Swings for babies. Some of them are amazing. Some of them don't work. And some of them are easily broken. Sure, you could spend $160 on a baby swing that doesn't help your child sleep and breaks three weeks later.
But, let's face it, you've just given birth to a child. That money will be required for Starbucks and takeout.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU?
A safe, dependable swing with enough motion to aid sleep for your infant.
We're going to use the swing as a sleep aid, so it won't be used as a baby amusement park. We all know that white noise helps babies sleep better, so it makes no difference which swing plays the best music. Finally, since most baby swings create music/white noise on a timer, your baby swing is unlikely to be your source of white noise (unless your baby takes 7-minute naps, in which case you have bigger issues than picking out the right baby swing).
PROS OF TRAVELING WITH A BABY SWING
They're very thin. If you live in a 500 square foot apartment, a full-sized swing might be out of the question.
They're inexpensive (about 50 percent less than a full-sized swing).
OBJECTIVES
They aren't as effective at lulling babies to sleep as full-sized swings. Swings for babies up to 40 lbs swings produce more swinging motion, which is more effective at lulling babies to sleep.
FAIL with the swing timer. Since most travel swings only swing for a fixed period of time, you and your baby will be waking up every 45 minutes when the timer goes off all night.
They're not very far off the ground. Although the weight limit is 25 pounds (roughly the same as a full-sized swing), if you have a tall infant, their heels can begin to drag on the ground after a month or two.
Bottom Line: I don't suggest travel swings for baby sleep in general. If money is very tight, you'd be better off looking on Craigslist for a lightly used recent-model full-sized swing.
PROS With FULL-SIZED SWINGS
They have a strong full-range swinging motion that is perfect for lulling babies to sleep.
Swinging has no timer. That's fantastic!
Some versions come with electrical connectors, which saves you and the environment the hassle of having to dispose of a pile of batteries.
They can carry a baby from birth to 8+ months safely and comfortably.
OBJECTIVES
They're not cheap. Expect to pay anywhere between $99 and $160 online, and $140 or more in a local store.
They're very broad. Although they theoretically fold up, a) folding them just makes them 20% smaller, and b) you'll be using it so much that you won't fold it up until baby is in her crib and you store it in the basement.
They make a lot of noise. It will take some getting used to seeing a baby swing swinging full-bore inches from your bed. Using a noisy white noise machine can help.
They feed on batteries (if using batteries). Expect to replace four D-cells every seven to ten days if you're on the swing full-time. Batteries that can be recharged will not work.
They're a bit on the heavy side. You won't like having to pass this around if you've just had a C-section.
WHICH BRAND SUITS YOU BEST?
Graco baby swings have the maximum weight limit (30 lbs) of any swing on the market, as well as a 5-point harness. However, their motors are notoriously underpowered and vulnerable to burnout. Graco customer service will give you a new motor for free (they're shockingly simple to switch out). However, if your child wants to sleep in a swing, waiting for your new motor to arrive in the mail can be a frustrating couple of days.
Fisher Price is integrating "smart swing technology" into all of their swings in the future. Though "smart swing technology" sounds like something you'd want, it's really just a fancy way of saying "timed swings." As a result, all swings will turn off after 4 hours. This is unlikely to be a problem for younger infants, and many babies are no longer sleeping in swings by the age of three months. If your baby requires motion, however, the timer can become the bane of your life, with your baby waking up every 45 minutes all night. Although non-smart swing technology swings are still available in shops, finding Fisher Price swings that do not switch off on a timer will become increasingly difficult. Unfortunately, as a result of this, Fisher Price is no longer my favourite baby swing. Oh no!
The Fisher Price Papasan swing is one of my favourites. They're adorable, successful, and dependable. It has two swinging paths that can be balanced (although front to back is generally best). The only disadvantage is that the 3 pt harness is not as comfortable as the 5 pt harness. Despite the fact that I have never dealt with a baby who has managed to escape the swing (and if you snap the tray in place it would be VERY difficult to do so). A mesh decoration hangs around the swing on some of the versions. While I've never had a problem with it, I don't recommend getting loose fabric near babies for sleep safety reasons. You can prevent this by selecting a model without the decoration or by removing it from the one you already have.
BRIGHT BEGINNINGS
To be honest, I've never played this sort of swing before. For $60, they sell a range of travel swings, and for $120, they offer full-size swings. Have you got one? How's it going so far?
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Different Conditions FOR THE CAR NAP EXTENDER SWING
Your child falls asleep seconds before you pull into the driveway, which is an issue. If you pick him up and carry him inside, he won't fall back asleep in his bed/swing quietly; instead, he'll tell you flat out that he's done napping for the time being, thankyouverymuch. He'll happily sleep in the car if you sit in it, but this is not a desirable choice for a variety of reasons (it's bad for the climate, it's boring, YOU can't nap in the car, you have to go to the bathroom, etc.).
Solution: While Graco does not have a conventional travel swing, they do have this clever innovation that holds a SnugRide car seat and allows you to use your infant car seat as a swing. Most people don't need one of these because their baby would spend most of their time sleeping in their swing. The SnugGlider could be the solution for you if your baby falls asleep in the car and you can't stop driving near nap time (when baby is susceptible to falling asleep in the car).
Simply remove your baby and carseat from the car and snap into your SnugGlider when your baby falls asleep in the car (best located somewhere near-ish to the car). Allow the car nap to begin inside by turning on the white noise, vibration, and swing. The SnugGlider isn't a "must-have" piece for people who don't often drive their newborn baby around, costing $50-$60 each. However, if you find yourself sleeping in your car while your child sleeps, it could be a worthwhile investment.
For more information, visit: https://compareget.com/
