Floaties or Life Vest for a 16 Month Old for the Pool... or Something Else?

as a former swimming instructor, we were told not to recommend anything for young children because they tend to get over-confident with them on and go in deeper than they should (and/or parents will take them in deeper than they should) or something can happen to separate the child from the flotation device. I know it's not always easy to do that (like if you have twins!).

Hi K.-
What we use is a life vest swim suit. We find it great because we don't have to worry about taking on or off when we go in or out of the water. They are not to expensive either and they sell them at stores like walmart.
K.

Honestly, I think teaching her to swim without either of those is best. Public pools don't allow those sorts of things. My son is 19 months old and I enrolled him in a Parent/Child swim class last summer and will again this summer. The only time they put life vests on was just to show the kids how to do it and what it felt like in the water should they ever go on a boat or something where they'd need a life vest. The floaties give them a false sense in the water. So if anything I'd find a Red Cross Parent/Child swim class to put her in. Not that she'll really learn to swim, but you'll have to hold her even with a floatation device anyways. Because if she does flip herself over you'll need to be there to keep her face out of the water. But if she takes a class then she'll know how to blow bubbles.

life vest is a better option because it make sure that if she does get into trouble it keeps her head above water. The floaties for the arms are for older kids like 2 or 3 yr olds.

The arm floaties can deflate and they prevent the child from moving her arms to simulate the swimming motions. They can slide off too. A non-inflatable vest with a strap between the legs is safest and is usually allowed at most facilities but, as another post suggested, you should check at the places you expect to swim. I don't think the "bubbles" on the back are a good idea - they can pitch the child foward and allow their face/mouth to be in the water - not a good plan. This is not a place to skimp on quality - when she outgrows it you can re-sell it at a resale shop to get some of your money back.

I would recommend a life vest not the bathing suits floats that they make. We had a bathing suit one last year and the float part would cause the bathing suit to rise up and the head opening would start to make its way up around my son's neck and head. I usually just hold my little guy in the pool and swim around w/ him even w/ a life vest I would worry and not let him go.

You will want to check with the pool where you are planning on going as they all have different rules. Most public pools (including YMCA) only allow bubbles that go around their waist. They generally don't allow life jackets or any other "floatation device". If on the other hand you are going into a lake I would probably look into a life vest.

Good luck!

H. Z. (SAHM 5 1/2, 4 1/2 and 23 month old boys)

Hello, I would recommend the bathing suits with the life vests built right in. I would not trust the floaties with a child so young, good luck and enjoy your summer

The life vest is much safer. Kids arms can slide out of the floaties or swimmies that go on their arms. hey can also lose air and be less effective. The life vest will "right" the person wearing it (put them face up in case of an accident). make sure it is the right size and it is worn properly (zipped or tied). There is also a swimsuit made that has the life vest built into it.

Meanwhile, I think you should save your money and other than a rash guard shirt and swim diapers, not buy anything. My son is 23 months old and I just hold him when we're in the big pool. I do prefer the beach or a toddler pool so he can be free.

I would not buy the arm floaties for a 16 month old. There are swim suits that have life vest type floatation in them. These work great and I have used them for my daughter ever since she was little. Have fun!

Swim Ways makes a great floatation device that I've used for all of my kids. It looks like an innertube with a bathing suit attached through the middle. When your daughter gets older she will be able to kick around the pool unassisted with this on until she can move into a bubble or other device. Swimmies are not generally recommended from all the swim instructors I've known because they don't keep the child's head up out of the water. We've always had good luck with these.

If you are heading to a public pool or a club, or even the beach, check with them what they will allow. Most public pools will not allow any floating devices exept for an approved life vest.

If it is a private setting, I would go with something that actually will give her the feeling of floating in the water, and where they can move the arms and legs freely. They have these so called "bubbles" at our local Y, snap with a buckle and the foamy things sit on the back. I thought these were really fun for my kids.

Of course you won't be able to turn your back on her with anything but a life vest.

Many years ago my daughter wore a US Coast Guard life jacket/vest at the ocean, lake or pond. If you are looking for water safety a life jacket is the only way to go...well at least it was 19 years ago. Floaties were known to not meet or have the standards of life jackets/vest for water safety.

If you are not looking for water safety go with Floaties for they are a great tool to lure your child to the water for fun.

K.:

We have a pool in our backyard. We always used a bathing suit with the life vest built in. I had 2 young kids when we moved into this house. My oldest was 2.3 years old and my younger one was born after we moved in. So the life vest bathing suits worked for us.

Have fun.

Ww got out little man one of bright orange vests w/the straps yja go between the legs at llbeans when he was about 18 months and it worked great --- the straps keep it from sliding out over his head.
Good luck
M.

Hi K.,

My son is 18 months so I struggled with this question myself. I ended up purchasing for him a life vest from one step ahead (online). It's called Heads Up and what I liked about it the most was that it wasn't too bulky and there is a handle at the neck in case they get away. My son is on the big side so wearing a life vest suit or something like that wouldn't work for us. I don't think that floaties are appropriate until they are two, not sure.

Anyway, good luck with your search!

look for a life vest made for waterskiing. They are the safest, keeping you upright and your head high out of the water. That way you can use it for another child if you want too (like when your daughter outgrows it or someone wants to borrow it). never use inflatable floaties. If your child bites a hole it in they will sink quickly.

Hi! I would stick with a life vest. Arm floaties are not great for young children. I spent many years as a lifeguard, and we were taught that the best thing for a child is a life vest, as it will keep their head above the water if their head were to go in. If a child's head were to go in the water, arm floaties will not help pop it back out whereas a life vest would. Have a great time at the pool. Summers at the pool are some of my best childhood memories.

Hi K..
There is no doubt that a lifevest is the safest (def the one that clasps between the legs so it stays in place and doesn't float up around the child's neck and face). But I ALSO put arm floaties on my child and she suddenly feels so confident in the water she can stay in a pool all day and kick around. The freedome has given her the confidence to learn how to swim well, and the extra protection gives me peace of mind so I don't worry when she ventures to the deep end.

We used a float all summer in the pool and at the beach. My son was 14 months last summer. He loved it and would stay in it forever if he could. It was deep enough that he couldn't pull his way out. It is called the Baby Spring Float - by Swimways we got ours at a discount store called Benny's but you may be able to find them online or another store. I am saving it for next year for my next baby.
here is a link to one online (they are out of them on amazon)

http://www.h2opoolproducts.com/product_info.php?products_...

As a swim instructor, I would recommend a swim vest. Personally I like the Speedo vest with the strap between the legs. It gives the floatation to keep her head of of the water and the stability to swim on her own.

http://www.swimoutlet.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=...

For the 2+ crowd, I really like the SwimWays Power Swimr. It helps kids learn to control their bodies in the water and allows them to start swimming horizontal.

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Swimr-System-Medium-Swimways/...

Have a great summer,
K.

Last summer my daughter (18 months then) used a life vest that kept her head out of the water. I believe it was made by Speedo & I bought it at Target. I loved it - at first she had a hard time staying on her belly (the life vest forces you on your back if you relax) but with in a few weeks she could swim, with the vest on, all on her without me worrying her face/head would go under. I was always in the water with her but had 2 other children so it gave me peace of mind to know she was safe. Many of the vests or suits do not keep their face out of the water, some seem to push their face into the water if the child does not have much control - more suitable for a slightly older child.

When my son was that age we used a pull over type floatation device it was the SwimWays Swim Sweater. we purchased it at babys r us and it was a tube that the child could not get out of without help as his/her arms go through it like a snug shirt. the tube sits at chest height so it did not flip over in the water like a regular blow up would. the boys version was orange & purple & the girls was pink with a flower print. we used this up until he was 4. last year at age 5 he had outgrown it so we had to get a life jacket style instead which he was ok with but he liked the tube better. this year he is a little more confident in the water and taller so he can touch the bottem and that helps too. If you google floatation devices you should be able to find it. hope this helps

Hi,
I would check with your area YMCA swim program to see what they recommend. When my daughter was in that age range, we purchased "bubbles" from Kiefer (Kiefer.com, I think) which is what she wore (and still does--you can remove bubbles as they get more proficient in the water) and what the Y in our area uses for their aquatics program. They are called swim n play trainers or swim trainer belts.

Have fun!
N.

Depending on your daughter's weight you might want to look into a vest that has a strap the goes between the legs. This strp prevents the vest from riding up when they are in the pool. I used this vest on my first son and plan to use the same on my 2 year old this summer. Best of luck!

I have twins...and a husband that sinks. I opted for the life vests. My kids were ultra safe but it does hamper the learn how to swim efforts. I found that I was leaving my husband with one of the girls at a time and taking the vest off the other one, I helped her to swim. If we were ever in the water when there were other kids jumping in that might swanp us...the kids had the vests on. When we went tubing or canoeing, they had their vests on. Hope it is helpful.