Its not true that babies are born with the ability to swim, though they have reflexes that make it look like they are. A reflex called the bradycardic response makes babies hold their breath and open their eyes when submerged in water. Also, until around 6 months, babies placed in water tummy down reflexively move their arms and legs in a swimming motion, which makes them look like natural swimmers. These reflexes dont mean the baby can swim, though. Babies arent old enough to hold their breath intentionally or strong enough keep their head above water. In addition to the risk of drowning, its dangerous for an infant to swallow large amounts of pool water. Babies may enjoy a splash in the water- just stay hands-on whenever you take your baby into the water.
Posted on: Tue, 06 Jan 2015 22:14:49 +0000