Hi All,

We often see Youtube videos where western baby born out not long, they will let them try to swim in a public / home swimming pool. It is very interesting but at the same time a little scary.

My husband and I are discussing at what age is it suitable for us to let our baby play in a pool of water? Of course, with adult supervision. We do not have a swimming pool at home but we intend to buy a baby pool that should at least fit 3 children at age of 5. Our baby is going 4 months old now. We do not intend for him to submerge in the water. We do not want to frightened him. We intend to let him use a float, keep his head above water and let his leg do some kicking.

My colleague advised us not to try too early as water has bacteria that causes polio? We have no idea what is that. We are very tempted, yet skeptical. Has anyone ever tried? At what age did you try it? Or do you disagree to it?

merchant, i'm tempted to let my 5 mo boy swim in the apartment's children swimming pool... but no idea if it's really safe for him... i think it's important for the young ones to learn swimming coz who knows when they need it in for their survival... mayb i'm think too much or kiasu...

I was advised to only let my son swim when he reached 6months after the first few vaccinations. My apartment has a pool and as you know public pool is more prone to bacteria hence I waited till 6 months. my son always love the water so we had no problem introducing the pool to him.

As for having your own 'pool', I think u may start earlier as u wd just pour new water each time unlike the swimming pool. Maybe can use filtered water? Just put a filter fitted at the outside pipe...so that it wouldn't be that teruk.

This post has been edited by phythia79: Mar 13 2011, 10:03 PM

My bb had her first swim at our condo pool when she was 8mths old, she enjoy the session very much.
Drinking the pool water is inevitable but there was this one incident she drank a lot and choke quite badly, we were really worried and the whole nite she dun look ok, I search the net and found about dry drowning, it means someone especially small children can have water in their lungs without realizing and this can cause drowning few hours after the swim. I panic more and kept watch for any abnormal signs the whole nite.

After that incident we never took her swimming no more. I think we're not living in atlantis, swimming is afterall not that important, she can always do swimming when she is much older.

So be very careful if you decide to let your bb swim, thigns to watch out is see how clear is the water, if you see the water a bit cloudy that means the chlorine is not functioning and bacteria or algae is starting to bloom. Avoid going to the pool in these condition, only go when you see the water is crystal clear.

Get those BB suit like divers, covers her shoulder, this will help your bb from getting chilled.

hi,my daughter is 10mths but i still dont dare to let her swim in the wadding pool..scared she will get sick cause the water is so cold

I bought a swimming vest from Mothercare for my son..it's supposed to keep your child warm so that they can be in the pool for a longer time. For me, I would let my son be in the pool for max 1 hr (if he's using the vest)..if not, 30 mins.

ive been tempted to take my son into the swimming pool during holiday or somethng, but it is yet to happen

i guess it is not that important, reading the experiences here, can wait till he is older and hv better immune system... thinking again, the common swimming pool water is indeed dirty.. and i know my kid likes to take water in even while bathing.. LOL perhaps get a kid's swimming pool to play in the hse only...

Few months old dont la

Still so young till they at least go kindergarten can communicate only teach them swim la. WHat the rush to make them go to the water so fast?

scared 2012 world will be flooded they cannot swim?

It's not abt teaching them to swim..it's just letting them into the pool to play with the water. Doesn't need much communicating.

Then its dangerous. Better wait till they grow up maybe age 3 or 4 only let them play with adult supervision. No hurry to let them play water when they cant even stand and walk

Obviously it will be with adult supervision..and of coz with the parents carrying their baby...and by age 1 or 1.5 yrs..they have already learnt to stand and walk. By then too..it will always be with adult supervision. It's plain common sense

This post has been edited by phythia79: Mar 17 2011, 02:15 PM

But is still too young. They need to develop the basic understanding of life b4 throw them in water.

urrm...I don't think we should throw them into the water..i didn't do that to my son..i brought him in gently...at this point..it's not about survival..it's introducing a big mass of water (besides his normal shower and bath time) which can be very daunting to a small child.

If you do throw them into the water..they'll be scared. My nephew sort of did that to his daughter (about the same age as my son)..it took her the next few months to go into the pool again.

It all depends on how you introduce the pool to your child. If i'm not wrong, the main concerns here is whether introducing the pool to their babies would pose any health threat significantly.

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Added on March 17, 2011, 2:33 pmI would be mad if i would just throw my son into the pool...hoping he would know "the basic understanding of life"

This post has been edited by phythia79: Mar 17 2011, 02:33 PM

I think if a parent hold them is ok but then when i read from all the experience shared here, I think I will postpone it till 1 year old.

You see in the west, baby are equipped with those float on the neck and arms and let them kick their legs in the water. I think that's good exercise and the thought of them being close to how they were before (in the womb, with water, etc), thought will make them happy...???

give my son 1st try to our apartment swimming pool abt 9-10months.
actually he only know can play water. only hand, body and leg in the water.
he is enjoying. this is the float i bought.

now 15 months, he start know how to move in the water
the string behind is easy for me to hold him in the water, so that he will not head down in water

do ur babies wear swimming diapers? i'm still thinking if swimming diapers r accessories or necessities?

There's swimming diapers? keekeke..i didn't even know. I let him use the normal diapers..and when he gets out of the pool..it's one full diaper .

phythia, got... they're specially design so they can contain pee n poo n outside is waterproof lo... got disposable n reusable... so far m'sia can find reusable only...

oh...i think i know..i bought it from mothercare..but i dont dare to try it out..so i still let him use diapers as well.

phythia, how much u bought? y u din use?