Babies love the water. If you're big into boating and would like to take your little one out for a ride with the rest of the family I think that's an amazing idea and that you'll have a great time.
Babies are really good swimmers, even though many people don't know that. Having spent a lot of time floating in the womb, they are quite good at keeping their balance when in water, but that doesn't mean that regular safety measures should not apply to them.
On the contrary, just like everyone else, babies are also in need of proper safety equipment whilst at sea, one of the most important of which is, of course, the life jacket. A baby life jacket is a bit different than life jackets for older kids even though the materials and overall design and idea are the same.
Babies, unlike older children, need different support when floating in the water, so baby life jackets are designed in a specific way to be able to offer this support and comfort and provide a fun and safe time for everybody.
Here is exactly what you need to know when buying little kid life jackets and what features you should focus on to make sure everything is as pleasant and safe as can be.
Size
When it comes to size there is one keyword - snug.
The jacket needs to fit your baby just right, so you'll need to make sure that your baby life vest is snug, but not tight. Having a baby life jacket that's the right size will allow your child to move around freely and play in the water while also eliminating the risk of them slipping out of their jacket.
Unlike adult life jackets, which have a bit more detailed sizing, baby life jackets are much simpler.
To figure out which size your baby will need you'll have to look at a weight chart and an age chart. Little kid life jackets are made with weight in mind because of the buoyancy factor. Buoyancy is the ability of the jacket to keep your baby afloat, or above water, so it only makes sense that weight should be used to determine the size.
As children of that age bracket (usually between 1 and 4 years old) go through many bodily changes, using weight as a sizing determinant will save you both a bunch of worries and cut the cost as you won't need to change the life jacket as often as when another sizing method would have been used.
So then, keep your child's age and especially their weight in mind and you'll be able to choose the right size without any issue.
Additions
As I said before, babies need support and safety features that are a bit different from what older children need, so the next thing you'll need to look into will be the additions, or to put it simply, the design of the baby life jacket.
For example, it's a well-known fact that babies have a bit of trouble holding their head steady on their own, so to prevent any injuries from happening and to let the baby float freely, a well-made baby life jacket will feature a nicely-made buoyant collar that will offer support for the head.
As we are all very relaxed while in the water, especially when wearing a life jacket, such a collar will provide your baby with the right amount of support and steady their body, keeping everything in check.
Other additions you might want to look at are the number of straps available as well as how they're positioned. Two straps for the shoulders, one that goes across the belly, and another one to secure the life jacket from the bottom are the ideal strap setup that will make sure your baby is securely in their life jacket and won't slip out. Such straps should be adjustable to make the jacket fit snuggly.
Finally, an additional lifting strap that's attached to the buoyant collar is also welcomed as it will give you control over your baby and their floating, making them easy to grab if you need to do so quickly.
One last thing I'd like to mention here is reflective patches that should be attached below the shoulders to increase visibility. If a life jacket doesn't have these, it's not the right life jacket for you.
Quality
If everything that I've spoken of in the section above is present chances are you have your hands on a quality-made baby life vest already and no more pointers are needed, but just as a precaution, I'd like to talk about material and certification.
Vinyl combined with foam and neoprene is the best material combination when it comes to baby life vests or PFD. PFD, meaning personal floatation device, is often used as a shorter way of saying life vest, so if you search for baby PFD you will end up with the same results. I'm just making this clear so you don't get confused.
Anyway, as I said, vinyl cutouts with foam in between and a neoprene addition in sensitive places are the best combination when it comes to baby PFDs, so look for something along these lines and you'll be good to go.
Finally, before purchasing, always make sure the life vest is approved by the Maritime Authority and that it complies with the set Australian Standard for PFDs. There is a stamp of approval on every legit life vest stating its originality and functionality. By making sure the stamp is there you will give yourself the peace of mind that the jacket you're purchasing has been inspected and is in perfect working condition, meaning your little baby can splash around all day long and all you'll have to do is enjoy the sunny day on the water.