Babies are born with natural swimming abilities however we need to give them the opportunity to develop it. Thus it’s never too early for a baby to learn how to swim, as they have been swimming in their mother’s womb! There are plenty of benefits of swimming – it improves babies’ mood, decreases anxiety and most important of all, the fun of messing around in the water allows babies to exercise without even knowing it!
Hwa Xia BabySpa shares with you the joy and pleasure of your baby’s first dip! Started in October 2008, around 10,000 babies have been trained in their BabySpa.
Hwa Xia’s BabySpa System uses a system that is very similar to Hydrotherapy which has been recognised as very beneficial. Hydrotherapy studies document beneficial effects like enhancing physical and mental development, increasing weight gain that can be considered as an adjunct to traditional treatment strategies.
Baby Swimming
Most parents tend to be slightly wary when they drop their children off at Hwa Xia BabySpa. They worry that their babies might not enjoy the water or struggle at swimming. But, this worry is always replaced with re-assurance and comfort after mere minutes of coming in contact with the friendly and helpful handlers.
One such example is parent, Shirley Tan-35- Sales Manager and mother of a six-months-old boy who was a bundle of nerves when she passed over her baby to the handlers at the Hwa Xia BabySpa @ Harbourfront Centre. However, it only took her minutes to be reassured that her darling baby was in safe hands.
“I felt relieved that the handlers understood my initial concern and even tried to calm me down by explaining to me why I had nothing to worry about,” Shirley reflects. “I saw that they used warm water so that it would not be too cold for my baby and he seemed happy and comfortable in the tub.”
Another parent, Mrs Chan, agreed. She was eager to witness her six-month-old daughter’s first dip into the warm pool. Initially a little apprehensive, she relaxed when she saw how professional little Shu Min’s handler was.
“It’s been 10 minutes and Shu Min is more confident and more relaxed now! Whenever she’s in the water, she always has a smile on her face! What a major transformation!”
Children under five have skin that is more sensitive than that of an adult’s. Also, babies do not have a fully developed body temperature system, so while in water they tend to lose a lot of body heat. At BabySpa, they use a warm water-based method of strengthening and stimulating babies to improve their physical growth and mental development.
In a weightless aquatic setting where babies are able to move freely, they are provided with a complete physical workout – strengthening baby’s heart, lung and respiratory system; developing their extremities and joints by making them more flexible – which also aids in the development of the brain.
There are psychological benefits too. Swimming lessons help babies become more confident and provide them with a sense of relaxation, while the experience also contributes to their socialisation as they pass time in an environment filled with people. Their bonds with parents even grows stronger as together they share new and rewarding experiences.
Improved eating and sleeping patterns
Regular swimming often improves your baby’s eating and sleeping patterns. An excellent way to bond with your baby, swimming builds their self-esteem and sets them on a platform that adopts a positive attitude towards learning and exploration! Babies eventually become extremely peaceful and relaxed in the water.
Fiona and Eric Sim, parents of 8-week-old Darren, shared with us:
“The best thing about swimming was he really slept well during the night. I also discovered he started to open his palm. This is a good sign of physical development!”
Researchers from Norway and Britain have also found that children who had taken baby swimming classes did better on tests involving gripping and reaching as well as balance, compared to children who had no experience swimming as babies. Baby swimmers also have better balance overall than non-swimmers.
The cardio-respiratory system is also strengthened as the baby exercises his or her heart and lungs. The benefits of swimming are endless. You’ll be helping your baby learn a valuable life skill while having lots of fun along the way!
Choosing a Pool
Once parents decide to take their little ones swimming, it is important to choose a site that is suited for the activity. Some parents feel that public swimming pools are not safe for their baby’s sensitive skin due to the high amount of chlorine present. Swee Shun, father of 5-months-old Elisha totally agrees.
“At Hwa Xia, it is cleaner & much better than bringing them to a public pool. I believe that my Elisha is still too young to go to a public pool as she is more likely to fall sick.”
Back then, parents used to be advised to wait until their baby had gone for their immunisations before taking them to swim. Health experts believe that this is no longer necessary.
Parents find that Hwa Xia BabySpa is a good place to start their babies with swimming. They find that their experienced and qualified handlers do their best to provide high quality services.
Other Services
theAsianparent liked how Hwa Xia BabySpa not only provides cool swimming classes for babies, they also have additional services like baby haircuts and baby massages!
Also, check out this video of little Troy that we found on Youtube! He graduated from Hwa Xia BabySpa @ Harbourfront Centre. We find him extremely cute and endearing!
Here is the price list for Hwa Xia BabySpa:
Single-Baby pool (for newborns – 12 months old):
- 1 session – $30.00
- 10 sessions – $246.00 (package)
Big pool (maximum four babies; babies up to two years old):
- 1 session – $33.00
- 10 sessions – 266.00 (package)
All the babies will be fully taken care of by their trained staff. For first-timers, they recommend only 15 to 20 minutes of swim time as they do not want to over-tire the babies. Upon successful sessions, no time limit is enforced.
Towels and swimming-friendly diapers are NOT provided, so you will have to bring your own. However, they do sell swimming-friendly diapers over the counter.
Branches in Singapore:
Harbourfront Centre – 10:30am to 9pm
#03-11
Tel: 6754 7949
Plaza Singapura – 10:30am to 9pm
#03-30
Tel: 6238 6003
Northpoint Mall – 10:30am to 9pm
#02-52
Tel: 6272 0061
Marine Parade Central – 9:30am to 8pm
Blk. 86 #01-670D (opposite NTUC Fair Price)
Tel: 6346 6818
Promotion!
Only for theAsianparent subscribers: Get a FREE Baby Massage (worth $22) for the first trial of Baby Swimming, Mondays to Fridays at any of Hwa Xia BabySpa’s branches! Just print out and present a copy of our newsletter to be entitled for the promotion. For more information, visit www.babyspa.com.sg, call 6489 4847, or email babyspa123@hotmail.com now!