with a specially trained instructor. But, if, despite all your efforts, money and time spent on classes in the pool, the baby goes to the bath without pleasure, cries and refuses to swim, do not be upset. There are such children - well, they do not like to swim! After all, adults are also not all lovers of water procedures. Nothing, there are still so many sports and games in the world in which your baby will show the best results.
And for such children, we can recommend a gradual gentle bathing in a diaper (the first time) and then in the bath with mom. This is the opposite view of teaching babies to swim. It is based on the assumption that free swimming and, moreover, diving of infants is stressful for a child, because water is an alien habitat for people. Therefore, each parent himself chooses the right approach in raising and hardening his child. This article is not a call to teach babies to swim, but only advice for those who want to do it.
Classes will be successfully held with parents who are confident in the benefits of the case and are not afraid to do something special with the baby. Although swimming and diving have long been the most common.
Be confident in your abilities and success is guaranteed!!!
The article used:
"Swimming of infants" (Methodological recommendations) Ed. V.V. Shitskova Moscow, 1978. The recommendations were developed by the pediatrician V.A. Guterman.
"Swim before walking" Z. P. Firsov, Moscow, Physical culture and sport, 1978
When and how to start classes with the baby?
You can start swimming lessons when the umbilical wound heals, usually in 2-3 weeks. At first, parents take care of the child in an ordinary home bath. When the bath becomes small for the baby, and he acquires basic skills, you can go to the pool. As a rule, this happens at 2 months.
Nine months before birth, the baby was swimming in amniotic fluid. And if you do not scare him away, then he will gladly accept the water in the bath.
You need to deal with a child when he is in a good mood, he is full, does not want to sleep, nothing interferes with him. You must be cheerful and friendly. It is desirable to turn swimming lessons into an exciting game that will give pleasure to both you and your child. You need to be patient and not rush. Gradually increase the load, gradually add new exercises. Remember that your main goal is not the achievement of the result, but the pleasure and health of your baby. Children's swimming is not difficult, and all parents can learn it. You must be calm, and your hands must confidently and securely support the child. The child feels your mood. It is important not to cause fear, overwork and distrust of water in him. Once a mistake is made, it can permanently discourage a child from learning to swim.
A baby does not know what fear is, he is not afraid of water. During his stay in the womb, he was constantly surrounded by amniotic fluid, and if the child has fear in the bath, then the culprit should be sought among the parents as soon as possible.
How can parents gain confidence? If you want to teach your child to swim, it is also advisable to practice in the water during pregnancy. Parents who love the water and know how to swim have more confidence in the expediency of exercising with their baby. Read the manual carefully. Imagine how you will perform supports in the water. Pick the right time and you can start. Swimming lessons are held in a large bath. Because in a small bath it will be as uncomfortable for a child to swim as in a regular one. What should be the temperature of the bath water? According to the method of Z.P. Firsov, the temperature in the first lessons can be 37 degrees, in the fifth lesson -36.5, in the ninth - 36, in the fourteenth - 35.5, in the twentieth - 35, in the twenty-fourth - 34 degrees. Further, the water temperature drops to the temperature of a conventional pool - 28 degrees. We usually start at a lower temperature. You must choose the temperature for the child individually. He should be warm and comfortable in the water, but at the same time, the water should not be too warm to encourage the child to make active swimming movements.
As a rule, the water temperature for a child just born and weighing up to 4 kg should be about 35.5 – 36 degrees, and for a plump child, with folds should be 34-35. V In any case, you select the temperature for your child, focusing on how he behaves in the bath.
During the first lessons, you and your baby will feel more confident if you dive into the bath together. This is not required for later sessions. You will stand in front of the tub and bathe the baby. Plain clean water is collected in the bath. You need to take care of your child every day. The first lessons last 5-10 minutes, then 20 minutes. From the moment you enter the pool, you can practice for 40 minutes.
Method Z.P. Firsov designed for classes within 9-12 months. The ultimate goal is to teach the child up to the age of one, firstly, to independently stay on the surface of the water for 20-30 minutes, and secondly, dive to a shallow depth, reach the toy from the bottom and swim underwater for 7-8 seconds. Thirdly, being in light clothes - a summer suit, shoes, socks, a hat - jump off the side of the pool in clothes into the water and in these clothes stay on the surface of the water for 2-3 minutes. The latter seems to me especially relevant in the light of the statistics of tragic cases that have occurred over the past year with children. It turns out that a large number of children die from drowning every year, and the strangest thing is that in 78% of cases children die in ordinary puddles, that is, they fall and die terribly from the inability to hold their breath in this way. By teaching a child to swim from infancy, you will forever save yourself from this tragedy.
At first, we studied Firsov's methodology, then - the experience of his foreign colleagues, and over time, our own experience came. The methodology you are about to read is based on our experience in teaching newborns to swim. It is somewhat different from the basic methods and is one of the modifications of the soft swimming methods and seems to us the most optimal.
Immerse the child you need to slowly, gradually, after checking the temperature of the water so that it does not seem too cold or too hot to the child.
The dive starts with the legs in a vertical position.
At the same time, you can calmly explain to the child that he will be in the water, that now he will swim. Then, when he gets used to the fact that he sank into the water. You calmly translate it into a horizontal position and at the same time support it from below. Supports at first should be stronger so that the child feels secure. Later, supports fall under a smaller area of the body. If you are in the bath with the child (as a rule, the father is at first, because it is not recommended for the mother to take a bath while there are lochia), the child can be kept on bent knees, you can put your hands completely under his back, and wrap your palms around head and shake the child in this position. You can put it on your stomach and on your chest so that the child's head is above the water.
When you start classes, being in front of the bath, the most convenient support is this: the left hand is under the back of the child’s head, and with your right hand you grab the hips either from the outside, or between the legs, or from your side, as you wish.
Try to keep the child in the most horizontal position in relation to the water while swimming on his back, which contributes to the rapid learning of independent swimming. Don't worry about getting water in your ears. The child was constantly in the amniotic fluid inside the womb, and it got into the ears. If you start classes before 3 months, you can not be afraid of the harmful effects of water on the baby's ears. For all the time of classes, we did not have a single case of inflammation of the ears in children.
First, you make small wires on your back along the tub back and forth, and then, preferably, master the figure eight movement along the maximum length of the tub. You support the child, as in the previous exercise, and cross your arms during the turns. You can change the speed. In general, there are children who like slow, calm movement, and there are children who like it when an adult sets a sufficiently high speed. Such wiring on the back is the main exercise that prepares the child for independent swimming on the back.
The next exercise is repulsion from the wall of the bath. It is performed as follows. You hold the child under the back of the head, bring the child with his legs to the side wall of the tub, set two legs with his feet directly on the wall of the tub and slightly move the child to the side. He kicks off with his feet. And how much he pushed off, so much you take him back. So that the child feels a direct dependence: how strongly he will push off, how far he will sail. Some children do this exercise easily and immediately, others are not very willing. But, as a rule, over time, the child likes this exercise and he rejoices, sailing far back.
The next wiring is done in a pose on the stomach. The child lies on his stomach, the head is above the water. With your left hand, you grab the back of the head, with four fingers of your right hand, support under the chin, and with your thumb cover the child's mouth. Firstly, this technique insures against water getting into the mouth, and secondly, the baby will swim more calmly by sucking on your finger. In this position, you swipe back and forth at low speed, and then move on to the movement of eights, the same as when swimming on your back.
There are children who willingly swim on their backs and on their stomachs, there are children who prefer swimming on their backs or on their stomachs. It is better to start classes from the position that is more pleasant for the child. Then, with games, jokes, gradually move to the position that you like less. If you don’t like some exercise, it’s better to switch to another exercise, but don’t take the child out of the water and don’t press it against you, because this can lead to a general reluctance to do anything in the water later. Therefore, if you don’t like swimming on your stomach, then you swim on your back, if you don’t like it on your back. then profit. If you are tired of both this and the other, you are prayed to take a pose for rest.
Resting posture, vertical. You support the child under the chest so that both of his "arms were thrown over your right arm. At the same time, you can either support the head and back, or pour water on them. The child, as a rule, calms down in this position. There are children for whom the position is more acceptable rest is not horizontal, but reclining on your side.After a few lessons, you will understand the characteristics of the child, adapt to them, and it will become much easier for both of you.
Do not try to take the child by force. The main thing in the first two months, while you are swimming in the bath, is for the child to get used to the water and feel confidence in it. At first, his posture will be more tense, and the further, the more relaxed. In addition to these basic postings, you can rock the child so that he feels the water better. As long as the child is calm, he likes the activity and he actively participates in swimming - continue the activity. When you see signs of fatigue - the child begins to whimper, act up, arch, or his nasolabial triangle turns blue - the lesson should be gradually ended. After your child learns how to correctly perform the wiring on the back and stomach, swimming lessons will lengthen, will bring him pleasure and you will see that he trusts the water, you can start diving.
Diving is a necessary component of teaching a child to swim independently and the main thing that will save you in the future from the danger of drowning a child.
You will be calm on the beach, that your child can play in the water, nothing bad will happen to him. How to start teaching a child to dive? This should be done gradually. At first, when the child swims on the back or on the stomach. You give a loud, clear command: “Attention, dive” or “One, two, three, dive!” And at the same time blowing intensively into the child's face. He will wince, close his eyes and hold his breath. This should be repeated for several days. When you master this exercise, you can move on to the next one.
On the command: "Attention, we dive" You splash the child in the face. It is desirable so that water does not get from the bottom up into the nose. You will notice that the baby also holds his breath. Then you can perform the following exercise in the supine position. On “Attention, we dive” you lower the child a little deeper into the water so that only the nose and mouth remain on the surface, and the forehead and eyes cheeks so that they sink under water. And finally, if you have mastered all these exercises, you can move on to real diving.
The first dive is best done when the child is very well tuned, relaxed, has already swum for some time. It is better to perform it from a position on the stomach. You give a command and submerge the child for a second in shallow water and bring him to the surface.
At the same time, you do not let him go under water. When a child appears above the water, for the first second he will have a misunderstanding and an expectant reaction: “What was that?” You should praise, say that the child did everything very, very well, that he dived wonderfully. Then he will not burst into tears and will want to dive next time and please you again. At first, diving should be done 2-3 times per lesson. After you have mastered short dives for some period of time, you can move on to longer ones.
Near one edge of the bathtub, you dive the child, run along the entire length of the bathtub and emerge at the other edge. Over time, dives can be extended to 5-6 seconds under water and for a short time the child is released under water, then picked up and brought to the surface of the water. More than 5 dives, in principle, is not recommended at the initial stages, but you can adjust them according to the reactions of the child. The main tasks you face in teaching your child to swim in the bath are friendship and trust in the water and the ability to dive without swallowing a lot of water. By this time, your baby will be 2-3 months old, and you can move to a large pool.
There are a number of advantages in the pool: firstly, the water level is higher and the water holds the child better, and secondly, there will also be mothers with children, and children miraculously adopt what other children have already learned and start swimming better next to them , thirdly, it will be more convenient for you to support the child when you are with him in the pool, and not tilted over the bath.
In any case, we recommend using assistive devices from 2-3 months of age. This is the Little Mermaid set. The main component is the “mermaid crown”. She puts on a child from about 2 months of age so that he can lie on the surface of the water on his own.
From birth, the child has a stepping reflex. Sometimes this reflex is not very clearly expressed. It is difficult for a child to walk on land. But if you put a rubber mat on the bottom of the bath, take in not as much water as for swimming, but so that it reaches the child’s chest or a little higher, take him under the armpits and slightly tilt the body forward, he will walk very cheerfully along the bottom baths.
Children learn to walk in the bath much better than on land.
You only insure, look and there is no need to be in an inclined position all the time, supporting the child. Over time, he will learn to lie on the water without any help and without a "mermaid". At first, you support the child quite strongly, then you support the child much weaker, only with your fingertips, then the “mermaid” supports the child, from which you gradually remove the cubes through one. Then, during postings, you release your hands for a short time and again
When you move to the pool, the basic exercises and postings will remain the same, but the depth of the water and the spaciousness of the pool will help you diversify these exercises in every possible way.
You can diversify diving. The child can dive with you. You can hold it behind your back and dive together. You can keep ahead of you, and then he will emerge first, and you after him. You can swim on your back, while the child will lie on your stomach and chest. The kids love it. Two adults can be against each other, and a child who is already well
learned to dive push from one adult to another. He will swim a meter and a half, and then another adult will accept him, wait until his breathing returns to normal, and in the same way direct him to the first one. For swimming on your stomach, you can use the "mermaid necklace", it will support the head, and you will not need to do it with your hand. There is another way to more calmly transition from supports to independent swimming - these are “mermaid pendants”. With them, you support the child lightly to help him balance correctly on the surface of the water.
You can use a circle with a small diameter and teach the child to work with arms and legs at the same time on the circle. An older child can be placed on the side of the pool. You, being in the pool, call the child to you, and he will dive towards you. As a rule, children really like this exercise. To diversify activities, you can use various inflatable and floating toys, as well as toys that you can dive to the bottom for. At first, you can dive for one toy, then you can throw several rings or objects that the child can simultaneously grab and emerge to the surface. The child also likes such exercises very much.
Any way of swimming is based on the ability to exhale air into the water after a deep breath. This child needs to be taught. You can do this exercise. The child lies on the chest in a horizontal position supported by pendants or a belt. You lean towards his face and gently say:
“Look how mom or dad does. We blow on some water like this.” At the same time, you gain a full chest of air and slowly exhale it to the very surface of the water. The child sees circles forming on the water. He likes it and he tries to reproduce this action. You can blow on a light boat or any toy so that it moves through the water, and encourage the child to do so. After a few sessions, demonstrate to the child exhaling into the water, immersing the mouth and nose in it. The bubbles that form on the surface of the water will attract the attention of the baby, and he will want to do the same.
In the home bath, you can bathe the child naked, and it is better to wear panties or swimming trunks in the pool, because sometimes he can poop while swimming or diving. And in order not to dirty the water in the pool, it is desirable that the child has something to wear. In swimming lessons, consistency and regularity are very important.
As a rule, good results are achieved by those parents who calmly, but constantly work with children. At first in the bath every day or at least 5 times a week, then when you go to the pool - 2-3 times a week. In this mode, the child does not lose the acquired skills. Swimming gives him great pleasure.
With swimming lessons, your little one will learn a lot. He will learn to stay on his back, swim on his tummy, and most importantly, he will learn to dive, and this reflex will be fixed in him forever. But the most important thing is that you can give your child a unique joy.
Instruction
It turns out that swimming from birth is simply necessary for babies, since this triggers the body's natural reflexes, which means that the brain begins to work hard. In later life, this will be very well reflected in the intellectual abilities of the child and his physical health. Cold and contrasting water procedures perfectly train the child's nervous and immune systems.
How to teach to swim? Classes with a child not earlier than half an hour after. Before this, the child is well warmed up with the help of reflex exercises. The child is lifted, putting their index fingers in his arms, spread his legs, alternately pull the baby to the elbows. Head baby however, it must not be twisted.
After preparation, they move on to swimming. Two types of water procedures can be carried out - this is diving in cold water (the baby will swim under water) and swimming in warm water.
Why do doctors recommend cold water? Because after cold water the mucous membranes are strengthened, therefore the child's vision improves. And warm water has a negative effect on the mucous membranes. In addition, cold water tempers the child's body.
When swimming in cold water, the bath is filled with water, the temperature of which is 15–17 ° C. The child is lowered into the water, holding the armpits. After the baby's legs touch the water, the breath is reflexively held, so it can be lowered into the water horizontally face down. After a second or two, the baby will begin to swim. According to another method, the child is carried out under water.
Before diving, the baby needs to be told that "we will dive now." Even a recently born baby understands words perfectly. A child can swim underwater for about 5 seconds.
If swimming is carried out in warm water or before diving, the baby was distracted by the game or relaxed, then before diving, the baby needs to splash a little water on his face so that the reflex works, and the child has time to hold his breath and not get scared after taking a sip of water.
Diving in warm water is alternated with swimming. One hand is held on the baby's chin, the other on the back of his head. You can lead the child through the water on the back, and then turn it over on the tummy. In the first life, the child is no more than 15 minutes.
After the baby is taken out of the water, wiped and wrapped warmly. The child should be allowed to restore breathing and recover after water procedures, and then feed if he had time to get hungry.
note
If you want to teach your child to swim, it is also advisable to practice in the water during pregnancy. Parents who love the water and know how to swim have more confidence in the expediency of exercising with their baby. The ultimate goal is to teach a child up to the age of one, firstly, to stay on the surface of the water for 20-30 minutes, and secondly, to dive to a shallow depth, reach the toy from the bottom and swim underwater for 7-8 seconds.
Useful advice
How to teach a newborn to swim in the bath. It is best to start teaching a baby to swim in the first 2-4 weeks of life, since in the future the baby's swimming reflexes will only fade away, and it is possible to start learning again no earlier than at 3 years old - when the child learns to better understand the words and explanations of parents. The first immersion in water should only take place after appropriate instructions have been received from a pediatrician or swimming instructor...
Instruction
A newborn baby knows how to perfectly hold his breath at a reflex level. But after two, this skill is lost. Therefore, it needs to be restored and developed. And so that the baby is not afraid, try to make water procedures interesting.
The baby should be taught to swim and dive only after the final healing of the navel. As a rule, this period takes two to three weeks.
Before preparing the baby for water procedures, warm it up by doing a massage and doing a little gymnastics with it. For children up to three light strokes are enough, older kids can be added. The massage is performed all over the body. To do this, lightly stroke and rub the child's breast, tummy, intercostal muscles. Do not touch the area of the nipples and heart!
Movement during the massage should be continuous. Stroke the tummy clockwise: such exercises have a beneficial effect on the work of the intestines. Lightly massage your arms and legs. After five to seven minutes, you can move on to water activities.
Before diving, it is necessary to teach the baby to hold his breath. Up to three months, while the reflex has not yet been lost, it is not difficult. Lightly blow on the child's face. As a rule, while babies themselves hold their breath. The child must understand the meaning of the word "dive". Therefore, after completing several "eights" (this is one of the first skills already available) in the bath, say: "We dive!" and blow on the baby. Repeat this exercise two or three times.
When the baby learns that after the word “dive” you need to hold your breath, start lightly spraying and washing the baby with water. If you see that the child does not like such procedures, do not insist, postpone them for a while. And repeat later.
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