Q: Does my baby need to have completed his/her immunisations before starting swimming lessons?
A: Little Fishes do not require your baby to be immunised but we recommend that you check with your doctor or health visitor if you have any concerns. You can also get info from NHS website http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1035.aspx?CategoryID=62&SubCategoryID=63
Q: How much time should I allow between my baby’s last feed and his/her swimming class?
A: Your baby should not be fed for at least one hour before the lesson. Please make sure you have a feed (bottle) available for after the swimming session as your baby may become hungry.
Q: My baby has been unwell; can I still bring him/her to Little Fishes?
A: Babies with ear infections, heavy colds or other contagious illnesses should not come to swim. If your baby has a light cold then you are welcome to bring him/her but please don’t come if your baby has had diarrhoea in the last 48 hours.
Q: What do I need to bring to Little Fishes?
A: Please bring: - a disposable swim nappy, a Happy Nappy – all babies under the age of three years must wear a neoprene swim nappy (the Happy Nappy from Splash About – www.splashabout.com) over their usual swimming nappy to prevent water contamination - A swimming suit for yourself - Towels - A hat to cover your baby’s/toddler’s head after swimming – changing matts will not be provided for higine reasons, please bring a changing matt or a thick towell with you.
Q: Would my child be safe to swim underwater?
A: Babies have a special affinity with water having spent 9 months in their mother’s womb. Babies are born with natural involuntary diving reflex which is activated when the baby is submerged for a short moment. The epiglottis (a valve at the back of the throat) closes up preventing water from entering the windpipe and providing a water tight seal to the lungs. In our teaching programme we take advantage of this reflex and by using word association we teach our babies to hold their breath voluntarily.
Q: What if I’m not able to swim?
A: You don’t need to be able to swim to enjoy the parent and baby classes. Our swimming pools are shallow so you can walk around freely without getting out of depth. Lessons will help you to gain confidence whilst learning how to teach your child to swim.