So Tadpole and I went swimming today. (sorry, no pictures even though she looks really happy in her new swimsuit. Cameras not allowed on deck and I figured the other guys in the locker room wouldn't appreciate me pulling out a camera). We got to the pool a little late - I still haven't really processed just how long it takes to get out the door with Tadpole, especially as the weather starts to turn, but still got about 20-25 minutes of our 30-minute class, plus a few extra minutes of splashing around afterwards.
The short version is that Tadpole loved it! The instructor provided a contraption that is combination wetsuit and personal flotation device (probably wouldn't support Tadpole all by herself, but definitely makes her a bit more buoyant) - we didn't have fancy things like that when I was teaching! (Of course, I learned to swim and did most of my instructing in pools that were oriented towards children and therefore pretty much as warm as pools get. The West Loop Athletics Center pool is definitely not competitive, but it's a bit chillier than I was used to.
We did a few songs and practiced different activities and holds - bubble blowing, feet kicking, reaching and grabbing (Tadpole is good at reaching for a toy & then nomming it!), and floating on the back. There were a few moments early on where Tadpole was a bit uncertain, but having daddy right there to hold her made everything OK, and she was generally great in the water. My favorite part was floating on her back. The former instructor part of me remembers that this is really the first skill that kids can pick up to be independent (try it sometime - trust me, it's easier to move around floating on your back with gentle kicks than anything else), so I'd love for Tadpole to actually be able to float on her back unassisted. She's not there yet, but the aforementioned wetsuit/PFD means that she might well be able to by the end of the sessions.
Anyway - extremely good times and highly recommended. There were 4 or 5 kids there along with two instructors. One other dad was their with his wife and child, otherwise the other parents were all moms, but that's too be expected. Next week we get a few extra minutes in the water as long as I can get Tadpole there early enough!
Logistics: The pool in only about a 15 minute drive away ... so total commute time of about an hour and half when you factor in getting Tadpole ready, getting out the door, finagling the carseat, etc. Still, a pretty easy trip. at 11:30, we should usually have about 30-40 minutes to get to class after a good nap. So it's close (since I really need to feed / change Tadpole as well), but doable.
Feeding / Changing the baby: The locker room works just fine for changing the baby. Just pull up the swim diaper and then tear apart the sides when done. Obviously no feeding, but the timeslot just after her first nap and before lunch is perfect for Tadpole.
Activities: There's really only one - swimming. But that's a pretty good one. Bubble blowing, kicking, front and back floats, going up and down in the water, playing with toys ... the possibilities in a pool are endless! (Or at least, you'll run out of warm baby before you run out of things to do).
Bottom Line: Sooo excited! I really loved teaching swim lessons when I was younger, and getting back in the pool with my daughter is a pretty amazing experience.
Most important fact: Temperature matters. We're luck to have a relatively warm pool, plus the warming suit. They also lay out warmed towels afterwards - wrap the baby in a war towel, rinse yourself & baby in a warm shower, then go get a new towel & go change. Keep an eye out for cold babies, especially if you're bouncing in and out of the water a lot. Oh, and don't let go!
Off to NaNo ... hopefully Tadpole will cooperate & take a nice long nap.
So glad you enjoyed the swimming class! I wish I could have been there.
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