Crib mobile, yay or nay?

kaos16

FTMs are you getting a mobile for above your little one's crib.  Those who already have babies, did you have a mobile?

MIL just got me one, that doesn't go with my theme, so will be returned/exchanged either way, but I don't think I want a mobile.  Are they necessary?  Do you find your little one interested in it at all?  I was actually just reading an interesting article saying that they aren't recommended because you don't want to overstimulate your baby when they are trying to sleep.  

Thoughts?

ntyravgsp

I made one for DD and she liked it. Necessary? - no, fun? - can be.

QueenCarlissa

No thoughts but I've been contemplating this as well I don't think I want a mobile for my son. It's really more of "what's the point?"

Ebiejay

I have one on my registry but if nobody gifts it I won't pick it up myself as I don't see one as necessary. 

I read something similar about over stimulation, and that it was best to remove it for nap time. I also read that it could be good for awake time (depending on baby), giving them something to focus on helps eye sight development, and bright contrasting colours were the way to go. 

kaos16

Ebiejay said:

I have one on my registry but if nobody gifts it I won't pick it up myself as I don't see one as necessary. 

I read something similar about over stimulation, and that it was best to remove it for nap time. I also read that it could be good for awake time (depending on baby), giving them something to focus on helps eye sight development, and bright contrasting colours were the way to go. 

makes sense. . . . . but with that being said, how much awake time are they really spending alone in their crib in their room?

ntyravgsp

We live in a two-story house, so even when I'd hear her wake up over the monitor it would still take me a little time to get to her room. It kept her occupied while she was waiting that little bit of time for me to get there. As she got older she loved reaching for the flowers and ribbons on it when I'd pick her up from the crib. It's one of those things they appreciate more as they get older, rather than as a newborn.

willashbaby

Not a mobile but one of those water things with the fish and music that goes in the crib that they can hit. My brothers loved this when they were little and it became part of their bedtime routine. 

Blueyedsky

Mobiles do help the baby's eyesight form in those first few months (babies are born with only 20-40% of their eyesight), but so do other interesting patterns and contrasting colors. If you are considering it from a developmental perspective, it's just important that the baby be exposed to toys/wallpaper/contrasting colors and patterns. Not necessary to have a mobile. As far as it overstimulating, unless it plays music and is crazy big, it will actually be a source of comfort and relaxation to the baby when they're used to it. Letting them see it before bed is plenty of time to accustom them to it.

Source: degree in family with a minor in child development

MommaB16

FTM and I don't plan on having a mobile.... I think they look weird (stuffed animals hanging in the air that go round) and I registered for a noise maker that does sounds and lullabys* (sp) that has colored lights so I don't need it for the noise.

Ebiejay

Blueyedsky said:

Mobiles do help the baby's eyesight form in those first few months (babies are born with only 20-40% of their eyesight), but so do other interesting patterns and contrasting colors. If you are considering it from a developmental perspective, it's just important that the baby be exposed to toys/wallpaper/contrasting colors and patterns. Not necessary to have a mobile. As far as it overstimulating, unless it plays music and is crazy big, it will actually be a source of comfort and relaxation to the baby when they're used to it. Letting them see it before bed is plenty of time to accustom them to it. Source: degree in family with a minor in child development

Thanks for the clarification!

ndeguara

I got a mobile that I am hanging from the ceiling in the corner above the rocking chair

62406

I had one for DD that was part of the crib/room decor that we registered for but I think we only used it twice. We ended up taking it off as it kept getting in the way when we changed the sheets on her crib mattress. We played a baby CD if we wanted music in her room.

JoJoMama730

DD could have cared less, so I'm skipping it with this one.

apinkpelican

willashbaby said:

Not a mobile but one of those water things with the fish and music that goes in the crib that they can hit. My brothers loved this when they were little and it became part of their bedtime routine. 

We had one with DD. it was homemade and adorable and DD loved it. We used one of the aquarium things too for awhile. We called it her baby TV
X_X
But some point if it makes you baby stop crying you won't mind at all!

ariasbabyblog

I split the crib in half, so one side was the "sleeping" side and the other was the "active" side. I didn't specifically use a mobile, but I strung little toys on plastic rings over the "active" side, along with a small mirror and a stuffed toy. The "sleeping" side had nothing. It worked very well until he started moving around, at which point, he wasn't interested in the stuff in the air anymore anyway.I say if you want one, go for it, but make sure there is a "sleeping only" space available too.

Emott13

DD actually hated her mobile. We kept so I'll try it again with the new LO but it's definitely not something I'd call "necessary". As PP said, there are plenty of ways to stimulate LO.

KayTaylor14

My grandma made us one to go with our theme, if I find it over stimulates him (by comparing time it takes him to settle down in bassinet compared to crib) I'll take it off.

KimC2010

I'm making one of origami cranes, but I don't know if I will actually use it or not.

Lacynduck

When you have a crying baby, it's very necessary to have one

juneandboo

I ordered an adorable one on Etsy last night. Not sure if it's necessary, but is so stinkin' cute.

jeanbug12

They say to take them down at 4-5 months because baby starts to move better and sit up and can reach for them and pull them down. I guess if you had one that hangs high from the ceiling you could leave it longer. But it seems like a waste to buy something you can only use for that short time.

ntyravgsp

^^^ we hung ours from the ceiling and just shortened the ribbon that went between the ceiling hook and the top of the mobile as needed. I'd never attach one to the crib itself, but that's just me. DD was never able to reach it on her own.

Mommyduclos

I don't- my kids don't "hang out" in their cribs awake when they are tiny and you can only use mobiles for the first few months. I am a big fan of the ones that are in the crib that play music that older babies/ young toddlers can activate themselves done of them DO have a mobile attachment for when they are itty bitty that can be removed so if you are going for functional I would get one of those. There's a rainforest one that's super popular but I'm sure there are others- otherwise I think mobiles are more decor than useful.

mullenixj

I registered for a Baby Einstein mobile that is also a sound soother and can be used just as the soother or as the combination. I liked that it was a two in one type deal.

stephanienjer

I'm a FTM, but I was a live-in nanny for many years. 

I am getting one that comes highly recommended by my sister--my nephew liked it so much, and was comforted by it so much that it transitioned through the ages with him. The one that I'm getting has a main circular function, but it also has three more circles that things kind of swing around because of gravity. As the baby gets older, we can detach the mobile part, and it stays as a music box for baby in the crib. It then detaches and becomes a portable music player as they are a toddler.

Another idea--the little girl I nannied for had a Baby Einstein aquarium toy that attached to the rails of her crib. She could push the buttons, the toy would light up, and little fish would bounce around to VERY soft music for about 10 minutes. Some mornings, she was content to hit it and watch it multiple times. When you're sleep deprived, and they're content, you'll be really happy to have something they can use to buy you some time. 

CBWifey

A friend bought us one that displays stars on the ceiling, and plays music with rotating figures. We used this till she was well over a year old, and she loved it. It totally didn't match her nursery, but it's usefulness made me not care. Above poster was right, any extra 5 minutes of contentness is worth it!

kenldav

I bought one for dd1 that had music, turned,ect and never used it. This time I just made a simple one just for decor really

JNGettinMarried

Had one for DD#1 that matched her bedding. It was cute and looked nice in the room but I didn't use it much. To make it run I had to turn a little crank on the back which was loud to do, and I didn't feel like it ran very long. If I get one for DD#2 I'll look for one that runs on batteries and has an on/off switch.

lwebley

It's one of the things we couldn't live without. A friend bought it for me, I didn't want it. Now I'm super thankful. We got one that grew with him. First a mobile that had music and things that spun around in a circle. Then as he got older we took the dangling part off and left just the music. He fell asleep listening to it every night (turns off by its self after 15 mins). He is now 19 months and when he wakes up early in the morning pushes the music button himself and goes back to sleep! It's amazing!

Mine is the "tiny love classic developmental mobile"

mg137

Our girls have ones with little fabric (crochet maybe??) animals. It doesn't spin or light up or make music. They looked at them when they were a couple months old and then really started liking them a lot around this first birthday. They like me to say each animal and they make animals noises at them and/or repeat the animal name.

Make sure to get one that looks neat from below. A lot just face out.

stephanienjer

@lwebley Ours is also Tiny Love, but it's the Soothe and Groove one. They really do a nice job taking into consideration the baby's stages of development.

blessed2bemommy

We had one with ds and probably only used it twice. He loved his baby Einstein fish tank that attached to the crib; and probably used that until a few months before we took him out of the crib and into the toddler bed.