Re: Infants and Boats?
Thought I'd reply to this older thread rather than start a new one.
I work in the medical field and am currently finishing up medical school. I also have two children, a 2 year old and a 5 month old. Both of them have been in boats since they were about 6 weeks old. I have spent several hours researching this topic and did not find any published research about infants on boats. Anything I have found on the subject has been purely opinion and speculation. Here's my thoughts based off of my knowledge and experience.
Many people speculate that rough waters might cause shaken baby syndrome, but that extremely unlikely and never has been documented to actually have occurred. Shaken baby syndrome requires an extreme amount of shaking to cause a repetitive whiplash injury to the brain. It is caused by literally holding a baby in the air and shaking it back and forth as hard as your can. A boat ride, bike ride, off road jeep ride, or being in a baby backpack while the parent is jogging is not likely to generate enough force to cause any brain injury (unless you crash or fall). These are simply internet myths which people believe because some very official looking websites have posted them.
CA Division of Boating and Waterways is one example of an opinion which is not based on facts, but is still presented as "official." It gives a recommendation, but the reason to it is opinionated based on personal comfort rather than safety.
Is it a good idea to take my infant boating?
It is not advised to take a baby boating before they are at least six months of age and can sit up on their own. Generally, babies will not be comfortable in a life jacket when they cannot sit up. A reclined infant in a life jacket will experience great discomfort from the poor fit of most infant life jackets. Once they can sit up, some of the pressure around the neck of the life jacket will be relieved.
My babies were very comfortable in their life jackets and the sound of the motor even lulled them to sleep. We just had to hold them the entire time could not set them down comfortably, even while anchored and not moving. Each child is different.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, on the other hand, gives limited boating advice for infants and children based on factual data. They simply say that infants and children of all ages need a life jacket that fits them properly. This is probably the only age limiting safety factor for infants on boats because most infant life preservers have a minimum weight requirement of 18 pounds. The other AAP recommendation is to have infants under 6 months wear UV resistant long sleeves and a wide brim hat to minimize sun screen usage. I would give that same recommendation to older children and adults too.
My ultimate advice is to base the decision on whether or not to bring an infant aboard on the parents desires.
Babies CAN safely go on boats, but will the parents enjoy the trip while taking care of them? My wife and I love having our kids with us and thrive on outdoor family activities. We took our daughter camping at Lake Powell for 6 days in 100 degree weather when she was only 4 months. She loved it and actually learned to laugh while we were there. We just had to take safety precautions such as life jackets, extra feedings to prevent dehydration, and keeping her cool by constantly wetting her clothes and keeping her in the shade. We also had an escape plan and understood that we would end the trip early if there were any sign of trouble. She had been on many shorter boat and camping trips building up to this one. It was extra work, but at no time did I feel unsafe. We also have taken both children backpacking, biking, and snowshoeing. We are giving them the best childhood experience possible and I hope other parents will make the same sacrifices for their children.
