Dillon’s tips for parents (from your baby’s point of view):
I am so new to the world, and everything is a new and interesting experience for me. When I swim 
underwater my throat closes, “the diving reflex” and allows me to breath-hold and take in the exciting experience of being underwater. I can feel and sense you holding me in the water. I love to feel and see you happy and relaxed, as this makes me feel the same. It makes me more confident above and below the water, but if you squeeze me too tightly when I swim underwater, or look worried when I surface, then I may be a little anxious too! So let’s have lots of fun, with smiles, cuddles, splashes and bubbles.
I am sure that I will love my swimming, but for a small percentage of us, there may be a few teething problems (with or without the teeth!)
Mastering the English language is going to take a while, so I do not always listen to your words, just feel the idea (other than the obvious ones like “chocolate” and “pudding”) so it will take me a few weeks or so to understand when I am going underwater. So please make a very clear command of ‘Ready Go’ prior to my swims. Until I have mastered the command for going underwater I may be a little unsure, but once I have, the fun can really start.
I naturally close my throat underwater, but most of us have our mouths open, which is fine, and when I surface I release the muscle and may surprise myself by swallowing a tiny amount of water (less than an egg cup full). The first few weeks I may occasionally cough a little when surfacing, but I will very quickly get used to going under water and learn how to direct the water out of my mouth rather than the other way. Some of us even achieve an impressive spout just like our dolphin and whale friends.
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Sometimes I have days or weeks when my teeth hurt or I’m tired from growing or I am not my normal happy self, but I cannot tell you yet, so please do not stop my swimming if I have a phase of not liking it. I will soon be back to my old self and splashing, kicking and paddling in the water will be my best idea of fun! But if I am having an ‘off’ day please do fewer or no submersions with me and use more time to play with me in the water. There is no pressure to do all the skills or swims, unless I am happy and ready.
I love to swim and I love to eat, so it is a shame that the two do not mix. I will swim best if I have had a snack an hour or so before swimming so that I am not hungry or irritable during the lesson and at the same time do not have too full a tummy. I can then work up a big appetite for my lunch or dinner afterwards so please bring a drink for me to have after the lesson. I know my sleeping is also important to me and juggling all three is a thing that only you can do, so I will leave it to you to find the right balance. Sometimes a little nap before swimming and a longer nap afterwards may be the best solution.
Checklist:
To help you prepare for your first day, Dillon has put together a little checklist for you.
Please make sure you arrive at your pool site allowing enough time for both of you to get changed so you are ready to enter the pool at your designated time, relaxed and happy.
1 Two Swim nappies for your baby, an outer and inner snug-fitted layer for full leak protection, unless potty trained.
2 Your swimwear.
3 A reasonable sized towel for your baby (hooded towels are ideal if you have one), and a towel for yourself.
4. Your personal Changing mat, to put on top of the ones we provide, as an extra layer for baby’s hygiene and comfort.
5. Pool side flip flops for you to help prevent slipping (if you have a pair).
6. A drink and/or a snack. Your baby is likely to be quite thirsty and hungry after swimming.
(Please note, for health, safety and hygiene reasons, no food should be consumed in the pool or changing rooms. Giving your baby milk is fine but all snacks must be eaten outside the pool building).
7. YOUR BABY!
Changing mats are provided at all of our pools. For ultimate hygiene and comfort, we recommend you bring your own changing mats and put on top of the ones we provide, as an extra layer.
Often we place our changing mats on the floor, so your baby can’t fall down. Please note: If there are any treatment benches or raised surfaces on site and you choose to use these for changing your baby, it is against our recommendations, can cause injuries and will be entirely at your own risk.
In some cases, playpens are available to help you contain your baby while changing yourself.
NB! Please do check your mobile phone each week before leaving for the pool in case of a cancellation or a last minute change to your class time.