So let's chat water safety!

RondackHiker · May 2014

It's getting warm and we will all likely be hitting pools and beaches soon. Water safety is huge. Drowning is the number two accidental cause of death and of the 750 children who drown each year, 375 will be within yards of a guardian and some adults will watch the child drown and have no idea it is happening. Why is that?
https://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/family/2013/06/rescuing_drowning_children_how_to_know_when_someone_is_in_trouble_in_the.html

Drowning DOES NOT look like drowning. Everyone needs to read and share the link above.

I'm a big stickler for water safety. Babies should be worn or held. If you use a baby float, your hand needs to be on it AT ALL TIMES. As you can imagine, that doesn't leave a ton of attention for another child so ideally one adult per nonswimming child. Even if your child can swim or has lessons, I consider under age five to be nonswimming.

If you're going to have two LOs to watch, put the older one in a coast guard approved flotation device and stick to shallow water where you can touch. Be aware lakes can have drop offs.

What if you can't swim? Then you should take lessons and you shouldn't go to the pool or lake without another swimming adult to help you. Period. Want to know how whole families drown? A kid wades a bit too deep in a lake and falls. The adults bolt in after him or her... And if they get in over their head they panic and drown.

I used to see or hear about it every summer growing up.

I also strongly believe children should have yearly PROFESSIONAL swim lessons from about age two until age twelve, and that getting their lifeguarding certification would be a good idea (and good money maker).

coralreefmom · May 2014

I've had to do so many rescues of under 5 kids because their parents thought they wouldn't wade past where their children can touch (former lifeguard instructor).

Thank you Rondack for this, especially the part about coastguard approved life jackets.

Allieb303 · May 2014

My in laws have a pool that has me worrying every second my DS is at their home. I know they love the crap out of their grandchildren and would never be negligent but an accident is an accident, never intentional, but death can happen. I agree wholeheartedly about water safety. A life-jacket does not equal safety or lessen the need for direct uninterrupted supervision.

emar129 · May 2014

I am a former lifeguard and swim instructor as well. This is all great info. Even if your child is a great swimmer, children still need supervision in an aquatic environment. You never know what could happen.

RondackHiker · May 2014

@Allieb303‌

Do they have a fence around the pool? Could you install an alarm that sounds when something drops in? Make a rule the kids must wear lifejackets or a similar appropriate device when in the pool area.

@cyclonewxchick‌

I made my first rescue at age 11 at a pool party. I've dragged children from the water since. I've also sat with my friends when they got shitfaced after a water rescue turned into a recovery (many friends used to be EMTs).

This happens SO FAST.

Allieb303 · May 2014

@RondackHiker‌ the pool is in the backyard which is fenced but the pool itself is not. They do have a mechanical pool cover that is impossible to get through without a key opening the motor but still they often leave the cover open to let the sun warm the water. I adore the idea of an alarm and will begin researching that immediately!! Thanks for the tip!

Metreky21 · May 2014

I'm thinking about having LO do these classes at 6 months. They are uber expensive but I'm hoping it's worth it. We have a pool in our backyard and will be getting a fence installed this summer but I'm still very paranoid. It's one of my worst nightmares.

Does anyone have experience with this? Can a 6 month old really learn to float on their backs?

https://www.infantswim.com

JackieP1023 · May 2014

We are a water family-we live on a lake, ILs have a pool, and they also have a lake house. Water is just a part of our lives. That being said, since our yard is NOT fenced, we won't allow LO outside by herself. At. All. Ever. We already have a life jacket for LO, and plan to slowly introduce to water, beginning with the mommy and me classes, and staying away from the boat/lake probably until next summer at least.

sdlaura · May 2014

Thanks for this post! We have a pool in our backyard and a custom fence around it that is hard for even adults to open. We've learned that the first thing we do whenever we go in the backyard is check the fence, just in case one of us happened to leave it open. Having DD (and DS when he's 6 months) in weekly swim lessons is a priority for us because of all the pools and water access in San Diego. DH is a former lifeguard and refuses to let her use any kind of floaties because he thinks they impart a false sense of security.

sdlaura · May 2014

Metreky21 said:

I'm thinking about having LO do these classes at 6 months. They are uber expensive but I'm hoping it's worth it. We have a pool in our backyard and will be getting a fence installed this summer but I'm still very paranoid. It's one of my worst nightmares. Does anyone have experience with this? Can a 6 month old really learn to float on their backs? https://www.infantswim.com

We looked into this because of our backyard pool but I think a great fence is a better investment. We started regular swim lessons with DD between like 6 and 8 months and she's already a pretty good swimmer and knows how to exit the pool at 20 months.

Metreky21 · May 2014

L12541 said:

Metreky21 said:

I'm thinking about having LO do these classes at 6 months. They are uber expensive but I'm hoping it's worth it. We have a pool in our backyard and will be getting a fence installed this summer but I'm still very paranoid. It's one of my worst nightmares.

Does anyone have experience with this? Can a 6 month old really learn to float on their backs?

https://www.infantswim.com

We looked into this because of our backyard pool but I think a great fence is a better investment. We started regular swim lessons with DD between like 6 and 8 months and she's already a pretty good swimmer and knows how to exit the pool at 20 months.

Thank you! So there are regular swim classes for babies as young as 6 months? That is great that your LO can exit a pool at that age! That would relieve a lot of my anxiety.

RondackHiker · May 2014

DreamingBabies said:

Metreky21 said:
I'm thinking about having LO do these classes at 6 months. They are uber expensive but I'm hoping it's worth it. We have a pool in our backyard and will be getting a fence installed this summer but I'm still very paranoid. It's one of my worst nightmares.

Does anyone have experience with this? Can a 6 month old really learn to float on their backs?

https://www.infantswim.com
My niece learned to do this. The videos my sister would send are awesome. They did all of the lessons with her fully dressed so that baby would know what do to even if she wasn't in a bathing suit. I think that this is a good emergency skill to have with a pool at home, and it can be followed by regular swim lessons.

Even with those lessons a fence around the pool is a must. I'd consider a door alarm and surface alarm a must as well.

notreal2 · May 2014

I was on the swim team and almost drowned in a wave pool, so yeah, you can NEVER be too cautious.

Soap1 · May 2014

DreamingBabies said:

I'm thinking about having LO do these classes at 6 months. They are uber expensive but I'm hoping it's worth it. We have a pool in our backyard and will be getting a fence installed this summer but I'm still very paranoid. It's one of my worst nightmares. Does anyone have experience with this? Can a 6 month old really learn to float on their backs? https://www.infantswim.com
My niece learned to do this. The videos my sister would send are awesome. They did all of the lessons with her fully dressed so that baby would know what do to even if she wasn't in a bathing suit. I think that this is a good emergency skill to have with a pool at home, and it can be followed by regular swim lessons.

The only problem I see with this is the false sense of security it can give the caregivers. I am not confident that a 6 month old baby could do this outside of a controlled environment, and they could forget SO quickly what to do. I'd hate for a parent to have even the tiniest bit of confidence in their baby and forget to be hypervigilant around water.

RondackHiker · May 2014

About the false sense of security... People get that from a fence around the pool, a swim class, kids in flotation devices, other adults being around... That's why good swim classes and pediatricians recommend having your hands actually on your child.

A neighbor I played with when we were both children lost his two year old to a drowning in a backyard pool. There was a gap in the fence no one saw because it was behind a bush. It was a crowded party and it took people a moment to realize he was missing, since hed been wandering from aunt to aunt to uncle to uncle and so on. Those few minutes plus the minute it took someone to look over the fence and then get into the pool was enough.

And these rules go for older children. I was a lifeguard. I've done the mile swim multiple times. I've taken many swim classes and water rescue classes. I was on a swim team. And there have been two times I nearly drowned as an adult while I was surrounded by other good swimmers. Shit happens.

Water safety is one of my hot buttons.

Soap1 · May 2014

RondackHiker said:

About the false sense of security... People get that from a fence around the pool, a swim class, kids in flotation devices, other adults being around... That's why good swim classes and pediatricians recommend having your hands actually on your child. A neighbor I played with when we were both children lost his two year old to a drowning in a backyard pool. There was a gap in the fence no one saw because it was behind a bush. It was a crowded party and it took people a moment to realize he was missing, since hed been wandering from aunt to aunt to uncle to uncle and so on. Those few minutes plus the minute it took someone to look over the fence and then get into the pool was enough. And these rules go for older children. I was a lifeguard. I've done the mile swim multiple times. I've taken many swim classes and water rescue classes. I was on a swim team. And there have been two times I nearly drowned as an adult while I was surrounded by other good swimmers. Shit happens. Water safety is one of my hot buttons.

Totally agree with all of the above. When our family is having a get together involving the pool, we almost always hire a lifeguard to watch the pool. It's so easy to assume that someone is keeping an eye on the kids.

sdlaura · May 2014

@Soap1‌ that is a really good idea to hire a lifeguard for pool parties. We haven't had a big pool party with the pool fence open yet because our friends' kids are mostly really young and wouldn't be going in the pool without an adult holding each kid at this point, but as our kids get older and we have backyard pool parties I think we'll hire a lifeguard.

sdlaura · May 2014

Metreky21 said:

L12541 said:

Metreky21 said:

I'm thinking about having LO do these classes at 6 months. They are uber expensive but I'm hoping it's worth it. We have a pool in our backyard and will be getting a fence installed this summer but I'm still very paranoid. It's one of my worst nightmares.

Does anyone have experience with this? Can a 6 month old really learn to float on their backs?

https://www.infantswim.com

We looked into this because of our backyard pool but I think a great fence is a better investment. We started regular swim lessons with DD between like 6 and 8 months and she's already a pretty good swimmer and knows how to exit the pool at 20 months.

Thank you! So there are regular swim classes for babies as young as 6 months? That is great that your LO can exit a pool at that age! That would relieve a lot of my anxiety.

Yes, 6 months is a fairly standard age to start baby swim lessons. DH and DD take them every Saturday at our local YMCA. Once DD is ready to take lessons without a parent (this summer when she turns 2), he'll start taking DS. DD thinks they are really fun!

irisheyez123 · May 2014

Thank you for posting this. Definitely a good reminder. I'm still trying to teach DS (3yo) to swim but he's scared of his feet not touching the ground.

Mazingmommyof6 · May 2014

my close friends son slipped into the pool silently....she turned her back for a few seconds could not find her son. thought he was hiding. never thought to look in the pool because she was right there and NEVER HERD A SOUND. When they say drowning is silent they mean it. He was 2. Each summer my son who is now 7 takes swim lessons. Its just part of the summer routine. Sometimes its scary to watch him struggle but I feel its preparing him in case he cant reach the edge of the pool as fast as he thinks he can, etc. I am divorced and I am not always with my children when they swim. the fact that I cant always be with him is scary but this makes me feel a lot more confident in his ability to be water safe.

coralreefmom · May 2014

@RosiePeare‌ the life jacket will work for lo, make sure that you use the buckle that goes between the legs, a lot of parents at the waterpark I worked at forgot about it.

RondackHiker · May 2014

cyclonewxchick said:
@RosiePeare‌ the life jacket will work for lo, make sure that you use the buckle that goes between the legs, a lot of parents at the waterpark I worked at forgot about it.

It would work, but I wouldn't have her in a life jacket while in a sling or floatie.

Really, any sling or floatie that is approved for baby use is good if you like it. You'll be right there. I try to avoid inflatable ones personally, but anything you feel okay with is fine. In a public pool I'd probably opt for a sling to avoid baby being bumped in a crowded area.

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