Children, Pregnancy and Freediving

[JasonWelbourne]

I have a 3½ year-old and another one on the way. This year, after I got into freediving, I bought my son a mask and snorkel so he could begin to learn some of the basic concepts that would make his entry into the water relatively easy. It has gone reasonably well. He can put a mask on, and look under the water in the bathtub. He understands how to breathe through a snorkel, although he has not yet realized that a snorkel is a transport tube as opposed to a magical device that allows you to breath. Consequentally, he tends to dunk it under the water, causing it to flood and him to panic.

I have seen pictures and heard references to infants having a retained undersatnding of submersion, and would like opinions / facts / references on the subject if anyone has them to give. It is a source of concern, because as a parent you hear about babies drowning in an inch of water and this sounds contrary to such a "natural understanding" whereas obviosuly if new-borns retain such understanding and my 3 year old lacks it, then there is some point at which the knowledge atrophies.

Everyone wants to raise skill-advantaged children, but then again I don't want to cause any harm.

Also... Freediving and pregnancy. Anyone have any experience with that?

 

[DeepThought]

I think Maria-Theresa Solomon dove in the Red-sea while being a few months pregnant. Maybe in Pippin's clinique, I don't remember.
You could try e-mailing her or posting on apnea diver yahoo group.

I heard that infants has those submergion reflexes till they get 6 months old, and then they lose them - maybe not if being used.

 

[Freediver81]

hello Deep thought!

what you are saying is true! BUT she didnt know that she was pregnant when she was diving!!!


Said

 

[island_sands]

My niece went to swimming lessons from the the age of 3. The first few lessons were with my sister-in-law holding her, and they did loads of dunking exercises.

It was really cute the way that she was taught. At the end of six weeks she was breath holding and swimming underwater.

The whole idea was that if she ever fell in the pool she would be able to swim to the side and hold on. It was all made into a great fun game and it was never a worry when she was around the pool area.

On the pregnancy side... i don't know about effects on women and freediving, but my scuba instructor dived until she was 6 months pregnant, continued pool training, and taught her OW 1 and 2 to 10metres only.

Her child is normal and healthy.

 

[watts]

I have four kids 10,8,6 and 3 and they are all into swimming and diving .
The older two Emily and Ethan come diving with me an love seeing new things every time we go .They then tell thier friends at school that they saw a shark or some kingfish . Just yesterday my youngest Jemma learnt to use a snorkel and mask in the bath she was so happy that she could dive like dad.