I'm so glad to see someone refute the swimming lessons thing.  Babies are
remarkable swimmers.  No, that doesn't mean we can leave them unattended
and expect them not to drown.  Yes, it does mean that water is a wonderful
expressive medium for them.  They can be eased into water from a very early
age--indeed all are if we consider amniotic fluid and how many moms
"accidentally" give birth in water.  IMHO, this is an exceptional way for
parents to discover another side of their babies.  With both of my sons,
teething was abomidable and water was one of the few ways to soothe their
constitutional distress.

Sure, if you've got a gulper you need to monitor, but my experience has
shown that they learn very quickly to keep their mouths shut and "blow
bubbles."  My now 2 year old was introduced to the pool at 4 weeks and now
jumps in from the side, swims several feet, and returns to the side, all
with us right within an arm's reach (in case).  And yes, he does stop to
nurse at the pool.  From a public health perspective, public pools have
enough chlorine in them to kill an army of germs (including HIV).  One of
the biggest concerns should be the effect that all this chlorine has.  In a
few babies, high chlorine levels causes allergic reactions and atopic
dermatitis.  As for swallowing huge amounts of water to throw off the serum
electrolyte balance, it's possible, but not very likely in babies with any
amount of head control.  Parents need to be taught what to do in the event
that baby is submersed and gulps large quantities--whether during a play
swim or accidental near drowning.  Quick, calm action and supervision have
the potential to make water both educational and safe for parents and
babies alike.

: )Chris Hafner-Eaton, PhD, MPH, CHES, IBCLC  email: [log in to unmask]   : )
: )HSR & Health Educational Consultant        voice/fax: 541 753 7340    : )
: )LLLLLLLLLLLLL**CHANGE THE WORLD, NURTURE A CHILD!**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL : )