Why go to baby swimming lessons? Bristol Water Babies Bryony Johnstone has the answer

What is the point of baby swimming lessons? some mothers sigh on mum internet forums. Bryony Johnstone from Cliftonwood in Bristol would know the answer to this. She set up the first Water Babies swim school franchise in Bristol, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year.

“Swimming with your baby is a great way to relax and have fun together away from the stress of everyday life,” Bryony says. “The whole team understands how important this special time together is, which is why we always focus on pupils’ strengths and successes so the lessons are really positive.”

It was 2003 when the Water Babies franchise in Bristol opened  it was a team effort, with Bryony joining forces with her sister and brother-in-law.

The aim of the school is to offer specialised lessons to babies as young as a few days through fun, structured sessions.

Water Babies are also taught to control their breathing instead of relying on natural reflexes, and also without the use of floats.

Though children don’t have the co-ordination to swim on the surface until around their second birthday, the sessions do give them a good start in water confidence as they manage to swim short distances under water.

The Bristol Water Babies team now includes 15 women, who joined up after completing the Water Babies programme with their own babies. Between them, they have so far taught around 8,000 children from Bristol and Bath to swim.

Bryony says: “One of the best things about our work is knowing that teaching a child basic water safety and confidence in the water could save their. We teach life survival skills to babies very early on, getting them used to turning onto their backs or, following a sudden submersion, swimming to the nearest solid object. Introduction to water at such a young age means that, should an accident happen a young child will feel confident enough to attempt to save themselves.”

Bryony and her team run lessons in Bristol, Bath, Weston-Super-Mare, Bradford on Avon and Radstock. For more information call 0117 946 6919 or visit www.waterbabies.co.uk