HELD IN WATER

Nurturing connection, confidence, and joy in the water.

Gentle beginnings. Lifelong confidence in water

Your baby’s first experiences with water matter.
They shape not only safety and comfort—but trust, regulation, and connection.

Held in Water offers intentional, relationship-based water experiences for babies, families, and caregivers—beginning in the bath and extending into the water together.

I N T R O D U C I N G

BATH BABIES

Your baby’s earliest experiences with water shape how they feel in it for years to come.

Bath Babies is a five-week, in-person experience designed for babies ages 0–6 months and their caregivers.
It offers a slow, supportive introduction to water through gentle handling, nervous-system-aware practices, and simple rituals you can return to at home.

This is not about performance or milestones. It is about presence, safety, and relationship.

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WORK WITH ME ONE-ON-ONE

30-minute consultations | Limited availability

If you’re looking for personalized support, one-on-one consultations are available.

These sessions are ideal for: Parents navigating fear, overwhelm, or uncertainty around water, families preparing for swim lessons or new water environments, swim teachers and professionals seeking mentorship or guidance, or anyone who wants clear, grounded answers from lived experience

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SPRING SWIM CLASSES

R E G I S T R A T I O N O P E N S F E B R U A R Y

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For families continuing their journey with water, our spring swim sessions build gently on the foundation of early trust and familiarity.

Children are supported in developing water confidence, safety awareness, and early swim skills through calm, relationship-based instruction. Each class is structured to respect individual readiness while encouraging growth.

This is not about rushing milestones—it’s about creating a lasting, positive relationship with water.

Join the mailing list to receive early access when registration opens.

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Family Swim Retreat

February 2027

Held in Water also creates opportunities for families to gather, slow down, and deepen their relationship with water together.

An intimate retreat for families who want to learn, connect, and experience water as a shared language.

Details will be announced in 2026.

Teacher Training

Launching August 2026

Held in Water also creates opportunities for families to gather, slow down, and deepen their relationship with water together.

An intimate retreat for families who want to learn, connect, and experience water as a shared language.

Details will be announced in 2026.

Instant Water Rituals & Resources

Gentle practices and simple rituals you can bring into your home, bath, or daily rhythm.

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MEET HANNAH

Founder of Held In Water • Gentle Swim Educator • Somatic Water Guide

Hannah introduces babies to water through presence, gentle touch, and boundaries that feel safe. Here, families learn the language of trust — one that creates deep and lasting bonds. With over 30 years of experience, Hannah brings a lifetime of devotion to helping babies, parents, and caregivers feel held in water.

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OUR APPROACHES

At Held In Water, learning in water is a journey of connection, confidence, and discovery. Rooted in somatic principles and guided by the wisdom of infant development, Hannah’s methods support:

Respectful, Child-Led Techniques

Each activity honors your child’s unique rhythm and curiosity, supporting a gentle and gradual introduction to water.

By fostering warmth and trust, we help children feel secure and at ease, making water a source of joy and confidence.

Building a Positive Relationship with Water

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Our sessions encourage physical coordination, emotional resilience, and deepen the parent-child bond, all within a mindful, supportive environment.

Whole-Body Development

CREATE BOUNDARIES, NOT FEAR

Water can become a place of comfort and confidence — not overwhelm.
Through somatic language, body awareness, and gentle movement, we support your child in exploring water with trust and curiosity rather than fear.

WHAT FAMILIES ARE SAYING

  • Tylee

    Having a child with special needs doesn’t always allow for easy water introduction. She was weary of everyone and even more weary of unfamiliar situations.  The lack of social isolation and my daughter’s way of processing her world around her could have ended in disaster for her swimming future. But thankfully for us, because of Hannah, it did not. It ended up with the most fantastic outcome, our precious girl at five years old became a swimmer.

    We can thank Hannah for that! She was more than patient with our daughter’s timing in the water. She allowed our daughter to find her own rhythm and love for swimming in her own unique way.  Hannah has given our daughter the gift of water independence.

  • Nancy

    As parents, Hannah has given us the confidence and skills through each session to help our daughter feel confident in the water. 

    ​Our daughter has enjoyed each swim session and is always excited for her next session with Hannah. She has helped us navigate the fear as first-time parents and introduced our daughter to the water. Seeing the progress of each session has been so rewarding. Hannah is our daughter’s swim instructor and has become family to us.

  • Meghan

    Working with Hannah had been life changing. The bond I have developed with my daughter through our time in water have become some of the most cherished and precious moments I have with my litter girl. Rayna is not even 2 yet and already she can climb in and out of the pool that has no stairs just a ladder.

    Every fear I had surrounding water has been drastically improved with the help of Hannah's calm, kind and gentle approach. I would say the changes in ME are what truly shock me. Everyday I know I can confidently enter the pool with Rayna and know she will be okay. Know we can handle it together. Rayna is so close to swimming on her own and I counted down the days until I could have Rayna in the Water with Hannah again. She is worth the investment and I honestly have never met anyone who loves water as much as Hannah. Water is a window into each of our souls and Hannah is the Water Whisperer.

STAY CONNECTED

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Hannah Freeman | hoodriver@heldinwater.com