Toddlers: 24 Months+
sohappy14
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Pool vest
sohappy14
member
What is a good life jacket for the pool? I thought the puddle jumper. I bought it for my almost 30lb lo and the arms were at his wrists after getting wet. Then he slipped and his head went forward and under water. He is really only in the baby pool 1.5 feet and I'm within an arms reach if him, but I want to feel safe and not be on complete top of him. He's 26 months. Every other mom there was sitting in a chair by the pool...I was literally following him around. Granted, some of the kids were prob 3 and I guess things change in a year, but still...thanks!!
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Re: Pool vest
You do realize that most pools require children under four to have an adult at least in the water with your LO? I am not sure why other mothers would want to do this but I would rather be in the water with my LO and have him learn to enjoy the water without any aids.
From other posts on this board, my wife and I might be in the minority.
DD just turned 3 but she has been playing in the baby pool "by herself" since she was 2 without any flotation devices. The baby pool is not very big or deep so we just sit on the side and watch. If they happen to go under you can still get to them in plenty of time (and honestly this rarely happens)
At just one she was walking around in the baby pool (she actually walked in the baby pool independently before she did it on land) with a noodle or something and I would follow her around in the baby pool. She went under several times but I was right there.
I just got water wings for her for the big pool. Mostly to give mom a break since she is usually attached to me and only me. She loves them and she floats really well with them (and doesn't flop over) . I obviously stay really close but it gives me a little break from holding her constantly. I tried some water wings on her last year (so right around 25-26 months) and at that point hated them. She just took a swim class and the lady actually said to not have them in water wings etc all the time since they need to be able to move around freely and feel what it is like int he water without anything, especially in the baby pool.
I hate the life jackets because they are so bulky and she just flailed around in them. Good for if you go boating and have an emergency but not so great in the pool (at least I don't think so)
At that age you absolutely need to follow him around. The parents of 3 year olds who were sitting in chairs are idiots. You should be within arms reach of a child at a pool at all times until they are a strong swimmer without any floatations devices. Honestly I don't even want to recommend any sort of vest because you're using it to not need to be on top of your child and that's very dangerous. Hold him in your arms in the water and when he's walking by the pool he needs to hold your hand. No exceptions and if he doesn't comply you leave. He'll learn quickly.
There is a huge difference between 2 and 3. DD2 will be 3 in a month, and she would probably be okay in a zero depth area of the pool without me being right next to her. At 2, I didn't trust her not to run and slip by the deeper pool, and I wasn't confident she would have been able to get up if she fell in the shallow 1ft deep area.
Our YMCA uses bubble belts for swimming lessons. They won't keep DC's face out of the water, but they will bring them to the surface, and they allow movement for swimming.
Like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002H4NRC
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