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WatchingThemGrow
03-24-2011, 10:33 PM
We'll be swimming a lot over the next week - some at Disney pools, some at my mom's, some at a friend's, some at the beach. Mostly, we'll be outnumbered with non-swimmers. DD is getting close to swimming, so I want to let her be without any crutches, just getting stronger and stronger. But, the boys will be 2 non-swimmers with one adult. We have 2 of each of these:

Heads-up life vests
arm band inflatable swimmy things
full - suit swim trainer things they wear (gift)
Puddle Jumpers

Which should I take for DS1 (3yo, 29lbs) and DS2 (1yo, 25lbs)

ooh...and another question...can they swim with ear infections?? They started antibiotics today.

crl
03-24-2011, 10:41 PM
I would take the heads up life vests.

Catherine

MommyAllison
03-24-2011, 10:49 PM
For your older DS, I'd do the heads up life vest, presuming he can dog paddle around in it, not just float helplessly (or Puddle Jumpers, if he does great in it). For the younger, can you do some sort of float? IME, 1 year olds in a life vest are bulky and awkward - hard to hold, but you can't let them float in the water because they flip on their backs and hate life. :) My goal would be that both boys can be within arms reach, but not necessarily being held, so that if you need to help one, you have your arms free.

ETA: To clarify what I'm thinking of for your youngest - we use one like this for my kids http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001MXIHW2/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00253T7R2&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=183TJR84Y559TTV1VM6T and it works well. My DD has flipped it once, as has my niece, so you need to be right there, but it frees up your arms a bit. We have this one too: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HAB296/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00253T7R2&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=183TJR84Y559TTV1VM6T but I think it's better for the under 12 month crowd.

WatchingThemGrow
03-24-2011, 11:28 PM
ETA: To clarify what I'm thinking of for your youngest - we use one like this for my kids http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001MXIHW2/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00253T7R2&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=183TJR84Y559TTV1VM6T and it works well. My DD has flipped it once, as has my niece, so you need to be right there, but it frees up your arms a bit.
Oh yeah, we have one of those also.

Can anyone tell me about the puddle jumpers? I saw them and wanted to try them out, so I picked up two withe the intention of reading up/deciding whether or not to keep them. When are they good?

Oh, my 1yo is the size of a 2yo (he almost is).

hillview
03-27-2011, 11:29 AM
I would take the heads up life vests.

Catherine

:yeahthat:

AlbrightRC
03-27-2011, 12:40 PM
No idea on your first question but No they shouldn't swim with an ear infection for at least a couple days after starting meds.

Roni
03-28-2011, 11:43 AM
Do NOT bring inflatable arm thingies, especially since you'll be out-numbered. They can deflate.

kerridean
03-28-2011, 12:07 PM
As a former life guard and water safety instructor, please THROW AWAY the swim wings. They are not safe at all! I did not allow them at any pool in which I worked and did not allow my children to use them. I only allowed coast guard approved life jackets on a very limited basis. I prefer no flotation devices at all to a parent's arms.

Dcclerk
03-28-2011, 06:04 PM
As a former life guard and water safety instructor, please THROW AWAY the swim wings. They are not safe at all! I did not allow them at any pool in which I worked and did not allow my children to use them. I only allowed coast guard approved life jackets on a very limited basis. I prefer no flotation devices at all to a parent's arms.

Exactly that!

WatchingThemGrow
03-28-2011, 09:38 PM
As a former life guard and water safety instructor, please THROW AWAY the swim wings. They are not safe at all! I did not allow them at any pool in which I worked and did not allow my children to use them. I only allowed coast guard approved life jackets on a very limited basis. I prefer no flotation devices at all to a parent's arms.
good to know! We usually just do the parent arms thing, but we anticipate being able to swim more this week with DD practicing with one parents and 2 kids swimming with the other parent and maybe a grandparent.

DD's almost got the strength/ability to make it across the pool on her own, so I'm hoping she'll take off if we spend lots of time in the water, un"assisted" by devices. As it stands, our first full day of swim-time has been a very wet one. Storms on vacation are a bummer.