Sauf Blog

Baby Life Jackets: A Simple (But Complete) Guide Before Purchase

Among the many issues that arise as parents try to get a life jacket for their baby is, what actually is a baby life jacket? What is the best size and material for it? Where to buy it? And as an Asian, how to get the correct size life jacket when most that are on offer are of westerner’s size?

 

SAUF as a brand that is specialized in babies and kids particularly to Asia region, all those worries and concerns can be dealt with. Just continue reading this article as we will provide you with all the answer to the most common questions from parents when choosing a life jacket for their baby. 

 

However, if additional information is needed, feel free to contact us either through email: sales@www.saufasia.com or call: +6019 355 5647 and we’d be happy to assist you further. Or if you’d just like to go through our products yourself beforehand, you may visit our website: SAUF Kids Life Vests.

How Baby Life Jackets Works In The Water

At this stage in life, most babies are just about to get their very first exposure to water, and first impressions can be very important. A positive first experience may help in making them look forward to the water again, but the opposite may just make them want to avoid the water completely.

 

However, with the following feature equipped onto the baby’s life jacket, it may just be the help you never knew you needed in easing your baby’s way to get comfortable being in the water, and at the same time safe as well. So, all your never-ending worries as a parent can finally be pushed aside.

.

Flips baby’s body to face up when in water

 

 

The large 3-petals collar or head cushion positioned above the baby’s life jacket doesn’t actually only do what it looks like it could only do. The patented feature also gives the life jacket a face-up function, which helps in flipping the baby’s body to face up and thus, back floating on the water.

 

This a great advantage, especially since most baby’s don’t know how to swim just yet, nor do they know how to help themselves when an accident happens. Hence, this safety feature helps in creating a positive first experience with water for the baby so they will grow to love being in the water.

 

However, in cases whereby the toddler is able to swim rather early. As shared by most parents, whereby their baby was able to swim vertically as they reach 12 kg. Hence, in those situations, the cushion will automatically fold down, allowing the baby to swim with ease.

 

So, when the baby is ready to take a break, the cushion will flip back open, flip the baby’s body face-up, and allow the baby to continue back floating on the water. All of which is possible due to the Sens-Twist feature of the life jacket, giving them ample amount of freedom in movement.

Provide head support

 

The thick soft cushion located at the top position of the baby’s life jacket, helps in providing head support from the neck to the backside of their head when they are back floating on water. Even as they are out of the water, the cushion can act as a pillow for them to nap with the life jacket on.

 

The 30mm thickness of the cushion is also necessary in reducing the chances of water from entering their body, as babies at 6- to 12-month-old won’t know how to cover their nose and ears from massive water entry. Hence, why the life jacket with head support is crucial for baby’s safety in the water.

Parental handle for ease during rescue

 

The position of the parental strap of a baby’s life jacket being at the very top of the cushion doesn’t just guarantee a higher chance of visibility when rescue, that enable parents to easily see the handle, and pull the baby back to a safer distance towards them, when they start to drift off.

 

But this grab handle also enables a stable baby body position when the baby is being pulled during rescue. As being pulled from the side or bottom part of the life vest may cause more harm as it increases the risk of water entering through the baby’s nose, mouth and ears.

 

Safety and comfort have clearly been shown to be the main priority when the baby life jacket was designed. Hence, it’s no doubt then that your concerns will be minimized as you get a life jacket for your baby, so you and your baby can finally have a really relaxing family holiday together.

 

Additionally, you may also have a visit at SAUF Kids Life Vests website to see what are some other specifications that has been equipped into the life jacket and the benefits that comes with owning a baby life jacket, as what has been mentioned above may possibly be just the tip of the ice berg.

3 Tips To Choose The Right Baby Life Jacket Size

A very important thing to remember, is that choosing a life jacket for a baby is never the same as choosing for an adult. As for baby’s life jacket, a different measurement is required to take into account.

 

1. Baby’s current weight

 

Make sure you weigh your baby first before getting a life jacket for them as the suitability of a baby’s life jacket size are dependent on their current weight. You may refer to Sizing A Kids Life Jacket, which will help guide you through the best life jacket for your baby based on their weight.

2. Baby’s current development stage

 

Has your baby started walking? Or are they able to walk unassisted?

 

This is important for the baby’s utmost comfort while wearing their PFD’s as life vest for young babies (between 4- to 12-month-old) or can already walk unassisted are designed slightly different to suit their movement and activity.

 

To further clarify, SAUF Infant Life Vest (for new born babies and above, and under 14 kg), are designed specifically for babies that are new to being in water, hence it’s features mostly focus on comfort and safety i.e., the ability to float on water as baby’s won’t know how to do it themselves.

 

Whereas, SAUF Toddler Swimming Life Vest (for 18-month-old to 4 or 5-years old kids, and within 9 to 14 kg in weight), are made specifically for kids who can or just about to start learning how to swim. It is made to be more lightweight (218 grams), to allow more freedom in movement for the kids.

 

3. Baby’s Favorite Color

 

Babies can be very picky of what they own. Thus, picking a life jacket with a color your baby loves is important as doing so will help them look forward and enjoy wearing it, as wearing something that isn’t of their favorite color may just cause them to avoid wearing the life jacket entirely.

 

Additionally, their age can also be taken into account. But it will be the last thing to consider as the main priorities when choosing a baby life jacket is their current weight and development stage. As the different range of sizes of baby life jacket available are all based mostly of those two.

Is It Too Young To Wear Life Jackets For Babies?

As it is a safety equipment, there’s no such thing as too young for a baby to wear a life jacket. It can even be worn by a newborn baby. However, for a perfect fitted life jacket for your babies, it’s best if it is worn when they are at 6 months old and above, or at the point the baby reaches 8 kg.

 

Don’t hesitate getting a life jacket early for your baby as the ability to swim is a skill that requires a lot of time and patience to hone. Giving your baby a chance to experience the water early may help to get them comfortable and confident being in the water much earlier and faster than usual.

Until What Age Can My Baby Still Use His Life Jacket?

As it’s a baby life jacket, it is never about age but instead their weight that determines whether the life jacket is still suitable for them or not. Hence, make sure the baby’s current weight doesn’t hit the life jacket’s maximum weight limit allowed, after weighing them using a weigh machine.

Another way to check, is by observing your baby when they are in and out of the water with the life jacket on. Example, when putting on the life jacket for them, do you have to pull the straps till the max, and do the kids look like they are struggling to breath in it?

 

Or, when they are in the water, does the water reach up until above their chin despite having the life jacket on? If your answer is yes to all those questions, then it may be best for your baby to stop using his life jacket and consider getting a new one for them that suits their current weight.

 This is how good it can get when your baby is comfortable being in the water with the life vest from SAUF

Baby Water Comfort Is The Most Important

The water safety gear is only able to protect the wearer if the user knows how to use their PFD’s correctly, either while boating or snorkeling, and also if a panic situation does happen. But it doesn’t guarantee a baby’s ability to be calm being in water just by owning the life jacket.

 

Like the saying goes, practice makes perfect. Always getting your baby exposed to the water together with the life jacket is what will help them to remain calm, relaxed and comfortable, which will then result to the baby’s confidence being in the water.

 

However, parents should never force the baby to enjoy being in the water, especially if they have clearly shown a negative reaction to it as this may cause them to feel more fearful of the water and thus, never wanting to be in the water anymore. Instead, give them time and space to adapt to it.

 

Parents step-by-step guide to help the baby get comfortable being in the water:

1. Hug the baby with the life vest on.

2. Slowly put the baby on their back side position so they’ll back float on the water.

3. Allow them to float and observe their reaction.

4. If they remain calm, it means they are comfortable being in the water and may continue doing so.

5. However, if they keep holding onto you, take the baby out of the water and calm them down.

6. Once they are calm, repeat all the steps mentioned above until they are finally able to float calmly on the water.

 

Remember, the key here is patience. Just as it takes time for them to learn how to walk, it will also take time for them to learn to be comfortable in the water. But always know that all that effort will be worth it in the end when you finally get to see your baby having a great time in the water.

When Can My Baby Swim in His Life Jacket?

When your baby weighs 12 kg, is 18 months old or above, and has some basic swimming skill i.e., can move arms and legs, do the kicking movement in the water, and able to hold their breath. Thus, they can swim in the life jacket at a very early age as shared by SAUF Vest parents on our Instagram.

Your baby’s swimming skills don’t just develop overnight. Hence, with his life jacket on, allow them to go to the water depth that they are not able to reach by their feet. By doing so, your baby will feel the body float, thus gradually learns to move his arms and legs to make a swimming movement.

Life jacket acts as a buoyancy aid that will help ease their way to learn how to swim. It doesn’t provide an instant ability for the baby to swim. You also have to do the work of providing more water exposure and swimming lessons for your baby. Not just expect the life jacket to do all the work.

Can My Baby Go Boating & Snorkeling With His Baby Life Vest?

Yes, with the baby’s own life vest, they are able to go for any water related activities. However, as a parent you have to make sure your baby is at a safe distance with you at all times, and holding onto the baby during snorkeling, especially if they still don’t know how to swim vertically.

The baby is using Toddler Swimming Life Vest from SAUF for A Family Snorkelling Trip

 

This is possible due to the material of the life vest made out of 100% Polyethylene (PE) floatation foam, and a type II Personal Floatation Device (PFD), made specifically for children which allow more freedom to move, as compared to Type 1 PFD’s. Hence, suitable for any Near-shore water activities.

Just make sure the right size life vest for the baby is worn based on their current weight. As providing them with a life vest that isn’t right for them at the time may just beat the function of even putting a life vest on in the first place. As always, safety comes first in anything and everything.

What Happen If I Just Rent The Infant Life Vest For My Baby?

It is highly not recommended to do so as babies take time to adapt and get comfortable with something new. Buying is a better option as it can help them to adapt to their own safety gear as the same life vest is being repeatedly used, as compared to just renting a life vest that may rarely be used.

However, it is very understandable if the thought of renting a life vest is very tempting especially since it is part of safety requirement to buy a different life vest for when your baby reaches a different weight range, which may be a hassle for some parents as it involves just more money.

Just think of it in this way, would you rather spend more money paying hospital bills from a water accident because your baby wasn’t provided with a proper water safety equipment? Or would you rather spend money for a life vest that ensures safety, and reduce the chance of them being hospitalized?

Life vest is a worthwhile investment for your baby’s safety in and around the water. As you get to watch your baby grow to be confident being in the water, be able to swim, and soon even ready for more water adventures i.e., seeing the nemo, swim with the turtles, etc. This sounds exciting huh!

But won’t the old life vest go to waste if it can’t be used? Certainly no. Life vest can be resold at online platforms e.g., Carousel and Shoppe, with very high demand. Just ensure you are buying from SAUF, as our brand is well known among parents, which will make it easier for you to make a deal.

So, what are you waiting for? Go plan that family trip you’ve been dreaming of since forever, pick a baby life jacket from SAUF Kids Life Vest, enjoy your holiday with your baby, and let the life jacket do its job. Keeping your baby safe, and comfortable as you create new memories with them.

 

In a nutshell, baby life jackets ensures that parents get the best of both worlds with their baby. Your baby can get a positive new experience being in the water. And as a parent, you will be able to enjoy, and capture more Instagrammable pictures together with your baby in the water.

Leave a Reply