UNAIR NEWS – Swimming is a delightful exercise for babies, often bringing out giggles that warm the heart. Additionally, this exercise offers a bunch of benefits.
Prof. Dr. dr. Roedi Irawan MKes SpA(K) from the Faculty of Medicine Universitas Airlangga shared a bunch of benefits of swimming for a baby’s growth and development.
Benefits
First, swimming strengthens babies’ muscle development. “Swimming throughout a child’s growing phase can assist shape muscles and enhance bone growth and strength,” the professor told UNAIR NEWS on Monday, January 8, 2024.
Second, a baby’s ability to move well in water suggests that their body coordination and balance are well-developed. Third, swimming improves heart and lung strength. “When a baby swims, they regulate their breath in the water and lift their head to inhale oxygen. This enhances the baby’s heart and lung strength,” he explained.
Fourth, when a baby swims, they regulate their breath while in the water and lift their head to inhale oxygen. This improves the baby’s heart and lung strength, which makes them tired and sleepy. Fifth, swimming stimulates hunger and boosts their appetite due to the energy expended.
Sixth, swimming builds more confidence. “Babies will manage their balance effectively in the water. If they succeed in mastering specific styles, it enhances their self-confidence,” the pediatrician said.
Seventh, swimming adds their survival skill. “Swimming is a must-have life skill that should be learned from a young age. It not only protects them from water-related accidents but also equips them to help others in emergencies,” he said.
Eighth, swimming stimulates baby’s cognitive skills, which relates to their learning, reading, language, numeracy, and spatial awareness. Spatial awareness is a cognitive skill to mentally visualize the position, shape, and movement of an object. Research from the Griffith Institute of Educational Research revealed that babies who learn to swim at a young age have better reading and visual abilities, vocal expression, memory, and comprehension instruction as adults.
Ninth, swimming strengthens the bond between the mom and the baby. “A swimming baby accompanied by their father and mother is expected to boost the parent-child bonding,” he said.
Author: Icha Nur Imami Puspita
Editor: Nuri Hermawan
