In addition to the preparatory exercises, some core exercises are required.
You need a swimming mat for this exercise. Place the mat on the surface of the water in the children's pool and place your child on it in a supine position. Try to get the toddler to lie on its back for a few seconds by using toys or something similar to draw the child's attention upwards. The mat gives the toddler greater freedom of movement. However, physical contact with parents is completely absent, which makes many infants feel uncomfortable. It is also difficult for children from the age of seven months to keep them in a supine position for a few seconds, as they always want to get up.
The first part of the exercise is the same as the core exercise. Turn the child out of the armpit grip so that the child is lying with the upper body on your forearm. Then kneel down so that your shoulders are still just above the surface of the water. The next step is to slowly place the child with their head on the opposite shoulder. Use both hands to do this. As soon as the toddler is stable, you can release the hand of the free shoulder and try to steer the child's attention upwards with a toy, for example. This exercise is already a bit more advanced because the toddler is no longer held and has a lot of freedom. Only let go of your child when you are sure that they are lying quietly and stably.
First, hold your child in an armpit grip and tilt it slightly on the side of your weak hand. Then release the strong hand and reposition the arm behind the infant's back (see picture one). Then lean the toddler into a supine position and hold it with the strong arm so that you can release the other arm as well. This is then also positioned behind the back. Through this exercise, the toddler can be placed in a supine position without ever losing eye contact with the parent. The large support area is particularly suitable for children under 6 months to get used to the supine position.
As already mentioned in the video, eye contact on the head is a new experience for the child. However, many toddlers get used to it relatively quickly and are even happy about it. However, if you wiggle your head all the time, no eye contact can be made and the toddler will mainly be confused.
Try to hold the child so that as little water as possible splashes into the infant's face. The supine position itself is already challenging enough. Chlorinated water can irritate the eyes. Although this is generally harmless, it is not recommended for this exercise. Pay attention to your surroundings as well. A person running past can trigger strong waves. If you hold your child too low, the face will be flooded. As a result, the supine position is perceived as a negative experience and the child will most likely refuse to take up the position again in the future.
