Baby swimming

[srisky]

I would like my 10 week old baby to have swimming lessons - has anyone taken their child to classes run by 'baby swimming' at Herne Hill (or elsewhere) and would you recommend it?

Thanks!

[Fuschia]

Have taken all mine to dolphin swim school in mitcham - lovely purpose built pool

[ClareC]

My daughter has had babyswimming classes since she was 4 months. She is nearly 15 mths now and I'm really seeing the benefit. She is really confident in water and holds on to the side of the pool alone etc.

We started at Herne Hill and moved to the Dulwich pool for her current term. Herne Hill is good, however, the last term we were there quite a few lessons were cancelled and we didn't always get told which was infuriating. The reason for the cancellations were (I believe) that the swimming school were not happy with the chlorine levels, which is entirely acceptable, just would be better if they had told us albeit late notice.

Don't know if the pool has had the same issues this term or not. None of the lessons at Dulwich have been cancelled and it's a nice pool with good facilities :-) teacher (Nora) is the same at both locations. She is very good with the babies :-)

[srisky]

Thank you both!

[Kes]

If you have a car Beckenham Spa sports centre has lots of baby swimming lessons and nice changing rooms etc too. I Did classes at Guys Hospital before we moved here and it was a nightmare trying to change her on the floor! Beckenham much easier.

[buggie]

We're doing little dippers lessons at Guys and I really like it - there's changing tables in each of the changing rooms so no floor changing!

[ClareC]

Lots of Changing mats on the floor at both the HH and Dulwich pools too.

[Kes]

Ah it was a while ago when we were at guys it must have improved

[buggie]

Did think they looked in good nick :) is fab going up to one of the atrium's and listening to people play the pianos while bugglet has her post-dunk feed!

[Kes]

ooh yes the music was rather lovely buggie! When we went there there was one cubicle with a bench in it and otherwise we were on the floor.

I was going to add tho that baby swimming isn't for every little one, my little girl hated it, tried at Guys for 2 terms then at Beckenham but the lessons were just a bit much for her, didn't like being on her back or water in her face. She's ok now though if we just take her swimming and let her get into in her own time and most of the others seemed ok with it.

I was rather gutted though as I'm a proper water baby (used to be a lifeguard) and had been really looking forward to it, the teachers also thought the little one was unhappy because I was scared of water and she was picking up on it!

K