Video of a 16-month-old baby swimming in a pool unattended is stirring controversy.
Adam Christensen posted the video of his daughter, Elizabeth, on YouTube.
She was trained by a professional instructor. But some parents are chiming in, questioning whether it is safe.
Christensen told CNN safety is always his first priority.
“When I first watched her in there, every time she went face down I was like ‘Oh my goodness, she can’t breathe,’” he said. “I was just worried to death, but the instructor assured us that she was just fine. The instruction is not actually teaching them how to swim, but rather engaging their reflexes. There are a lot of aspects of the video that I understand where people are very worried, like for example, there’s nobody in the pool with her. Well, if you watch lifeguards, you’ll notice that they’re because it’s actually easier to jump in and save somebody when you’re on the side of the pool rather than wading through the water.
In the description for the YouTube video, Christensen says he is a registered nurse and his wife is a former lifeguard.
“We didn’t teach her ourselves” Christensen said. “We wanted a professional, somebody that was certified to do that, but we still are able to recognize warning signs, when they’re fatigued.
Christensen said some experts warn against the use of flotation devices, so swim lessons are the better option.
“The whole point of the program is to get the student to lay down flat on their back or on their stomach,” he said. “Flotation devices teach them to stay upright and if you’re upright, you sink down to the bottom.”
Elizabeth loves the water and swims up to three times a day, she even dives under water to pick up toys, Christensen said.
“As you can see in the video, she’s not coughing or choking,” he said. “She’s gasping, but that’s normal. She’s trained and she knows that all she has to do is flip over. I love my little girl and I would never do anything that would hurt her.”
