Summer time brings a lot of water fun–from the pool to the beach! With an infant, there are a few extra steps to take. Check out my tips and tricks, plus the perfect pool float: SwimWays Infant Spring float.

This post was sponsored by SwimWays as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

In April, we took our first road trip with Liam. He crawled away from his first beach vacation like a pro. From sand and the ocean to a lazy river pool, he was game for it all–as long as it wasn’t nap time.

We were a bit rusty at having an infant on vacation…in fact, I don’t know if we ever traveled with the other kids when they were this little. The beach and pool can be tricky with little ones, but I have some great tips to help keep you sane.

1. You can never have enough sun protection. Long sleeved rash guard, swim diaper, layers of sunscreen and a sun hat…are just the beginning. If you’re planning on spending a chunk of time in the sun, invest in a nice umbrella or pop-up canopy to put your little one under. Our resort had rental umbrellas and chairs, which were SO helpful because our cheaper umbrella blew away within one hour of putting it up.

2. Pool safety is easy with an infant float. This SwimWays Infant Baby Spring float was a lifesaver! It twists up into a super compacted size, perfect for packing, but quickly inflates and pops up to use in less than 5 minutes! Liam loved floating in the lazy river with us!

Ricky and I were able to splash and play in the pool with Liam without having to hold a slippery baby in the water. He was super secure in the float with the 3 point harness, plus the canopy offered plenty of shade with UPF 50+ protection. It’s perfect for little ones 3-9 months–Liam was able to splash his feet in the water, but still be afloat. The handles on the side were perfect for us to guide him through the water.

For extra swimming tips, check out the Teach Me to Swim site. It’s a great resource for swim safety tips, plus steps to help you. I love that they have products labeled to help your kiddo gradually learn how to swim with confidence. We’ve used quite a few of their vests for Gabby.

3. Get plenty of rest. Remember that the sunshine can be exhausting for everyone, especially an infant. Take plenty of breaks inside where it’s cooler. After pool time, I’d make sure Liam’s skin was completely dry before putting on his diaper to keep from any irritation.

4. Sand happens. At first I was super paranoid about sand being everywhere, but babies eventually stop wanting to shovel it in their mouth after a minute or so. Just make sure there aren’t any sharp shells or objects in the sand in the play area.

5. Have fun! Yes, pool time can be stressful. But try to have fun and show your little ones how to enjoy time in the water–it will help them become more confident as they start actually swimming.

What pool tips do you have? Have you tried any SwimWays floats or vests?