What is the free baby bath?

 Deckchair, swim ring… If these childcare accessories aim to secure the baby’s bath, they ultimately serve especially to reassure parents, According to Alexandra Richard, osteopath specializing in perinatal care in Paris and adept of free swimming, a practice inspired by the Montessori method and the free motor skills concept initiated by Hungarian pediatrician Emmi Pikler.

“Free bathing is a practice that is part of the movement of free motor skills, which encourages parents to let the child do his motor acquisitions without help, and from the position on the ground: on the back, stomach or side, details the expert. During the bath, we can obviously stimulate and encourage it by looking, speech and gestures, but while leaving it free to move around in order to allow it to evolve at its own pace. “

What is the open swim?

Concretely, free bathing consists of lay the baby on his back in 5 to 10 cm of hot water (between 35 and 37 ° C). “We recommend putting water up to the baby’s earlobes. It must not float, but be placed on the surface of the bathtub, ”explains Alexandra Richard, osteopath.

Which tub for the free bath?

There is no need to invest in a suitable baby bath. For more comfort, we can position it on a soft non-slip mat or a bath towel submerged in the family bathtub. If you only have a shower, a basin the size of the child will do. Please note, free swimming does not mean unsupervised. The parent must be present at all times to ensure the smooth running of the bath and to accompany your child in a reassuring way.

From what age can you start the practice of open swimming?

At birth, the infant is not mature enough to be initiated into the bath in free motor skills. If you feel your child feeling stressed or in a position of discomfort when you bathe him, the bath wrapped in a diaper can help him to calm down. As they grow up, the child will then have more desire to discover and experience the aquatic environment for themselves.

“We can start to practice free swimming around the age of 2 months. The baby will thus be able to experience freely, without being hampered by an object or the arms of his parents, the sensation of his body in the water, such as the fact that when he claps with his hands, he splashes himself ”, explains the osteopath. To reassure your baby, you can put a hand on his tummy to maintain physical contact.

Open bathing, a method that is often reassuring for the baby

Fanny, 32, discovered the open swim method when her son Oscar was 4 months old. “He screamed every time you put him in the tub water. We were looking for alternatives so that the moment of the toilet becomes again a moment of relaxation for him and for us ”, explains the mother. Despite her stress, she finally tried open bathing. A successful experience. “At first, even though I was sitting next to him, I was terrified that something would happen. Seeing him calm, reassured and chirping, I relaxed. ” 

For Alexandra Richard, it’s no wonder that some babies prefer open baths. “A small child immersed in water and held only by the arm of his parent, may feel stressed and be afraid of the bath. During the first months, a baby is usually looking for maintenance to calm down. Placed in the bathtub during the free swim, he finds his support on the ground, which will be more reassuring for him. “

Baby changes position during the free swim?

A baby begins to roll over around 5 months of age. Nothing abnormal that he tries to reproduce this position at the time of the bath. “We should not panic, recommends the specialist. Let him experience the tummy time in the bath without ever taking his eyes off him. He will have the reflex to flex his arms and raise his head. »Of course, do not hesitate to intervene if you feel that your baby is in a situation that is too uncomfortable or dangerous for him.

The benefits of bathing in free motor skills

• Free to move, your baby discovers the aquatic environment independently and develops his motor skills.
• You save water when bathing. After soaping your baby, rinse him with the pommel or a small container filled with water.
• The practice is less tiring for the person giving the bath. Indeed, holding your baby at arm’s length, leaning over the tub can be painful, especially if you have back problems. 

How do you get your baby to enjoy a free bath?

The free motor bath should be a moment of pleasure and sharing between the baby and his parent. This method requires a certain autonomy on the part of the child. If you feel unresponsive or too tired, do not insist. “There is no obligation for this method to become systematic,” says Alexandra Richard. This should not become an ordeal for the baby, at the risk of putting him in a situation of failure or of frustrating him. “

So that the bath remains a moment of pleasure, regularly check the water temperature and water your baby regularly to keep him warm. Also remember to heat the bathroom, because during the free bath, the child is not immersed, so he will tend to cool down faster.