Swing or bouncer, or combo?

caseysue55 · May 2012

I'm driving myself crazy reading reviews of swings and bouncers online. Any STM's have an opinion of whether I need a swing or a bouncer, or both? There are some swings that the seat is a removable bouncer, but I wanted a bouncer that vibrates and a swing that plugs into the wall. I haven't been able to find something that meets all of my requirements Smile . Not to mention that swings seem to get horrible reviews, I mean do they ALL squeak and do ALL of the motors die in a few months time??

These newer cradle/papasan style ones seem like they wouldn't work for a baby after 6 months or so, anyone have any experience with that either? Looks to me like the baby would try to roll right out.

ksutt · May 2012

They are very different items, and some babies clearly prefer one over the other, so we got both. We got the FP Snugabunny swing, as it tends to be the most highly recommended and overall gets great reviews (it is one that plugs into the wall). We got the Tiny Love Gymini Bouncer after A LOT of research. I love that it has to recline positions, and the way the toy bars are make it very easy to get baby in and out and adjust the position of the toys based on baby's developmental stage.

eawilson · May 2012

I can't recommend the FP Snugabunny swing enough. It's fantastic. It got daily use at our house for a solid 8 months, and was, at times, the only place the baby would sleep. We never used a single battery and it still looks great after such regular use. Our baby loved to swing. It had a definite sound to the motor but not really a squeak. I literally would have been lost without that swing. The swing has a couple of different positions for the seat, rocks both directions, and has a 5 point safety harness to keep baby secure.

We had the matching Snugabunny bouncer. It was really useful as a place to set the baby while running to the bathroom or making dinner in the first couple of months, but other than that our little girl just wasn't that interested in it. Once she could hold her head up, she used the Bumbo more. Once she could sit up we didn't use the bouncer or the Bumbo anymore.

All babies are different and some never really like the swing. It's hard to know before hand.

CrazyToast · May 2012

I was wary to spend that much - but DD loved her swing. We couldn't have survived without it. The bouncer was also a life-saver (but we had a free 2nd hand one from a friend).

ETA: the swing we didn't use much past 6 months (but every day before that!). Sold it when DD was 10 months.

imimahoney · May 2012

LO LOVESSSS his sung-a-bunny swing but does yet love his fp 3-1 bouncer. He registered and received the bouncer that "grows" with the child. Right now he naps in his swing and only sits in his bouncer when I need to put him down to use the bathroom.

We're hoping that as he out grows his swing he'll learn to like the bouncer.

sagoon · May 2012

We have both. The swing is great to get him to nap when he is fighting sleep, and the bouncer is amazing. It was a great, safe place to put him down when he was tiny, and now he LOVES kicking his legs and bouncing himself in it. We have the snug-a-bunny bouncer and a hand-me-down swing. They do take up a ton of space in my living room, but he'll probably outgrow the swing soon. The bouncer is probably the single most used piece of baby equipment we have.

shellybird101 · May 2012

My good friend had a combo swing/bouncer and hated it. The seat does not recline back as much as a regular swing. So her newborn's head was not supported. It did not swing as well as a regular swing and she said she was better off with both products, cause she didn't want to remove the bouncer of the swing when she wanted it on the floor. I suggest that you get both or try it out in the store and see what you think. GL

shellybird101 · May 2012

shellybird101:

My good friend had a combo swing/bouncer and hated it. The seat does not recline back as much as a regular swing. So her newborn's head was not supported. It did not swing as well as a regular swing and she said she was better off with both products, cause she didn't want to remove the bouncer of the swing when she wanted it on the floor. I suggest that you get both or try it out in the store and see what you think. GL

This is kinda what her's looked like. She also did not like that it only went forward and backwards and not sideways like her son liked.

MrsJetSet · May 2012

If you can manage I would get both. Dd LOVES her swing and hates the bouncy chair. Her cousin loved her chair and hated her swing. You just don't know what baby will like. To further complicate dd sleepss very well in her rock n play because of her reflux. I can't help with models our swing is a hand me down that is an older model.

AprilAngie · May 2012

out of my kids 2/3 hated the swing and 2/3 loved the bouncy chair. lol. different kids like different things. I have now the Mamaroo by 4 mom's for baby and planning on getting the FP infant to toddler to rocker

financialdiva · May 2012

Get both. DS loved both, but especially the swing. Obviously each LO will have there own preference, but both the vibrating for bouncy and the plugging into a wall thing are both important options to have.

Friends of ours went with one of those convertible swing things and ended up breaking down and buying a regular swing.

fyziksgirl · May 2012

We got both because, from what I've heard regularly, it is impossible to predict which will be a lifesaver and which your kid won't care for. Also because of this, I got both off of Craigslist. I just couldn't bring myself to pay $150 for something baby girl may not even like. I got a Fisher Price swing (though not one that plugs in, those are available but we didn't go for it) that is in fantastic condition and works perfectly, swinging both ways, for $20. I got an aquarium bouncer for, I believe, $10 (I got that awhile ago, can't remember exactly) that looks brand-new. There are lots of parents who have infants who don't like one or the other, so when they sell them they're barely used. If you decide what you want and then stalk the ads you can probably find a good price if you're comfortable with that!

Happily Overwhelmed · May 2012

Personally--- I'd get the swing of your dreams. lol. I know certain babies never like the swing but I can't imagine getting through the past 5 months without ours. We have the Fisher Price Papasan Cradle swing in Starlight and LOVE IT. I got it on Amazon for $93 shipped. At my local BRU it's something like $179. If you're buying yourself watch Amazon---so much nicer!

I have a bouncer too. I think I paid something like $27 from Target.com. We have the Fisher Price How Now Brown Cow one. It's nice...but I kinda hate it. I've fallen over this baby piece so many times. I swear I've stubbed every toe on it too! DS has never really been content in it either. But if I have to move around the house doing certain chores and he has to go from room to room with me it's been nice to have. I've heard of more babies being attached to their swings than bouncers though.

bluestarbaby · May 2012

I've just begun my research, but it seems like the graco sweetpeace swing might have most of what you're looking for. https://www.amazon.com/Graco-SweetPeace-Infant-Soothing-Center/dp/B005V9CU9O/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1337387749&sr=1-1

Naty758 · October 2012

Definitely get a bouncer AND a swing. Each provides a different type of vestibular input. The vestibular system is one of the most important systems to foster during the first years of life (this system tells baby where they are in space so that they learn to use their bodies). So by having both a swing and a bouncer you will be providing your baby with varied types of vestibular input. By the way... I'm a pediatric occupational therapist in addition to a future mommy

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