Carla Hughes
My name is Carla and I am a fully qualified Birthlight and STA Infant Aquatics Teacher. In 2005, I trained with a swim school in Cambridge that specialise in the ‘Birthlight technique'. This technique encourages parents to understand their baby's cues and by taking a soft and gentle approach, babies learn water confidence through the support of the parent and love of the water. We also focus on working with the natural primitive reflexes that babies are born with and help to integrate these reflexes to achieve their developmental milestones. Having taught babies to swim over many years, including my own daughter, I have become increasingly aware of the benefits for babies / children of learning water confidence from a very young age and the parent and child bonding that results from being in water. Our aim is to bring parent and baby / child together through our ‘Nurturing Babies in Water’ and ‘Baby Swim Splash’ classes in a safe, friendly and fun environment that best suits the needs of you and your baby.
In 2012 our daughter was born and it was my turn to put into practice what I had learnt and taught over the years. As soon as her umbilical cord came off, I floated her in the bath. She was 10 days old. From there on in, we bathed together feeling skin on skin and our bond truly began to grow. If I had trouble soothing her, or she had problems sleeping, we had a bath together. On the days when parenting became challenging, I found a trip to our local swimming pool a place where we could connect and have fun. I can honestly say that the bond that was formed in those early days has helped us to build a close relationship.
"I feel very privileged to be involved with, and allowed to observe, the wonderful process of parent and baby creating their own special bond and relationship with the water. I have the best job in the world!"
Qualifications
Birthlight Diploma in Infant Aquatics
Birthlight Aquatic Nurture for Newborns
ASA LEVEL 1
STA Level 2 Diploma in Aquatic Teaching (Baby and Pre-School)
STA Level 3 Diploma in Aquatic Teaching (Baby and Pre-School)
Rhythmic Movement Training - Reflex School Readiness
STA Safety Award for Teachers
STA Safeguarding Children, Young People & Vulnerable Adults
CRB Certified updated yearly
Regularly attend Compulsory Professional Development (CPD)
My name is Jo and I am a fully qualified STA infant aquatics teacher. I am also a qualified Speech and language therapist, so communication development is hugely important to me. Babies can communicate from the moment they are born. The swimming pool is a perfect place to build bonds with baby and nurture their really important early communication development. Swimming has always kept me healthy in body and mind, helped me meet new friends and given me confidence to be safe in and around water- opening up lots of opportunities I would have missed if I were not a good swimmer.
In 2015, after a chance discussion with my children’s swimming teacher I completed my Level swimming teacher qualification and began teaching older children to swim. However, my specialist area and passion has been working with babies and their parents to give them the best start in developing communication skills and a close bond. So, in 2017, I completed further training in Baby swimming and Joined Baby Swim Splash. The whole of Baby Swim Splash’s gentle, baby- led approach to swimming fits perfectly with how to support new parents and a baby’s development to make the most of those very special early years.
"Teaching and assisting at Baby Swim Splash is a time in my week when I slow down and focus on those truly magic moments in the pool. Through our classes I love watching babies and parents strengthen their communication, emotional bonds, exploring new experiences and developing new skills together. “
Qualifications
STA Safety Award for Teachers Level 2
STA Level 2 (Baby and Pre-School)
STA Safety Award for Teachers
STA Safeguarding Children, Young People & Vulnerable Adults
CRB Certified updated yearly
Regularly attend Compulsory Professional Development (CPD)
