ISR For Baby A

For a while now, I have been considering and researching ISR (Infant Self Rescue) swimming instruction for Baby A. 

It really started when I was looking up mommy-and-me swim classes, and I was aware of them prior to Baby A's 6 month mark, which is when babies can start doing ISR. Doesn't that seem crazy? A 6 month old swimming?! 

I was too nervous. My little baby? And some of the videos I watched looked brutal- to me it seemed like the instructors were dunking the kids mercilessly until they just lost their will to fight and floated. The reviews and warnings were all saying things like, "moms shouldn't come to lessons" and "you can't be one of those people who will be worried about your baby too much." HUH? So I didn't work too hard to find any instruction near me while we lived in Alexandria or Kansas.

Once we found out we were moving to Tampa, land of lakes and pools and Gulf breezes, I got concerned. I had a busy almost-2-year-old who did like going in the pool (his only real experience with water was pools so far) and who was becoming fast and willful. I could see him slipping away from me at the beach, or being too reliant on a float. Nightmares ensued. I spoke to a few friends in the summer just before we left about what they'd done when I saw their older kids really enjoying the water safely. They all recommended ISR or Seal Swim. One friend, another Navy spouse, in particular had a horror story that [thankfully] ended just fine but spurred her to try ISR and she said it was worth it and not that scary to do. So I found one to sign up for in Tampa, read the reviews on the teacher and distance from our new house, and hoped for the best.

The first day or so was a little rough, but only because Baby A did not enjoy me handing him over to a stranger. He did not cry through the entire lesson OR get mercilessly dunked, though, so I was immediately put at ease. Plus, our instructor is awesome; personable, clearly well-trained and experienced, and unphased by Baby A's initial hysterics at being separated from me (by the way, I sit poolside the entire time. I don't just leave him there!) 

Without going into too much detail, Baby A has learned to come up to the surface of the water and float on his back. He can swim to the edge of the pool and hold on, or to the stairs to exit a pool. He can hold his breath for a surprisingly long amount of time (which is cool and also a little bit scary for me!) and he actually seems to like the water more, if anything else. He is also fearless at times, pulling to the side and swimming under the water even when his instructor is trying to ensure his float is solid.

The lessons are short but daily to help reinforce what he's learning on a toddler time span. There are a lot of rules for safety and health- not eating just before swimming, ensuring swimming outside of class is still monitored and follows guidance, wearing swim diapers, etc.

But even if we ended it right now, I would feel a lot more confident about Baby A near the water than before, and I think he's way more confident than me! I love that he loves the water and I want him to continue to do it safely. He also loves "kiss Christie" (he's turned Miss Christie into his own word haha) and he joyfully goes to her and swims, floats, turns, and plays in the water. She is firm but fair with him, and as she says, she's seen it all so she knows how to handle him. My confidence with him in the water had wavered and I felt like I was fighting him onto his back...but within a couple of days, she had him comfortably laying back!

All in all, we are more than happy with the ISR lessons and will continue with the refresher lessons when that time comes around. I highly recommend them after doing your research to find out what you are comfortable with and what you feel is important regarding your child and water safety. 

Happy swimming!! (still fully summer here in FL btw),

Big A⚓