Bath time with your 8 month old

Your little one is fast approaching toddlerhood and well on their way to becoming a little fish in the water too 💦 

They really become so much more mobile in the next 2 months and their legs and core are getting stronger to prepare for walking. As they become more mobile they begin to get a taste for what independence feels like, which is very exciting for them. Some things may take a little longer now as they begin to want to master skills and ‘Do it themselves’ along with communicating these feelings of independence.

They will be babbling away by now as they prepare to say their first words in the coming months, it's so important to sing, read and talk to them on lots of occasions over the day. Explain what you are doing, label their favourite toys and chat to them about the things they are seeing. All of these things help to build on their rapidly developing language skills. 

When you are swimming and bathing with them explain what you are doing or about to do with them e.g “I'm going to pour some water over your face" or “Let’s kick & paddle over here and reach up for the wall” and gage their response. You will now start to see more signs of their independence, this means they may object to doing things they have done with out complaint before. Talk to them about it and show empathy and understanding e.g “You don't want to go under water this time, that’s ok i won't put you under.” By sticking to what you have said and not breaking their trust you will build a strong bond and great communication between each other and your baby will feel understood.

This trust between you is one of the most important elements of swimming together confidently, once they trust you will be there to help them and not force them for activities their confidence and skills in the water will soar. Combine this trust with giving them time and encouragement for independence throughout the lesson, independence for skills like: 

💦 Initiating their own submersions from sitting and standing

💦 Collecting and posting toys

💦 Kicking and paddling to move forward & during songs

💦 Crawling or walking on mats or in shallow areas

💦 Experimenting with cause and effect 

Around this age you may see separation anxiety appear, in swimming lessons this may mean they want to stay with you instead of taking a turn with the teacher. Don’t force them during this time, let them be close to the teacher and form a report with out being taken off you. Eventually, when they are ready they will be happy to take a turn with them.

If another carer is taking them in for their lesson and isn’t the usual person they swim with they will need to build trust in the water just like they did with you before they will swim with them confidently and to their full ability. This carer also needs to build confidence and experience taking them in the water. These skills, trust and experience take time for both carer and baby to develop in their own time and once learnt will help to deepen the bond and communication between them.