Okay, please be prepared for the overload of photos. We brought our baby to the BabySpa and honestly, it was quite a lot of fun (both for baby and us!) I am sure many of you (even non-parents) are familiar with BabySpa and their services. They have a few outlets (Punggol Oasis Terraces, Harbour Front Center, North Point City and Westgate) and you must have at one point in your life, ogling at those cute little babies floating around.
For parents who are considering to bring your little one there, we thought we should come out with some tips to make your trip even more awesome than it already is!
1. To set the record straight, the water training at BabySpa is not just a frills bucketlist for your baby. It can help to strengthen the heart and lungs of the baby as well as to develop the motor control, agility, coordination and balance.
2. If you have old folks at home (like mine), you will know how adverse they are to babies "swimming". After knowing our child is going to BabySpa, they were a lot more assured (probably because they have seen other babies swimming in the pools). The pools at the BabySpa is designed for babies aged 1 to 24 months under the supervision of the staff. A staff will also be with the baby at all times to ensure that it is safe.
3. Each session is about 15-20 minutes, and will be increased in the following sessions. Our little one was around 6 months by the time he was exposed to a pool. He love his bathtime and had pretty good stamina by then. And so, we managed to enjoy a slightly longer session (Note: The duration would depends on the condition/ mood of your baby.) So, don't jam-pack your schedule cos your baby may be enjoying himself/ herself for a longer time.
4. Charge your phone or bring a powerbank. My baby isn't even there that long but I have tons (I am not joking here) of photos and videos. I have to even create a whole album for him. Now, whenever I miss him, I would even view those photos and videos to relive his smiles. Don't miss any moments (like my husband), charge your phone so that you can have more gadgets to use and snap every shoot.
5. Don't be disappointed. The babies usually start off without smiles and without the neck float. Even my smilely one was slightly worried at first. The ladies at BabySpa are very friendly and will try their very best to set the baby at ease. Just give the baby some time to flounder about (may take more than one session) and soon you will see them kicking, smiling, chewing the toys like it is their home.
6. BIGGEST TIP: Go on a weekday! This is crazy, but the weekday package is cheaper and comes with a hamper of goodies (will write more about them in the subsequent posts). You literally get all the attention and the whole place to yourself . For working parents, just try to get the Friday evening slot and you probably get the best of both world. *winks*