good infant life jacket

skennelly

Can anybody recommend a quality infant life preserver?  Our little one will be 5 months old come boat launch on April 1st and want to be ready.

Thanks

aero3113

We purchased this Stearns infant life jacket for our daughter off of amazon. It was one of her first Christmas presents she opened! 

tk1973

http://www.salusmarine.com/?products=bijoux-baby-vest

Is is the one I bought our baby last year. She just turned one and used it all summer. It’s impossible for their heads to go under with it on. Saw it at the boat show last year and was sold. 

Cableguy Greg

I got the same one for my daughter when she was an infant. I also have a Guava crib that I use on the boat. Hoping to get one more year out of the crib before I have to figure something else out.

Handymans342

That life jacket is amazing! In fact @Michael T still uses his.  RLMAO

rasbury

I have been so nervous about taking little ones on the boat- my great grandson I've never taken out as if something happened to the boat and me, well it's hard to imagine the thought...I will look into this as I'd love to get the little ones out.

Michael T

Ras get them on the water away from the idiots in the malls and the basement video games. Hook 'em on the water lifestyle and they will prosper.....they may be broke like us (LOL) but otherwise they will prosper! LOVE to see kids on the water......3 person Yamaha PWC so grand daughter would have a ride!

Dream_Inn

Ras, definitely get them out on the water! If you need to be cautious, make it a short safe trip close to shore.  They will love it!  My kids started out like pictured in this topic, both were weeks or months old on the boat.  Now they are 17 and 14 and still love boating!

rasbury

Your all right....

Cableguy Greg

My 3 year old daughter loves the boat. She talks about it all the time, even in the winter. She has been on the water since she was 5 months old. She is a true river rat! Lol. 

skennelly

Thanks everyone really helped.

Cableguy Greg

@skennelly, my wife and I also have our daughter in swim lessons. She has been doing that since she was 4 months old. We went to a place called Goldfish Swim School, where the pool room is 90* and the pool is also 90*. That way everyone enjoys swimming. When they are that young, a parent gets to go into the pool with them. I was the lucky parent and got to do some father/daughter bonding, which i will always cherish. When they get older, they go in on their own with the instructor with the parents watching from a separate area. Goldfish is a franchise based in the Chicago area. If you have one local, I would highly consider getting your little one signed up. Getting them used to the water young makes boating more enjoyable. We also have an Intex raft called Relaxation Station. It has a mesh center which allows us to take our daughter out of the boat and into the river. I keep it on the boat stored under one of the seats. 

skennelly

@Cableguy Greg - great post.  That's the exact school we chose Goldfish swim school.  We can't wait her first session is the first week of March.

skennelly

tk1973 - That life jacket you posted...is it USCG approved?

tk1973

Not sure to be honest. I’m in Canada. I’m sure it would say on their website. 

skennelly

Ended up going with this life jacket.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071J3V714/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Cableguy Greg

Cool. When she gets older, she can go into a Puddle Jumper life jacket. Much cooler for her when she is moving around. How was Goldfish? Did you dunk her under water?

skennelly

Goldfish is really fun...we had 2 sessions already and yeah she got dunked at both.  She handled it really good.  She's the youngest in the class being 4 months...so really just getting accustomed to being in water at this point.  So funny to they gave us a list of things she needs to work on and #1 is pool songs.  ha ha

Stodge

I was 2 when I got swimming lessons.  Back then they tossed you into the pool and told you to get to the edge.  I think the "instruction" consisted of showing me to exhale when I put my head in the water.  Really hated those classes.  But they worked.  I don't swim pretty but I don't drown.

skennelly

Yeah I had swim lessons much later in life like 10 or 12 years old I think.  It really hurt me in terms of swimming skills.  I suck at treading water for more than a few minutes...I have to resort to floating on my back.  I want my daughter to really be comfortable in the water.

06Rinker270

I really enjoyed this post as we are getting ready to take our 3 1/2 month old for the first time.  We got the USCG jacket.  Has anyone ever put a kiddy pool ON the boat or am I asking for trouble? Doesn’t need to be a ton of water; just enough to keep her cool.  

skennelly

@06Rinker270 - I'm not sure about putting it on the boat itself, but my wife bought an inflatable pool with an umbrella attachment for use on the dock.  If you are at the dock I don't see a reason why you couldn't put it on the boat...just not while underway.

skennelly

@06Rinker270 - I think this might be it....not an inflatable.

https://www.amazon.com/Step2-Play-and-Shade-Pool/dp/B004M05IK6/

06Rinker270

@skennelly I was thinking the same and no, definitely not under way.  Something I can inflate and put a little cool water in. 

Have you guys had an overnight(or even for naps) with the baby yet?  Curious what other use for sleeping arrangements.  

skennelly

@06Rinker270 - Yes we have spent 2 overnights with the baby so far and she did great.  Admiral, baby and dog get the V birth..baby closest to the anchor and Daddy sleeps in the aft bunk.  We are very lucky to have a baby that sleeps very well.

Admiral told me this for Memorial weekend possibly spending Saturday to Monday on the boat since the baby sleeps so well.

The only problem with the pool in the boat is having to step over it all the time.  With a 31/2 month you might be able to get away with a rubbermaid container

aero3113

@06Rinker270 we bought something like this for our 10 month old daughter. Should just fit on the platform and has a sun canopy.

Dude_Himself

I've seen the inflatable pool - sans water - used. It's a nice air cushion if they fall over. Kid was given a squirt toy and shade and entertained for hours while we had an adult conversation.

My kids want in the water the second we get to the ramp. It's a struggle.

Cableguy Greg

We have this for giving baths to our daughter. It has a too "Hot" indicator in it as well, which is nice.

https://www.amazon.com/Munchkin-White-Hot-Inflatable-Duck/dp/B000066665?th=1

skennelly

We have one of those ducks too @Cableguy Greg.  ha ha cover all options to keep her happy