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Life Jackets - 8/17/2008 2:07:20 AM
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Mrs.X
Posts: 2947
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From: Newberg, OR
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I'd really like to get a life jacket for my 42 pound almost 3 year old. I've tried two so far, and I didn't like them. One chaffed his underarms and didn't do a good job at keeping him above water, and the other made him go on his belly - face in the water. These were both the regular looking ones that look like vests with buckles in the front.
I always will be within a couple feet of him in the water (water is a big fear of mine regarding my kids), but I would like to be able to let go of him while I'm holding my other kiddo.
I'm thinking I ought to get a Dept. of Water Safety (dunno what the name of the governemt agency is) approved life jacket for him since we might take him on a boat. But, not necessary if there is a better non-approved one out there; we'll just skip the boat if there's a better one. I just want his head above water and for him not to tip onto his belly.
I don't like wing/arm floaties or tubes with seats.
Thanks!
_____________________________
-Stina
From Sweet Grass to the Packin' House
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. -Proverbs 15:1
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/17/2008 9:23:16 AM
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mommyplus3
Posts: 56
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if you're just looking for something for the pool (as oppoesed to boating jackets), my kiddos used a thing that we called a "bubble" before they learned to swim. our YMCA swim instructors used them...if you google "ymca bubble floatation device" you can find some Y websites discussing them. basically it fits around the waist with oval air-filled "bubbles" taht can be filled a lot for non-swimmers, and let out as children are better swimmers. the good hing is that tey helped my children learn early (age 3) to swim.
hope that might help...i had the swim instructors order 3 for me from their supplier.
<3
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/17/2008 10:56:50 AM
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MrsTracy72
Posts: 2058
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You can also get the suits that have the foam in the front and back so there is no chafing. I have one, but haven't used it because my daughter has always used a jacket and liked it. But when she outgrows the jacket, she may use that suit.
There are also jackets that will flip the child onto their back if they are on their tummy, but they are not helpful when you try to teach the child to swim because when you put them on their belly to teach them to kick, it flips them to their back. But it is good if they are just playing around in the water.
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/17/2008 11:37:27 AM
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Hislittleone
Posts: 628
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Christina, I think the agency you are referring to is the Coast Guard. We recently went on vacation in Florida and our almost 2 yo wore a Coast Guard approved life jacket (bought it at Sam's Club) any time we went to the beach. The ones that are coast guard approved will cause the child to float on their backs instead of tipping face forward. It worked well for us.
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/17/2008 12:09:32 PM
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coolfamily6
Posts: 338
Joined: 4/18/2005
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Christina, When you find a life jacket it is important to test it in the water to make sure it rolls your child BACKWARD not face in. Our swim instructor said that 50% of the ones she tests roll the child face into the water.
Also, begin teaching your child to swim as soon as possible. Children who have used swimmies (water wings) and floatation devices will not know what to do when/if they fall into the pool. I've seen kids fall in and hold their arms in the positition of the water wings because they do not know any better. Of course they sink.
Third, I would NEVER put a child into a bathing suit that has a circular tube in it. If they fall in head first (typical since toddlers are top heavy) they are stuck in that position head down in the water.
Many pool accidents happen when adults are near by; toddlers and babies drown "silently": they do not thrash and fight.
PS. All my advice comes to you from a mom whose daughter drowned 8 yrs ago next month.
_____________________________
If your bible is a mess; your life won't be.
~Encouragement a mom gave to our children at our First Grader's Bible Ceremony!
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/17/2008 12:30:20 PM
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Mrs.X
Posts: 2947
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From: Newberg, OR
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Mommyplus3, that device sounds pretty cool, does it keep the kids' face out of the water?
Tracy, we plan to start teaching Timmy to swim when he is almost 4, that's how old I was when I learned to dog paddle without a flotation device. So, we are pretty much just looking for something for him to play around in a pool with. We don't have a pool, but we're gonna go to a lake, and our friends have a small 4ft. pool. Have you tried out the floating suit yet? Does it work pretty well?
Hislittleone, LOL yes the Coastguard. You'd think having been a Sea Scout, that I would have remembered. OK, I'm glad the Coastguard approved ones do that. When you buy one, will it say that it is approved clear as day on the package.
Coolfamily, we don't actually have a pool or go visit one on a regular basis. Mostly this would be used in a lake or river, in which case, there's no such thing as "falling in". Our friends' pool you have to climb up a ladder to get to the top of the pool then climb down a ladder to get in or jump in. I would never let him get in first. I am so paranoid about pools that we don't plan to go to a regular one where falling in would be a possibility.
I am so sorry about your daughter. Is she OK today?
_____________________________
-Stina
From Sweet Grass to the Packin' House
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. -Proverbs 15:1
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/17/2008 1:04:08 PM
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OneOfHisJewels
Posts: 2940
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From: California
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quote:
I am so sorry about your daughter. Is she OK today?
I believe she lost her daughter due to the drowning.
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/17/2008 1:04:25 PM
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MrsTracy72
Posts: 2058
Joined: 2/28/2007
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I haven't tried the floaty suit on my little one yet, but it does work. They take time to get used to them because they do have to kick their feet and help themselves stay up, but after a few times of being in the water, they pretty much get it. Especially when they figure out that they don't need to stay so close to mommy. Kay didn't know what to do in the water until our vacation because we really didn't put her in it, but after she figured out that she can be independant with her jacket, she wouldn't get out.
Kali used the floaty suit and it worked fine for her. All it is, is a suit with a foam square in the front and in the back.
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/17/2008 4:49:04 PM
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mommyplus3
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as i recall, the bubbles kept their face out of the water (it has been 6 years, though ;o). from what i recall, the kids stayed almost upright.
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/17/2008 5:04:48 PM
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MrsTracy72
Posts: 2058
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I have never seen the bubbles, but they do sound cool. Our YMCA still uses the floatie belts that are made of foam. And as you get better, they take off a square of foam.
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/17/2008 5:21:34 PM
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coolfamily6
Posts: 338
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quote:
Coolfamily, we don't actually have a pool or go visit one on a regular basis. Mostly this would be used in a lake or river, in which case, there's no such thing as "falling in". Our friends' pool you have to climb up a ladder to get to the top of the pool then climb down a ladder to get in or jump in. I would never let him get in first. I am so paranoid about pools that we don't plan to go to a regular one where falling in would be a possibility.
I am so sorry about your daughter. Is she OK today?
My daughter died in 2000. She was 2.5, most drownings occur around 18 mos to 3 yrs. Most children do not know how to swim at that age. She was with us one minute and the next she was gone. She died in less than 5 minutes.
I am not trying to be over reactive, due to my loss I have met many many parents whose children have drown and it happens in so many ways and places:
-walking with parents on a hill that had a body of water beside it. He fell and went unnoticed for a minute or two.
-walked out of house and climbed into ABOVE ground pool (up the stairs and into the pool.)
-playing in the sand near the waters edge at the lake.
I truely believe these safety devices give them a sense of being safe even when they do not have them on because they do not have the ability to understand that they are going to sink when they enter the pool.
Also, I think you should start swim lessing asap. My older daughter and son had theirs at 2 1/2, Malena was to have hers soon.
_____________________________
If your bible is a mess; your life won't be.
~Encouragement a mom gave to our children at our First Grader's Bible Ceremony!
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/17/2008 5:47:31 PM
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MrsTracy72
Posts: 2058
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Coolfamily, so sorry about your child. My cousin was two when he somehow ended up in a family pool face down. He didn't die, but he was in a vegatitive state until he was about 25 and died then. He was on life support at first, but they took him off and he survived but not very well.
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/17/2008 6:26:00 PM
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creationtalk
Posts: 704
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quote:
we plan to start teaching Timmy to swim when he is almost 4,
If you are anywhere around water DON'T wait. Younger children can learn to swim--many references say it's best to start them as infants, before they develop a fear of water. I started my son in swim lessons at age 2--as soon as they would let me. I have never regretted it. Even if all you do initially is teach him to keep afloat long enough for someone to help, it is worthwhile.
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/17/2008 6:33:49 PM
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Mrs.X
Posts: 2947
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From: Newberg, OR
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I'm so sorry about your daughter, Coolfamily.
Thanks for all the advice folks. I'll probably run it by my hubby to see which one he wants to get. More than likely next year will be the year we get a Coastguard approved life jacket. I'm certain we'll go on a boat next summer. My hubby's friend just bought one and he's still kinda fixing it.
I think we may start swimming lessons with Timmy next summer too. Or, perhaps this winter (when there's nothing fun to do), since our city pool is an indoor one. I never took swimming lessons before, just waited for my mom to teach me, and before that I just wore a lifejacket all the time....Ah, fond memories of chafing underarms.
_____________________________
-Stina
From Sweet Grass to the Packin' House
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. -Proverbs 15:1
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/17/2008 6:46:59 PM
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Hislittleone
Posts: 628
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quote:
When you buy one, will it say that it is approved clear as day on the package.
Hubby bought this one but I'm pretty sure it clearly stated that it was CG approved.
Coolfamily, I'm so sorry about your daughter.
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/17/2008 6:49:23 PM
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Mrs.Wifey
Posts: 4871
Joined: 4/12/2005
From: The Gorgeous plains of Colorado
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Why not start teaching him now? Gabby is not even quite a year old but we have already started teaching her the basics, she learns more then you would think. By the time they are 2.5-3 they can usually swim, and by 4 alot of kids are going down the water slides or off the diving board.
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/17/2008 7:25:53 PM
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iluvatar
Posts: 2031
Joined: 4/12/2005
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Mrs.X
One chaffed his underarms and didn't do a good job at keeping him above water
I've had those problems even as an adult. In my experience, you get what you pay for - the cheap one-size-fits-all wal-mart models never fit right and they always popped over my head when I was in the water (Coast Guard approved or not). $100 seems kind of nuts for a foam vest, but the difference was like night and day.
I don't know how that translates to little kids, but that's what I've found.
-Dan.
_____________________________
Well, I've been to one world fair, a picnic, and a rodeo, and that's the stupidest thing I ever heard come over a set of earphones.
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/17/2008 7:31:22 PM
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coolfamily6
Posts: 338
Joined: 4/18/2005
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Thank you to those who expressed sympathy for my loss. God's grace still gets me through. It is my hope that my experience will help prevent it from happening to others.
Please remember whatever you decide to go with make sure that your child rolls to his/her back. EVEN THE CG APPROVED ONES ARE SOMETIMES NOT WEIGHTED RIGHT. They only check a sample of them not all. Enjoy your time on the boat/water, be careful but have fun.
ps, my profile has a link to Malena's site if anyone is interested.
_____________________________
If your bible is a mess; your life won't be.
~Encouragement a mom gave to our children at our First Grader's Bible Ceremony!
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/17/2008 8:20:00 PM
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MrsTracy72
Posts: 2058
Joined: 2/28/2007
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Traci,
That is such a wonderful website you made for your daughter.
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/17/2008 9:35:39 PM
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sunshine4God
Posts: 7347
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: Sterling Ct.
Status: online
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You could always get Timmy one of those life jackets that is both a bathing suit and lifejacket in one.My friends kids have those and they are pretty cool looking.
_____________________________
Matthew 5:16.
"Let your light so shine before men that they will see
your good deeds and glorify your Lord".
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/18/2008 12:15:01 AM
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Mrs.X
Posts: 2947
Joined: 7/7/2005
From: Newberg, OR
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Mrs.Wifey
Why not start teaching him now? Gabby is not even quite a year old but we have already started teaching her the basics, she learns more then you would think. By the time they are 2.5-3 they can usually swim, and by 4 alot of kids are going down the water slides or off the diving board.
Because I have to wait until my gramma sends me my Christmas money to pay for the classes or membership. Or tax return.
_____________________________
-Stina
From Sweet Grass to the Packin' House
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. -Proverbs 15:1
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/18/2008 12:18:32 AM
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Mrs.X
Posts: 2947
Joined: 7/7/2005
From: Newberg, OR
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I remember teaching one of my little friends to swim. She was 6 though, and I taught her how to float first then do the other stuff. When you say swim, you mean really swim without a flotation device right, like keeping enough air in your lungs to make you float?
_____________________________
-Stina
From Sweet Grass to the Packin' House
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. -Proverbs 15:1
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/18/2008 4:25:59 PM
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coolfamily6
Posts: 338
Joined: 4/18/2005
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quote:
ORIGINAL: MrsTracy72
Traci,
That is such a wonderful website you made for your daughter.
Thanks for looking.
_____________________________
If your bible is a mess; your life won't be.
~Encouragement a mom gave to our children at our First Grader's Bible Ceremony!
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RE: Life Jackets - 8/18/2008 8:22:52 PM
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creationtalk
Posts: 704
Joined: 6/9/2005
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It is possible to teach the basics of swimming right in your home using the bed and the bathtub.
in the bathtub--get the child used to putting his face under the water, have them blow bubbles in the water, get them comfortable floating on their back --many small children struggle with this--I taught my son to swim on his back in the tub because his swim teacher was not working on that with the children. THen one day when only two came for lessons, they got through the planned lesson very quickly--I suggested she work with teaching them to float/swim on their backs--swim coach said, Oh no, children this age are scared to do that...I told her my son could do it, so she had him go first and because he could/would do it, she had the other child try and he did it too. We then progressed to swim, roll over to back to get a breath, then roll back and swim. This is a great thing to teach small children because it is hard for them to get a breath while swimming. (PS--I DON'T swim...).
We practiced swim strokes on the bed...and diving (off the bed into my arms). My son actually progressed faster with his strokes than many children whose families had pools--and I think it may have had to do with the fact that we practiced the strokes or motions on the bed where he didn't have to worry about keeping afloat while he was concentrating on getting correct strokes.
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