UNAIR NEWS 鈥 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 shared a bunch of benefits of swimming for a baby鈥檚 growth and development.
Benefits
First, swimming strengthens babies鈥 muscle development. 鈥淪wimming throughout a child鈥檚 growing phase can assist shape muscles and enhance bone growth and strength,鈥 the professor told UNAIR NEWS on Monday, January 8, 2024.
Second, a baby鈥檚 ability to move well in water suggests that their body coordination and balance are well-developed. Third, swimming improves heart and lung strength. 鈥淲hen a baby swims, they regulate their breath in the water and lift their head to inhale oxygen. This enhances the baby鈥檚 heart and lung strength,鈥 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鈥檚 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. 鈥淏abies will manage their balance effectively in the water. If they succeed in mastering specific styles, it enhances their self-confidence,鈥 the pediatrician said.
Seventh, swimming adds their survival skill. 鈥淪wimming 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,鈥 he said.
Eighth, swimming stimulates baby鈥檚 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. 鈥淎 swimming baby accompanied by their father and mother is expected to boost the parent-child bonding,鈥 he said.
Author:
Editor: Nuri Hermawan
