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 has good mood, he is full, does not want to sleep, nothing interferes with him. You must be cheerful and friendly. Swimming is desirable to turn into exciting game which will give pleasure to both you and the 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 - 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. IN 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 there at first, because it is not recommended for the mother to take a bath while there are lochia), the child can be kept on knees bent, you can put your hands completely under his back, and cover the head with your palms and rock 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 exercising in front of the bath, the most comfortable support is: left hand is located under the back of the child's head, and with your right hand you grasp the hips either from the outside, or between the legs, or from your side, as you please.

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 baby under the chest so that both of his arms are thrown over your right hand. In this case, you can either support the head and back, or water them with water. The child, as a rule, calms down in this position. There are children for whom a more acceptable resting position is not horizontal, but reclining on their 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 essential component 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 up to 5-6 seconds under water and on a short time release the child under water, then pick it up and bring it 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 large number water. By this time, your baby will be 2-3 months old, and you can go to large swimming 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 to the 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 go to the pool, basic exercises and wiring 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.

Usually, good results reach those parents who calmly, but constantly deal 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.

Nowadays, swimming is not only a sport, but also one of the most popular methods of early child development. Indeed, after nine months of "swimming" in the womb, babies retain swimming reflexes, including the famous "diver's reflex" - thanks to him, newborn babies hold their breath when in contact with water. But these reflexes, like all others, fade as the child grows older. In order for reflexes to turn into sustainable skills, the baby needs regular classes, and from the very early age. Then there is a great chance that you will raise a healthy and smart child.

It is hardly necessary to explain what swimming is. But nevertheless, we will give a definition from scientific medical books: "Swimming is a physical action, the basis of which is the retention and movement of a person in the water in the necessary direction."

There is one feature in swimming as a way of early development of children. The task of teaching a child to swim independently is not paramount here; the authors of some methods of infant swimming generally refuse this idea, and the child is in the water only with the support of the parent. Swimming with babies or with babies is, first of all, a way to improve their health, hardening and stimulating development.

History of appearance

In the early 1960s, a tiny premature baby girl was born in a Moscow maternity hospital. When she was put on the scales, the arrow stopped at 1600 grams ... At that time, there was no special equipment for nursing such weakened babies: incubators, incubators with a controlled microclimate and oxygen supply, were invented much later. Doctors advised parents to prepare for the worst.

However, the girl's father did not want to give up. He decided to save his daughter on his own - and the main assistant in this matter was ... water for him. So Igor Borisovich Charkovsky (namely, he was the girl's father), a lifeguard instructor on the waters, for the first time in Russia went swimming with a baby.

Charkovsky independently designed an incubator aquarium for his two-week-old daughter Veta. Veta spent a lot of time in it. The amateur film shot by Charkovsky captures miracles: a tiny man swims like a dolphin, catches live fish and frogs in the water, dives for toys lying at the bottom. At the age of three months, Veta overtook her peers in her development. She began to sit and stand ahead of schedule. At the age of seven months, Veta swam with her dad in the Moskva pool, moving her hands along the ladder, she descended to a four-meter depth for a bottle of kefir. She could see well in the water even at night.

With the help of water, Charkovsky nursed not only his daughter. In the 1960s, he worked in maternity hospitals, then in the Moscow Orphanage, nursing debilitated and premature babies in bathrooms of his own design. However, official medicine was in no hurry to support the selfless parent, considering such swimming lessons too risky. Only after information appeared about the creation of research institutes for children's swimming abroad, Charkovsky was given the green light. In 1978, the chairman of the All-Union Swimming Federation, Z. P. Firsov, created his own course "Swimming before walking" and published a book of the same name. It was approved by the USSR Ministry of Health, and swimming training began at all children's clinics in our country.

Abroad, the pioneers of children's swimming were professional swimmers Timmermans from Australia. In 1966, their daughter Andrea was born, whom they began to teach swimming for the sake of experiment on the sixteenth day after birth. Gradually increasing the load and time spent in the water, the Timmermans achieved that after two weeks Andrea was swimming like a dog and was in the water for 30-40 minutes a day. A real pilgrimage began to the swimming school where the spouses taught: as it turned out, many parents dreamed that their children would start swimming before they could walk. The Australian experience has spread to the USA, Japan, Germany, France, Belgium and other countries.

Why is it needed

The experience of pediatricians shows that early learning to swim contributes to the harmonious development of the child and has a positive effect on the development of all body systems: it improves breathing, blood circulation, strengthens the musculoskeletal system, and has a beneficial effect on the activity of the central nervous system.

Swimming is an excellent means of disease prevention, health promotion and hardening. Swimming increases metabolism, improves general state and the mood of the child, stimulates an increase in hemoglobin in the blood, enhances protective functions, increases resistance to disease. Swimming children are less likely to have allergies and digestive disorders. And this is not surprising, because they the immune system works very well. This means that these children get sick less often.

Scientists have also found that children who have been swimming since birth begin to walk earlier than many of their peers, master speech well and master complex motor skills, and later learn to read and write faster. Sleep becomes stronger, appetite improves, the overall tone of the body increases.

Amazing results were achieved by the pioneer of infant swimming I. B. Charkovsky. A case was recorded with a one and a half year old boy Vasya, who swam 33 km in 15 hours. A girl of the same age performed various elements of Indian dances in the water. And the two-year-old son of one of the Indian government officials, after swimming and yoga, spoke with Charkovsky in pure Russian.

What develops with swimming

Respiratory system.

Water pressure on the chest area increases the depth of exhalation, which is usually followed by a deep breath. And deep breathing is a powerful prophylactic that prevents diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Deep inhalations and exhalations during swimming seem to "ventilate" the lungs, due to which bacteria are expelled and favorable conditions for their activation are eliminated. In addition, emerging and snorting from the water, the child clears the nasopharynx, which allows you to effectively deal with a runny nose and some lung diseases.

circulatory system.

The horizontal position during swimming is a kind of weightlessness, which activates blood flow, developing and strengthening cardiovascular system. Water pressure, acting on the numerous blood vessels of the skin, facilitates blood circulation and heart activity.

The musculoskeletal system.

Filmed in the water static loads on skeletal muscles and stimulate its dynamic components. And this is not only useful for the development of the body, but also serves as one of the forms of preventing the negative consequences of acceleration. The body overcomes significant water resistance, thereby strengthening the musculoskeletal system.

excretory system.

During swimming, the skin and muscles are massaged, the sweat glands are cleansed, which contributes to the activation of skin respiration and abundant blood flow to peripheral organs.

Central nervous system.

When diving and the accompanying breath holding, the blood circulation of the brain is stimulated, and, consequently, its rapid development takes place.

Practice

When to start?

It is best to start learning to swim from two to three weeks of age, but no later than three months, because the innate swimming reflexes that every child has fade away by the fourth month of life. If the deadline is missed, then it is almost impossible to teach a child to swim before the age of three or four, when he will be able to consciously follow the instructions of the instructor.

Where and with whom to swim

On this issue, the opinions of experts differ radically. Some argue that young children can swim only in specialized children's pools at polyclinics, under the close supervision of instructors and doctors who, if necessary, can instantly come to the rescue. Others believe that a large pool, strangers and an unfamiliar room are too stressful for kids, and therefore you should only swim in a home bath.

As experience shows, for many families the following scheme has become optimal: up to seven to nine months, the child swims in the bath under the supervision of parents, and then begins to visit the pool - he grows up and can no longer swim in the bath.

It is very useful to invite an instructor from the clinic for the first lesson at home (or visit the clinic yourself): he will show necessary exercises. By books, of course, you can also teach a child to swim, but nothing can replace direct observation. Then the instructor can visit your home classes once every two to three months, adjusting the course of classes and monitoring the progress of the baby.

In the summer outside the city, small children may well swim in natural reservoirs with adults. The only condition is the purity of water, the absence of industrial and sewage effluents.

How to prepare for swimming

First you need to prepare a bath (we note right away that you can only swim in a large bath; a baby bath is completely unsuitable for this). The bath must be thoroughly washed, and not with the help of laundry soap or the usual cleaning products. It is best to use the usual baking soda or special gels for washing baby items, which are sold in stores for children. The temperature of the water in which the child will swim depends largely on the preferences of the baby. It is recommended to start from 35-36 ° C, gradually lowering the temperature by half a degree. The child himself will set the lower temperature limit: there are children who swim calmly in water of 25-26 ° C. In principle, the colder the water, the more beneficial it is for the health of the child: cold water not only has a hardening effect, but also stimulates the active movements of a small swimmer.

Some "book" authors recommend that for the first lessons, pour the bath not entirely, but only by 30-40 cm. But instructors and swimming parents do not heed these recommendations: a low water level significantly increases physical activity on the spine of the parent holding the child. In addition, if the bath is not full, the child is much more likely to be out of the water and freeze faster.

It is important that the door to the bathroom is open during swimming: this maintains a common humidity level for the entire room, and it is much easier for the child to breathe.

Each family chooses the time for swimming independently. Many experts recommend swimming before evening feeding, and after feeding, immediately put the baby to bed. But if the child is fully breastfed on demand, then following these recommendations and calculating the time is almost impossible. Children swim well and with pleasure in the morning, in the afternoon, and in the evening. The main criterion for choosing the time is the convenience of the rest of the family. Before the start of the lesson, it is very useful to have a small session of gymnastics or massage with the baby - as if to “warm up” before immersing in water. After swimming, it is necessary to thoroughly wipe the child’s body, blot the ears with a cotton swab (do not be afraid of water getting into the ears while swimming - if you then dry them well with a cotton swab, nothing bad will happen) and dress the baby.

Toys floating in the water can interfere with the child's swimming, or, on the contrary, stimulate his movement. Watch the little swimmer: if he reaches for toys, grabs them, then leave them in the bath. If he is indifferent to toys and much more interested in his new sensations, remove everything unnecessary from the bath.

How to swim

The main condition for successful swimming is the child's interest in this process. If he is naughty, crying, interrupt the lesson and repeat it in one or two days.

The lesson should not exceed 30 minutes (although sometimes you can meet the requirements to swim for 60-70 minutes - but not every adult can withstand so long in the water). You can start with 10-15 minutes, every day increasing the duration by 3-5 minutes. But as soon as you feel tired of the child, stop the lesson - it is better to make up for the missed exercises next time than to instill in the child an aversion to water and swimming itself.

During the lesson, talk to the child, explain what you are doing, come up with funny rhythmic rhymes-jokes about various exercises̆ (for example, "Let's swim-row, swim-row, so we will reach Africa!").

Exercise 1. Swimming on the back

Lower the baby into the bath, lay on the back and support him so that the ears are under water. You can support with one hand (under the neck), you can use two (under the neck and buttocks).

Walk the baby several times from one end of the tub to the other.

Exercise 2. Swimming on the back with a push from the side

Repeat all the steps in exercise 1, but put the baby's legs against the side of the tub. Gradually, he will start to push off the side - you have to "pick up" the push and lead the child to the other end of the tub. There you need to turn it around, put the legs on the other side and wait for the push again.

Exercise 3. Swimming on your stomach

Lower your baby into the bath and rest his chin on your wrist, with your fingers grabbing the baby's shoulder. Pass it several times from one end of the tub to the other.

Exercise 4. Swimming on the stomach with a push from the side

Repeat all the steps in exercise 3, but put the baby's legs against the side of the tub and bend his knees. The pose of the child should resemble that of a frog. When he pushes off the side, "pick up" the push and guide the child to the other end of the tub. Expand it, put the legs on the other side and wait for the push again.

Exercise 5. Walking on the bottom

This exercise is very useful while the child is not yet able to walk. Lower it into the tub in an upright position with its feet touching the bottom. Supporting the baby under the armpits, raise and lower it into the water - it seems to bounce with your help, starting from the bottom. You can “guide” the child along the bottom so that he steps over as if walking.

Exercise 6. "Watch"

Lower the baby into the tub in an upright position facing you and sideways towards the ends of the tub. Supporting it under the armpits, swing it from side to side.

Exercise 7

Lower the baby into the bath and put his chin on your wrist, grabbing the baby by the shoulder with your fingers (as in exercises 2, 3). With the other hand, take one hand of the child and make rowing movements with it, bringing the hand forward above the head and lowering it into the water. Then repeat the same with the other hand.

Exercise 8. Working out the legs

Lower the baby into the bath and place his chin on your wrist, with your fingers grabbing the baby by the shoulder (as in exercises 2, 3, 7). With the other hand, take one leg of the baby and bend-unbend it at the knee. Try to keep the child's hip (from the buttocks to the knee) in a horizontal position. Then repeat the same movements with the other leg.

Exercise 9

Lay the baby on his back, supporting with one or two hands. Swipe from one end of the bath to the other, describing the "eights". Unroll the child and repeat several times.

Exercise 10. Diving

Diving training should be gradual. First, during the week, you do the following every day: slightly lifting the baby above the water face down, supporting him with one hand, call him by name and give the command to dive (for example: “Masha, dive!”) And immediately pour a little water on his head from the palm of your hand so that the water runs into your eyes. Then, with your hand, wipe the remaining water from the baby's face. As soon as you see that the child, having heard the command, closes his eyes and holds his breath, you can proceed to next step. You repeat all the above steps and after pouring water on your head from the palm of your hand, lower his face into the water and guide the child under water. Gradually increase the time spent under water up to 3-5 seconds, guide the child under water like a "torpedo". Do not abuse diving: during one lesson, a child of the first year of life can dive no more than three or four times.

What is needed for that?

In order to start swimming lessons at home, only one thing is needed - the readiness of the parents and their self-confidence. The child easily feels all the nuances of parental behavior and mood; therefore, if the parent who is immersing the child in the bath only thinks that he is about to choke and drown, no swimming will work. To gain confidence, you can practice with a doll, ask relatives to be present at the classes, but it is best to spend the first lesson with an instructor.

If you are going to visit the pool in the clinic, then you need to get a few certificates. Usually, both the parent and the child require the results of an analysis for worms (the so-called “scraping for enterobiasis”), certificates from the therapist, and the parent still has to visit the dermatovenerological dispensary.

Lessons for parents who wish to swim with young children are available at some children's clinics, pregnancy training centers and early development centers.

In addition, children's swimming techniques have been repeatedly described in books. The classic Soviet monograph was published back in 1978 (Firsov Z.P. Swim before walking. M .: Fizkultura and sport, 1978). It is focused on the early teaching of the child is independent swimming (the author led the Federation sports swimming), and seems to many modern parents too radical and "unfriendly" in relation to the child.

The frequently reprinted books of the pediatrician E. O. Komarovsky (“The Beginning of Your Child’s Life”, “The Health of the Child and the Common Sense of His Relatives”) present the opposite approach. Komarovsky promotes not early learning to swim independently, but hardening and general developmental swimming at home, gives exercises for swimming in a large bath, drawings of hats to support the head, and gives other useful tips.

In various publications, you can also find exercises according to the method of Claire Timmermans and Cecile Lupan.

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Plavane.txt Last modified: 2012/11/19 13:46 (external edit)

Most modern parents are fond of early developmental techniques, including teaching newborns to swim. What is it - a newfangled hobby or a necessary condition for the harmonious development of the baby? Is it necessary to teach babies to swim, when to start and how to do it so as not to harm children's health? In our article we will try to answer these and other questions.

Why is swimming good for babies?

From birth, children are already able to swim: they can hold their breath under water and enjoy splashing in the bath. This is explained by congenital reflexes - before the birth, the baby in the mother's belly was in a liquid environment. By about three to four months, this innate reaction fades away, and it will take much later to teach the baby to stay afloat.

However, the essence of such activities with a newborn is not to make a future out of him. Olympic champion. Increasingly, pediatricians are talking about what baby swimming brings invaluable benefit.

1. Regular water procedures teach children to be calm about temperature changes. Thanks to hardening, immunity is strengthened, which reduces the likelihood of colds, promotes dynamic physical development and helps prevent various health problems.
2. result systematic studies the formation becomes correct, beautiful posture, strong muscle corset for children's spine.
3. Water exercises are much more effective for improving the motor system than massage and stroking. They strengthen or, conversely, relax the muscles of the back, arms, legs and neck. By the way, young swimmers start to crawl, stand up and walk earlier.().
4. During bathing, when the child has a little difficulty breathing and the body does not have enough oxygen, the child's body additionally secretes red blood cells (erythrocytes), which contributes to an increase in hemoglobin levels.
5. Swimming and diving have a positive effect on the lungs and cardiovascular system, help stimulate the blood supply to organs and normalize blood pressure.
6. When the child dives, the flowing water clears the maxillary sinuses. And this is the prevention of a cold in a newborn. The children's nose is also washed, all bacteria, dust particles and possible allergens are removed.
7. In water, the child calms down, gets rid of fears. Also, water procedures strengthen the bond between mother and baby, taking time for the baby to swim, you can better understand his body language and gestures, which will allow you to quickly find mutual understanding with your baby.
8. A child taught to swim from birth will not be afraid of open water.

Another undoubted plus is that many children, after swimming and diving, quickly fall asleep and do not disturb the young mother almost all night. What, you see, is important!

Rules for swimming with a baby

Teaching a newborn to swim will not be difficult for parents if you follow the basic recommendations.

Optimal age

Training should start from three to four weeks. Firstly, by this time the umbilical wound heals. Secondly, the child gains weight, gradually adapts to the new reality. Finally, infant reflexes (swimming and breathing) have not yet died out.

Bath preparation

All procedures should be carried out in a familiar environment for the crumbs. Before diving, wash the bathtub with ordinary laundry soap, and rinse it once a week with soda, not forgetting to rinse thoroughly. Be careful with a solution of potassium permanganate and herbal decoctions - a child can swallow liquids. After getting the basic swimming skills, you can move on to more professional lessons - in the pool.

Water temperature

Perform the first workouts at an average temperature of 35 ° C. It can be reduced little by little, but remember - small children under three months old should not swim in water whose temperature is below 32 ° C. To create ideal conditions, monitor children's behavior:

• if the baby cries when immersed for several minutes, the water is too cold for him;
• if he whimpers at first, and then falls silent and actively flounders with his arms and legs, you have chosen the optimal temperature;
• if he is too relaxed and passive, the bath is too warm.

During bathing, the water gradually cools down, but do not rush to bring it to its original temperature. This is the meaning of the procedure - babies happen.

How to do baby swimming lessons?

Water procedures should be performed approximately one hour after a meal: the baby is not hungry yet, and the milk has already been digested. Another important point- deal only with well-rested children in order to avoid tears and whims.

Leaning over the bath, holding the baby in the water, is quite difficult - it gets to both the back and shoulders. Try doing this while sitting in a chair. Be sure to cover the floor in the bathroom with a rubber mat so that it is not so slippery. Take a clean diaper with you - you can wipe the newborn with it after the swim. You can also wrap the baby in it before bringing it to the nursery. However, if there are no drafts in the apartment, doctors recommend blotting the skin of the baby a little, without wiping it dry, and taking it to the crib naked. This is another effective way of hardening.

So, everything is ready for bathing - the bathtub is filled with slightly warm water, and your child is in a great mood. First, touch the surface of the water with his hand, then immerse the child's feet in it. Lower your baby vertically while talking in a confident, calm voice.

In infant swimming, two types of supports are used: under the chin and under the back of the head. In the first case, the baby lies on the water with his stomach down, and you hold his head so that the baby's chin is in your palm. In the second option, the child lies on his back, and you pick up his head by the back of his head. Try both positions and choose the one that your child likes the most.

Basic bath exercises

(at the end of the article there are many video instructions on what exercises you can do with a newborn in the bath)

If you think that water procedures at home are an uninteresting event, then you are mistaken. Of course, the baby will not have the opportunity to perform complex somersaults under the guidance of an instructor, but you can do a few simple manipulations on your own.

Advice: For your own peace of mind, purchase an inflatable “life buoy” or a foam cap. They look quite nice and help the baby to be on the surface of the water even without mother's support.

• Pushes and turns

Bring your baby's feet close to the walls of the tub. Feeling the support, he will start to push off the sides and try to swim. At this stage, your help is minimal - you just need to support the baby, who will roll over from his back to his tummy.

• splashing

The child lies on his stomach, completely immersed in water, and you hold his head by the chin. Show him how unusual the circles running across the water look if you splash a little.

• "Let's follow the boat"

Starting position, as in the previous lesson. Place a bathing toy in front of the baby and try to get it out, while saying: “Look, our boat is sailing away. Let's get her." It is necessary to gradually increase the speed and length of the "distance".

• "Eight"

When the baby learns to move in a straight line, try moving on to the next lesson. It can be performed both on the back and on the tummy. "Draw" the child the number 8, individually selecting the speed of the task.

• "Swing"

Turn the baby on his stomach, holding the head by the back of the head and chin so that it remains above the water. Simulate back-and-forth and up-down swimming (dipping and lifting), making smooth movements.

Attention, let's dive!

Perhaps the most difficult element of infant swimming is diving. And it is difficult not for children, but for parents because of the fear that their beloved child will choke. However, a child from birth knows how to hold his breath, he only needs to be reminded of this.

Before dipping the baby with his head, you should prepare. Say the keyword "Dive!" and blow the baby in the face. He immediately closes his eyes and holds his breath. We repeat the exercise for 10 days.

Then the task becomes a little more complicated: after the agreed phrase, you need to blow and sprinkle water on your face. Have you mastered this stage? Proceed, in fact, to full immersion. Try to make the first dives when your little swimmer is in a good mood and has had time to swim for a while. Say a familiar command and lower it not very deep for a couple of seconds. Later, the dive time can be increased to five or six seconds.

Contraindications to exercise

Before starting systematic water procedures consult with your pediatrician. He will explain if this activity is suitable for your offspring, and identify possible restrictions. Swimming is contraindicated in the following health conditions:

• disorders of the musculoskeletal system, which require fixation of the limbs;
• congenital heart disease;
• purulent dermatitis;
• colds and viral diseases (after a course of treatment you can swim);
• disorders of a neurological type, which are accompanied by convulsions.

Remember that you can not insist and force children to bathe, swim and especially dive. Such efforts will not add health to the crumbs, but, on the contrary, will lead to psychological problems.

So, baby swimming is an extremely exciting and extremely useful event. The child is immersed in a familiar environment, develops muscular system, strengthens the immune system and recognizes the world around. Babies who started swimming from the first days of life adapt better to the conditions kindergarten and schools. Isn't that a good reason to take up swimming with your child?

READ ALSO: Overview of popular methods of early child development with video consultations and films —

P.S. You can search the Internet for two books by the authors Nikita Yanuschanets and Z.P. Firsov "Swim before walking" and download for free.

A selection of video instructions for baby swimming

Through Mom's Eyes: How to Teach Your Baby to Dive and Swim

One of the most popular was the technique of Zakhary Firsov. Back in 1978, he created his own course and published the book Swim Before Walk, which was approved by the USSR Ministry of Health.

Firsov's technique is designed for classes for 9-12 months. With this technique, the dive begins with the legs, in an upright position. At the same time, you can calmly explain to the child that he will be in some water, that now he will swim.

Then, when the baby gets used to the fact that he sank into the water, you can safely transfer him to a horizontal position and at the same time support him from below. Supports at first should be stronger so that the baby feels secure.

The purpose of classes according to Firsov’s method is to teach a child to stay on the surface of the water for 20-30 minutes on his own, dive to a shallow depth, jump from the side of the pool into the water, get toys from the bottom and swim underwater for a few seconds.

There is a radically different swimming technique - Igor Charkovsky. It was developed for premature or debilitated newborns.

Charkovsky, who tested the technique on his daughter, claims that hypoxia during immersion in water is useful. In his opinion, the body reacts to hypoxia with enhanced brain nutrition, which leads to jumps in mental and physical development in children.

The Charkovsky technique is a water training, in which the child is often and quickly immersed in water for 30-40 minutes (the so-called "diving").

Having emerged from the water, the baby manages to inhale the air and dives again with the help of an adult. At the moment of immersion under water, the child is forced to hold his breath and when he emerges, he is forced to take an active breath.

To move, strive for something new and win means to live. The technique of I. Charkovsky is based on this. It is suitable for the adaptation of newborns to the aquatic environment and water therapy in the treatment of various diseases. This is a fairly tough technique that sick children need.

The swimming technique of Vladimir Guterman is quite popular. The process of teaching infants to swim according to this technique is divided into 4 stages: preparatory, swimming training, independent swimming, and improving swimming.

The technique is based on the generally accepted methods of bathing newborns - the child is taught to daily water procedures in full baths. At this stage, it is important that the classes evoke positive emotions in the baby.

Starting from the age of two months, the complex of preparatory activities includes massage, general and swimming gymnastics. Special gymnastics (imitation of swimming) is first carried out outside the bath, and then in the water. The second stage of swimming training is designed for children 3-6 months old. Further consolidation of swimming reflexes with the help of the word is carried out.

The baby swims with support and its weakening, on the back and on the chest. At the age of 6-9 months, children independently dive under water and dive.

On last step, children aged 9-12 months can independently swim along the bath and a small children's pool and can also dive for toys.

Swimming training for infants is based on the innate ability to swim, due to their intrauterine development in a liquid environment. Babies are born with swimming reflexes, which fade away by 3-4 months if they are not fixed.

If a newborn is taught to swim, then he quickly masters the aquatic environment. Swimming reflexes, including the ability to hold your breath when diving, are so developed in newborns that in a few months the baby acquires the ability to independently stay on the surface of the water, swim, dive, and can move underwater for several seconds.

The innate reflex of holding the breath when immersed in water is used in teaching babies to swim and dive.

Swimming skills acquired in infancy remain for life if continued during the first three years of a child's life. Cessation of training for 1-4 months leads to loss of swimming skills.

Early swimming promotes faster physical and neuropsychic development, reduction of flexor muscle hypertonicity inherent in babies in the first months of life, which ensures the accelerated formation of their motor skills. Swimming is also a tempering procedure. By regulating the temperature regime of water, swimming lessons contribute to the development of infants' adaptation to various kinds of environmental temperature changes, and this, in turn, is the prevention of colds and infectious diseases. Swimming stimulates appetite, activates metabolism, improves digestion.

In addition, swimming gives babies incomparable pleasure, contributes to the emergence of positive emotions and a joyful mood, develops a sense of balance, improves breathing function and brain nutrition.

For the first time, teaching newborns to swim for the purpose of hardening was applied in Australia in 1966. Later it began to be used in England, Germany, USA, Japan.

In Russia, swimming training for infants began in 1977, when the first swimming training center for babies was established. The founder of the introduction of teaching swimming to infants is a consultant doctor and methodologist V. A. Guterman. In 1978, he published the first methodological recommendations developed by him "Swimming Infants". In the same year, the brochure “Swimming Before Walking” was published, written by the chairman of the All-Union Swimming Federation, president of the Medical Committee of the International Swimming Federation, doctor Z. P. Firsov.

In 1979, the International Medical Committee of the World Amateur Swimming Federation developed "Instructions for teaching swimming to infants in home baths and special children's pools."

Currently, there are many different methods. And all of them are good in their own way, since the main task is achieved - to teach the baby to swim. However, the very first program for teaching kids to swim, developed by V. A. Guterman, has stood the test of time. It has been used for more than a dozen years for training sessions both in children's clinics and at home with the participation of an instructor.

Before starting classes, the baby must be examined by a pediatrician, neuropathologist, orthopedist.

If there are no contraindications, you can start learning to swim.

General rules

For swimming, you can use not only the bath, but also the inflatable children's pool. Next to the bathroom there should be a changing table, pre-prepared diapers, a sheet, a towel, napkins, baby soap, a thermometer for measuring water temperature, a watch, bright toys (floating and sinking), a decoy toy. It is good if swimming lessons are accompanied by musical accompaniment.

Before filling the bath with water, it is necessary to wash it well with baby or laundry soap. The use of cleaning products or washing powders is unacceptable, as this can irritate the baby's skin and cause allergies. In the first weeks, you can use boiled water. You can add a small amount of chamomile decoction to the bath.

Swimming is especially indicated for children with rickets, hyper- and hypotonus of muscles, anemia, malnutrition or overweight.

Swimming contraindications are:

Severe congenital heart defects

Acute diseases: pneumonia, SARS and other viral infections,

Dislocations and subluxations of the hip joints,

Strepto- and staphylococcoderma,

Allergic manifestations on the skin,

bowel disorder,

convulsive syndrome,

Congenital anomalies precluding the possibility of swimming.

An instructor teaching a baby to swim must have a medical education and advanced training in infant swimming.

If you will be engaged with the baby in the children's pool, you need to see a gynecologist, a dermatologist, and pass certain tests. Before each lesson, you need to wash yourself in the shower with soap and water.

The session should be terminated if:

The baby is screaming and restless

The baby became lethargic, movements - slowed down,

The kid is supercooled ("goosebumps", fine shivering).

Never leave your baby alone in the bath during class.

Feed your baby 1.5-2 hours before the lesson and not earlier than 15-20 minutes after it ends.

The depth of the water in the first lessons should not exceed 40 cm, then after about a month after the start of classes, the bath can be filled completely, after consulting with your instructor.

Here are the methods of the founders of teaching swimming to babies V. A. Guterman (1978) and Z. P. Firsov (1978).

Methods of teaching swimming by V. A. Guterman

The process of teaching babies to swim according to V. A. Guterman is divided into 4 stages: preparatory, swimming training, independent swimming, and improving swimming. With this technique, the following types of support for the baby in the bathroom are used:

Support with two hands when swimming on the back: four fingers under the back, neck and head, thumbs lie on the chest.

Support with a "ladle" - the instructor's palm covers the back of the baby's head, and the fingers of the other hand support the chin.

Support "half ring": large and index fingers cover the neck, and the forearm of an adult is located on the side of the back of the child's head and slightly to the side. When the baby learns to row correctly, support is already carried out with three, then two, and finally with one finger - they support the back of the head.

When swimming on the chest with both hands, support the head by the cheeks and lightly - the chin. Support with one hand is carried out with a “ladle” or the back of the thumb supports the child’s chin, the remaining four fingers are placed under the chest, and the back of the head is slightly fixed with two fingers of the second hand. In this position, the child's mouth is closed, and water does not enter it.

Offline support. As a standalone support, foam flat floats can be inserted into the pockets of a swimming cap and located behind the baby's ears. This type of autonomous support is used when the baby swims on its back after 3 months of its life after mastering the exercises with the help of manual supports. When swimming on the chest, inflatable rings and other inflatable rubber toys can be used as autonomous support.

Preparatory stage

Classes begin after the healing of the umbilical wound (5-7th day of life) and continue until the age of 3 months. Their methodology is based on generally accepted methods of bathing newborns. During wakefulness, babies are taught to daily water procedures in full baths. First, the water temperature is 37.5 ° C, the duration of stay in the water is 10-15 minutes. At this stage, it is important that the classes evoke positive emotions in the baby.

Preparation outside the water. Starting from the age of two months, the complex of preparatory activities includes massage, general and swimming gymnastics. Special gymnastics (imitation of swimming) is first carried out outside the bath, and then in the water.

The following congenital swimming reflexes are fixed:

Moro reflex - a symmetrical grasping movement of the hands while patting the buttocks (4-5 times at the first lesson and 8-9 times at the end of the stage);

Robinson reflex (tonic) - strong holding of any object in the hands (1-2 times at the first lesson and 4-5 times at the end of the stage);

Talent reflex - arcuate bending of the body while stroking the skin between the spine and shoulder blade (1-2 times at the beginning and 3-4 times at the end of the stage);

Bauer reflex - the phenomenon of crawling, or breaststroke with the legs, in the position of the child on the chest - repulsion of the legs from the palms of the hands of adults (4-6 times at the beginning and 8-10 times at the end of the stage).

Exercises are also carried out: a hand stroke from the head to the thigh through the side and back (4-6 times at the beginning and 8-10 times at the end of the stage) on the back and chest, as well as a symmetrical stroke from behind the head to the hips (4-6 times at the beginning and 8-10 times at the end of the stage).

Swimming in a full bath. Support with two hands when the child is on the back and 8-10 times of posting along the bath (posting "shuttle"). Support with one hand "half ring" when the baby is on the back (ears in the water). Support with two hands with a “scoop” under the chin (child on the chest) and wiring, support with one hand with a “scoop”, as well as one in which thumb rests on the chin of the child, and the rest are on the chest, and wiring along the length of the tub with turns (25-30 times). Stimulation of repulsion by legs from the palm and side (10-14 times at the beginning and 20-30 times at the end of the stage).

Diving preparation. Immersion of the baby's mouth for 3-4 seconds - training for holding the breath through the nose.

Swimming lessons

The second stage is designed for children from three to six months who have passed preparatory stage and adapted to full baths (water temperature 35 °C). Further consolidation of swimming reflexes with the help of the word is carried out. Classes are held in the form of a game against the backdrop of positive emotions. The child swims with autonomous support and its maximum weakening on the back and on the chest.

Swimming time is 30-40 minutes.

Preparation outside the water. The duration of the massage, total and special gymnastics increase by 3-4 minutes. Consistently continues the development and complication of congenital reflexes:

Bauer reflex - breaststroke footwork when moving towards the toy (4-6 times);

· Talent reflex - performing the movements of a swimmer on the palms of an adult (3-4 times);

Robinson reflex - pulling up on weight (3-5 times);

Moro reflex - grasping movement with hands (10-15 times).

Exercises are accompanied by the words: “push”, “row”, “hold”, “pull”.

Swimming in a full bath. Swimming the baby on the back and on the chest with the support of one and two hands, as well as autonomous support, as weakened as possible, “sliding” - lowering the hands of adults for 1-2 seconds (performed when the child is able to hold his breath). Self-immersion of a seated child for toys. Specific movements are accompanied by the words: "swim", "row", "push". The child stands and walks in the water with support under the arms.

Independent swimming

This stage is for children aged 6 months to 9 months who have been taught assisted swimming in the second stage. Toddlers independently dive under water, dive.

The water temperature is 33.5-34 ° C, the duration of classes is up to 40 minutes.

Preparation outside the water. The duration of the massage, general and special gymnastics is increased by 2-3 minutes. Crawling in the arena. Performing swimmer's movements: hands are pressed to the hips, extended to the sides, forward, pulling the baby by the fingers to the instructor's hand from a position on the back and on the chest.

Swimming in a full bath. Swimming on the back and on the chest with a lure toy with and without support, swimming with autonomous support. Independent diving under water (diving) for a toy.

Swimming Improvement

At the last stage of learning to swim, children aged 9 to 12 months can independently swim along the bath and a small children's pool, visit the water treatment room 3 times a week, and love to dive for toys.

The total time of classes is 60-70 minutes, the water temperature is 33 °C.

Preparation outside the water. The duration of massage and gymnastics reaches 10-15 minutes or more. Games outside the water (lying, sitting, standing) with a ball and toys. Performing special exercises on the command in the position on the back and on the chest. Development of movements of arms and legs, characteristic of the dolphin and breaststroke styles, with the help of an instructor.

The exercises are accompanied by speech with the use of special terms both out of the water and in the water.

Swimming in a full bath. At the beginning of the lesson - games in the water with sinking, floating and hanging bait toys. Independent swimming of the baby along the bath (2-3 times without stopping) and the children's pool, swimming with toys, on toys. Gliding with outstretched arms, with hands pressed to the back and chest. Swimming breaststroke and crawl with the help of an instructor and on your own. Diving for toys, jumping in the water, games.

Methods of teaching swimming 3. P. Firsova

According to this method, training is divided into 5 periods, or 5 classes of a swimming school. Depending on the success of the baby, 4 to 8 weeks are allotted for each period. Moreover, the transition to the next class is allowed only if the child coped well with the tasks of the previous one. All exercises are performed with the help of instructors or parents.

Before each lesson in the water, massage and gymnastics are carried out for 10-20 minutes.

(baby age from 3-4 to 9-10 weeks)

The main task of this stage is the hardening of the child, the gradual development of his ability, without harm to health, to be naked in water, heated at first to body temperature (about 37 ° C), by the end of the class - up to 34 ° C. Duration 25-30 lessons.

In the first swimming lessons, the baby is supported in the water by an instructor sitting in the tub. Parents, if they themselves are engaged with the child, need to learn 6 ways to support the child. With 5 of them, the parent sits in a filled bath, with the sixth method, he stands next to the bath. In addition, the parent must first master the swimming exercises on the doll (out of the water) in the form of swaying, wiring and immersion, and only after that proceed to classes with the child (in the water).

(child's age - 2.5-4 months)

The child is taught to swim on his back. Continue to increase the duration of each session (up to 30-40 minutes) and reduce the temperature (up to 33 ° C). By the end of this class, children should be able to float independently for 5 minutes. Only then can you move on to the next class.

(child's age - 5-6 months)

A feature of this class is the development of diving. The skill of swimming on the back improves, the degree of hardening increases. The tasks of the third class can be considered completed if the child can dive several times to the depth of the bath, get a toy from the bottom and swim to the surface on his own.

(child's age - 6-8 months)

The main goal is to learn to swim on the chest. In this class, the special temperature preparation of the child's body is completed and the skills of swimming on the back and diving continue. By the end of this class, the child must swim independently in the position on the chest for at least a minute.

(child's age - 9-12 months)

Learn to swim in light clothing. During this period, swimming training on the chest and back continues. Having learned to swim and dive independently, the child quickly masters swimming in clothes and shoes. Even if he does not need it in life, he will be ready for an unforeseen event.

In conclusion, I would like to note once again that training in each stage of swimming lessons with a baby must be started with an experienced instructor, and only then carried out independently. Only then will the classes be as effective and productive as possible.