We have a tendency to think of babies as helpless small people that we have to take care of 24 hours each day, 7 days per week, till they reach that point where they can begin to do some things for themselves, albeit with us parents casting a cautionary glance at each move they make. Maybe that is why so many people are shocked when they see parents teaching those very babies to swim; throwing them into a pool, of ducking their tiny heads underneath the surface, but in reality the advantages of teaching a baby to swim far outweigh how troubling it may look to some people.

Many studies have been done on the effect of teaching babies to swim, and every single one of them concludes with nothing but positive results. A textbook example of this is a study that was done in Iceland, comparing 19 baby swimmers against 19 who had not had the baby swimming experience. Both sets of babies were followed from about 2 months of age up until they were 5 years old , which is a considerably long stretch of time. When they hit 5, it was determined that the swimmer babies had much better balance and control of gross motor skills than the non-swimmers.

While that single study may not do much to sway the opinion of those people that don’t like the idea of babies being taught to swim, it is actually only scraping the outside of the significant benefits that have been discovered over time. Before getting to those though, it may be a smart idea to pacify those who look on in shock at babies being thrown into the water, by explaining the physical differences, other than the simple, between babies and adults.

Babies have a natural affinity to water, that might be traced back to their time spent in the womb, as well as to the fact that their gag reflex allows them to naturally hold their breath underwater. It is a built-in instinct for children, while we adults have to go through the entire thought process of going underwater, closing our eyes and holding our breath. It’s the only frame of reference that we have; but it simply isn’t applicable to babies.

The major benefit of teaching a baby to swim is to remove the concern that can cripple older kids when they get around water. It helps to promote water confidence, yet also has been shown that people who learned to swim as babies seem to develop a natural respect of water, as well as the safety measures that ought to be taken around it. Perhaps most critically of all, babies who learn to swim have been shown to develop muscles which will allow them to start to walk at an earlier age, as well as developing faster socially, as most classes are spent in the company of other babies. When you take a little time to research and see the benefits of baby swimming, it makes our own fears of seeing it appear irrational.

The writer manages an online directory including information on kids activities and baby groups.

Newborn babies do not come with a guide book so here are some Parenting Tips on some things that you need to know about.

As a new parent you take on many problems and issues that you need to recognize and face straight away. Newborns do not come with an information book so here is some information and parenting tips on some issues that you need to know about.

Bathing your baby: Your baby’s umbilical cord will fall off in approximately one to two weeks after they are born. Until it falls out, you should just give your baby sponge baths. You could moisten a cotton ball or cotton swab with alcohol to help dry the umbilical stump or simply follow your pediatrician’s directions. You can give him a bath in a sink or shallow tub after the stump falls off.

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