Iceland review - 2016, Page 72

70 ICELAND REVIEW
F A M I LY
THE POOL IS WHERE WE PLAY
While the phenomenon may have
arrived relatively late in Iceland, it
fits seamlessly into the long-standing
culture of swimming in geothermal-
ly-heated pools all year round. Snorri
asserts that parents use the time in the
pool to give their babies a chance to
freely explore movements and activ-
ities without worrying about falling.
“In Norway and Sweden they focus
more on relaxing, floating, enjoying
the water and being quiet. Here, we
think, ‘I can do that at home!’ In the
pool, we want to do something active
and fun. This is where we play.” In
the US and Australia, much of the
focus of baby swimming is on training
infants to be able to roll onto their
backs and float, or swim to a wall—
that is, to ‘self-rescue’ should they
accidentally fall into water. In Iceland,
the focus is more on bonding, balance
and strengthening muscles.
For example, babies have the ability
to lock their knees and straighten their
spines to stand long before they can
actually walk. It’s amazing to watch
a small baby, three or four months
old, standing perfectly straight on
top of an adult’s outstretched palm
as though on a pedestal, looking with
a wide, gummy grin down at all the
smiling faces below. For Snorri, the
exercise is about strengthening the
spine and neck muscles, as well as bal-
ance. He says: “We use the swimming,
the warm water, the safety, to do
things we cannot do at home—aren’t
allowed to do at home!”
STRENGTHENING MUSCLES AND
BONDS
Humans are born with a mammalian
reflex called the bradycardic response,
which enables babies to hold their
breath underwater for short periods
of time. For Snorri, the purpose of
diving is to give babies new sensory
input, stimulating their brains and
expanding their repertoire of experi-
ences. “Babies are always learning,” he
says. Hrund Jónsdóttir, who has been
teaching baby swimming for five years
and is finishing a Master’s degree in
Public Health at the University of
Iceland, says that teaching the babies
to dive is primarily about giving them
confidence in the water. “Babies like
it underwater.” She explains that
their heads are heavy compared to
their body weight, so it’s easier for
them to move in the water. “They’re
very comfortable there. It’s not about
self-rescue, but it could help. I tell
parents there’s never a guarantee.
They should always be looking out.”
The active aspect of infant swim-
ming is one of the health benefits
of getting babies into water, accord-
ing to Michael Clausen, a specialist
in allergology and pediatric asthma
at Landspítali National University
Hospital in Reykjavík. He explains:
“Babies can exercise and move by
themselves, but playing in water has
the added benefit of feeling good.
They remember what it was like in
their mother’s womb. It also strength-
ens the bond between the parents and
the child.” Naturally, there are risks
that go along with this activity, such
as the potential aggravation of ecze-
ma, asthma, and lung problems by the
chlorinated water, although Michael
points out that studies on these issues
are conflicting. The same goes for
the connection between ear infec-
tion in babies and swimming. Michael
also observes that the incidence of
children drowning in Iceland has
decreased significantly in the last 25
years, which could be linked to more
parents taking their babies swimming
at an early age. In his opinion, while
there may be risks that parents should
be aware of, the research is inconclu-
sive and the benefits of baby swim-
ming outweigh these risks.
PROUD PARENTS
In the beginning, parents might feel
apprehensive about taking their little
ones underwater, but after a short
time, they generally express excite-