The first couple of times we went in the water it was the lake here, so she wore a soft life vest, which was great but in the pool we tired wings and I don't think she felt secure enough and she demanded to be held.
We have a friends bday pool party coming up and I think we are going back to the vest.
She will be starting swim lessons with a friend who does it as a side a job. She HAS to be a good swimmer for me to let her near the water- because I don't swim. Too many "near drownings" as a child.
She won't go under water, and she tends to swallow water and choke- but weirdly she still likes it.