Can't decide--big swing, little swing? Can't remember acronym either...TWKSAS? Nope, not it.

Killer Tomato · January 2013

It seems, in the world of Confusing Multiple Options for Places to Park the Baby, we have finally settled on the combination of swing, inexpensive bouncer, and a pack n play. But which swing?

Right now we have a tiny, 900 sqft house with a bunch of pretty small rooms. We are hoping to move to a somewhat larger house (with somewhat larger rooms, naturally) in the near future. The PNP will serve as bassinet, the bouncer as a convenient portable place to put baby while washing dishes/taking a shower/grilling eggplants on the patio, and the swing is for lulling a potentially cranky baby into oblivion.

So, in case we don't move before we have a physical swinging baby, I was thinking perhaps a portable swing is the way to go. But the full size swing seems to do so many more types of swinging, and people say much nicer things about it...but does the baby really care what direction it swings in, and if it has sickeningly cute bunny ears above its head? Will the cat find a swinging Ground Baby more interesting than a swinging Hip Level Baby, or is the Hip Level Baby more tempting? I do not know. If we can fit a Christmas tree in the living room without feeling claustrophobic, I am assuming the swing will fit without tripping on it, right? It would also probably fit in the bedroom if it turns out one uses it there more often. And it claims to fold for storage...perhaps it could be stashed in a corner when not in use?

The full sized one is pricier, but not by a huge amount. I just can't figure out if it is worth the extra money and space, or if we should go with the travel swing? I am guessing that some of this depends on the particular baby, but thoughts from Those Who Have Swinging Baby Experience are appreciated...

motang · January 2013

We have a small 2 bedroom house and a full sized swing. It worked well for us... I was able to move it to other rooms easily when I wanted to. I like how you compared it to a Christmas tree. That's about how much room it takes up. And yes, it does fold in half when you want to store it. I can't answer your cat question though. Good luck deciding what to get. I know some people think a swing isn't necessary but my first LO loved it and I'm hoping this little guy does as well.

trevinosnm · January 2013

I just saw this one in use yesterday at a friends house.

https://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11959535&searchURL=false

She says her daughter loves it and like how it swings two different ways and the sound options. Her daughter was in it while I was there and not a single peep out of her, she truly like being in it. I registered for a different one and now may change it to this one instead.

Ceefome · January 2013

I borrowed a portable swing with DD#2 because my friend who had loaned me the full sized swing for #1 needed it back for her daughter. When her DD was done with the swing, she gave it to me, and it turns out that my second preferred the full sized swing to the FP portable one. I think because the full sized swing had more speed options, it was better for her. It also had a bigger arc when swinging, and she did like the Pooh Bears swinging over her head. That was the first thing to ever make her laugh.

smg2302 · January 2013

I'm a FTM, so my answer doesn't come from experience, however the reason I am choosing a full size swing is the AC adapter option. I have yet to find a travel swing with this feature. Many friends/relatives who recently have had children say the swings go through so many batteries that being able to plug in is much more convenient.

CanuckFan03 · January 2013

We had both. We bought the snuggabunny swing and we had a small portable one that was borrowed from my SIL.

We only used the portable one once. LO didn't like it, and it was too big to bring anywhere more than once (we had so much already and everywhere we went had many arms wanting to hold/snuggle anyways). I've already given the portable one back.

We loved the snuggabunny, and for months it was the only way LO would nap. I also liked that it plugged in and we didnt spend $$$ on batteries.

KLJ3 · January 2013

I can't give you the People Who Have Experience With This *** advice, but I can tell you two things as the New Owner Of A Second Hand Bunny Ear Swing:

1. The full sized swing takes up quite a bit of room. LO will be in the biggest bedroom in our house, and between the dresser, desk, crib, and swing, we are pretty much out of floor space. It does come apart for storage, but in a disassembly kind of way and not a fold up kind of way. Even that is pointless because the swing itself [and the curved rod it hangs on] takes up more room than the disassembled legs.

2. My cats find the Hip Height swing fascinating even without a baby in it. Waaaay too soft NOT to sleep in.

P.S. your post is awesome.

hogrefea · January 2013

After having two kids, being a complete idiot, and now (maybe) being older and wiser, I totally agree with Petra. We spent a fortune on the first one buying every single possible baby item. We are completely out of storage room and could have kick a&s saving account for DS. That being said, I did use the portable swing all the time for both kids because I could carry it into which ever room I wanted. I never used the bouncer and DS hated the big high priced swing. DD liked it better, but the motor went out after about a month of use and was going to cost $104 to replace. Ugh. If you can stand to wait, do so. GL?

Killer Tomato · January 2013

Thanks to everyone for your input! If we get a swing, I think I am leaning toward the full sized one, but waiting until she arrives might be the way to go. Then I can make DH pretend he is a tri-directional swing and see how she likes it before we commit our Christmas tree space. (I am guessing I will be sore and tired from birthing a potentially swing-loving child, and will be in no mood to mimic mechanical baby equipment. For the record, I think women can impersonate bunny swings just as well as men.)

I am trying to be somewhat minimalist with the baby stuff, but it is hard to know what to do when several people vehemently declare how they would have "never survived those first few months" without Baby Gadget X. Others insist X is crap, and Y is where it's at. DH is no help, as he just wants to house the baby in a dresser drawer. (I think that is his secret desire to live the life of a 1930's vaudevillian coming out.)

Killer Tomato · January 2013

KLJ3:
I can't give you the People Who Have Experience With This *** advice

And thank you for refreshing my mind on the acronym. PWHEWTS.... I knew Those Who Know *** About *** wasn't right. It totally lacks flow.

metzy144 · January 2013

Your post cracked me up. We lived in a small 2 bedroom house when DD was born and we had the full size lamb swing. I loved that thing, it was worth the space it took up. She preferred to swing one way and DS preferred the swing the other direction. I actually just bought the snugabunny swing so I could have one that plugs in. I'm giving my mom our old swing for when we visit.

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Can't decide--big swing, little swing? Can't remember acronym either...TWKSAS? Nope, not it.

Re: Can't decide--big swing, little swing? Can't remember acronym either...TWKSAS? Nope, not it.

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