AGE FROM 6 MONTHS
At six months old usually baby has control of their head movement. It is still large compared to the rest of the body. They have better control of their arms and legs. When lying on their back they can raise the leg and catch the foot. Rolling over is also becoming voluntary and they will roll from front to back and back to front when they want a change of position.
Babies enjoy social contact and like to be around the parents and others. If talked to by others and smiled at, they smile back and babble away in baby talk. Parents are still the main focus in a baby's world and enjoy contact with Mum and Dad best and may become upset when handed to the teacher. In the first set of lessons there is minimal contact with the teacher so baby gets comfortable with us.
The head, arms and legs proportion make the child top heavy, which makes floating on the front hard. They maybe able to float on the back but this is an unnatural position and they may want to roll to the prone. When on the back, have the ears right under the water or right out, as half in and half out is uncomfortable as it makes the ears vibrate.
At six months, Quinn has had this first lesson. He was a little unsettled as he hadn't had his sleep, he was tried, a little unsure with all these people in his bath, and of the teacher. He needed a lot of reassurance from Sarah.
Quinn enjoyed the class if he was kept moving and when chasing a ball around the pool he has very good head control and was catching the ball. He was happy to go on his back if it wasn't for too long. Feet on the bucket go out, bounce back and pick up toys.
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