What age can my baby begin swimming?

Your little Angel can begin swimming at any time from birth, but we recommend starting from 4 weeks to allow your baby to develop a strong enough immune system to stay fit and healthy.

Why should we take our baby swimming?

Babies have a natural affinity for water. Having spent the last 9 months in the womb, an aquatic environment, your baby is actually better adapted to swimming than you would think. Babies are equipped with a number of reflexes that are activated when they make contact with the water. At Angel Swim London we take advantage of these natural reflexes and gently turn them into conscious movements which could one day save their lives!

Does my baby need to be immunised?

No. Your baby can begin lesson at Angel Swim London at any time as the chlorine in the water will kill any harmful bacteria. Furthermore, our instructors carry out pool tests 2x a day, giving you peace of mind that your Angel is learning to swim in a safe, positive environment. Please find out more information

What are the benefits of baby swimming?

Physical

Swimming is a physical activity that will strengthen your babies muscles, improve co-ordination and develop lung capacity. Furthermore, if your Angel was born prematurely, swimming can provide a fantastic opportunity to improve muscle tone, strengthen the cardiovascular system and baby swimming stimulates all the senses - sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste.

Social

Swimming lessons are an incredible opportunity for babies to adapt to and embrace a new environment. They will interact with the other babies in the class, they will become familiar with your dedicated Angel Swim Instructor and most significantly they will connect and communicate with you - strengthening the eternal bond between parent and baby. In our toddler levels your Angel will begin to develop their language and conversational skills too!

Cognitive

Baby Swimming challenges your baby mentally as well as physically. We use key words that your little one will slowly start to associate with a particular movement - developing your babies ability to recognise and react to a stimulus and strengthening synaptic pathways from their brain to their body. At Angel Swim London we also use a variety of sense stimulating learning aids such as colourful toys (touch & taste - they love trying to eat our toy fish!), watering cans (touch) mirrors (sight) and of course our famous assortment of nursery rhymes.

Emotional

We always aim for our swimming lessons to be a positive, enjoyable experience for you and your little Angel. Baby swimming lessons help relieve stress, release serotonin and dopamine (natural feel good chemicals), improves appetite and the length and quality of sleep.

What should I do if my baby is ill?

If your baby has a runny nose they will still be able to participate in swimming lessons - no problem. However, if they are suffering from any major illness such as an ear infections, chicken, pox, impetigo, conjunctivitis, a severe cold, vomiting and/or diarrhoea please do not attend lessons until your Angel is 100% fit and ready and symptoms have cleared for 48 hours. Attending lessons in this state could not only make your baby or toddler feel worse, but they could also spread their illness to other babies in the class

Do you offer make up classes?

No. Since lockdown lifted our schedules are fully booked with waiting lists of 50+ children. If you attend lessons consistently you will get consistent progress so please do your best to show up every week.

When should I feed my baby?

Swimming is a physical activity and just like you and me your baby needs to fuel their body. Please ensure you feed your baby an hour before lessons begin to allow them time to digest and metabolise they meal. If you feed them just before lessons you run the risk of them vomiting which will be far from ideal, for your baby and everyone else in the class! Furthermore, it is good practice to give your baby a hearty feed to help their bodies recover from the physical activity of swimming and replenish their energy stores.

What should I and my baby wear?

At Angel Swim London we kindly request that all of our babies wear a swim nappy and a neoprene outer nappy. This double layer of protection will minimise the risk of a “code brown” in the pool and will ensure that you and everyone else in the class has a positive, productive lesson. You can purchase swim nappies from mother care, amazon, or all leading baby product retailers. In terms of what you should wear as mum or dad, please wear a standard swimming costume. No t-shirts or additional items of clothing are to be worn as the fluff contaminates the water and can block up our pool filters. Please click the link for affordable, high quality happy nappies: http://www.splashabout.com/baby-swimwear/happy-nappy-products/happy-nappy/

What can I do to prepare for my baby’s first lesson?

To get the most out of your little Angel’s lessons it is vital that you, as Mum or Dad are in a calm, stress free mood before and when you enter the pool. Babies are extremely perceptive. They can sense your current mood, body language and the kind of energy you are emanating. If you are confident and positive your baby will be confident and positive.

Furthermore, coming to the pool for the first time may seem a little daunting for your little one as it is a new environment with unfamiliar sounds and faces. Patience and persistence is key. Usually your Angel will become acclimatised by lesson 4 so do not be deterred if there are a few tears on your first visit. Our instructors constantly monitor every baby in the class to ensure they are as safe and happy as possible.

Do I have to submerge my baby?

No. Our instructors will never force you to perform a submersion with your baby. However, in order to develop water confidence and progress to higher levels, submersions are fundamental in your Angels aquatic journey so trust your Instructor, they have nothing but the best intentions for you and your little one!

What is the Gag reflex?

The laryngeal reflex, also known as the gag reflex, is where the glottis and the epiglottis in your babies throat closes up on contact with water, preventing water entering the lungs. This reflex is the reason why your baby can swim underwater with their mouth fully open - because their throat is closed!

What is the Amphibian Dive reflex?

The amphibian dive reflex is where, once submerged, your little Angel will instinctively kick and reach with their arms, much like a newt or amphibian!

What is the Mammalian Dive reflex?

The mammalian dive reflex is initiated on contact with cold water in adults, babies and indeed all mammals whereby the body diverts blood away from the limbs and extremities to the bodies vital organs. Self preservation in action.

How much do lessons cost?

For our Spring term at Angel Swim London we will be charging £25 per lesson for group classes on a weekday, £26 for group classes at the weekend, £30 for 1-2-2 lessons and £45 for 1-2-1 lessons at our Balham location. Our Chelsea location will be £26 per lesson for group classes on a weekday, £28 for group classes at the weekend, £35 for 1-2-2 lessons and £49 for 1-2-1 lessons. Our Spring 2020 term lasts for 12 weeks. Payment for the term is to be paid in full before lessons begin.

What dates are lessons in all terms?

Our Autumn term at Angel Swim London will run for 13 weeks commencing on Monday 9th September. There will be NO LESSONS during half term (21st-27th October) and the last lessons of term will take place on Sunday 16th December 2019. Our Spring term will be a 12 week term commencing Monday 6th January and finishing Sunday 5th April 2020.

My child was progressing well but has hit a plateau. What should I do?

Hitting a learning plateau is nothing to be concerned about. You may find your baby/toddler/child was making fantastic initial progress then suddenly hits a wall. The best thing you can do in this situation is the three Ps - Be Positive, Patient and Persistent. Swimming, like any other sport or physical activity takes time, so do not be put off, this is your opportunity to show your little one the value of hard work and perseverance by attending lessons week in week out and by being the calm and confident parent that is in us all!

Furthermore, if your baby is refusing to submerge (you will intuitively know the signs) DO NOT submerge your baby as it could cause a negative attachment between them and the water. Instead, perform as much of the skill as possible above the water, and once they have calmed down and built up their confidence again have another go. Your all-seeing instructor will always to be there to guide and support you too so if you have any concerns just ask and we will be happy to help :)