Baby Swimming Experience
Yesterday was a different day. :) A friend invited me to go to a Baby Swimming class. The class is really popular and there are only 6-7 babies at a time, so all the places, naturally, were booked, and she so kindly gave her pass to us, so we could go and try it out.
I'll start the description with this: I'm not a big supporter of conventional "baby classes" of any kind. You know, the list of conventional "baby groups", "baby music, exercise, gym class" etc etc. In my opinion, they are not for babies, because babies don't gain anything from them (it's a longer story, why exactly), they can't play and do whatever is done there in their own speed and to their own liking (like it should be, if you imagine of either Montessori or Waldorf, or Pikler principles), instead - they have to follow some adult-invented, adult-lead scheduled activity, all at the same time and same pace, whether they like it or not, want it or not, it's beneficial for them or not.. You get my point, I hope.
I think all of those classes have been created for parents. Bored moms to get out of the house. Which is fine. If you like it and the baby is not suffering, why not..
(The Waldorf Baby morning, which we have attended, I must say, was entirely a different story. Children were just freely playing in a calm, suitable environment, free to do what they like. I'm hoping to go there again soon..)
However, I do like water and swimming myself and I overally agree that swimming and exercise in water can be good for you, so this was possibly the only activity I was a little bit interested in.. And so we went.
I knew beforehand about the baby diving - that small human (and other mammal) babies have this natural reflex of diving - if you drop them in water, their breathing routes will automatically shut down, so they are technically able to be under water, even for some time, and survive. It's an interesting and really smart reflex - in case a baby would accidentally drop into water, he or she wouldn't immediately choke on water and die. And that's great.
Some people, however, have taken this reflex and made a baby diving out of it. They are big fans of it and practice it, finding many positive benefits of it, even teaching them to swim. (If you're interested, surely can search and find the pro-side of information about this.)
I knew about this and I never felt it's quite right.. Somehow, it doesn't seem too logical to me. Yes, there is this reflex, but are we supposed to use it for fun? Is it natural for human babies to be under water and for their own mothers to throw them there? I don't think so..
Plus, I'm skeptical about the so-called benefits, as this never turns into an actual swimming. Once the reflex anyway fades and sometime the child has to actually - consciously - learn to swim.
And once I found an article in one (Russian/Latvian) site, saying what I had been feeling:
"Making babies swim and dive puts them in a threatening situation, when he cannot himself control the situation and is sort of on a border between life and death. This can often cause deep stress for the child and even depression. (..)
Lets view the diving from the child's point of view. He has entered new conditions (the world) from a place, where he was totally protected and safe. This protection was provided by his mother. Child needs the same protection for the time, while the brain is maturing (first 3 years). He feels himself as an unprotected creature, that needs the safety provided by his mother. Instead - mother gives him away (or even worse - does it herself) and starts drowning him, placing on a border between life and death. Baby cannot understand your ideas of teaching him or improving his immunity. And this is done regularly and mother cannot protect him. (..)
There is another problem - while under water, body and the brain does not receive oxygen."
This sounds a bit depressing and I'm sorry for that. I'm not exactly judging people who do it, as we don't have a right to judge.. But I choose not to do it myself.
Such a long introduction. :) The point is, I knew there might be some diving there in the class, and I would just not do it. I was hoping, there would be also some usual "swimming". But no.. They might (should, in fact) call the class "Baby Diving" instead. Because right as the trainer came, she encouraged everyone to put babies' faces in water, and then it started.. On the back, on the belly, each time: swim, swim, dive! swim, swim, dive!
The speed of the class was way too big too, jumping from one exercise to other. It was confusing and way too fast. (It only reassured my thoughts on the organized baby activities..)
Actually, at first, when we calmly entered the pool, water was really warm and nice, Adelaide really seemed to like it! :)
So I would like to go to a pool sometime, just on our own, to swim around, just enjoy the water, in our rhythm, our own comfort level, doing what feels right and good. Without any stress.
But this class.. really not for us.
Here you can see a video from their homepage, how the babies are diving:
So this was probably our first and last time there.
And, honestly, all the trip to the city, getting dressed, before and after, all the crowded spaces, (even all the other stranger mothers and babies), then walking in the streets of the city.. Just for those 30 minutes.. Not for me. ;)
I'm so happy to live in our countryside, in peace and harmony!
P.S. I have received many personal comments from people, turns out many do agree with me about the baby diving.
I'll start the description with this: I'm not a big supporter of conventional "baby classes" of any kind. You know, the list of conventional "baby groups", "baby music, exercise, gym class" etc etc. In my opinion, they are not for babies, because babies don't gain anything from them (it's a longer story, why exactly), they can't play and do whatever is done there in their own speed and to their own liking (like it should be, if you imagine of either Montessori or Waldorf, or Pikler principles), instead - they have to follow some adult-invented, adult-lead scheduled activity, all at the same time and same pace, whether they like it or not, want it or not, it's beneficial for them or not.. You get my point, I hope.
I think all of those classes have been created for parents. Bored moms to get out of the house. Which is fine. If you like it and the baby is not suffering, why not..
(The Waldorf Baby morning, which we have attended, I must say, was entirely a different story. Children were just freely playing in a calm, suitable environment, free to do what they like. I'm hoping to go there again soon..)
However, I do like water and swimming myself and I overally agree that swimming and exercise in water can be good for you, so this was possibly the only activity I was a little bit interested in.. And so we went.
I knew beforehand about the baby diving - that small human (and other mammal) babies have this natural reflex of diving - if you drop them in water, their breathing routes will automatically shut down, so they are technically able to be under water, even for some time, and survive. It's an interesting and really smart reflex - in case a baby would accidentally drop into water, he or she wouldn't immediately choke on water and die. And that's great.
Some people, however, have taken this reflex and made a baby diving out of it. They are big fans of it and practice it, finding many positive benefits of it, even teaching them to swim. (If you're interested, surely can search and find the pro-side of information about this.)
I knew about this and I never felt it's quite right.. Somehow, it doesn't seem too logical to me. Yes, there is this reflex, but are we supposed to use it for fun? Is it natural for human babies to be under water and for their own mothers to throw them there? I don't think so..
Plus, I'm skeptical about the so-called benefits, as this never turns into an actual swimming. Once the reflex anyway fades and sometime the child has to actually - consciously - learn to swim.
And once I found an article in one (Russian/Latvian) site, saying what I had been feeling:
"Making babies swim and dive puts them in a threatening situation, when he cannot himself control the situation and is sort of on a border between life and death. This can often cause deep stress for the child and even depression. (..)
Lets view the diving from the child's point of view. He has entered new conditions (the world) from a place, where he was totally protected and safe. This protection was provided by his mother. Child needs the same protection for the time, while the brain is maturing (first 3 years). He feels himself as an unprotected creature, that needs the safety provided by his mother. Instead - mother gives him away (or even worse - does it herself) and starts drowning him, placing on a border between life and death. Baby cannot understand your ideas of teaching him or improving his immunity. And this is done regularly and mother cannot protect him. (..)
There is another problem - while under water, body and the brain does not receive oxygen."
This sounds a bit depressing and I'm sorry for that. I'm not exactly judging people who do it, as we don't have a right to judge.. But I choose not to do it myself.
Such a long introduction. :) The point is, I knew there might be some diving there in the class, and I would just not do it. I was hoping, there would be also some usual "swimming". But no.. They might (should, in fact) call the class "Baby Diving" instead. Because right as the trainer came, she encouraged everyone to put babies' faces in water, and then it started.. On the back, on the belly, each time: swim, swim, dive! swim, swim, dive!
The speed of the class was way too big too, jumping from one exercise to other. It was confusing and way too fast. (It only reassured my thoughts on the organized baby activities..)
Actually, at first, when we calmly entered the pool, water was really warm and nice, Adelaide really seemed to like it! :)
So I would like to go to a pool sometime, just on our own, to swim around, just enjoy the water, in our rhythm, our own comfort level, doing what feels right and good. Without any stress.
But this class.. really not for us.
Here you can see a video from their homepage, how the babies are diving:
So this was probably our first and last time there.
And, honestly, all the trip to the city, getting dressed, before and after, all the crowded spaces, (even all the other stranger mothers and babies), then walking in the streets of the city.. Just for those 30 minutes.. Not for me. ;)
I'm so happy to live in our countryside, in peace and harmony!
P.S. I have received many personal comments from people, turns out many do agree with me about the baby diving.
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