12 week baby and swimming?

[moominfilly]

Does anyone know where I can take 12 week baby swimming? I'm not sure Dulwich fusion do parent and baby time...

Do you have to go to places with special pools, and for lessons or just turn up somewhere and away you go?!

Also any advice on waterproof nappies etc, what's the best idea for no leakage?!

[oimissus]

Peckham Pulse does Jelly Baby sessions in their hydrotherapy pool which is nice and warm like a bath! I think it's still Tuesday and Thursdays at 3 but check their website. I've used the Huggies little swimmers swim nappies, and a Zoggs reusable swim nappy - both have leaked so now I keep little oi in her actual nappy until the last minute and then swifly plonk her in the swim nappy and into the pool.

[guffaw]

There are also specialist swimming schools such as London Baby Swimming, Aquatots, Little Dippers etc etc that have structured programmes. The ultimate aim is to teach babies confidence in the water and how to turn and swim to the side and hold on if they were to ever fall in a pool. It's been lots of fun going through all the lessons and my daughter loves each class. We are about to start Level 4.

These schools have Dulwich or other locations it's just a matter of searching the Internet if this is the way you want to go. You have to have a 'happy nappy' (Splashabout) that is worn over a Huggies Little Swimmer nappy. Also the lessons are in hydrotherapy pools so baby doesn't get cold.

Have fun!

[moominfilly]

Great, thanks guys.

Guffaw which one do you go to, any reccomendations?

[jrthomas_uk]

I can recommend Little Dippers. I did all 7 stages with my son, now 3, and he now has a huge amount of water confidence and can almost swim unaided. I have been taking my new daughter but recently had to stop due to recurring ear infections :-(

Jelly Babies at Peckham Pulse is fab, lovely big pool and very warm. Be warned though that the Sunday morning session gets very busy and you generally need to book.

[buggie]

Bugglet and I have been doing the little dippers classes @ London Bridge and love them, we're just starting the advanced classes and still have several babies and mums who've been doing the same class with us for nearly a year.

Being a hospital hydrotherapy pool it has generous changing rooms - the changing facilities at ED pool were a big shock (realised we'd been spoilt!)

[mima08]

I second the Peckham Pulse hydropool - sooo warm. We;ve been using Boots own swim nappies with swimming trunks over them - so far so good. The baby swimming lessons at Peckham are great too - we've been doing those since my LO was 5months and he is a right waterbaby now. Enjoy - swimming is a favourite pastime!

[The Nappy Lady]

I would recommend theses swim nappies to prevent leaks

http://www.thenappylady.co.uk/productDetail.asp?productid=87&item=Splash%20About%20Happy%20Nappy

[guffaw]

moominfilly Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Great, thanks guys.

>

> Guffaw which one do you go to, any

> reccomendations?

We have used all three actually. Started with London Baby Swimming in Woodhall Drive, Dulwich but then weekend classes got cancelled. Aquatots was then at the same location for a convenient weekday class. (nice pool but very cramped changing facilities). That then was no longer convenient so now with Little Dippers at Guys Hospital in the hydrotherapy pool. All have been good but enjoying Little Dippers the most as there are individual spacious changing rooms and a really lovely teacher. it's a really easy journey for me as we live just by ED station.

Happy to answer any questions via PM moominfilly

[nylonmeals]

We're looking at the baby classes in Herne Hill. They sound great http://www.babyswimming.co.uk/

[reneet]

Hi moominfilly,

If you are going for the private onces do ot buy anything yet as they insist on you buying swimming nappies from them. They also have a waiting list so its good to start early. Dulwich leisure centre and peckham pulse have adult and child lessons but they insist that the child must have had their jabs. Basically leisure centre classes are cheaper about 6 per lesson about 60 per term while private lessons ate 12 to 16 per lesson thats 120-160 per term. Honestly I think they are all the same and it all depends on which instrucor you get, children can't swim properly until they are about 4yrs so its just about building their water confidence.

[jollybaby]

Babyswimming don't make you buy the nappies from them - you just need to use a happy nappy which you can buy on line through amazon etc. We've done lessons With both Aquatots and babyswimming and I preferred babyswimming - a better balance of fun and swimming. We've only stopped because we've moved away from East Dulwich.

[jollybaby]

Babyswimming don't make you buy the nappies from them - you just need to use a happy nappy which you can buy on line through amazon etc. We've done lessons With both Aquatots and babyswimming and I preferred babyswimming - a better balance of fun and swimming. We've only stopped because we've moved away from East Dulwich.

[moominfilly]

Excellent tips people, thank you will be looking into all options!

[mrs f]

We do lessons at Peckham pulse & love them.

Used to do baby swimming but it is SOOOOOO expensive & actually we prefer the pool & changeing facilities at Peckham pulse

We went to jelly babies fairly often there before we committed to any classes so we were both comfortable getting in the water etc before we signed up to a term or the cash