Rock n Play vs bouncer, and Swing ?

pb_bride

If you have to choose between a RnP and a bouncer, which one would you pick and why?

Is swing a must in addition to a RnP or bouncer?

We already have a PnP with a newborn napper.

SoEnamored

I am not sure about the bouncer versus the swing.  Honestly, I think that your particular baby will let you know his/her preference.

As for the Rock and Play, I got one of those because baby will sleep in it in our room for the first few weeks.  I like that it's super portable for naps at grandma/grandpa's house too.

tiffanybird

We use our RnP like a bassinet. LO doesn't spend time in there during the day. The bouncer we will put in different rooms of the house or outside depending on where we are at.

CharlieMomma

I am using RnP for first months to sleep in our room. We also have a PnP hand-me-down that is a backup option. I also registered for Snuggabunny swing for during the day for entertainment.

I will not get a regular bouncer because we have 2 nosy dogs and I don't want them to be able to be 'on top' of baby. At least RnP and swing are elevated. 

lotus88

tiffanybird:

We use our RnP like a bassinet. LO doesn't spend time in there during the day. The bouncer we will put in different rooms of the house or outside depending on where we are at.

This is what we do, except instead of using the bouncer for this (which we have), we use the FP infant to toddler rocker. She use to nap in that also and sometimes when she would wake, her own motion would rock her back to sleep. It's great to take with you to the bathroom while you shower (DD would be awake or asleep at this time). We have a swing also and use that sometimes for naps or relaxed time.

The RnP is my favorite because it really extended her night time sleeping from 1 - 1.5hr at a time to 3-4hr chunks to 4-8hr chunks these days.  It has made a huge difference for me. I really was just keeping us alive with the really short spans of sleep.

mom2b22013

We originally got a bouncer and a swing. And when DS was newborn he slept in a bassinet in our room. When we realized he didn't want to sleep in his crib we got the RnP. I would pick the bouncer over the RnP especially if you have a PnP. If you realize your little one isn't going to be a sleeper then you can get the RnP, other wise I would let them sleep in the PnP and then get them into their crib as soon as you can!

LittleApple

tiffanybird:

We use our RnP like a bassinet. LO doesn't spend time in there during the day. The bouncer we will put in different rooms of the house or outside depending on where we are at.

 This is exactly what we do.  The RnP is the bassinet at nighttime.  I use the bouncer and swing during the day.  Sometimes he wants to swing, and sometimes he would rather sit in the bouncer.  Honestly, I am glad I have both.  I don't think you can really use the RnP in place as a bouncer seat.  They are just not the same.

lukalover

I got the RNP when my LO was 4 weeks old. She went from only napping when I was holding her to napping beautifully in the RNP in the middle of the living room while I was cleaning, talking, had the tv on, etc. It was a life-safer for me. Maybe your baby won't need it but if you have a baby that won't nap well I highly recommend it. She also slept in it at night until she was 5 months old. It was a little tough transitioning her to the crib but not that bad. I think the 5 months of good sleep (waking once per night to eat then back to sleep) were worth the short time it took getting her used to the crib.

In regards to the bouncer vs. swing, different babies like different things. Mine never really cared for the bouncer and didn't like the swing until she was about 3 months old.

rbrooks2013

i plan to use the RNP like a bassinet and let LO sleep in it next to the bed,..

in terms of the bouncer/swing, i am thinking between the Infant to toddler rocker and the Snuggabunny swing... 

1026pumpkin

My son LOVED the RNP and would not let us put him in the PNP, bouncer, or swing- every baby seems to have a different preference.

For us, we appreciated that the RNP was elevated, since we have animals and wanted to keep baby up and out of the way.  You could use the RNP in lieu of a bassinet or PNP for sleeping early on, but they will outgrow it around 4-6 months. The PNP can be used much longer- we still use it as a travel crib for our almost 2 yr old.

As a suggestion- keep all the packaging and receipts from all of your gear.  If your LO ends up hating something, pack it back up and return it.  Or better yet, if you can try out a friend's model before you even open it, it can save you from having some gear that will sit around unused.