Many parents are understandably confused about whether they should submerge their babies. 

We’re always told that children are born with an innate ‘gag reflex’ that stops them from inhaling water and while the desire to equip children with the skills to stop them drowning is the top of parents’ agendas, many are rightly uncomfortable with putting this to the test.

The idea of ’throwing’ a baby into a pool and letting them fend for themselves or dunking them after blowing on their faces are considered outdated methods. The myth that this is good practice persists, possibly because adults were told by their parents that it worked for them.

Experts say that the reflex should not be relied upon as a tool to submerge babies as it may only be stimulated by cold water and can be responsible for slowing down the heart rate, as blood supply is redirected to the major organs. 

At GoggleSquad we recommend spending time familiarising a child with water from as young as possible. That can be in the bath, where they can splash and play with water to get used to the sensation of it on their faces. The golden rule is that adults must always be led by their child, and submersion should never be the main focus of any baby swimming class or time in the pool but one of many fun activities.

Initially, a child’s face can be gently dipped as part of a fun propulsive activity and should always be carried out with constant eye contact and cued with their name and a ‘ready, go’. Once they are happy, you can increase both the length of time and depth. For babies under six months old, the Swimming Teachers’ Association (STA) suggests a maximum of four intentional submersions per session. For babies six to 12 months, six intentional submersions per session is ok. For toddlers over 12 months, there is no upper limit provided that submersions are child-led and in the context of a happy interaction. 

The STA also recommends babies under 12 months can progressively build up to a maximum submersion depth of one metre and a submersion time of three seconds, and toddlers (over 12 months) can progressively build up to a maximum submersion depth of one metre and can build up to a submersion time of 10 seconds.

After the first six months, the gag reflex does start to fade, so it’s even more important to teach a child how to hold their own breath voluntarily, which will provide a much longer lasting foundation on which to build swimming confidence.

If you’d like to discuss this further or would like help with your child in the water, feel free to contact us.