Our babies loved nap time in their swings - very sweet pictures from those days. They got to fall asleep in the room with me which was very relaxing for both of us. When they had a fussy moment, the swing was the spot - and much less expensive than a long drive! When I was home alone and needed to take a shower or do some laundry while my son was awake, the baby swing was my lifesaver. (I am also a big fan of baby bouncy seats - excellent baby shower gift.)
My baby swing was my "extra pair" pair of hands while I was home alone. The baby swing's soothing motion would calm or entertain my boys, depending on what they were needing at the time.
Must-have baby swing features:
Stability: A wide base and low center of gravity is a must so your swing won't tip over if baby manages to lean too far in one direction.
Seat Belts: again, a must and the 5-point harness is best. Just like in a car seat, newborns are good at sliding out of inadequate seat belt systems.
Battery Vs. Wind-Up: Wind-ups are usually compellingly less expensive, but the winding mechanism on ours was so noisy, we finally sold the wind-up and sprang for the battery. Battery-operated baby swings are easier to operate and usually feature more speeds and music settings to match baby's mood.
Speed: Sometimes, your baby will like to be gently rocked, sometimes - especially when fussy - she might like a bit more determined swing. I'd advise getting a swing with at least a couple speeds (you don't need many!)
Sounds: Your baby may have preferences for music. If your baby swing plays music, make sure there is a volume control as well as an off switch! My boys didn't go for the music, preferring the house sounds or none at all. If your swing does play music, make sure you can handle the repetition.
Recline: If you will use your baby swing with your newborn (and mine loved it), make sure yours has a newborn recline position. Your newborn can't hold her head up, nor can she avoid slouching forward - definitely need the recline. Your older babies will appreciate when they fall asleep, too! Make sure you can easily reach the recline mechanism so you can recline the seat after your baby falls asleep.
Open Top: An open top baby swing allows you to lift your baby out without bumping his head on an upper bar. Thank goodness someone thinks of these things!
Flip-Out Tray: A flip-out or fold-up tray is another must-have feature! You can remove your baby gently and lessen any chance of scraping baby's legs on the tray.
Toy Bars: Toy bars and mobiles, lights, sounds and music all offer ways to help baby stay entertained! Neither of my boys were really interested in them, though. They liked their familiar toys in the swing with them, their favorite blankie or nothing. I usually removed the toys so they could see what was happening around them.
Portability: If being able to take the swing with you is important, look for a portable swing. They are full size swings but in a compact body.
We put off getting a baby swing for a bit, I was convinced it was "cheating"... I thought every convenience was cheating!!! Yeah, a little nuts! I finally got too tired to keep up that guilty charade. Once I had my swing and saw how much the boys enjoyed it, the baby swing made it to the must-have list.
For more information on baby gear and to find the essentials at the best prices and best selection, please visit baby-o-baby.com. Thank you!
Check for baby swing recalls (thank you, consumerreports.org):
The following companies make Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association-certified swings: Dorel Juvenile Group (Safety 1st), Fisher-Price, Graco, J. Mason, Kolcraft, and Simplicity. Swings are also covered by the federal safety standard for small parts. Some models of baby swings have been recalled in recent years. Problems have included loose screws on the swing's arm support that caused the seat to separate and drop to one side, a seat that wasn't properly attached, swing frames that weren't stable, frames or seats with sharp edges, harnesses that could entangle a child, and hazardous toys. One recalled model could be easily disassembled, resulting in a loose seat that flipped forward. For a list of baby swing recalls, go to the CPSC Web site, http://www.cpsc.gov.
