3 mo. old on boat???

[krs]

we will be going to visit family (who also have kids, youngest 3yr) who have a boat on the lake. there is plenty of shade and we would obiously go slow, wear a lifevest (do they make them that small?) and only be out for limilted time. Is it ok to take the little one along? Has anyone had experiences w/ infants on boats?

[bluej]

We started taking Ryden out on boats when he was six weeks old. The life vest was a little big, but not uncomfortably big. I did have to take it off of him when he needed to nurse, but other than that, he wore it at all times and it didn't bother him. As for it being okay for babies to be on boats? I have no idea. We were out for lazy rides and not fast boating, so I felt comfortable with it. I'm sure there are many that would say it's not a good idea. I think a lot of it depends on your comfort level.

[hez]

My parents have friends who've brought 'em along even younger. We weren't comfortable going up 'til Payton was ~9 months old, and even then I was a basket-case about ensuring his life jacket was always on, and he was in arms at all times. My parents sleep on the boat when they're up there, but we got a hotel room.

We're going up again, and I'm a little nervous. HOwever, my mom got freaked out last weekend by a 2 year old who was 'missing' after a boat ride (they found him 2 hours later hiding in the head), so she'll be as diligent as me, if not more, at attending to Payton's safety.

[toomanystrollers]

Check out:

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/mse4/pfdchild.htm

[C99]

Rose went at 2 months over the 4th of July! She actually just nursed or slept the whole time.

[searchdog]

DD took her first boat ride at 13 days old. She was wearing a life vest and we were on a slow moving pontoon boat on a small lake in the middle of Indiana. She was being held by an adult at all times and NEVER took the vest off while on the water even to nurse we left it on. We were never out more than 15-20 minutes at a time.

Now that DD is 13 months old we make her "swim" in her life vest in the lake no matter what. Everytime we take her swimming we practice her floating without us touching her in the life vest so that if she ever does need it to keep her face up she knows not to fight it. She does very well with this now and I continue to do this with her everytime we swim at the lake.

[ShayleighCarsensMom]

I wouldnt...the bouncing and the waves that the boat goes over are too much for a little ones neck to handle.
I always err on the side of caution thou...but I would never forgive myself if something would have happened.

[Dcclerk]

We just got back from a wake-boarding trip and my daugher is 4 months old. We had a great neoprene vest that fit her very well. She always had it on, even while nursing. The back neck flotation part was very supportive and actually quite comfortable for her. She slept with it cradling her a lot.

[erosenst]

We took Abby at about 6 months. Similar things - life jacket at all times, relatively slowly, in the shade, etc. She was sort of ok with it - not thrilled, not upset. This summer, at 18 months, she LOVES it :)

[ColorBlue]

I wouldn't be comfortable but that is just me. I do want to say that you really have to have a life jacket that fits properly otherwise it will not work. Since babies heads are big and heavy if the jacket doesn't fit perfectly their heads can easily topple into the water. I would want a vest that would keep them upright even if no one was there to hold them.

Tracy

Grace...my big 3.5 year old girl.
Ellie and Maddie...my little nine month old girls.

[bostonsmama]

My parents have a boat (although it's a 32ft cabin cruiser, so it's slower and rides more smoothly than small speed boats), and they've been taking my nieces out on it since they were a couple of months old. They always had tight life vests on and often stayed in the dining room downstairs with their mom, but my step sister felt perfectly fine boarding the boat from the dock (this is the most dangerous time actually) and sitting up top while cruising from one port to another. My only concerns would be the water conditions, weather conditions, and your DC's neck stability. I know some babies don't hold their head up on their own until 5 or 6 months...but others are good at 2-3 months. Bottom line is that if you are comfortable on the water, you'll have a much less stressful time with your baby. For those of us who've grown up on the water, it's only slightly more stressful when you're looking out for a little one. One interesting comparison: jogging strollers say they shouldn't be used until age 1 because the jostling is harmful....so unless your friends take it easy with the speed and the water is smooth like a pond, it might be a little much.


Larissa
who is still trying to give birth so she can have more to say