with love

A GUIDE FOR introducing

your infant to the
wonderful world of water
From the
DirecTORs

CONGRATULATIONS ON
THE NEW ADDITION TO
YOUR FAMILY!

Learning to swim is an essential skill for all children, especially in Australia.

Some of our best memories as a family revolve around North Queensland’s

aquatic wonderland, paddle-boarding our islands, swimming our beaches and
creeks, and snorkelling our reefs.

We created Welcome to Water to help give your child the best possible start on
their swimming journey, so you too can make swimming a part of your life.

We believe in the magical benefits of having a happy relationship with water

as an infant. Your baby will be safer, healthier and smarter! It is every parents
job to maintain and grow the newborn’s natural affinity with the water.
Congratulations for making a start on that commitment.

Swimming kids are happy kids, and happy kids make happy parents.

All the best in your swimming life together

P et er D al le C or t & J es si e J on es

WELCOME TO WATER
WHAT IS...
“WELCOME TO WATER”?
This booklet is designed to be used as a resource for parents to use during their baby’s
first 12
8 months of life. Keep it and refer back to it constantly. It is also used as a theory
resource in the Free 5 week - “Welcome to Water” program available at approved swim
schools around Australia. Lessons are approximately 45 minutes (25 minute dry theory
session, 20 minute wet practical session).

Book online at www.welcometowater.com.au

COURSE CONTENT

MODULE 1
• What is swimming?
• Benefits of early years MODULE 4
swimming • Safety - ASSA’s “Layers of
• Pre-swim checklist protection against drowing”
• How to hold • Water awareness
• Self rescue
• “Swim Skills Safety
MODULE 2 Sequence”
• Breath control - Reflexes • Independence - “Aquatic
“Aquatic Readiness” for Readiness” to learn/extend
submerging an infant skills
• How to teach the breath • Enjoyment
holding cues

MODULE 5
MODULE 3 • Join in on a formal infants
• Floatation - Buoyancy swimming lesson for 4+ month
Rules for back floating olds at your
• Holds, no to survival back Welcome to Water
floating! providers swim school
• Movement - Reflexive and
voluntary

3 WELCOME TO WATER
Program Aims
& Outcomes
PROGRAM AIMS
• To provide access to fundamental information on infant swimming for all new parents in
Australia.
• To provide access to a suitable aquatic learning
environment for infants
• To strengthen the bond between carer and child
• To reduce overall deaths by drowning
• To increase levels of physical, emotional, social and cognitive development of the
children of Australia

PROGRAM OUTCOMES
At the conclusion of the program, baby will:

• Be familiar with and well adjusted to various aquatic

environments
• Experience the feel, buoyancy and resistance properties
of water
• Begin to understand the “cues to swim” from carer and
develop breath control
• Have developed an increased report and trust with carer

At the conclusion of the program, carer will:

• Be aware of the dangers and risks of swimming with

infants/babies/toddlers
• Know how a quality early years swimming program
helps the physical, emotional, social and cognitive
development of children.
• Know theories behind conditioning the baby to hold their
breath.
• Have knowledge on the signs of “aquatic readiness”.
• Carry out the steps towards submersion in a non forceful,
loving way.
• Handle baby safely and confidently in the water.
• Have knowledge of what makes a good learn to swim program and facility
• Understand what children will be capable of at different stages of their development.

WELCOME TO WATER
 WELCOME WATER
FOR LIFE
TO WATER BATH TIME, SWIMMING
LESSONS, POOLS,

JOURNEY CREEKS, BEACHES, &

WATER PARKS

FOR 3-6 MONTH OLDS

1 2 3
INFANTS TODDLERS PRE- SCHOOL

Enroll in infant lessons Learn swim safety skills, Gain independence in a

at your local Welcome to social, emotional, cognitive pre-school program (without
Water Swim School & physical development carers in the water

4 5 6
LEARN-TO-SWIM SQUAD COMPETE

Develop strokes in a Compete in your local

Stretch your limits in a
school age learn-to-swim swimming or
squad program
program surf life saving club

7
WATER FOR LIFE
Participate with confidence in all of life’s aquatic activities; Surf, ski, snorkel & dive

5 WELCOME TO WATER
Define “swimming”.
What it means to you?
WHAT IS SWIMMING?
Definition: “the sport or activity of propelling oneself through water using the limbs.” —Oxford
dictionary

When can your child “swim”? To what stage will you continue lessons?

Please check the boxes that apply to you.

When baby is happy being in the water

When baby learns to hold their breath

When baby can submerge

When baby can move point A to B

When baby can self rescue in arms depth water

When baby can self rescue in shoulder depth water

When baby can fall in and self rescue back to the wall

When baby can move independently and self rescue in a pool situation

When baby can perform 4 competitive strokes

When baby can competently swim 4 competitive strokes 400m

When baby has retained muscle memory for life & completes a 1000m swim

When baby wins the Olympic gold medal.

WELCOME TO WATER 6
Why are you here?
DEFINE YOUR REASONS FOR TEACHING
YOUR BABY TO SWIM AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE

Please check the boxes that apply to you:

So baby is safer

So baby becomes an early swimmer

As a fun activity for you and your baby

As a bonding activity with your baby

Accelerate baby’s cognitive, social, emotional and physical development

Give baby the ability to participate in aquatic based activities when they
have grown up

Become an Olympic gold medalist

Other____________________________________________GRIFFITH UNI EARLY YEARS

SWIMMINGsity has completed a study on early years swimming, focusing on the 0-5 years
age grous study has concluded that “children who participate in s

7 WELCOME TO WATER
Pre-swim checklist
CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR if any pre existing medical conditions prevent
baby from swimming, taking a bath or showering

PREPARE YOUR BABY Is baby calm. Is baby rested? Is baby fed?

SWIM NAPPY Is baby wearing a nappy? Check that it is clean before you enter
the pool. Is it tight fitting around the legs and waist. Swim nappies will not hold in
urine. They will only partially hold in faeces. In case of a “code brown”, please notify
your instructor or pool supervisor as soon as possible and remove baby from the
pool.

SAFE ENTRY Assess the entry to the water. Are there any trip hazards? Is the
surface slippery (fibreglass pools especially)? Uneven surfaces like in natural
waterways are not safe. Place baby securely on your hip with one
arm and hold the grab rail with the other

RECOVERY POSITION “Don’t drop the baby!” Welcome to Water is a no

submersion program. In case of an accident where your baby submerges/has trouble
clearing their airway, place baby into the recovery position. Baby’s laryngeal reflex
will help to seal off the airway at the epiglottis and divert any water still present in
the airway away from the lungs, to the stomach. Help the water to drain from the
airway by placing the baby face down along your forearm and angle baby’s body
down, so the bum is slightly higher than the head.
HAVE AN EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN in case of loss of consciousness. Call
000 and immediately start CPR

SWIM BUDDY Have you got somebody with you who is able to assist you and/
or baby in an emergency? Preferably someone able bodied and who is competent in
CPR. During the practical component of the Welcome to water course your teacher
will be your swim buddy.

WATER TEMP Baby cannot self regulate their body temperature as adults can.
Swim Australia recommends lessons for infants 12 months of age and younger take
place in a pool of between 30-32 degrees C. Perform a simple toe/wrist test. If
the water feels cool to touch, it is probably colder than 30 degrees C and baby will
become blue around the lips/begin to shiver. This will create a risk of Hypothermia .
If the water feels warm, it is probably 33 degrees C and above. Baby will respond by
becoming flushed red in the face and body. If at anytime baby turns blue and shivers
or turns red, please remove them from the water and get them dried and clothed
ASAP. Water that feels not cool, but not warm will be at the optimum temperature
of 32 degrees.

WATER QUALITY Is the pool PH and chlorine levels balanced? Does the water
look crystal clear? If no, don’t swim. Natural waterways, even if running clear, still
contain microorganisms. A properly maintained, chlorinated pool is best.

9 WELCOME TO WATER
Holds
HOLD YOUR BABY ANYWAY
YOU LIKE AS LONG AS...

BABY IS BALANCED - Hold in such a way that baby’s head won’t tip forwards or
back. Make sure that baby’s chin/face/back of head is supported if you tip them off
vertical.

BABY IS SAFE - be aware of how close baby’s airway is to the water. Aim to have
baby submerged as low to the water as possible without allowing waves to wash over
their face.

You use “SOFT HANDS” - hold baby gently and avoid fast, jolting movements.
Move baby smoothly and fluidly. Avoid manipulating baby into different positions.

COMMONLY USED HOLDS...

CUDDLY KOALA
Use when baby needs
ELEVATOR HOLD
comforting, and when
Face baby away from you
entering pool
with one arm across their
chest, one hand under
baby’s feet. Baby extends
legs and stands.
 SMILING BUDDHA
Face to face, smiling at
baby, holding high up
under the armpits
LAZY WHALE
Face to face holding baby high
up on chest and under armpits at
arms length. Chin rests on palms
or thumbs.

BABY BOAT
Baby’s chest over arm. Resting
chin on arm. Parents other hand
is for the baby to sit on when
they stop gliding. Go from glide-
seat-glide-seat

DIVING DOLPHIN
Use for submerging. Face same
way as baby holding baby under
armpits while gliding them
forwards.

11
Breath Control
“Newborn babies have a complex network of reflexes and reactions designed to keep the
face and airway clear of obstruction. However, these reflexes cannot reliably protect the
baby from ingesting or inhaling water. Voluntary breath control is essential to maintain a
clear airway.”
- (Zancanaro, Julie. 2017. “Protecting the Airways and the Right of Babies Under 12 months of Age”
[White Paper]: https://australianswimschools.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/White-Paper-Back-
Float-and-Submersion-Julie-Zancanaro.pdf)

Welcome to Water believes in transitioning the infant from a reflexive breath hold
towards a voluntary breath hold response before any assisted submersions occur. We
achieve this by associating the various cues from baby’s carer, with a stimulation of babies
face/lips with a cup of water over the face, and lots of positive reinforcement with kisses
& cuddles after.

Your Welcome to Water teacher is trained in helping you recognise the signs of Aquatic
Readiness and to help give you confidence to choose the perfect time to attempt
submerging your baby. This decision is always at the parents discretion and our teachers
will never make you feel as though you have to submerge your baby.

* WARNING *
“Welcome to Water” is a
no submersion program and
once you are certified to have
completed this program you
become eligible to enrol in your
Welcome to Water providers
infant aquatic program, where
you may attempt
submersions

12
Aquatic
Readiness
checklist
SUBMERGING AN INFANT

FAMILIAR WITH AND ADJUSTED TO THE PROPERTIES OF WATER

Is the baby happy with the wetness, temperature, increase of buoyancy or changes
in their body position and balance?

RELAXED AND ENGAGED

Does their body language or vocalisations suggest they are attentive & calm? “Signs
that a baby is not relaxed and engaged include: stiff body; clenched fists; open
outstretched fingers; crying; sobbing; shaking; not responding; avoiding eye
contact; arching back; trying to sit up; calling out; coughing” (Julie Zancanaro -
Protecting the Airways and the Rights of Babies under 12 months of Age).

POSITIVE RESPONSE TO OUR CUES

Has the baby re-directed attention to you, had a change in facial expression,
blinked/closed eyes, chest expanded, opened mouth when they receive our cues?
Has the baby remained calm after a breath hold and recovered quickly?

TIMING OF BREATH
Has baby calmly initiated their own breath in response to the cues - just upon the
moment of entry into water.

13
 Teach the breath
holding cues
Only to be attempted in children over 3 months of age, who are beginning to develop appropriate situational awareness
To learn more, book our online course at www.welcometowater.com.au
ENVIRONMENT Correct temperature water, calm carer, loving
and positive environment.

PREPARE CHILD Give baby time to adjust to being in the water.

Talk to them. Verbalise what you are doing. “Baby, I am going to say
ready-go and pour some water on you.”

VERBAL CUE “Name-ready-go!”

CUES NON-VERBAL CUES The actual words mean very little to the infant at this
stage. Non-verbal cues that baby will pick up on:

• TONE/PITCH: Use a calm, loving tone. Vary the pitch melodically.

• RHYTHM: The timing of your words. 1 & 2 & 3 & 4, “Name-Ready-Go-Pour”
• OBJECTS: Use a familiar cup when using your verbal cue.
• FACIAL EXPRESSIONS: Get eye contact with baby and mimic a breath
hold.
• REPETITION AND CONSISTENCY: Repetition without consistency
creates confusion and increases the chance of a bad result. Repeat 1-3 times
per bath time. Repeat every day. If a negative response is shown at any stage,
cease the activity for that day. If baby continually shows a negative response,
cease for 1 or more weeks.

WELCOME TO WATER 14
 We wish to provide
stimulation to the nerve
POUR endings on baby’s face
around the lips, nose and
mouth which triggers
a reflexive breath hold.
Use a:

• Wet cloth: Wipe

baby’s face from top
to bottom
• Cup of water: Pour on forehead with a shot of water. After baby becomes
familiar with this activity and responds positively, progress to an extended
3 second pour on forehead.
• Shower/rain: Start with momentarily under shower..
Progress to 3 seconds under shower.

Give the baby time to recover before repeating activity. Look for signs of baby
relaxing back into a normal breathing rhythm. Has baby stopped pursing lips and
RECOVER
swallowing? Have their muscles relaxed? Have you seen them start breathing
at their normal rate? Repeating before a baby has recovered properly causes
extended breath holding and is NOT comfortable or fun for baby. Help them
recover by wiping any remaining drips from their
forehead and face.

Associate this activity, and swimming in

CONGRA general, with fun, love and happiness. After
TULATE the sometimes annoying act of having water
poured on their head, baby must know
they have done a good job. Kisses, cuddles,
praise, and a favourite toy creates positive
reinforcement.

15 WELCOME TO WATER
Floatation
FAMILIARISE BABY WITH
THE PROPERTIES OF THE WATER:

BUOYANCY
Density of the body in water dictates your level of buoyancy. High bone/muscle density &
low body fat% = low buoyancy. Low bone/muscle density & high body fat% = high buoyancy.
All babies will have to ability to float. It is our job to comfortably assist them into the correct
position to achieve it.

FLOATATION GOALS
• Assisted vertical float (smiling buddha hold)
• Assisted front float (lazy whale hold)
• Assisted back float

RULES FOR BACK FLOATING WITH INFANTS

• Always initiate contact with the back of baby’s head BEFORE you recline baby off a
vertical position. Postural righting reflexes become strong at around 6 months of age
and without contacting the back of the head, baby will be uncomfortable as this reflex
becomes triggered.
• If baby is not relaxed then there is no “Aquatic readiness” for this activity and carer must
react to signals of discomfort immediately by returning baby to a vertical position. This
immediate reaction is a wonderful way to build trust and communication with your baby
as she recognises your reaction to her cues.

16
HOLDS
CHEEK TO CHEEK -
TRANSITION TO EYE
GAZE Once in a cheek
to cheek float, move one hand to the small of the
back and the other to the shoulder blades. Gently
slide the baby from your shoulder to your chest, to
your belly. Maintain contact with your belly whilst
trying to initiate eye contact. Once you have eye
contact, your baby will relax and let their head go
further towards a horizontal position

CRADLE HOLD baby as you would when nursing. Attempt

to sink baby’s lower half into the water first, then attempt
to get ears under.

WELCOME TO WATER
SAYS NO TO SURVIVAL
BACK FLOATING
Welcome to Water’s philosophy
towards back floating infants is to
use it as a way to familiarise the infant with the buoyancy
properties of water, not as a survival technique. Floating may
be used as a survival technique once Aquatic Readiness is
observed, around about 18 months.
Welcome to Water is completely against any swim program using forced back
floating as a survival technique in infants. We believe that 12 month olds do not have
the ability to self rescue using a back float unless traumatic teaching methods have
been employed, I.e. water over the babies face, denying them of air. This technique
equates to “waterboarding”torture. The forceful means of achieving these skills does
not morally justify the ends, as the probability of a child of this age actually having
to use this skill in an emergency is next to nil.
MOVEMENT

REFLEXIVE ASSISTED MOVEMENTS VOLUNTARY

MOVEMENTS WITH ASSOCIATED CUES MOVEMENTS

The wonderful, weightless world of water allows movement without restriction like when baby
moves on land. Unimpeded by gravity and the surface on which they lay, the swimming baby
can now experience the full range of motion when extending and retracting their limbs or
twisting and turning their head and trunk. When baby moves, the tactile stimulation of water
provides feedback to the brain, reinforcing and promoting the growth of new neural pathways.

CARER INITIATED MOVEMENTS

Keeping baby vertical, use gentle, fluid, rhythmical movements to swish, sway and bob baby
in the water. Making sure the head is kept upright, use the resistance of the water to change
baby’s body position. When you glide forwards, allow baby’s legs to trail behind. When you
stop, let the currents you have created wash baby’s legs back into a vertical position. Use side
to side, forwards to back, up and down, around and round.

FEEL THE RHYTHM

“Without music, life would be a mistake.”

Music is well documented to be beneficial to the development of children. We think that it

is vital. When we mix the magic of water and music together, along with the love of a trusted
carer, a baby’s world cannot get any better.
Sing and dance with baby, to your favourite song or nursery rhyme. Help baby transition from
reflexive movements to voluntary by using word-movement association, and rhythm, rhyme
and music. Respond to their kicking and splashing by naming their body part and a cue word
for the movement (“you kick, kick, kicked your legs!”)

Independent movement using babies own propulsion begins somewhere between 1 and 2 years
of age

WELCOME TO WATER 18
HOLDS
LAZY LIZARD JUMPS
Lay baby prone along your
forearm. Let the bottom of
baby’s feet contact a hard
surface. Baby will respond
by extending legs away
from the surface. Use a cue
word (Kick/jump/push) as
they jump.

SITTING BUDDHA
Seat baby on your lap, or
bottom of bath/pool with a
water depth just covering
their hips. Help balance
baby under their armpits
as the they GO WILD
splashing and kicking!

19 WELCOME TO WATER
SAFETY
Drowning is consistently the leading cause of death in Australia for the 0-5 years age group.

Water competence in your child may give you peace of mind but never allow yourself to
become under-vigilant. Welcome to Water strives to create awareness of the Australian Swim
Schools Associations

WATER AWARENESS
Before baby learns to swim, baby must learn that she can’t swim. Having a child that is
accustomed to being in and around water and who is aware of the associated dangers is a safer
child.
• Where is the deep spot/safe spot?
• When am I supervised/unsupervised?
• When do I need assitance? When can I do it myself?

SELF RESCUE
A child “recovers” to safety after a submersion using the following methods:
• Comfortable submerges using a voluntary breath hold and recovers via carer lifting from
the water
• Places hands on floor in arms depth water
• Goes from prone float to standing in chest depth water
• Falls from shallow ledge, orientates back around and recovers
• Falls from edge of pool, orientates back around and recovers to the wall
• Momentarily back floats or treads water

WELCOME TO WATER 20
SELF RESCUE Safety
Sequence
This self rescue sequence is taught to all under 5 year olds to help deal with an emergency
situation and to build confidence in the pool:

1. SUBMERGE
Be comfortable holding
breath under water
using a variety of entry
techniques.
2. ORIENTATE
Twist and turn towards
safety, controlling body
position using arms/
legs/head. Using pop up,
tread water or back float
technique.

3. BREATHE 4. PROPEL 5. RECOVER

Using a pop-up, Go point A to B Reach and grab the ledge/
treading water or back towards safety. wall/rescue equipment and
floating techniques exit the water.

A child competent in self rescue increases confidence in their abilities and creates Aquatic
Readiness to attempt more difficult skills.

21 WELCOME TO WATER
INDEPENDENCE
Your baby relies on you for everything. Their current neediness will in the blink of an eye fade
into a nostalgic memory. Cherish this time and treat each interaction as time you will never
get back. We all want our children to grow up to be independent adults, but not too soon! In
the pool, 2 steps forward = 3 steps back. Take the journey 1 step at a time and be prepared to
back peddle if need be. A pushy carer and water does not mix well.

Give baby space to experiment and be the strong, trusted carer they can always rely on for
assistance, or cuddles if things don’t go to plan…

There are things we expect our child to do (cry if they need their nappy changed) and not
to do (change their own nappy!). The amount of assistance given is dependent on levels of
Aquatic Readiness:

• Level of experience in the skill. New activity=lots of assistance.

• Ability of child. Are they physically capable?
• Temperament/mood of the child
• Level of fatigue
• Previous experiences, good or bad

HOW TO EXTEND/REGRESS THE SWIMMING SKILL:

With/without contact
Closer/further
With/without a floatation aid
Shallower/Deeper swims
Without/with submerging
Assisted/unassisted recovery from submerging

* Swim Australia recommends “fingertip reach” at all times

when swimming with children under 12 months of age.

WELCOME TO WATER 22
 ENJOYMENT

WATER = FUN, HAPPINESS, LOVE…

…AND ITS UP TO THE CARER TO KEEP IT THAT WAY.

Any swimming goal you are trying to achieve with your infant should have enjoyment as the
primary focus. Any skill that is retained is a bonus.
Anytime that swimming ceases to be enjoyable, recognise the cues and minimise distress by
attending to the needs of the infant. Whether it be offering more assistance, or getting out of
the water to have fun on another day.

23 WELCOME TO WATER
23
BATHTIME GAMES
Teach the breath holding cues (see page 12)

BACK FLOATING
Sit baby on the lap of a seated carer in a bath depth of 100mm. Slowly slide the back of
baby’s head down your chest to your lap. Holding one hand between baby’s shoulder blades
and one hand on their chest, slide baby off your lap till the water is just above the level of
baby’s ears.

SINKING/FLOATING TOYS
Experiment with how different toys react differently in water. Kick them, splash them,
knock them off the ledge. Use different textures, colours and weights to add to the sensory
experience.

TUMMY TIME
Lay baby prone facing a seated carer in 1cm depth water. Protect baby from drinking
water by placing one hand on baby’s chest and one on their shoulder. Encourage baby by
responding to their kicks and splashes. As baby becomes older/stronger, fill the bath up to
the baby’s arm depth, where they experiment with bubbles, self submerging and recovering
to a standing position.

MONKEY MONKEY
Assist baby to stand in chest depth water, holding onto the edge of the
bath with 2 hands. Let baby experiment with the feeling of buoyancy
when they squat and stand.

24
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25
KEEP UP
THE GOOD WORK
Enrol in our ONLINE COURSE at www.welcometowater.com.au

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www.facebook.com/welcometowater

Make swimming a part of your life. Bathtime, kiddie pools, waterparks, backyard pool, lake,
lagoons, beach and…

SWIMMING LESSONS in a quality infant aquatics program at your nearest

Welcome to Water provider. Search at www.welcometowater.com.au

WELCOME TO WATER 26
 with love

FIND YOUR NEAREST

FREE INFANT SWIMMING PROVIDER AT
www.welcometowater.com.au
© Copyright Welcome to Water 2019