Knowing whether to feed your baby before a swimming lesson is tricky enough but then you have to think of what exactly is best to feed them before swimming!
We’ve put together some tips on what is best to feed your baby and child before and after swimming…
For babies
For breastfed babies, it is usually fine to give a small feed up to an hour before a session. We don’t recommend a full bottle feed or solids in the hour before a session. We do advise however that your baby may need an extra feed AFTER a lesson as they will have burnt up lots of energy during the swimming session.
For Toddlers
We would advise leaving an hour between your toddler eating solid food and their swimming lesson. They often get hungry after their workout so be prepared with a snack afterwards.
For older children
We would advise leaving an hour between your child eating food and their swimming lesson.
What to eat before swimming?
We would suggest pre-swimming foods such as porridge oats, wholegrain breads and pasta, sweet potatoes, unsalted nuts, bagels, smoothies, or yoghurt. These will give your child a consistent supply of energy during their swimming lessons.
What to eat after swimming?
For post swimming, your body needs to recover from physical exertion and replenish energy and nutrient levels within an hour of leaving the pool.
Aim to feed your children healthy foods which are protein based such as lean chicken, turkey, oily fish, peanut butter, low fat milk or cheese. To restore vital nutrients, it’s important to pair these with a variety of fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamins and minerals. We love an apple with peanut butter spread after swimming!
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