How young is too young?

[lucyloo730]

This is my sister with her 7 week old baby ... In a sling ... Extreme Breast feeding !!!! He Didn't make a murmur all weekend ... Could be something to do with his name though, Morgan (of the ocean) !
I don't think there is a definitive answer ... It's down to the child and parents and what they are comfortable with .
I'm sure having a toddler around would be quite tough though :S


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[lucyloo730]

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[weavis]

I guess if your going sailing its best not to leave them hanging around on the docks.....

[lucyloo730]

Originally Posted by weavis

I guess if your going sailing its best not to leave them hanging around on the docks.....

I just have this image of a cute toddler standing on the dock .. hands in pockets .. Whistling !!!


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[weavis]

Originally Posted by lucyloo730

I just have this image of a cute toddler standing on the dock .. hands in pockets .. Whistling !!!


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7 weeks is not "exactly" a toddler

But Im no doctor..... oh wait! I am!!

(Said with authority in the voice) "ITs not a toddler!"

There is a lot of mixed and expressive emotion about taking a young baby to sea......... as long as you know.....

[lucyloo730]

Originally Posted by weavis

7 weeks is not "exactly" a toddler



But Im no doctor..... oh wait! I am!!



(Said with authority in the voice) "ITs not a toddler!"



There is a lot of mixed and expressive emotion about taking a young baby to sea......... as long as you know.....

Oh ... Isn't it ... I don't have kids ... Also I'm not sure they can whistle either !? Doc?

Yes I'm sure there is ... I actually had mixed emotions about my sister bringing the baby on that trip ... But it was great
My 3 cousins were born aboard and brought up on a boat .... Lucky buggers I say !!



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[FamilyVan]

We were full time live aboards, when my little buddy was born, so he was 23 hours when he moved onto the Van full time. Didn't go far at first, just started motoring to the pump out dock at about 10 days or so. I'd say we first took him for an afternoon sail around 1 month. Lasted about 15 minutes before mom freaked and we went back to dock. I'd say by about 2 months we could get out for a couple of hours. Although I just tacked back and forth within a mile or two of the dock. Around 10 weeks we took him out in some heavier stuff, say 20 knot winds meter and a half seas, but still very close to our marina, within 3 miles. The boat was set up for full time live aboard so was comfortable for baby and Mom. Very heavily built, very stable double ender. I would say I'm a fair to good sailor too. I guess those are factors to consider. The point was made earlier about life jackets for parents. From the first time I had him out I had a life jacket on. Mom got freaked out the first time, wondering why I was putting on a life jacket (she was kind of annoyed at me), but I can just imagine if I fell in and she had to get that big genoa in on her own and get the old perkins started with a crying baby on board? Pretty sure I'd be swimming back to dock.

[NOLA_sailing]

Originally Posted by maytrix

I could see that being the case for a crossing like they were doing, but I don't think its a problem if its a health baby and you are not doing a major crossing and have reasonable access to medical care as needed.

I have found being married to a critical care nurse to be very beneficial.

[NOLA_sailing]

Oh and with a toddler on board, the biggest risk of going overboard is to any unsecured winch handle or tool that is within arm's reach. They will certainly find the resulting splash MUCH funnier than you will.

In all seriousness, though, take the transition slowly and patiently. Do not try to force something that everybody (you, mom, child) is not ready to take on. The pack and play is a great idea assuming you have the room. Ours fits perfectly in the U-Shaped Salon with the table stowed. As others have mentioned, be mindful of safety and take "baby steps" (pun most definitely intended). We have brought our 16 month old on the boat several times without leaving the dock so he can get used to the limitations we set on board. Like letting him play in the cockpit while in a harness and tethered, etc. That way we could focus on him and assess what works and what doesn't without worrying about the boat and our surroundings. As soon as we can get a weekend with favorable enough conditions, we'll do a trial run to see how he handles being underway.

[msponer]

I feel you can do a whole lot of sailing and still be within reasonable reach of medical care.

"48 hours" seems easily possible in Pacific Mexico and the Sea of Cortez, though it may be dramatic from a few places. 24 hours, or even 12, seems easily possible while island hopping in the Caribbean.

My youngest daughter was less than a year old when we sailed to Mexico. We had to take her to the pediatrician twice, for a fever, and then later, a rash. The care was as good as in America, though different. Her doctor presented himself as much less certain than our American doctors. Visits were longer, in a study in his house, and he spent most of that time going through his thought process, showing us pages from his books, and explaining why he thought it was A and not B. I thought it was a refreshing intellectual humility, but I think it could make some people nervous, if they are used to a doctor exuding complete certainty.

For our own risk assessment, the experience, and sharing that with her, was worth whatever incremental risk there was to being >5 minutes from an ambulance. She's now 8 and fondly looks back at photographs of her baby self adventuring.

We take an additional risk with our older daughter, who has an intellectual disability. She is at slightly higher risk because she does not walk well and occasionally does dumb things. But she absolutely loves the sailing life so much that it is easily worth it for her. We are back in America for a year, as landlubbers, and we went camping at the beach a few weeks ago. She did all she could to tell us how much she misses the boat and living on the beach.

After Rebel Heart's problems, my wife and I talked it through and decided that we have to take the kids medical care a lot more seriously when we head farther away from civilization -- when stop day hopping between islands and instead head towards Panama and the Pacific. We contacted Spike Briggs at Medical Support Offshore. She's having us take an MCA medical course in Florida, will make a pediatric medical kit that is tailored for our kids, and we will contract with her for a 24x7 email/phone consultation service. I now also view communication stuff as 'critical' instead of 'toy' -- and so the satellite phone and HAM radio will be installed in a more resilient way.

Kids in the Cockpit: A Pilot Book to Safe and Happy Sailing with Children has a lot of good advice and different parent perspectives on harnesses, rules, and etc.

[Svdestiny]

I bet you dollars to donuts, the issue isn't "how young is too young?" but "how to get her onboard!" you could read millions of posts by couples, singles, villages telling the OP how they dealt with their children, but it doesn't matter if Mom/Wife is not for it. If mom is into sailing (or sailing off) , there is a LOT of good info out there. if mom isn't, well, it wont work, even if the kids are 34years old.

[NOLA_sailing]

Originally Posted by Svdestiny

I bet you dollars to donuts, the issue isn't "how young is too young?" but "how to get her onboard!" you could read millions of posts by couples, singles, villages telling the OP how they dealt with their children, but it doesn't matter if Mom/Wife is not for it. If mom is into sailing (or sailing off) , there is a LOT of good info out there. if mom isn't, well, it wont work, even if the kids are 34years old.

Yahtzee!


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[boatpoker]

Both of our grand daughters cruised the Bahamas with us before they were one year old.
Great for them .... even better for us.

[Capt Phil]

My kids are now in their 40's but when the oldest was 1 1/2 he went overboard from the bow while trying to look for seals in the PNW while we were under sail. His younger brother was with Mom in the cockpit on the tit so I just reached over and grabbed him by the life jacket and hoisted him back aboard as he past the cockpit. No drama except he was wet which was his usual state. Mom was a little distressed but came around quickly. The main thing is not to get excited! Phil

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Capt Phil

My kids are now in their 40's but when the oldest was 1 1/2 he went overboard from the bow while trying to look for seals in the PNW while we were under sail. His younger brother was with Mom in the cockpit on the tit so I just reached over and grabbed him by the life jacket and hoisted him back aboard as he past the cockpit. No drama except he was wet which was his usual state. Mom was a little distressed but came around quickly. The main thing is not to get excited! Phil

I actually agree with you, Phil, but the story should accent for those guys who let the "little lady" take care of the kids, that sometimes she is so occupied with one of them that Dad needs to be vigilant.

To go on a little further, we personally know a number of people who have sailed with neonates and toddlers (as the next one came along), in small boats, AND NOTHING BAD HAPPENED. We know a number of people who are 2nd generation cruisers, and nothing bad happened to them when they were young, either.

There are some people who make somewhat rational cases for the 2 yr. limit, but really, I feel their points are somewhat alarmist. Lots of bad things are possible, but most are unlikely.

Just try and reassure the grannies involved. Often they wax quite fearful for the little ones, whereas in fact, it is a pretty safe environment for a wee one, way safer than in a car.

A.