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Step 1
Enroll in a Child CPR course with the American Red Cross. Resuscitating your baby following a swimming accident is something you never want to have to do, but having this skil is invaluable.
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Step 2
Hold your baby upright and close to your shoulder with his legs in the water. Begin to walk backward to give your baby the sense of motion. Take his legs and simulate the kicking movement of swimming.
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Step 3
Place your dominant hand on your baby's back, and your other hand on his chest. Blow in your baby's face and place his face in the water briefly. Move your baby back to your chest, and repeat this process, allowing your baby slightly more time with his face in the water. Blowing in his face allows your baby to learn to catch his breath and hold it while under water.
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Step 4
Move your baby in front of you, and place one hand under each of his arms. Turn him onto his back, with one arm supporting his head and body. Your other arm strokes his body in reassurance. Your baby may start to cry, but this process teaches him that he can float without sinking.
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Step 5
Put one hand underneath each of your baby's arms. Lift him out of the water, and then gently move his body back into the water. Turn your body and repeat the process while staying in continuous motion. Eventually, you should be able to release your baby for a few seconds to float on his own.
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Step 6
Keep the lessons to about 15 minutes each. If you try to teach him to swim any longer than that, your baby may get cranky.
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Step 7
Search for baby swim classes in your area by opening up a search engine and typing in "baby swim classes" followed by the name of your town or city.
