Fun fact. When babies come into the world, they’re generally quite acclimatised and readily accepting of water. Many may lose their sense of bravery in the water at around the age of one.

Tips for bath time with baby: 

• Set specific time aside for bathing to ensure you can give your little one your undivided attention with minimal interruptions.

• Bathing before bedtime will help your baby to relax and sleep better. 

• Avoid baths before or after feeding time. A hungry baby will not be able to relax and enjoy bathing. 

• Ensure you have everything you need before you start – Never leave your child unsupervised or alone in the bath.

• Check both air and bath temperatures, and don’t be afraid to warm the water during bath time if needed. 

• Sing songs! Singing and playing in the bath will benefit your little one in so many ways. 

• Communicate with your little one by exchanging ideas both verbally and non-verbally. Verbal cues will strengthen your baby’s word association abilities and will help them to pick up these cues from others in formal lessons, such as splash, kick, ready, go etc. 

• Splashing is fun. Do not be afraid to splash, sing and laugh … and to let water touch your baby’s face. Teach your child to blink the water away with verbal and non-verbal cues. 

• Even before your little one can sit up, it’s important to lie your baby face up in a shallow tub and allow the water to make contact with his or her ears. It’s an unusual sensation that can take some getting used to outside of the womb. From here, increase the depth and allow them to float, if and when they’re comfortable enough to do so. Holding a favourite toy above will encourage them to keep their chin up and their head back.

• Wetting your baby’s face for the first time is very important too. Some tips: 

- Sit baby up, facing you. 

- Start by gently wiping your child’s face with a wet washcloth. 

- Eventually, you can progress to using a cupping hand, scooping water and allowing this to trickle over your child’s head, making contact with their face. 

- These steps can be repeated over time until your child is comfortable and ready to progress. 

- Be your child’s biggest cheerleader. Positive reinforcement increases your child’s confidence and relaxation.

• Once your child is used to getting wet, it’s time to practice breathing. Babies can be taught to hold their breath. This is done by gently pouring a small amount of water onto their face. In the bathtub, try some of these techniques to teach your child how to hold their breath. 

• Take a brightly coloured cup of water to get your child excited. 

• Use the cup as a visual cue to gain your child’s attention. 

• Use your child’s name and say “Ready? Go!” and then pour a cup of water evenly across the head. The cue, “Name, Ready, Go!’ is important. The phrase tells your child to hold their breath.

• Blowing bubbles is super fun and essential for development. Show your baby how to do this repeatedly. This encourages skill development and doing things together makes them more fun! 

By focussing on the tips above, you’ll be giving your bub a fantastic head-start to feeling comfortable and confident in the water when starting formal lessons. What an incredible gift to give your little one. 

The Swim Factory Australia has been teaching little ones to swim for nearly 30 years across Ipswich. Our centres are close to all major population centres including Yamanto, Ripley Valley, Brassall, Rosewood, Redbank Plains and Springfield Lakes. Learn to swim with our passionate team!