Swimming for newborn babies gaining popularity in Beijing, Guangdong

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, November 27, 2003

Swimming for newborn babies gaining popularity in Beijing, Guangdong

Swimming for newborn babies is becoming increasingly popular in the Chinese capital of Beijing and southern Guangdong province.

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Swimming for newborn babies is becoming increasingly popular in the Chinese capital of Beijing and southern Guangdong province.

During the training course, the babies, many only about a dozen days old, are put into small pools filled with warm water, and float with the help of life rings.

The air temperature inside the room is maintained at around 28 degrees Celsius, and the water temperature in the swimming pool is kept around 38 degrees.

Before starting swimming, the babies will have to be fed with enough milk and receive special training, experts say.

Swimming for newborn babies is not only good to the growth of babies' bones and muscles, but can strengthen heart, brain and lung functions, said Pan Xin, director of the "New Mum Post-delivery Service Center".

"Together with their active movement, the water pressure and buoyancy are very helpful to the growth of the babies' nervous and secretion systems," Pan Xin added.

Prof. Wang Shanmi, director of the gynecology and obstetrics department of the People's Hospital in Beijing, said the training would greatly develop the babies' brain potential.

So far, more than 4,000 babies in Guangdong province have tried the method.

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