Baby Swimming - Term 2

So, despite a few unscheduled breaks (caused variously by either severe weather or nasty bugs), we are now well and truly into term 2 of the baby swimming classes we decided were a good idea after a rather scary experience on Honeymoon...so what can Thomas now do/cope with in the water at the age of seven months after a term (and-almost-a-half) of lessons?

Well, not *swim* obviously (Tomorrows world didn't do us any favours with their opening credits), babies can go underwater primarily because of the mammalian diving reflex, which is a totally involuntary system that slows the heart rate and seals air into the lungs (thus optimising respiration) triggered by water hitting the face...so the first thing he is *slowly* learning is to be perfectly calm when that happens and not fight it or panic - term one got us almost there, but this sort of conditioning takes time...

- going underwater is *fine*, even if no-one is holding on to you (although some weeks we do get some fussing for a few seconds when he's reunited with the air) -

- falling into water is okay (that one is just a game now - accompanied by a well known nursery rhyme)-

- but, if possible, climbing in yourself is preferable and actually most impressively (although slightly disturbing to watch as it's almost learning by aversion therapy in execution) is that one can save oneself from drowning by holding on to the edge of the pool-

- he got the hang of that one *rather* quickly (as you can see by his expression) -

- lastly, when in the water the general idea is to kick with the legs and reach and pull with the arms (various toys are involved in making that happen)

- but a bit of random splashing the rest of the time is fine...(and Thomas does a *lot* of splashing) -

- and (perhaps) most importantly is that being in the pool is lots and lots of *fun*... ;)