Advice from Mums (and Dads)

[Sticky]

My sister is expecting her first (bioloigcal) child in February so for Christmas we're buying her and her OH something for baby. She's asked me to get her a baby bouncer, but her OH (she has 2 step children) says baby swings are good.

She's not sure what to go for, but is still swinging (pun totally intended ) towards a bouncer, as she says she wants to avoid baby associating the rocking motion with sleep.

What would parents recommend? We've seen a cool bouncer that vibrates and plays music, but also a cool swing that rotates, so baby can face all directions. But it's HUGE!

I think a simple bouncer for £25 will do the job and get them something else...but I'm not a Mum so can't say whether the fandagley ones are any cop.

Any help/adive welcome!

x

 

[jaylou]

My daughter had one of the bouncers which you attach to the door frame, she was never bothered about it. Those swing chair things look fab, if this is what you mean. I'm not sure about the rocking thing - I hardly ever rocked my baby to sleep as once you start this you make a rod for your own back (IMO), baby needs to learn to get itself to sleep.
Anyway, I bet there's lots of fab things out there but I would get what the mum wants!

 

[Sticky]

My daughter had one of the bouncers which you attach to the door frame, she was never bothered about it. Those swing chair things look fab, if this is what you mean. I'm not sure about the rocking thing - I hardly ever rocked my baby to sleep as once you start this you make a rod for your own back (IMO), baby needs to learn to get itself to sleep.
Anyway, I bet there's lots of fab things out there but I would get what the mum wants!

Thanks hun. That's the problem though, Mum doesn't know yet! Going to feedback any advice to her at her request x

 

[Starlight]

I bought a swing for my youngest niece. It rocked itself and played music, it was absolutely brilliant... she loved it, her mum and dad loved it. When Ciara was young she loved the swinging motion and played and looked at the toys which came with it. Neither of my nieces liked the bouncers, in fact they both loudly objected.

Id say the 2 things are very different though, the swings can be used from really young but the bouncers from what I can remember are for 'older' babies who can support themselves. I wouldnt think the 2 are really that comparible??

 

[Sticky]

Oh I think I've not said the right thing. By bouncer I meant those chair things that you bounce with foot or the like! You know, the canvas chairs? Not the doorway ones!

D'oh (can't you tell I am so not a Mum)

 

[Ninja]

I didn't have a swing but I had a bouncy/rock chair. They are great, my daughter loved hers. As she grew older she realised that if she kicked her legs out it made her bounce, so she loved making herself bounce.

I agree about the swing, it will have a tendency to lull baby to sleep, then baby gets dependant on being rocked to sleep and before you know it your pacing the floor rocking baby to sleep several times a day and night.

Tell mum that these things are great but she must do things in a set routine to prevent baby from falling asleep in whatever it's sitting in at the time. Feed baby, wind baby, change baby and lay baby down whilst still awake so baby can learn to fall asleep by itself. Don't let baby get over stimulated or tired in one of these chairs or baby will become very tired and cranky....lol

 

[sanicholl]

I agree about the swing, it will have a tendency to lull baby to sleep, then baby gets dependant on being rocked to sleep and before you know it your pacing the floor rocking baby to sleep several times a day and night.

Tell mum that these things are great but she must do things in a set routine to prevent baby from falling asleep in whatever it's sitting in at the time. Feed baby, wind baby, change baby and lay baby down whilst still awake so baby can learn to fall asleep by itself. Don't let baby get over stimulated or tired in one of these chairs or baby will become very tired and cranky....lol

I totally agree with this Ninja, you really need to get baby into a routine and life becomes so much easier. Both mine sleep through from 4 weeks and I have never had any problems with them getting themselves to sleep.

Anyway, about the bouncers I had 2 different ones for my two children, one was very plain and had no functions (mine from when I was a baby in the early 80's, Mum had kept just in case!!!) and the other better equiped with a vibrating function and detachable toys which Elle loved playing with and to be honest she was rather annoyed when she got too big to sit in it anymore!:jelous:

I hope that this helps! I hope you enjoy being an aunty, its great, you can teach them all sorts, have great fun and then give them back!!!!

 

[Starlight]

Ahhhh right, the bouncy chairs are great, my eldest niece had one of those but my brother and sis in law preferred the swing. Ciara had both mind you lol

They didnt put Ciara in it though and leave her to it, well not often When she was in it, it would be swinging and usually someone was chatting to her or playing with her, she never saw it as a place to sleep. I suppose it just depends on how its used

 

[charlottegrace1]

Baby bouncer chairs are brilliant, mine had it and it was so versatile, from feeding them in it when they got a bit older, to just putting up on the worktop when working in the kitchen so they could see what I was doing and they were at eye level to talk to, right down to just being able to carry them around with me from room to room. Just make sure that it is robust cos once they can make themselves bounce they dont half go for it and that the cover comes off for washing and is a good quality cloth.

 

[Lisamac30]

My two both had bouncy chairs and they are fab!!!
With my youngest, we borrowed a friends new all singing and dancing swing chair, and she hated it!!

Good luck with whatever you buy

 

[mumtheshopper]

Deffo bouncy chair in my opinion. HSe'd get loads mopre use out of it. From birth right through

Lynda

 

[Scarlet Daisy]

Bouncy chairs are ace. Mine stayed in them until they were so big the chair was practically horizontal!

 

[Scarlet Daisy]

Don't get something TOO extravagant (i.e. vibrating, music-making, puppet-knitting, extravaganza)

I laughed out loud at this, I really did.

 

[charlottegrace1]

if you can get one that does the washing up and ironing, thats the chair I would go for lol.

 

[Mrs V]

My Daughter had a bouncer and loved it, especially when she learnt how to rock herself!
I also had a Tigger door frame swing for her, but she didnt use that until she was able to hold her head up.

 

[Littleslimmingbee]

i bought my sister a mama's and papa's chair. Its great, and will last her ages. she does not put the rocking on in the evening, only during the day so she does not associate night time, sleep time and rocking all together.

its great because it'l last ages, by introducing the rocking, sounds and lights seperatly over different months they'l never get bored and keep them stimulated and interested!

 

[Claireloulou]

I had one of the bouncy canvas chairs and it did just fine, he was init for ages too as up until about 4/5 months he was a tiny little dot then he had a monster growth spurt and hes turned in to a string bean . The only problem i have with the swings is my freind had one and like others have said it gets baby used to rocking to sleep and she felt she didnt get value for money from it as her little girl wasnt in it for very long.

 

[Julianne_julz]

We had a bouncy chair, which was great. You can get a Fisher Price baby-toddler rocker, it vibrated. Looks like a bouncer but rocks instead. All I can say is DON'T get it. My lo was nowhere near the max weight and it tipped forward on top of him more than once, so we got rid of it! Normal bouncy chairs are fab though. Swings take up too much space unless you get abasic small-ish one. xx