What a traumatizing way to learn to swim!!

[fantastica]

Oh my god!!! This makes me so upset- how can she do that when her mouth is just open like that??? She's choking her!! I was a lifeguard for many many years and I would NEVER allow this in my pool!! Could you imagine somebody doing this to you?? I don't understand why she wouldn't wait till the babies mouth is closed?? How can she possibly not be choking while lying on her back??

I've not seen the video so no idea how old the child is, and this particular video does seem a little over the top, but I do see the reasoning behind it...but the baby wouldn't choke on the water either way (I don't think), when Jacob went to a baby swimming class years ago they said that young babies' lungs or whatever automatically close when they are submerged, so they don't need to hold their breath when you dunk them.

 

[Scottish mum]

Yes it's a bit ott!! It depends where you live as to how relavent it is! I mean for gods sake I won't be leaving my lo alone at that age in or near any water!! If you live on water or very close to it might be handy! But how could you stomache throwing your crying baby into water! : (

 

[Andypanda6570]

You all know ,well most know my 3 boys are big now 21, 19 and 12. All my boys swam by 3yrs.old unassisted , jumped in the pool, went under, swam doggy style . But they learned at the YMCA, it is a big gym that offers many programs. My kids were never thrown in the pool , they were giving instructions and obviously those simple instructions and going 4x a week made them all swimmers at three. Of course my ass was right by the pool when they went in, I would never leave not even for a second while they were swimming (In our pool) I am very afraid of water always was and I can't swim in water over my head which is 5 feet ( I am short) so I didn't ever want my kids to fear the water, I wanted them to enjoy it, not be like me. They swam like little fishes so for me we just had instruction and some little techniques from the YMCA and that was it. Today they love the water always going down to Florida to stay with my dad and are always having fun at the beach and in the water, I didn't project my intense fear of water on them. And I didn't have to go through anything major but an easy way of teaching them..
Just thought for me and my kids that it was best they swam early so god-forbid they ever did fall in they could get out without panicking.

If the water was deeper yes I would have jumped in to save them but I would probably drown, I just have a very very intense fear of water. I think it comes from when I was 7 yrs old in 1977 when the movie Jaws came out I swear that is what started it. I always thought Jaws was lurking in my 4foot pool.

 

[Baby France]

Its not something I would do.

I've been to some swimming lessons and we submerge, but we did it together and I told them what we were doing.

 

[lhancock90]

This video did upset me.

I think there are far more humane ways to teach kids to swim

 

[aliss]

This isn't swimming though, it's how to survive a potential drowning/fall into a pool

 

[lhancock90]

This isn't swimming though, it's how to survive a potential drowning/fall into a pool

Still better ways of doing it. And i have seen videos with basically the same technique in swimming lessons.

 

[TriChick]

Just curious, what better ways are there to teach an infant water survival techniques in the event of potential imminent drowning?

 

[TriChick]

This isn't swimming though, it's how to survive a potential drowning/fall into a pool

Thank you for reiterating that. The ISR course is not meant to be a replacement for swimming lessons, but rather teaching survival skills early on.

 

[steph.]

Just curious, what better ways are there to teach an infant water survival techniques in the event of potential imminent drowning?

I take my lo to swimming classes where they teach the babies a few`moves` in case they fall in water. For example, one of them is to sit them up on the edge and you tap their back 3x then let them fall backwards into the water, then you teach them how to roll and grab onto the edge again. I dont know if it will work in the long run, but at least it seems safer and more gentle than the video.

 

[missbabypo]

I think the idea is good but didn't like the technique.

 

[LisaL79]

I can't even finish watching that video. Made my stomach turn and makes me want to sob for that baby. I don't see how a technique like that helps other than maybe making the baby terrified of water.

 

[TriChick]

Just curious, what better ways are there to teach an infant water survival techniques in the event of potential imminent drowning?

I take my lo to swimming classes where they teach the babies a few`moves` in case they fall in water. For example, one of them is to sit them up on the edge and you tap their back 3x then let them fall backwards into the water, then you teach them how to roll and grab onto the edge again. I dont know if it will work in the long run, but at least it seems safer and more gentle than the video.

I agree that technique would definitely be useful as well. The reason for the roughness in ISR is to mimic the thrashing about that certain drowning scenarios may involve. In the advanced water survival training I received as an aircrewman in the Navy, techniques like these were used to mimic the disorientation that drowning can cause for even the strongest of swimmers, in order properly prepare us to overcome initial panic and think level-headed. While prevention is obviously the best course of action, being prepared for the worst-case scenario can prove to be very beneficial as well. The technique isn't gentle, I'll admit. But unfortunately, neither is drowning

 

[Tasha]

I thought I was going to hate it and I didnt. I mean it isnt nice to watch but for a tiny baby to be able to give her chance at survival is great. However, a tiny baby wouldnt be left alone so is it because they are more able to learn what to do at that age that they do it then? Cos an older child would panic more? Just wondering what the reason is for not doing it when they are a little older, ever one or eighteen mnths.

My Mum was chucked in as a survival thing when she was five and she has been terrified of water since and has never learnt to swin but on the flip side my Grandad was chucked in the middle of the solent (because his Dad perceived the solent to the biggest threat to my Grandad waterwise) to do the survival thing aged six and he had to swim the 2.5 miles back to land, he did it and loved the water, went on to swim for the army.

I guess it will be does the end justify the means, and for many the answer will be no.

 

[CarliCareBear]

Oh my god!!! This makes me so upset- how can she do that when her mouth is just open like that??? She's choking her!! I was a lifeguard for many many years and I would NEVER allow this in my pool!! Could you imagine somebody doing this to you?? I don't understand why she wouldn't wait till the babies mouth is closed?? How can she possibly not be choking while lying on her back??

I've not seen the video so no idea how old the child is, and this particular video does seem a little over the top, but I do see the reasoning behind it...but the baby wouldn't choke on the water either way (I don't think), when Jacob went to a baby swimming class years ago they said that young babies' lungs or whatever automatically close when they are submerged, so they don't need to hold their breath when you dunk them.

yeah, i can see some of the curriculum being okay. it's very easy to teach baby to breathe without that particular technique just say ready, 1, 2, 3- and then pour/splash water in their face on 4. it's fine to have your baby float to her back but at least just let her not be choking/gasping for air before dunking her again. it truly is dangerous as it could easily be aspirated into her lungs and cause serious issues.