Blog : Little Lilypad Co

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The Little Lilypad is a lifestyle blog mostly written by a mum to two beautiful, cheeky and entertaining daughters. It is sometimes written by the Man on the Pad or by one of our baby bloggers. Occasionally we accept guest posts too. There is frequently talk of sustainable living, saving money, lifestyle and travel. It is hopefully helpful, sometimes funny and always honest.
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Category: Swimming

  1. Raising money for Tommy's Baby Charity with Water Babies

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    We regularly blog about our Water Babies adventures but more recently the little one was swimming (or splashing) for a very special reason.  Water Babies have been proud supporters of Tommy’s Splashathon since 2006 and with one in four women in the UK losing a baby during pregnancy or birth, Tommy’s are there to help parents and children during those difficult times.

    We were delighted to be part of this years Splashathon and wanted to let you all know that collectively, all the Water Babies across  Beds, Bucks and Warwickshire/Midshires have already raised a total of £12,334.98. We still have until the end of August to collect more fundraising money too so let’s keep going!! If you would like to help us raise even more, you can still donate here.

    Peppa Pig Splashathon

    Our Water Babies lessons have been life changing and it is amazing to see how far the little one has come in the last 12 months. In contrast, Tommy's lead the way in maternal and fetal research in the UK, to give every baby the best chance of being born healthy. Tommy's work to fund medical research into the causes of premature birth, stillbirth and miscarriage ..... so whilst Water Babies has been a life changing experience for our little one, Tommy's work does actually change and save lives.

  2. More benefits of baby swimming!

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    It is no secret that we are a fan of Water Babies swimming classes but it has been reported in the Daily Mail today that Water babies 'have better balance and grasping skills' than non-swimmers. You can read the article here. 

    It sounds like a sweeping statement but it is based on a university study that found baby swimmers balance better and grasped objects more easily than non-swimmers. I think we are all guilty of secretly thinking (or hoping) that our child maybe a little more advanced or brighter than others their age but giving them life skills that help other elements of their development is even more reason to love baby swimming in my view.

    My Nan comments on my youngest daughter saying "she has been here before" as she is so quick to pick up new words and actions but maybe it is simply having weekly swimming lessons that is helping to improve her development and co-ordination. So if you are getting your ducks in a row (we have a co-ordinated little one that can help), and are planning activities for you and your baby, baby swimming has to be high on the list. 

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    There will unquestionably be those that doubt the research and those that dismiss the benefits of baby swimming but I can only go on our own experience and with the little one smiling every time she goes in the pool, her happiness is undeniable .... balance and co-ordination is a bonus!!

     

    Image courtesy of artur84 on Freedgitialphotos.net

  3. How things change in the blink of an eye

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    It doesn't seem so long ago that my youngest daughter was clutching her arms around my neck when we entered the swimming pool, so to see her development in a relatively short space of time fills me with pride and amazement. She lies on her tummy in the bath each night kick kick kicking, happily putting her face in the water and she is just like the sponge with water in the bath tub, the way she absorbs everything she is being taught.

    She now loves to watch her big sister at her swimming lessons each week and you can see her wanting to climb in. It is now bordering on a wrestling match to prevent her from getting in the water. It is interesting to see a little competition between the two girls about who does well in their lessons (well the older one moreso than the little one) but you can see her wanting to swim like her sister.

    The thing is, she is actually really beginning to swim. Until around 6 months, babies placed in water tummy-side down will move their arms and legs in a swimming motion, so when their swimming reflex and the dive reflex are both engaged, a baby can look like they are swimming but now at almost 2 years old .... she is doing more than look like she is swimming.

    This week they have been learning to blink when they come out from being under water. When they are tiny, the parents always wipe away the water but as they get older they have to learn to clear the water themselves, so all we have been saying for the last couple of days is blink, blink, blink.

    This small change is another reminder that she is developing so quickly, copying her sister in her desire to absorb everything around her and it amazes me how swiftly things can in the blink of an eye .....

     

  4. Why we love Water Babies

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    We have always blogged about our Water Babies journey, so when I read today that the ASA are reporting in an article that 51% of 7-11 year olds can't swim 25 metres, it made me even more delighted with our progress. You can read the article here.

    So with the little one learning the "kicking" motion and happily putting her face under the water, I wanted to share once again why we love Water Babies.

     

    Why we love Water Babies