To ask what the best flotation suit is for a 18 month old

[arseholewednesday]

We'll be visiting my grandparents when my son is 18 months old, there will be a pool. Which is better as a flotation device?

Any other suggestions are welcome! I don't really have a clue.

Thank you

Hi OP. Not my area of expertise but I would have thought this kind of thing is more for use if you'll be on a boat or something like that?

Whenever I've taken DS swimming he's just worn a swimming costume and I've held him, I wouldn't want to rely on a floaty vest to keep him up.

I'm fully prepared to be told I'm wrong though and hopefully someone with more experience than me can inform you better!

I’d prefer the jacket over the suit, although I wouldn’t trust either for safety. We had a costume with floats around the tummy and they seemed to flip the baby over quite a lot. A jacket gave a more natural swimming position.

Sorry but I just don't see the point of these things. At this age you just hold them in the water.

link

We have these for my two children

I started using it when my ds was 2 and my 5 year old dd still uses it

It’s a lovely little device and really supportive

I’ve had both, both useful. You have to take out the floats from the suit to wash the suit though it is quite useful as they get older and learning to swim. My three year old now has just a few floats for buoyancy and they have their arms free to move about. The jacket is quick to take on and off but rides up to the neck so less comfortable I think on balance the suit for your son as 18 months old.

I've got a puddle jumper like the one linked above. I find it really good as it naturally positions him well in the water.

His is yellow and has a duck on it

I found the float suit a pain to get on and off. The vests are ok, but tend to ride up around their face a bit. The best ones, imo, are vests with flotation in the arms too.

Puddle jumper is great!

All much the same, your DC needs to be able to keep their head above water still as even with the device on for floating they can quite easily drown.