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Discover the Aquatic World with Our Swimming Classes for Babies and Children!
At Baby Survival Swim, we are passionate about teaching little ones to enjoy the water in a safe and fun way. We want to get to know you better to offer you the best possible experience.
Fill out the form so we can help you choose the ideal course for your child
Welcome to Baby Survival Swim!
An effective and comprehensive swimming program that respectfully teaches a child “Water Competencies" and Self-Rescue skills in the event that he finds himself in the water unexpectedly. This means: learning to float and ask for help or reaching the wall and self rescue. Classes are every day for 4 weeks.
Founded in 2005 by Toti Fernández, world triathlon champion, author, entrepreneur, paramedic and a mother with the purpose of preventing drownings, the leading cause of accidental death in children 1 to 4-year-old and second in children 5 to 14.(CDC).
Drowning is quick and silent!
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in its drowning prevention policies recommends applying several "layers" or "barriers" to prevent a child's access to the water: non-climbable pool fences, direct supervision when in or near the water, USCG approved life jackets, do not use arm floats (they are dangerous) and the last “layer” of prevention and the most important: teach children “water competencies”. This is a layer of prevention that a child always carries and can help save his life if the other “layers” fail to prevent access to water.
The Baby Survival Swim method meets all AAP recommendations regarding the type of swimming lessons, quality and temperature of the environment and the water. We have courses that start from 4-months-old to 7-years-old or more. No one should be left without learning to swim.
Our Courses
Water
Adaptation
4 to 9 months old.
Recommended by pediatricians.
8 classes/month and continues month by month
self rescue
10-months-old to 7-years-old or older.
20 classes 1/month
Final Test: Graduation
Advanced
Swimming
Graduates from
Self-Rescue or Water Adaptation
1 to 3 times a week
First
Aid and Pediatric CPR
ECSI International Certification (Emergency Care and Safety Institute).
Duration: 5 hours.
Testimonials of Survivors
playlist
7 Videos
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Last Monday we went swimming at a club. My husband stayed with the kids in the kids pool while I went to the restaurant on the 2nd level. I walked over to the balcony facing the pool to tell them it was time to go out, and my husband went out to get the towels but left the kids in the pool. I watched as our little boy, Hans, lost his balance and sank, and in a couple of seconds he was already doing the back float! As much as I yelled to warn that he had fallen, no one heard me. Although there were many people in and out of the pool, no one noticed, not even the two lifeguards on duty, as they were all watching the World Cup soccer match. Hans floated on his back until my husband came in to get him out. The course not only teaches children the tools to save themselves, but also gives them security and self-confidence to make decisions in an emergency situation.
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Thank you so much Baby Survival Swim for teaching my daughters to float and survive in the water! We were able to see the good results just a few weeks after finishing the course. My second daughter, Lili, 2 years old, fell into the pool. He immediately managed to float up and yell for help. We were all around the pool with her, but no one had noticed that she had fallen. Thanks to the self-rescue course and skills, my daughter was able to float long enough to call for help and wait for rescue.
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Eduardo García (father of Javier, 3 years old, and Adrián, 2 years old) I have two children, 3 and 2 years old. I was in a hotel pool with Javier, three years old, while on the other side of the pool I saw my youngest son fall into the water, Adrian, two years old. I ran to rescue him. There were seconds of anguish. Upon arrival, my son floated calmly on his back calling out to me. I realized how important the course had been. Baby Survival Swim not only saves lives, but children can enjoy the water safely.
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Three years ago, in the middle of winter, we made a getaway to our beach apartment located in a town called Sabinillas, very close to Malaga, Spain. My children love to go there because we have a veranda with a garden and a swimming pool (we live in an apartment in Casablanca, Morocco).
Within minutes of arriving, screams and crying could be heard coming from outside. We ran out to see what was happening and we found our 3-year-old son, Ubai, in the middle of the pool with his face out of the water, let's say he had done the back float, it wasn't perfect but good enough to save himself, there was no finished the course, maybe he had done about 3 weeks, but thanks to this, he was able to save his life. His father pulled him out of the water, we sheltered him and he kept crying because he got scared. Now we look back on the incident and know that the Baby Survival Swim course was the best investment we could have made, even more so without knowing that it would actually save my son's life.
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Kayss started her baby survival swim course when she was 17 months old. she cried a lot at the beginning but in the second week she was already doing "the back float". Her crying changed in tone, it was no longer fearful, but rather complaining. She complained for 6 weeks but always did what the instructor asked her to do.
During the start of the course he refused to enter other pools. When he finished the course he continued going once a week to practice and now to learn to swim. Something clicks in Kayss and he stops crying and now he wants to go to his class and he starts to love the pool. One day we were in Marrakech at my parents' house, where we have an indoor pool inside a room with the door always locked. Kayss was just over two years old, when suddenly I see him come back with his clothes all wet. When we went to check the pool, the gate was open! He must have gone in, he approached the edge to grab a toy and fell into the water, but he managed to get out by his own means. He was proud but a little scared. Thanks to Baby Survival Swim, we were not victims of the tragedy of losing our son to drowning.
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Ferdi was 4 years old when he took the Baby Survival Swim course. We had just moved from London to Casablanca, and we decided that the intensity of the course and its short duration was a good option for Ferdi to learn to swim as quickly as possible.
Ferdi was a very athletic and obedient boy, so it didn't take long for him to learn to float on his back. He graduated from the self-rescue course and we decided that he would follow the advanced classes once a week so that now he could learn to swim. Ferdi loved going to his classes, improving, socializing, playing and feeling comfortable in a heated pool. A few weeks ago, we were at the Bin El Ouidan lake in Morocco, fishing. While we were standing on a raft, Ferdi lost his balance and fell into the lake. I saw him fall. Before jumping in to save him, he wanted to see how he would react. I was thrilled and filled with pride when I saw him swim faster than he had fallen, towards the shore. At that moment I said to my son: "Do you realize that what you learned in the Baby Survival Swim saved your life?" And he replied: "Yes, thanks to Monica"
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It happened in the Mediterranean Sea when we were camping in the north of Morocco. At one point, my eyes fell on Lilo, my oldest 3-year-old son. He was pushing his limits feeling very confident swimming underwater after a month at the beach.
Suddenly I heard people screaming and running into the ocean as if they had just seen a one and a half year old lost at sea. I looked in the same direction but I didn't have the same reaction: They were running to rescue the poor boy, I was walking calmly, congratulating Ness for her “self rescue” and for floating so well on her back. When I pulled him out of the water, Ness wasn't laughing, of course, but she wasn't panicking either. What I didn't expect was for the witnesses to start insulting and yelling at me. They clearly considered me a bad mother and a potential murderer. I tried to explain to them that I knew my boy was safe when I saw him floating on his back, he had finished a 5 week baby survival swim course and he was the best baby floating!, but they did not listen or understand me (me in French and they in Arabic). At one point I got angry for being attacked at this point since I consider myself the opposite (I am a mother hen, overprotective, I fought and made an effort for my children to go from Mohamedia to Casablanca (approx. 50 km), every day for 5 weeks to complete the course, while working at the same time). My reaction was to throw Ness into the water and let her do her “survival show” in front of the attackers. They couldn't believe it with their own eyes! Their angry faces turned into happy faces, as if they had seen an angel or God himself. This time, they lined up to kiss Ness. I know, she's an angel!
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I am very sensitive to the issue of child drowning accidents. In fact, I am an Emergency Doctor at SAMU (Emergency Medical Services) in France.
I have had to face several situations of children who have suffered accidental drowning where death or brain damage has occurred. It's always the same story, everything happens so fast, a few minutes, even seconds when these tragedies occur. Even the protections required by law in France and many developed countries fail (alarms, barriers, fences, the door that someone forgets to close...) Children fall into swimming pools, lakes, canals, etc. On a personal note, my two-year-old daughter became overconfident with arm-floats one summer because of her days in the pool. One day she forgot she wasn't wearing them and jumped into the water. There was never a sound to alert us or any "splash", and she went straight to the bottom. I was lucky to see her and save her, but for a long time she didn't want to get in a pool. This is why we never wanted a pool where we lived. When someone told me about the Baby Survival Swim courses that Mónica Fernández taught, I contacted her, after some questions, I enrolled my two daughters, ages 3 and 4. I even took them out of the school before, after speaking with the school director, since Monica did not have space at the times that suited us, but for me it was a matter of priority. After the 5 weeks of the course, the result was magnificent, I was very proud to see them swimming like little fish, independent and safe, always turning around to float on their backs either to get air or to rest and then continue swimming to hold on to the shore. . After the course, they continued with the advanced classes learning the swimming technique. But the base, safety, my first priority! Thank you Baby Survival Swim!!
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I am the mother of two children, Mamoon, 5, and Hamza, 3 and a half. My oldest son, when he was only 2 years old, fell into the pool at home. Luckily I was there. After this incident, Mamoon did not want to go near a swimming pool again.
I started taking them to the Baby Survival Swim course with Mónica Fernandez in Casablanca, Morocco, in mid-June 2009. At first it was difficult because the children did not want to get in the pool. The instructor was very patient, and at the end of the first week they asked to go "to their classes" themselves. After the 5 week course they were fully independent, swimming and floating on their backs to breathe. In the middle of July, I was having dinner with my husband inside the house when I heard Hamza crying and shouting “I am cold. I'm cold. Quick faster..." We ran out into the garden, and there he was, Hamza in his pajamas and slippers all wet. Mamoon, my eldest, began to laugh at his brother in a mocking tone "Hamza fell into the pool and came out wet" It was So when we realized the importance of this course, the lives of our children are priceless! I had no camera to show Monica what a great job she has done, my son was saved thanks to what he learned in this course! Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Baby Survival Swim.
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Hello, my name is Sara Fernández, and now I am going to tell you how the Baby Survival Swim course that my son took saved his life. I am Spanish but I have lived in Casablanca for several years; I met Mónica Fernández through some mutual friends,
She explained to me the courses she taught, survival swimming, and I decided to take my son, who was a year and a half at the time; What I didn't know at the time was that this decision was going to save my son's life. First, I must explain that I consider myself a "super protective" mother, a "mother hen", one of those who does not take their eyes off her son for even half a second. One placid day in May, I met several of my friends and their children at a friend's house. As it was spring, it wasn't too hot yet and some children decided to get into the pool, and others, like my son, decided not to wear their swimsuits and play ball in the garden. We were sitting just ten feet away from them. We looked while we chatted... but it was then, in tenths of a second, that I withdrew my attention, when I heard my son call me, "mama, mama" I immediately turned my gaze towards the garden, which is where he had been a few seconds ago, playing at the ball; When I didn't see him, I got nervous, I looked around because I didn't know where his call came from... my surprise was, when I approached the big and deep pool, I saw him in the middle, fully dressed and with his shoes on , floating on her back as she called out to me. I went in to take him out calmly, because he was calm, he felt safe doing the back float. He transmitted serenity to me, he was not afraid... he knew what he had to do, he had done it many times in class. It was when we got home, when I told my husband about it, that we became fully aware of what could have been, and how our lives could have turned into hell, for that split second when you lose focus. Taking him to the Baby Survival Swim course has been, so far, the best investment and decision of my life. I hope this testimony helps many mothers to make the decision to take their children to the course to avoid a tragedy, as thank God it did not happen to us. Thank you Monica for your professionalism; Ander misses your classes a lot.
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When we lived in Morocco, the good weather made it possible to have a pool in the garden of the house. But its location, so close to the exit door of the room, scared my husband and me because of our daughter, who was 10 months old.
So at 10 months we decided to enroll her in Baby Survival Swim's baby survival swim course. We were convinced that it was the best and safest option, not only because we had a pool at home, but also in case we went on vacation or to friends' houses with a pool, or to the sea. We were also convinced that it would be something we would never get a chance to check out, as we never took our eyes off it every time we were in the garden and always kept the pool access gate locked and locked for security. One day, while my husband and I were taking a bath in the pool, with her, when we got out of the water, while we were putting on our towel, it fell into the water. I can't even say that I had my back turned and I didn't see her, that I answered the phone or that I was careless. My daughter's leg was touching my knee when she fell! but, although both my husband and I were about to jump into the water to get it out, we wanted to see how it would react on its own: and we verified that the course was effective!!!! he did exactly what he had repeated so many times in his classes: when he resurfaced, he lay on his back to breathe and very calmly, as if it were a game, he called me. Since I didn't take it out, it turned around, swam and turned over on its back to breathe, and so on until it reached the edge and was able to grab on, which was another of the exercises that it did in class. Although we (not her) were nervous, it was a precious moment in which we could see that she could save her life in case of an accident and fall into the water. It has been without a doubt one of the best things we have done for her and the best money invested. What we liked the most and what influenced us to do the course with Monica is that it was not a simple swimming course but rather individualized attention for my daughter with her instructor. In those 10-15 minutes there was no one else but the two of them in the water and her instructor was committed to teaching my daughter (with games, laughter and lots of love too) to save her life in a dangerous situation. I will always be grateful to them for something so important.
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My daughter was saved thanks to the course. We went to Iztapa, Guatemala to show a couple of American friends the Pacific Ocean. We asked a boatman to take us across the channel to see the Ocean up close, none of us had life jackets because it was only about 20 meters to get to the other side. .
The boat's propeller got caught in some seaweed and our American friend jumped out of the boat and into the water to untangle it. When he jumped, the boat couldn't resist the force of the jump and capsized (we lost phones and a tablet). It wasn't deep because we could stand on the muddy bottom, the water was chest deep. The first thing I did when I stood up was desperately looking for my daughter. A few seconds later I see her floating 10 meters away. She was crying, she was scared but she had managed to position herself in relation to the surface and was floating on her back while we came to rescue her. Thanks to Baby Survival Swim my daughter was saved. In that murky water we couldn't have found it if it had been below the surface.
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In just 4 sessions I was able to appreciate the value of the course. My daughter Camila, after finishing her class, while she was in the playground, fell alone to the bottom without any adult inside. Thanks to what she learned in the few Baby Survival Swim classes, she floated on her back until the instructor got into the water to get her out.
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My son Marcelo was on a foolproof ride when his cousins accidentally knocked him over. I saw him fall from the dining room. Seeing the incident, I screamed and rushed to her rescue. When I got closer to the edge of the pool,
I watched as it surfaced and floated to await rescue. Just what you learned in the Baby Survival Swim course. Marcelo applied the learned skill. The course is worth 100%. As much as we take care of them and be cautious, it is best to give them the tools. It's up to them to survive, they have that last chance if all else fails.
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Yesterday at Lake Atitlán in Guatemala, we were having breakfast, Matías my 3-year-old son was playing near the edge of the pool and without anyone noticing he fell fully dressed in tennis shoes.
He was floating on his back, not screaming for help, but floating and breathing, the girl he was playing with warned us. Thank you Baby Survival Swim, I never expected to see the effectiveness of the course, you will never want to try it, but the course saved her life.
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He was floating on his back, not screaming for help, but floating and breathing, the girl he was playing with warned us. Thank you Baby Survival Swim, I never expected to see the effectiveness of the course, you will never want to try it, but the course saved her life.
Two months later, we were at a hotel rooftop pool, my husband was right next to the children and my father was next to him, I was there too. The phone rang and I stood up and looked away, my husband turned to say something to my dad, and within seconds, Noah lost his balance and went under. As soon as it fell, it floated up and started yelling “mommy, mommy”, I dropped my phone and ran to the shore, my husband was closer and jumped to pick it up; He told me "I swear I turned around for a few seconds to say something to your dad, then I heard the screams." I took the towel and comforted him. I told Noah he did what he was supposed to do, he was crying. We were in shock at how quickly everything happened, we were directly supervising our children. With Ian, who also took the course 2 1/2 years ago, I never had a chance to see if the course worked (no one wants their child to demonstrate their self-rescue skills in real life). I think if he hadn't learned to float and scream, I wouldn't be telling the same story. The course technique is effective and I am very happy that Baby Survival Swim exists and works.
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Do you want to be part of a team
that helps save lives?
Baby Survival Swim Center in your town
Be a Baby Survival Swim Center in your city and offer our 3 safety-focused swim programs.
Ages from 4 months to 7 years or older.
Frequently Asked Questions
What courses do you have?
We have 4 courses:
WATER ADAPTATION: Psychomotor development focused on safety and aquatic independence. Ages 4 to 9 months. Classes 2 times a week. The value of the course is Q2,400.00 per month.
SELF-RESCUE: Learn "water competencies" (submerge, float, reach the wall, hold on, ask for help, swim with clothes). Ages 10 months-old to 7 years-old or older. The course lasts 4 weeks, classes are every day from Monday to Friday. The value of the course is Q4,800.00.
ADVANCED SWIMMING: Only for students who have participated in our Adaptation to Water and/or Self-Rescue programs. Classes 1 and 2 times a week.
FIRST AID and CPR COURSE: From ECSI (Emergency Care and Safety Institute). International Certification, valid for 2 years. Check for rates and special discounts.
Our method is based on a "work-reward" system, 10 min of individual class and 10 min of play with water toys. We take biosecurity measures.
What schedules do you have?
You can choose your most convenient schedule according to our availability. We are open from Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 16:30.
Where are you located?
Our location:
15 Calle 1-11 Zone 10
Waze: Edificio TerraEsperanza
Guatemala
Do you only have the self-rescue course or also swimming?
We have 3 more programs:
*Adaptation to Water for children from 4 to 9 months-old.
*Advanced Swimming Program for children who have graduated from the Self-Rescue or Water Adaptation programs.
*Course in First Aid and CPR.
The classes are individual. Our instructors are certified coaches under the American Swimming Coaches Association who also have an international certification in first aid and CPR from ECSI (Emergency Care and Safety Institute).
Is the pool heated?
The pool meets the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations for water temperature and quality for infants 3 months-old and older.
The water temperature is 32.5 degrees Celsius (91 F).
We have biosecurity measures.
Will my baby cry?
The answer is probably YES.
Children under 3 years of age have a natural rejection towards strangers or strangers, which is totally normal at these stages of development. The problem is that at these ages they also lack a "Danger Awareness" and have not yet developed a respect for water. They don't know that drowning exists. Most children see water and want to go to it.
If your baby cries, be patient, after a couple of days the instructor becomes a familiar friend and guide with whom you will develop a bond of trust.
Why is the class is only 10 minutes?
It's 20 min in the pool: 10 minutes of class with the instructor and 10 minutes of play with his mother (toy area) under our "Work-Reward" system.
10 minutes is the proven attention span and retention time at these ages.
The method is based on repetition and the development of muscle memory, thus optimizing Sensory-Motor progress.
The 10 minutes of class are continuous. Your child does NOT have to wait for his turn.
The class is personalized and adapts to each child´s individual needs.
The instructors are highly trained professionals with local and international certifications.
Why are the Self-Rescue classes every day?
The Self-Rescue course is effective because the classes are every day and so enough is retained to move on to the next day. This is how children learn to crawl and walk: practicing every day. This is also how they learn "water competencies" and Self-Rescue.
Is there a test class?
We do not offer a test class for the Self-Rescue course. Why?
Children come to a new environment with a new and unknown instructor, so they tend to reject this new experience even before trying it. This is a normal reaction in children that begins around 8 to 11 months of age: "rejection to strangers."
A test class does not reference a method that requires a learning process. Parents should research, evaluate, and decide what type of evidence-based swim program will be most effective for their child. The answer is not in a test class. In addition, the course is every day, so after a couple of days the instructor becomes an acquaintance, friend and guide.
Do you receive children with special needs?
Our method is personalized so the instructor adapts to the abilities of each child and his needs. We strongly believe in inclusion. We have taught children with autism, Asperger's, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and breath holding spells.
What certification do the instructors have?
Each Baby Survival Swim instructor undergoes 80 hours of in-water training with a Master Instructor and real students, in addition to receiving academic training in anatomy, physiology, child psychology, behavior and development, sensory-motor learning, and how each of these relates to the aquatic environment. They are certified coaches by the ASCA (American Swimming Coaches Association) and have an international certification in first aid and CPR from ECSI (Emergency Care and Safety Institute).
What can I expect and in how long?
The goal at Baby Survival Swim is for a child to learn in-depth water safety. In addition to learning to float, swim, and self-rescue, a child must also learn to respect the water.
In less than 4 weeks your child will learn to roll over and float from any position, call for help and wait for rescue or reach the wall and hold on.
This is a basic course to prepare your child with a layer or barrier of prevention that, if all other barriers fail, this experientially learned technique is "the layer of prevention" that your child always wears.
We recommend enrolling children in our advanced classes to continue learning to swim and the magic of enjoying the water safely.
Swimming is the only sport that can save your child´s life.
A few weeks ago we were on vacation and in the deep pool of the hotel there were some inflatable games (slides, slides, etc). My son, 3 and a half years old, was playing there, along with my husband. Then, my 2-year-old niece arrived, who also wanted to get in the pool. My husband went to the edge to grab it and that's when he heard a "splash" in the water.
It was my son, who had jumped down the slide without waiting for my husband to receive him. My husband was carrying my niece and since he was in the middle of the pool and it was deep, he saw how my son kicked to the surface, and at that moment, in a matter of seconds, he got into a floating position and stayed floating waiting. for my husband to go look for him. Taking my son to the course is one of the best decisions I've ever made. It is really reassuring to know that you will be able to be safe in a dangerous situation in a place where there is water. I never thought it could happen to us, but within seconds, even when my husband was there with him, it happened. If I hadn't known what to do, it could have ended badly.
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