Product Spotlight: Baby seats/swings/containers

kboydbowman

Questions/reviews.

jhysmath

We have a swing that the seat comes out of to be a bouncer. I picked it so we didn't have tons of different baby containers. I believe it's a graco duet I don't like how shallow the seat is I didn't feel it held them the way it should. I always ended up propping with blankets. My kids didn't really use the swing much as we didn't take it with us to NY for the summer so by the time we were back to the house that had it they were 3 months old and were used to being held constantly and the swing was not what they wanted. 

babywiik

We bought a swing with baby#1 that we rarely used. We borrowed a bouncer from a friend which was a lot easy to move rooms and worked awesome. That friend is having a baby this year though so not borrowing the bouncer this time. With baby#1 I could leave her on the floor if I had to run to the other room. Can't see that being feasible with baby#2, with a toddler on the loose. I like the idea that the swing will be a bit more elevated so "maybe" safer from the toddler 😂

jhysmath

https://www.target.com/p/munchkin-bluetooth-enabled-baby-swing/-/A-80184100

I think I'd like to get this one for space saving if I didn't already have a swing and this is the last baby. 

trapperkeeper87

We had a swing for my daughter, but she didn't like it much. What we used more than anything was a Fisher Price Sit-Me-Up. I recommend them to everyone because they can be used for quite a while and fold flat for storage. The seating position is also a good one for their posture.

You can find them used on Marketplace all the time. Try to get one with a tray because it gives them an extra little table for snacks and toys (the tray can also snap off if you don't want to use it).

I also snagged a bouncer for free from Marketplace because it had a stain. I deep cleaned it and spot cleaned the stain twice and it looks brand new! The bouncer was actually brand new and only used twice before it got stained. It's this one:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KFRNS19/

It was a good choice, and I would recommend it to anyone. Other than that, I didn't really use any other containers. I hated the Bumbo for a number of reasons (too rigid being a big one), and I don't know many people who actually really like those anymore. 

newbabymama27

I second a bouncer! I’m adding what we have for reference so you know what it looks like but there a ton of different brands, colours, etc. 

this was a last minute registry addition but was probably the most used item we got. I would set my son down in there so he would play while I had coffee in the morning or hung out in it when I needed to pump. Super easy to clean after multiple blowouts and puking incidents too. 

We also got a swing as a gift from my coworkers. We used it since day one until my son outgrew it and he loved it. It really settled him down during those witching hours in the evening and gave us a break from constant rocking. This is similar to the one we have. Graco ones are nice. 

One other thing I’d like to add is I know of about a dozen people that bought a mommaroo and every single one of their kids hated it so they were either returned or given away 😅 idk what it is. It’s pricey and super fancy but kids just don’t like it. 

lilienne

As we have two big dogs who love kids but who tend to crash around, I have a tentative plan of setting up a bouncer and/or swing inside a pack n play-style playpen. I was careful to select a playpen that sits on the floor instead of sitting up on supports, so we shouldn't have issues with weight limits. Is this a plausible plan? I think I'm tentatively going for:
https://www.babylist.com/gp/munchkin-bluetooth-enabled-baby-swing/21242/672157 to start
https://www.babylist.com/gp/tiny-love-4-in-1-here-i-grow-mobile-activity-center/15219/230571 for when the baby is older
https://www.babylist.com/gp/chicco-alfa-lite-lightweight-travel-playard/20933/637310 as a playpen

trapperkeeper87

@lilienne Absolutely a good plan! I knew someone who did that with great results. As long as your bouncer fits in your designated area, you should be golden. Another option would be to get a play yard (like panels that you shape into a square) to contain the bouncer. We blocked off the living room from my dog when our daughter was really little because his anxiety was just too much of a risk for him to be around her. It worked beautifully!

csardaszz

We bought a Mamaroo for our daughter and she loved it! It has a bunch of different movement patterns and sound settings, an aux port, and you can pair it with your phone using an app. It worked well for us, especially in the first few weeks when she would get fussy from gas or being overtired. We used it until she was pushing the weight limit, then retired it to the basement. We plan on getting a second one and by that I mean I’m really hoping someone will buy it from the registry. They are kind of expensive and you can probably get something comparable for a lower price. And, as someone mentioned above, not every baby likes them.

trapperkeeper87

@csardaszz If it's only in your basement, why do you need a new one?

csardaszz

@trapperkeeper87 I’m expecting twins!

maple1422

We had a Fisher Price Cradle 'N Swing with DS and it was hands down the most used baby item for us. https://www.target.com/p/fisher-price-sweet-snugapuppy-cradle-39-n-swing/-/A-52342460#lnk=sametab By the time he was 6 months old it started to click (he was a big baby). We kept using it until he was 8 months. We will get a new swing for this baby, and will likely get the same one.
His little legs were too chubby for the bumble seat by the time he had the core strength for it, so we never got to use it.
We used a baby einstein bouncer comparable to this bright starts bouncer. https://www.target.com/p/bright-starts-cradling-bouncer-seat-with-vibration-and-melodies/-/A-84199054?preselect=76908046#lnk=sametab DS loved the vibration. We never used the melodies. This was great for setting him down in the room with me without setting him on the floor - especially for showers!!!! It was nice to be able to peek out the curtain when I heard the phantom cries.
We had an outdoor/camping pack'n'play and an indoor pack'n'play - Going the same route with this baby too.
My friend fostered an infant until he was a toddler, and she had a round or ocatagon play yard similar to this evenflo: https://www.target.com/p/evenflo-play-away-portable-playard-deluxe-adventurer/-/A-79366502#lnk=sametab. I'd be excited to try it out if it was gifted!
We picked up a johnny jump up for $5 at a garage sale and DS jumped to his little heart's content! We'll pick up another doorway jumper.

bigworldlittleg

@csardaszz Glad to hear your daughter liked the mamaroo! My brother had one for his kids, then he passed it along to my sister, and now I'll be getting it! I hope you get one gifted to you, because they sure are pricey!

trapperkeeper87

@csardaszz Forgive me. My brain doesn't work these days. 🤦‍♀️

csardaszz

@trapperkeeper87 No worries! My brain is like pureed butternut squash today.

mk2022x

This is the one we put on our registry and someone purchased for us.
Graco Soothe 'n Sway LX Baby Swing with Portable Bouncer, Derby https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08K2WNKJQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_CHCBQPTPV9TKVWJ87Z2B

Looks to be a similar model to the one @newbabymama27 pasted above. I like that it’s both a swing and a bouncer, has vibrations, music, and sounds. Not exactly sure what he will like so I like having options all rolled into one product.

newbabymama27

@mk2022x oh this one looks so cool! Looks like you just unclip the bouncer and you’re good to go. I haven’t seen one like it but it looks more compact than the regular Graco swings. If I didn’t already have the swing and bouncer I’d totally go for this one. 

babez_mom

Not sure if this is the right place for this, but my sister in law gifted us two boppy loungers. She used them with both her kids (one as recently as 6 months ago). However, I found out they're recalled in Canada. Would you guys get rid of them or continue to use them? The recall was because babies were falling asleep in them, but there are notices all over the thing that they aren't designed for sleeping. However, I can see how easy it would be for baby to fall asleep in it! So I'm torn. Don't want to put my baby at risk but also don't want to overreact.

newbabymama27

@babez_mom okay that is the weirdest reason for recalling a boppy. I mean some babies fall asleep when you place them on the couch…do you ban couches? It’s up to you to watch if they fall asleep somewhere unsafe anyways. Swings are way better at doing that and they’re not safe for sleep either. With that said, my first baby would neeeever fall asleep on something like a boppy. It would take 30 minutes of rocking, swinging, praying to the gods that he’d fall asleep for longer than 15 minutes as a newborn lol. I wouldn’t get rid of them if I were you 🤷🏻‍♀️ I’m considering getting a snuggle me though I don’t know if I need it. Similar to a boppy. 

lilienne

@trapperkeeper87 thank you! It seemed like it would probably work okay, but I know how easy it is to overlook things when you haven't ever done this before. I know we'll have to try new and different things as the baby gets bigger and more mobile, but while she's more stationary I think the playpen+bouncer/swing/whatever solution should work out pretty well. After that, it will depend on how well they all get along and how much supervision they're getting - I hope they'll spend lots of time together without barriers, but I know there will be times where it will definitely make sense to have a gate/barrier just for safety or convenience.

kboydbowman

And I've reported the spam bot.

melyrae

@babez_mom even though they were recalled, I have a friend who kept hers. People just have to be smart enough to realize that baby must be actively supervised… she would put him in it on the table in front of her while eating for example. Like why is Boppy recalled but SnuggleMe is not? They do the same thing!!! 

Anyways, if you do decide to get rid of it, I suggest donating it to an animal shelter. Pups love those things !!! 

babywiik

@babez_mom wondering what kind of people reported that their babies fell asleep in something not designed for sleep...like hello? That's completely on the parents and where they choose to place their infants, not on the company making the product😂 I'd get it if something was faulty and breaking causing injury but even still, all of these products say they need to be used with close supervision. 

trapperkeeper87

@babez_mom I still have my Boppy Lounger and fully intend to keep it for the next babe. It was a godsend! Boppy voluntarily recalled their product, which to me speaks volumes. As long as you are smart and don't let your child sleep unattended, you'll be safe (but I'm not an expert, so don't take this opinion as such).

My husband loved sitting on the floor with our daughter in one while he played video games. He had eyes on her and checked her chest constantly if she fell asleep (yes, there are men who can still safely watch children while playing games). We wouldn't have made it through those early days without it. If we were watching TV, I would just rest my hand on her chest. I even sought one out for my sister, who is pregnant with her first.

whitta1015

Agreed on the boppy lounger. I was so excited to see that we still had ours in the attic! We propped her up on the counter while we ate, easily took it with us to in-laws house, etc. and propped her up on the couch. We called it her dog bed. haha But as long as you are smart about it and don't leave them unattended in it, it's a godsend. 

babez_mom

Thanks everyone! I will keep them then and keep a close eye on baby when he's in there!

pangolindrome

What would you suggest for peeps like me who have a very limited living space? Give up and accept that we'll be carrying the baby around unless it's floor or sleep time? 
All of these look like they take up a chunk of space.
/le sigh

jhysmath

@pangolindrome the one I linked folds flat adhd can be stored under your bed. I end up wearing my babies more than anything else so you could easily forgo all together. Not sure how large your bathroom is (or the hall outside of it, our rv growing up didn't really have a bathroom shower was across the walk way from the toilet closet) but having something you can sit them in while you shower or poop is nice, especially when they're too little too sit up. 

newbabymama27

@pangolindrome the bouncers are quite compact and very mobile but I agree the rest are chunky. 

pangolindrome

Our bathroom has literally no space and the hallway is narrow, so.. it's tricky. We're hoping to upgrade within a couple/few months of baby having been born, but I don't think that will mean a bigger bathroom. It would mean a separate garage (nursery/workroom) and a second toilet.

For reference, here is our layout.

We removed the dinette seating in the kitchen because the seat quality is kind of terrible and we gained SO MUCH SPACE, and we have a king-size bed instead of a queen-sized bed.

What's not shown is the Dalek-sized air purifier in the living room next to a small crate of dog stuff and a tray with dog food and water bowl on it in front of the electric fireplace. It's roomy for an rv but it's not a terrible amount of space for permanent items.

The slideouts are 6ft long for size reference.

lilienne

@pangolindrome great layout! You'll probably still want some sort of "baby container," but you're right that you'll have to be thoughtful about what you get and where you put it. I realize I'm a FTM and I don't know these specific products, but RV tetris is a familiar game! A few things I might consider:

1. Quite a few of the bouncers fold flat, and some of them have reasonably small footprints. (https://www.babylist.com/gp/maxi-cosi-2-in-1-kori-lightweight-rocker/20004/432984 and https://www.babylist.com/gp/baby-delight-alpine-deluxe-portable-bouncer/21339/686785 are two examples, but there are plenty of other options!)
2. https://www.babylist.com/gp/nomi-nomi-baby-bouncer-attachment/19914/410252 and https://www.babylist.com/gp/nomi-nomi-high-chair/19913/410249 are an expensive combo, but they'd let you have the baby up off the ground, which might be easier with limited floorspace.
   
3. For older babies, some of the activity centers are multi-purpose and not too big. I'm eyeing these so we aren't constantly replacing things as the baby grows, but that's especially important when you have limited storage space. (https://www.babylist.com/gp/skip-hop-explore-and-more-baby-s-view-3-stage-activity-center/12764/18826 and https://www.babylist.com/gp/tiny-love-4-in-1-here-i-grow-mobile-activity-center/15219/230571 caught my eye, but there are other options too.)

trapperkeeper87

@lilienne We have that Skip*Hop activity center and it was really great! The piano pops out for floor play, and you can buy two little matching chairs to turn it into an activity table. It worked out perfectly for us!

Skip the Tiny Love one you shared. Sit in walkers aren't safe and are actually banned in many countries, but the US hasn't banned them yet. You'll find very few big (i.e. reputable) company names selling items similar to that.

jhysmath

@pangolindrome that is a great space. Your kitchen is bigger than ours is currently. When I had my first, we moved into a friend's trailer which compared to our current apartment was big, but compared to the house we were coming from, it was tiny. I bought all the space saving things I could. There are so many, I'm sure if you're on fb you could join and rv living with families group and they could steer you to the best space saving items. 

babywiik

@pangolindrome the baby björn bouncers (vippestol in norwegian) fold up nice and skinny. They're also easy to move around from room to room. We borrowed one last time and loved it! 

lilienne

@trapperkeeper87 thanks so much for the feedback! I can't update my post, but I'll certainly update my registry.

jhysmath

@pangolindrome currently researching things for a fall/winter baby and stumbled upon someone recommending this exersaucer for camping, it folds like a camp chair! Now a new baby can't use it, but once they've got some neck control this would be great for your rv. 

Summer® Pop ‘N Jump® Portable Baby Activity Center– Lightweight Baby Jumper with Toys and Canopy for Indoor and Outdoor Use https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FHSTUIW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apan_i_WVS7236YGZPHS2MY19RZ

pangolindrome

@lilienne Wow, those are some great options! and yes, it has been a great home for the last 5.5 years with the one downside of a single toilet. My husband is a good sport about hurrying off it when I am 'incoming,' lol. Thank you! We don't want anything high off the ground though because our dog is only 60lb, but she is very tall and not always terribly aware of herself so I would think she might get excited and tip it.

@trapperkeeper87 I will definitely keep the Skip Hop on the list. I like what you said and I don't think I would have gone for the walker. I would be worried about where the baby would go off to even in our little space.

@jhysmath The kitchen was a HUGE selling point for us. Our last RV was a Jayco Eagle and the kitchen was basically a counter. There was NO space at all, especially with two people. I am not comfortable joining FB groups, in part because they oftentimes get really busy and I just find it overwhelming. I have confidence that between this group, my husband + his family and friends, and my own reading, we will be very well off also, I love the exersaucer AND my expanded vocabulary!

@babywiik I know of those. I have so much learning to do! Thank you!

lilienne

@pangolindrome yeah...having one bathroom is always tough, but it would be worse to have one bathroom when someone is pregnant! We've been discussing doing a trip before the baby, and I'm reluctant to camp or take the trailer because of how often I need to pee!   And I'll be avoiding tall baby containers because of our dogs, too, so I know exactly what you mean there. BTW, I belatedly realized I missed something when I sent my original list. If you were considering a Halo bassinet, it's worth noting that the fancier models are built so that the basket comes off the stand. It will only work for so long, as they aren't all that big, but if the Halo was already on your list you might consider an upgrade.

pangolindrome

@lilienne Our toy hauler has a sideways bed with a small bedroom opening, so we will be selling it. I sleep on the inside when we use it and have to climb over my husband to use the toilet, and with my coordination going down the drain along with center of gravity changing, it just isn’t safe. Nevermind the hand flush toilet.
We haven’t actually considered anything specific yet, but that is definitely worth keeping in mind!

chelsraec

Loved my bouncer. Loved the Boppy too. Was not as keen on swing.. mostly bc as a FTM was scared to have baby fall asleep in it. Honestly baby chilled in high chair a lot bc if reclined once she had good head control. 

csardaszz

For anyone interested in the Mamaroo, I just saw it’s on sale at Target right now for $50 off.