Insecurities

I could write a long list of things that I'm insecure about, it's something that I've always struggled with. Since becoming a mother last year I was so surprised at how secure I felt within that role.
The whole of my pregnancy I spent feeling completely out of control, like I was just willing my body to behave and keep my baby safe and I will be forever thankful that it did. I felt the biggest wave of relief at 12:58pm on the 27th May last year when Leo entered the world and I could finally look after him from the outside. More tired  and in pain than I ever thought possible after a bad labor and yet so serene knowing that Leo was now mine and I could be everything that he needed me to. On demand feeding, no sleep routine, constantly joined at the hip to this tiny human that wasn't there before and I loved every second of it.

This was baby Leo and I when he was about twenty minutes old. The day that I became a mama, the most incredible day of my life.

One thing that I have always been insecure about is water. It is a fear that I've lived with for as long as I remember and I think it all stemmed from classes when I was younger. I was in lessons as a child and was really enjoying them until I graduated from one and was expected to do lots more in a more advanced class. I love nothing more than being in my comfort zone and to be plunged out of it is the hardest thing to happen. It was a combination of that as a younger child and then when I was a teenager we swam in a private pool at school. This was a nightmare to me. To be in a swimsuit in front of thirty other girls even without getting in the water was enough to make me want to cry. Then the fact that I wasn't a strong swimmer just made me feel so insecure about the whole situation. It is a combination of all of these things that made my will for Leo to enjoy water and swimming so much more.

When I was deciding which classes to pick for my little Leo I immediately came across Turtle Tots and began researching them. I'd never really thought that water is a natural environment for babies, after all they are used to the womb and floating around for nine months. There are so many benefits for little ones to learn swimming. It helps develop further bonding with your baby and I am sure it has aided Leo's sleep and feeding to improve. Starting to swim at an early age familiarises children with water and gives them the confidence to swim below the water level, something that I always lacked.

I love that Turtle Tots build confidence and security in water through play and songs (songs that I am still humming days later). It is a fun and safe approach to learning that I wish was more around when I was little. Building this confidence with your baby is the most amazing thing to see and every time that Leo learns something new I feel so overwhelmed. There are always lots of bright coloured toys too and the thing that really surprised me in last weeks lesson was the patience that our tutor and fellow babies had. Leo is teething, a fun experience for everyone! He already has eight established teeth but has been chewing and dribbling for the past week and I knew what was on the horizon. On Friday in our swim class he wasn't feeling his best and rather than his little grumbles being an annoyance my tutor instead gave him a toy and pulled a face to make him smile. This meant the world to me. We all have off days and sometimes just need a minute with a turtle toy and a funny face and after that Leo embraced the whole thing.
There are lots of amazing deals on at the minute at Turtle Tots and I urge anyone to have a look and contact their local pool. You won't regret the bond that you create I promise...