Many modern parents are fans of various methods of early development of children. Recently, infants have been particularly popular. Reviews of pediatricians about classes are mixed. However, most doctors are convinced of the huge benefits for the child's body. To decide on the need for such activities for your baby, you should familiarize yourself with the description of the methodology, the opinions of doctors and trainers.
Congenital Reflex
When born, each newborn receives a large set of instincts. They persist until the baby is very small, and his brain can not yet take on a protective function. Swimming reflex is one such.
According to studies, children can swim from birth. If the child is immersed in water, he will automatically hold his breath. At this point, his heartbeat slows down, which allows less oxygen to be consumed. Blood circulation is carried out mainly near the brain and heart, which are vital organs. Therefore, newborns can stay longer under water without harm to health when compared with adults.
The benefits of swimming for infants
In the womb, the baby develops surrounded by amniotic fluid. Therefore, after birth, he does not lose the ability to stay on the water and breathe correctly in it. If you engage in infants swimming from the first days, according to pediatricians, the baby’s reflexes will not fade. He will acquire extraordinary skills, good health and harmonious development. Other positive aspects of this technique are the following:
- formation of correct posture
- normalization of the heart system
- prevention of allergic reactions and infections
- activation of the brain
- muscle strengthening
- sleep quality improvement
- the formation of a habit of temperature extremes, which strengthens the immune system
- positive effect on blood pressure, blood circulation and lung function.
Another advantage of water procedures is improved contact between the baby and mother. Therefore, the baby is less likely to get sick, he is more calm.
Indications for infants swimming
Such activities are useful for almost all children. However, they are not only prohibited by a separate group of babies, but are also recommended by doctors for therapeutic purposes. These are the following conditions:
- muscle hypertonicity;
- torticollis;
- Cerebral palsy;
- muscle lethargy;
- low birth weight;
- joint diseases
- congenital musculoskeletal disorders.
Principles and rules of procedure
The innate swimming reflex is lost by the third month of life. If you neglect classes before this time, it will be very difficult for the child to learn in the future. According to pediatricians, it is better to start breast swimming, starting from 3-4 weeks of age.
For regular classes, both a regular home bath and a special pool are suitable. Before procedures, the container should be washed thoroughly with laundry soap, and once a week use soda. It is better to refuse a solution of potassium permanganate or herbal decoctions. Water can enter not only the respiratory tract, but also the digestive tract.
The water temperature in the first classes should be at least 32 degrees. Gradually, it can be reduced. After immersing the child, it must be observed. In case of incessant crying, the water temperature should be increased. If the baby is too sluggish, then the water is excessively hot.
During bathing, the baby's body should remain completely in the water. If it is partially submerged, even with active movements, it may freeze. The duration of the procedure is selected individually. Sometimes children are in the water for about an hour, but 30 minutes is considered the best time.
Home training
After completing the preparatory measures, you can begin to familiarize the child with water. All sudden movements are prohibited. The baby should be immersed gradually: first wet the hands, then the feet, and only after that the whole body. It is better to keep it vertically, rather than horizontally. It is necessary to talk with the child all the time in a calm tone, you can talk about your actions.
Parents need to study 2 types of child support in the water: under the back of the head and under the chin. The first case is necessary when swimming on the back. The second support is performed when the child is located on his stomach. It is better to put into practice two options at once. Alternating supports will be beneficial for the baby. His movements will be much more confident and relaxed, if you additionally use a special circle. Regular classes allow you to teach your baby to swim confidently and even swim independently.
Exercises and Tricks
If you believe the feedback from the trainers, infants swimming at home can be as exciting as in the pool. Parents only need to choose the right and most interesting exercises. It is better to consult a pediatrician and a neurologist in advance on this matter. Below are the most popular exercises for home use:
- Turns and jerks. The exercise is reduced to the approximation of the child's legs to the walls of the bath. After he feels support, he will be able to push himself off and even roll over from his back to his stomach. The help of the parent in this case is minimized. It is only necessary to hold the baby a little in the process of push and coup.
- Splashing. Exercise is performed while lying on your stomach. The child should be supported by the chin and at the same time show him what interesting circles are formed from splashing.
- Eight. It is better to start this exercise after the baby has well fixed the skill of moving in a straight line. The child must be carefully placed on the back or stomach, supporting accordingly. Having selected the most acceptable speed, you should simulate the figure of the figure 8.
- Diving. Most parents look forward to this exercise, while the rest are simply afraid of it. To begin its implementation follows from the practice of the theoretical part. Within 10 days, the baby regularly needs to say the command "Diving!" while blowing in the face. The baby will instinctively close her eyes and hold her breath for a while. Gradually, you can add a small amount of water to the exercise, spraying it after the next command. 10 days after pronouncing the key phrase, the baby should be lowered under water for 1-2 seconds. Gradually, this period of time is increased to 5-6 seconds.
The gradual complication of exercises every day allows parents to notice a positive trend in the skills of the child.
Pool Training
Breast swimming, according to some parents, is best done in the pool. Here you can choose classes according to an individual program or in a group. The average duration of one workout is 30 to 45 minutes. During this time, children have time:
- warm up on land;
- get to know the water;
- work out at the pool side with gymnastics;
- swim with noodles, boards, rings and other equipment;
- play in the water with diving elements.
Reviews of infants swimming in the pool from the parents indicate a change in the child's behavior in a positive direction after the first lesson. In such trainings, children not only acquire useful skills, but also for the first time get acquainted with other kids and adults.
Contraindications
It is important to understand that even positive feedback on infants swimming is not always an indication for the procedure. It is better to refuse it in the presence of the following health problems:
- acute inflammatory processes accompanied by fever;
- infectious diseases (hepatitis, syphilis, tuberculosis);
- renal / liver failure;
- pathology of the musculoskeletal system, requiring fixation of the limbs;
- purulent processes;
- skin diseases;
- heart failure;
- mental illness.
In each case, the period of limitation of activity in water is determined by the pediatrician. Therefore, before starting wellness procedures, it is necessary to consult a pediatrician.
Opinions of pediatricians
The opinions of pediatricians, as well as trainers, vary greatly in the issue of the benefits of infants swimming. Komarovsky’s reviews, for example, about this procedure are found exclusively with a positive coloration. A children's doctor claims that swimming helps to harmonize the baby’s mental and physical development. They benefit the body, strengthen muscles. However, many children under the influence of such water procedures grow overly active. Also, one should not be silent about the fact that training increases the risk of respiratory diseases. The reason for this is a large amount of chlorine in water and air.
It is noteworthy that today in many countries special schools are opening where pediatricians conduct lectures with parents on the benefits of such activities. In Russia, the author’s technique of infants swimming T. Azarenko is particularly popular. According to the reviews of pediatric doctors and the parents themselves, her program “Like a Fish in Water” really helps a baby learn to move independently in water up to 1.5 years. It contains over 100 exercises for various stages of training.
Opinion of parents
Reviews of mothers about infants swimming are also mostly positive. They say that after classes, children sleep and eat much better, they perceive changes in the daily regimen well. It also pleases with what enthusiasm the kids perceive each training session. Positive emotions always remain after her. The degree of trust and understanding among them is much higher than that of children who neglect procedures.