My baby is 10 months old and already knows how to swim without floaties but other parents judge me

• A 10-month-old baby has learnt ‘survival swimming’
• A video Hunter being dunked in a pool shocked some, but is essential training 
• READ MORE: The one mistake parents make when kids go missing in public

A 10-month-old baby has left hundreds of parents shocked after learning how to swim while fully dressed in winter clothing. 

A video of little Hunter being dropped into a pool without floaties stunned some parents as he was wearing heavy winter clothes, shoes, a long sleeve shirt and a nappy. 

But surprisingly the infant remained calm and knows exactly how to float to the surface with ease.

Under the watchful eye of a swimming instructor, Hunter performs a ‘survival float’ and swam on his own before turning over to float and reach for air. 

This ‘swim-float-swim’ technique is the most effective method when floating through rough, open water and requires little energy. 

Hunter and mum Heather, 30, attended a class at Ready, Set, Float! Infant Aquatics, in the US, which teaches children the essential skills required to help prevent drowning.

Little Hunter was plunged into a pool but knew exactly what to do. At 10 months old he already knew a ‘survival float’ to prevent drowning. This ‘swim-float-swim’ technique is the most effective method when floating through rough, open water and requires little energy

Hunter and mum Heather, 30, attended a class at Infant Aquatics, in the US, which teaches children the skills required to help prevent drowning

Brandie Russell, Survival Specialist at Ready, Set, Float! Infant Aquatics, shared the video of Hunter to the business’ Facebook group in 2020 and it’s since resurfaced. 

In the clip she tests Hunter by dipping him under the water several times. 

‘I went over every possible way that he could fall in if he ever found water on his own! This boy is water safe,’ she said. 

At the end of the video the little one then looks at the camera and smiles while floating. 

A follow-up video shows how Hunter perfected the technique by 18 months old.

Under the watchful eye of a swimming instructor, Hunter performs the ‘survival float’ and swam on his own before turning over to float and reach for air

By 18 months old (pictured) he was a confident swimmer. Hunter’s mum Heather told FEMAIL he learnt how to float in ‘days’ and was confident with the technique within weeks. ‘We have a creek on our property, and camp at the lake most of the summer, so it was really important to us to get Hunter into survival swim lessons,’ she said

Hunter’s mum Heather told FEMAIL he learnt how to float in ‘days’ and was confident with the technique within weeks. 

Taking him to swimming lessons also helped put her mind at ease if the worse were to happen. 

‘We have a creek on our property, and camp at the lake most of the summer, so it was really important to us to get Hunter into survival swim lessons,’ she said. 

‘Although we thankfully have never had an instance where Hunter has needed it, we find comfort in knowing Hunter can swim-float-swim to safety.’

Today Hunter is nearly four-years-old and ‘loves the water, is a confident swimmer’ and knows the survival techniques well. 

‘We are so proud of Hunter, and even more grateful for our infant survival lessons with Ready, Set, Float.’ 

Swim instructor: This is why parents should never buy blue swimming costumes for their kids

Certified swimming instructor Nikki Scarnati (pictured) said blue swimwear makes it far more difficult to supervise kids while playing in the water, and advise to purchase bright colours

Ms Russell said children need to be six to 14 months old to participate in the lessons and learn the survival float.

Training involves four sessions a week over four weeks and the class itself only takes 10 minutes. 

Children aged 15 months and older learn how to swim, roll and float to breathe then flip back over to swim.

While no child is ever completely safe from drowning, this method gives kids an extra layer of protection to know how to react to water by being able to roll onto their back to float and breathe. 

Adult supervision, a pool fence, swimming lessons, and knowing how to perform CPR are additional layers of protection and preventives for drowning.

READ MORE: Paramedic’s emergency warning: Why you should ALWAYS use water nappies on babies and toddlers in summer

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