I have been considering adding the Baby Bjorn Soft Balance Bouncer to our registry, and would leave off a RNP or other type of bouncer as a result (we already have a PNP that we would use by our bed until the baby transitions to the crib).
This is pricey, but it seems to get really good reviews on Amazon and most of the comments seemed like the parents thought this was a worthwhile purchase.
I thought I'd check here to see if any of you have any opinions or experiences with this product. Thanks in advance for any advice you may have!
My BFF had this bouncer, which she got as a hand-me-down from her cousin. It was nice, and her son seemed to like it, but neither she nor I thought there was anything special enough about it to justify paying 3x more than the cost of a regular bouncer. She said she never would've paid for it out of her own pocket. You also have to buy the activity bar separately, and the activity bar they offer isn't great - it's very low and kind of goes across the baby's lap, with some spinning beads on it. Most bouncers offer an activity bar that arcs high over the bouncer with stuff hanging down, which makes it easy to add your own hanging toys as well.
As a STM, I also think that there's a good bit of difference between the bouncer and the RNP, enough so that this time I got one of each, and both of them together were less than the cost of the Baby Bjorn bouncer (the RNP wasn't around when I had DS1).
We have the Baby Bjorn Babysitter Balance Seat, which looks really similar. I like it a lot! Yeah, it's over-priced, but it was my splurge item, and there are 4 things I looove about it: 1) It looks gorgeous in the living room (assuming you appreciate simplicity). 2) You can remove the crotch strap when your child gets to about 1, and they can continue to use the seat as a little chair through the toddler years. (At 18 months, my son still adores his balance seat!) 3) Even with the added toybar, it's not over-stimulating. So, yeah, you can't expect it to be an electronic babysitter, but it is a great place to sit your baby and gently bounce. 4) It's really really bouncy, unlike most so-called bouncy chairs. You can use your foot while sitting in a chair, or obviously your hand when sitting on the floor, plus baby will learn to bounce on his/her own as he/she gets a little older.
We have the Baby Bjorn Babysitter Balance Seat, which looks really similar. I like it a lot! Yeah, it's over-priced, but it was my splurge item, and there are 4 things I looove about it: 1) It looks gorgeous in the living room (assuming you appreciate simplicity). 2) You can remove the crotch strap when your child gets to about 1, and they can continue to use the seat as a little chair through the toddler years. (At 18 months, my son still adores his balance seat!) 3) Even with the added toybar, it's not over-stimulating. So, yeah, you can't expect it to be an electronic babysitter, but it is a great place to sit your baby and gently bounce. 4) It's really really bouncy, unlike most so-called bouncy chairs. You can use your foot while sitting in a chair, or obviously your hand when sitting on the floor, plus baby will learn to bounce on his/her own as he/she gets a little older.
We have it and love it! Agree with everything above. Also, if you are low on space (or just don't want tons of baby stuff sitting around your house) it folds pretty flat and we store it under the crib which is great. We feed DS in this every day now that he is 6 months old.
I have the balance which I got for 20 bucks at a consignment sale. If I had paid full price I would have been disappointed. My dd preferred the cheaper bouncer with the vibrate option.
Re: Any experience with the Baby Bjorn Soft Balance Bouncer?
My BFF had this bouncer, which she got as a hand-me-down from her cousin. It was nice, and her son seemed to like it, but neither she nor I thought there was anything special enough about it to justify paying 3x more than the cost of a regular bouncer. She said she never would've paid for it out of her own pocket. You also have to buy the activity bar separately, and the activity bar they offer isn't great - it's very low and kind of goes across the baby's lap, with some spinning beads on it. Most bouncers offer an activity bar that arcs high over the bouncer with stuff hanging down, which makes it easy to add your own hanging toys as well.
As a STM, I also think that there's a good bit of difference between the bouncer and the RNP, enough so that this time I got one of each, and both of them together were less than the cost of the Baby Bjorn bouncer (the RNP wasn't around when I had DS1).
Emily 8.8.08
Madeline 1.2.11
William 8.5.12
2 Angel Babies 9/11, 2/12
My baby tried out this bouncer at my friend's house and LIT UP when i stuck her in it. I ordered one the next day.