A recent video of a six-month-old baby learning to swim in the pool has gone viral on social media but has also stirred up controversy. In the video, a Florida mother teaches her baby girl how to swim by letting her float in the water and attempt to paddle after doing a flip. Despite being widely criticized by viewers, the mother's technique reminds us of the benefits of teaching children how to swim using safe methods. Swimming has a number of benefits for babies, by improving their motor skills, strengthening their muscles, relaxing their minds and exercising their developing joints. In Turkey, swimming centers which offer specialized instruction for small infants aim to nurture the natural love for water that children are born with.At a swim center in the western city of Bursa, trainers offer specialized instruction to infants which, for parents, is a joy to watch. These sessions make the swimming experience relaxing and fun for babies, encouraging them to learn through play.One of the trainers, Pervin Anbarcılar, said that infant swimming courses are increasing in popularity in Turkey, as parents become more conscious of infant development, looking for alternative ways to improve the motor skills of their infants from an early age. Parents are allowed to participate in the sessions with their infants. According to Anbarcılar, trainers teach babies how to swim before they have even learned to crawl. Parents learn the important swimming skills necessary for them to continue coaching their babies outside of the swim center. "Considering the benefits these skills have for children and babies, it is crucial for children to start swimming at an early age. I recommend that parents do their research and enroll children in swimming courses taught by certified trainers. Our staff has licenses from the U.K."When it comes to the benefits of swimming for children, Anbarcılar stressed that learning how to swim enhances different skills; namely, the ability to hold one's breath under water, which involves breath control that even professional divers find difficult. "What we do is help children sharpen their reflexes. Of course it is important to keep them safe in the pool. For children three-to-five years of age, we teach how to float on their backs."The youngest participant is only two months old, and the swimming program is divided into three sections, all of which teach children to swim on their own by the end of the course. There are courses for different age groups; from one-to-three year old toddlers to three-to-five year old children. "Indeed, we have many small students between the ages of three and five who are able to swim very well by the end of the course. They are all accompanied by their parents during the class. We never let them in the pool without their mothers or fathers." Stressing the health benefits of swimming for children, Anbarcılar said the courses can also be a source of happiness. For babies who have not yet learned to crawl, an early introduction to swimming encourages the natural development of voluntary arm and leg movements. "Swimming helps [babies] learn to walk. By mastering the crucial process of arm, leg and breath coordination, babies and children become more aware of their bodies," she said, adding that it is also good for lung development, sleeping and eating habits. "Parents have observed that children have more relaxed sleeping patterns after taking a course."Swimming classes are also open to children with physical disabilities or autism. "Swimming plays a big role in the development of disabled children, as well. Our training staff is in regular contact with physicians and apply their professional recommendations to their swim instruction."Emphasizing that babies are born with instinctual knowledge of basic swimming strokes, Anbarcılar said, "Babies grow inside their mother's womb which is a watery, saline environment. For this reason, the earlier they learn how to swim, the easier it is for them." Müge Göllü, a mother whose four-month-old son Eren attends a course every weekend, said that her child likes to be in the water. Eren was only two months old when he first started swimming. "I can clearly see changes in my son. He can now go to sleep on his own and seems much happier," she said. Yasemin Karaoğlu also brings her 10-month-old daughter to classes. "Swimming is a recharging activity and I observe its positive effects on my daughter's social and psychological world."Physicians generally recommend that parents wait until the baby is at least six weeks old before they start swimming because, if they go sooner, there is a higher chance for infection due to the weak immune system of infants. . When starting a swim course, parents should make sure that their faces stay close to their baby's faces in the water and that they have eye contact. By holding your infant close to you, both baby and parent can feel relaxed and more confident in the water. Parents should also extend their arms and synchronize their movements with those of their babies while in the water, allowing parent and child to feel more relaxed and to boost confidence. Parents should use discretion as swimming in chlorinated pools may put babies at risk of bronchiolitis and other respiratory diseases.