Don't buy a pool float for your baby.

None of them are truly safe.

Those cute little floats with the sun canopy or the rings with the leg holes? They’re not safety devices. They’re toys. And they can tip over, deflate, or let a baby slip right through. Worse, they give parents a false sense of security—“She’s fine in the float, I’ll just check my phone.” That’s where drowning happens.

What you actually want is a properly fitted, US Coast Guard-approved life jacket. Not a float, not a vest with “flotation” on the label, but a real life jacket designed for infants. Even then, you stay within arm’s reach. No exceptions.

Your arms are the safest float.