Looking for some ideas on what to use for positioning/travel for my 2 month old in the bow of the canoe. Leaning towards a bath tub sponge. But of course I still need to figure our how to waterproof it so it does not absorb the water from the bottom of the canoe. Any ideas out there?????

I used a small foam pad for my babies in the front. Then I attached a water proof blacket accrros the gunnels to keep the sun off of them

I was careful with the water in the bilge... and just laid kiddo down there with flap of flap jacket to keep head up a bit.

Think Canoearoo's idea of a closed cell foam pad would also work - you can cut to fit.

YES to something over the bow for the sun (at least this time of year).

How is it going Vickie? First paddle yet?

quote BWPaddler: "I was careful with the water in the bilge... and just laid kiddo down there with flap of flap jacket to keep head up a bit.


Think Canoearoo's idea of a closed cell foam pad would also work - you can cut to fit.


YES to something over the bow for the sun (at least this time of year).


How is it going Vickie? First paddle yet?"

Going well....NO paddle yet but she does have her own Duluth Pack :)

Does she have a life jacket? ;-)

quote nojobro: "Does she have a life jacket? ;-)"

Oh yeah....it is way to cute:)

She even has a little tent (Pea Pod) that will fit in ours and we can also take it around the campsite to protect her from the uv rays and bugs;-}

Vickie,
After the little ones bless our lives things change we can't always do what we did before. In my honest opinion she should stay home at 2 months old. Too many what if's. Safety first!

~Kristy

I'm with Kristy- There is plenty of time to take kids into the woods. A big wind, wave- anything and the baby is in the water. An instant can change your world. Sorry- I just think a 2 month old is too small.

quote MOgirl: "Vickie,
After the little ones bless our lives things change we can't always do what we did before. In my honest opinion she should stay home at 2 months old. Too many what if's. Safety first!


~Kristy"

While I respect you opinions, I obviously have my own.

I am very happy to be blessed with another child at my age and with my past infertility issues (already have a 15 ½ y.o and almost 14 y.o.) . She is truly a gift from GOD.

You are correct in your statement that our lives change r/t to the baby. There are changes that cannot be controlled and there are changes that can be controlled to lessen the impact that they have on our daily lives. I know from firsthand the dangers and potential dangers of tripping with or without children….regardless of their age. It is we (TB and I) who have to adjust our normal tripping goals and desires when we bring children into the BWCAW. IMO-my children have a greater chance of injury just purely getting into a vehicle than they do going into the BWCAW. We as parents don’t take our children into vehicles without practicing safety nor do we not practice safety as it pertains to the daily living with our children. I am an ED RN and see firsthand the outcomes of parents’ who do not practice safety with their children. We always think of safety first and we NEVER take any chances with any of the children we bring in (regardless of their age). We have discussed the safety issues and strategies and what circumstances would cause us to pull the plug. IMO-bringing a 2 month old will be easier for us to adjust our routines than it would to bring a toddler who is very mobile and therefore creating greater chance of injury and added stress while we are trying to adjust our routines.

Tahnks for your input.

quote ripple: "I'm with Kristy- There is plenty of time to take kids into the woods. A big wind, wave- anything and the baby is in the water. An instant can change your world. Sorry- I just think a 2 month old is too small."

Ripple- I appreciate your input and concerns but I have my own thoughts and of course I have to say them...

I know from my experience this past May how the wind and waves can come out of nowhere and capsize you in a second. That incident did cause me to ponder my decision to bring her in with us. TB and I discussed the situation and how we would have handled it differently if we would have had her with us (well she was, but in utero). We would not have changed anything pertaining to the capsize (other than it never occurring) and getting to the safety of shore. However, we would not have even gone on that day trip with her. And you are correct "an instant can change your world". I know this all to well as it pertains to others from being an ED RN. I have control over much of our trip (exception wind, waves, etc) but we would not even travel nor are we planning on crossing large spans of water, so I do have some control on that front. What I dont have control of in daily living is the drunk driver, the person texting while driving etc.....IMO-my risk of something adverse occuring while in the BWCAW are less than daily life risks.

Thanks again for you input.

I know you didn't ask for an opinion- it just caused enough of a fear reaction for me that I couldn't help but voice one. Everyone is entitled to the risks they are willing to take. I just didn't want the thread to look as though everyone would consider a tiny baby in a canoe appropriate enough to discuss the type of seat one would use.

I have brought all of our babies to the BW and have never regretted it. We were just more careful.

I agree that the non-mobile kiddos are likely safer in the woods than those pesky QUICK toddlers. Sounds like you've thought it through for your family Vickie and that's what matters.

At 2 months old, it would have been after Thanksgiving for my eldest - BW not an option (for me)! So, what did I do? I put her pfd on her in the shower!! and then FLOATED her in the tub in it. Actually she was about 6 weeks when I started doing that. Got her used to the pfd and showed me a bit about how the pfd worked. Yes, I'm a nut. As to kiddo? She routinely fell sound asleep floating in a warm tub, naked in an orange flap jacket. Ha!

My dh wouldn't consider my proposal to take our first child into bdub the spring after she was born (8 months) so we did a backpack trip along Superior instead. I think he got more comfortable with having her out in the woods, and agreed to take her on our fall trip that same year, just before she turned 1.

Even with an easy route it was a bit of a challenge - to keep her occupied in the bow by feeding her bits of cheese and singing songs... and we faced a bit of weather, and a bit of crowding and lack of campsites, and thunderstorms all night, and mud and waves, etc. But never did I feel her life was in danger or regret taking her.

I worried more about seating her front facing for the first time in the car ride up - because technically she was supposed to be a full year old and we made the switch for the long trip a few days in advance which freaked me out, lol.

One thing I've seen that concerns me about babes on water (BW or elsewhere) is people that carry them in a front carrier. I keep thinking if Mom goes overboard, babe is trapped below the waterline and not in their own pfd.

I do not go to the woods for ME, ignoring needs of kiddo. I go FOR kiddo and because that's what I want for them. Heck, I can't even recall what it's like to plan a trip that grownups could take - it's all about the kids and their capabilities and needs. There ARE plenty of "easy" trips to be had up there, IMHO appropriate for very young and very old...

All that said, I really respect those who make other choices - because the bottom line for us parents is that you want to have no regrets - no woulda coulda shouldas. So we have to be able to live with our own decisions we make for our children and there is no shame in making a decision not to go either.

quote BWPaddler: "I put her pfd on her in the shower!! and then FLOATED her in the tub in it."

Great idea...I was going to take her to the pool but this is a better idea :) So far she loves her baths.

IMHO - way better than a pool. Less chemicals, more control over waves, temperature, etc. I have a picture somewhere - she's floating and sleeping in the life jacket, with her feet crossed! It's hilarious. Good luck!

quote BWPaddler: "IMHO - way better than a pool. Less chemicals, more control over waves, temperature, etc. I have a picture somewhere - she's floating and sleeping in the life jacket, with her feet crossed! It's hilarious. Good luck!"

Well....the test run went great. She loved it. At first she just layed still with her eyes closed, then she started to slowly move her arms and feet...was very cute. Here is a picture of Aurora in her PFD :)

Awwwwwwww! I love it. You will treasure that pic forever. What a cutie she is!

Cozy! Perfect fit and I loved the plastic bag trick.

Oh... I am dying! She is so cute in her Pfd. I love that you tested her out in the tub first!