Got your hands full with a fussy baby, who constantly wants to be entertained or rocked to sleep? Or do you need a quick baby-free moment? Baby bouncers and rockers got your back! While these are not must-haves, baby bouncers provide much-needed assistance to frazzled parents or carers. These come in different shapes and sizes (and prices), and we’ve got some pointers to guide you find the best baby bouncer or rocker for you!
Photo | Title | Price | Buy |
---|---|---|---|
Skip Hop Explore & More Baby Jumper: Fold Away Jumpscape With Bounce Counter | $269.99 | Buy | |
Skip Hop Explore and More Baby's View 3-Stage Interactive Activity Center, Multi-Color, 6 Months | $249.00 | Buy | |
Fisher-Price Portable Baby Chair Sit-Me-Up Floor Seat with Developmental Toys & Machine Washable Seat Pad, Pacific Pebble | $110.90 | Buy | |
Ingenuity Keep Cozy 3-in-1 Grow with Me Vibrating Baby Bouncer Seat & Infant to Toddler Rocker - Weaver, Newborn and up | $129.41 | Buy | |
Fisher-Price See & Soothe Deluxe Bouncer Hearthstone, Soothing Baby seat for Infants and Newborns [Amazon Exclusive] | Buy | ||
Baby Delight Alpine Deluxe Portable Bouncer | Infant | 0 – 6 Months | Charcoal Tweed | $186.21 | Buy | |
BEABA Transat Up and Down Bouncer, Heather grey | Buy |
Bouncer vs Rocker vs Swing
Baby swings are padded chairs suspended on a frame and swing back and forth or side to side. Some swings are already battery or electricity-powered. The baby rocker is like a rocking chair for babies. The seat has slightly curved feet or bands at the bottom, giving the chair a rocking, soothing motion.
If swings and rockers help calm the infants, the baby bouncer is then best used during playtime. It is a seat supported by a wireframe, letting it spring up and down. Parents may help start the springing motion, or if you’ve got quite the active baby, their kicking legs and animated movements will help them spring on their own! Hybrid or convertible types are also available, giving greater functionality and a long usage period for the bouncer or rocker.
Age Limits and Weight Capacity
Many rockers and bouncers can be used even by newborns until they are about 6 to 9 months old. It is however recommended to stop using these as soon as the infant is about 20 pounds heavy or can sit up on its own. If the baby gets to be too heavy or active while in the bouncer, it may accidentally tip over and cause harm.
Safety Features and Extra Functions
As you entrust your baby into these rockers, their safety must be ensured at all times. The chairs should be padded enough to be comfy. Safety harnesses are also a must to keep them in place and prevent slipping, whether it is a three-point or five-point safety belt.
Head and neck support is also important as newborns cannot hold their heads up yet. The frames should also be sturdy enough to hold the infant’s weight. Other rockers or bouncers offer various reclining angles, from a sitting position to a reclined one. Some bouncers and rockers even come with hanging toys, music and vibrations.
Always important to take care and read instructions
These bouncers and rockers come with a warning, as these were linked to incidents of infant injuries or deaths. Always keep an eye on the infant as their heads may tip forward and obstruct their breathing. Also, they might get entangled with the straps or topple, causing suffocation or alarming falls.
Experts also recommend that each bouncing session be limited to 15 to 20 minutes only at a time. It is indeed convenient to leave your babies on these rockers and bouncers and have two free hands to do something else. But full supervision is still the most important safety precaution for any parent.