Why you should make smart swim moves with your baby

We all want our babies to have the best possible start in life. We play “Baby Einsteins” on the TV for them, purchase educational toys, and even work on flash cards in the hopes that our baby will be the next genius.

A 2010 study has found that you might get better results strapping a swimsuit on your six month old instead of handing them a color card to teeth on. The study conducted in Iceland looked at 19 baby swimmers, and compared them to 19 babies who had not participated in swim lessons at all.

The babies were controlled for everything besides swimming. The results of this study were astonishing. Up to 5 years after the swim lessons occurred, children who had had swim lessons as a baby had better gross motor skills, such as being able to toss a bean bag, walk on tip-toes, or otherwise handle their bodies.A different study also suggested that baby swim lessons could help infants mentally as well. In a much larger, four year long study of 7,000 children, scientists found that children were on average 11 months ahead orally compared to their non swimmer peers.Since parents often have a bias about their children, this study included an intensive assessment of 176 children.

Baby swim lessons are great for your newborn, but scientists also cautioned that newborn swim lessons do not reduce the risk of drowning. Children under the age of four can't be expected to learn water survival skills, even if they've been doing swim lessons all their lives.

When in the water, children younger than four should be no more than an arm's length away from adults, and all proper water safety should be taken.If you've been thinking about swim lessons for your infant, there's no reason not to, and your child may benefit.

You and your newborn will be able to bond through spending time in the water together, and you'll know you're doing something a little more concrete than hoping the classical music you've been playing 24/7 is sinkingin.