The Best Baby Swing
Having a good swing can be a lifesaver for parents with a fussy newborn. But all baby not same as like the swing, so purchasing one can be a bit risky. That’s why after researching the best baby swings on the market if you decided to take the plunge today; Graco’s Duet Soothe Swing & Rocker is the swing you’d choose. It offers different types of motions and settings that in some combination will likely soothe your baby.
How you determined the best baby swings?
While many people believe that a swing that simply rocks back and forth is the most important thing to look for in a swing, It makes sense to have more options to find one that suits a little one’s motion preference. For example, some babies prefer a cradle motion, while others like subtle vibration while they swing. All the facilities have at the Graco Duet Soothe Swing & Rocker.
Who Should Buy a Full-size Infant Swing?
Most parents of a newborn to 6-month-old can benefit from an infant swing. In Short briefings, baby swings serve as a modern-day cradle with consistent and soothing movements that babies crave. That said, not all babies take to the swing well, but when faced with an inconsolable and perhaps colicky baby at 2 a.m., a swing could be a real lifesaver for exhausted parents. It can also serve as a safe place to set baby when you need to do laundry or make dinner.
Is an infant swinging a must-have baby item? No, but it’s definitely on the nice-to-have baby gear list. Parents who have enough space for one should consider adding a full-size swing to their registry or investing in one. Folks living in tighter quarters may want to consider compact or “travel” swings instead.
Bottom line: You can use the swing as a tool in your belt for helping baby fall asleep, move the baby from the swing after he or she has fallen asleep. And don’t just default to it as your only solution to comfort a cranky baby.
What to Look For
Standard criteria have been used for selecting the best baby swing:
Like with almost any piece of baby gear, safety is paramount: you must know without a doubt that your baby is safe in a secure swing since odds are, you’ll be doing something at nearby but not as hawk-eyeing junior. This means the manufacturer has met the latest requirements for safety. But since safety standards change, always check for the seal, even with trusted brands. Other safety features to look for include:
- Having a seat with comfortable but not overly soft padding and good ergonomic design.
- At least a three-point harness with a crotch post (to keep baby from sliding out); or an even-safer five-point harness that includes straps over the shoulders.
- Nothing is worse than the swing batteries dying when he or she is this close to falling asleep.
- Be versatile and easy to use. You’ll want the option of running the swing with batteries or plugging it into the wall. (Really, nothing is worse than the swing batteries dying when she’s this close to falling asleep.) Some cheaper swings only take a battery, which means you’ll eventually spend money to replace them. Options such as speed and range of motion should be intuitive or easy to use. Parents shouldn’t have to resort to a tantrum of their own when trying to adjust the swing.
- Take up as little space as possible.Keep in mind that full-size swings, as a rule, aren’t very portable, even those marketed as such. So if you have visions of moving it from room to room, it’s not likely you’ll end up doing that. Even so, a small footprint is a plus.
- Be durable. If you plan on having more kids, this is one piece of gear you’ll hold onto to reuse. If you’re “one and done,” it’d be nice to recoup some of your first-year baby expenses by selling this sucker on Craigslist. The swing’s fabrics should be easy to remove for washing and the seat easy to clean.
- Be reasonably priced. A swing is one of the pricier items parents may buy—especially for an item your baby may not love. You’ll be hard-pressed meeting all of our above recommendations for less than $150. Spend less than that and you’ll be sacrificing range of motion, durability, and comfort (some swings simply have a cloth cover over a plastic seat).
Those are just the basics! Beyond that, a swing becomes great if it:
- Offers a variety of motions. Basic swings only move back and forth. Better swings offer a back-and-forth swing motion and a side-to-side rocking cradle motion. (Pricier models offer even more!) Also handy is an adjustable speed setting. Yesterday what worked for baby may not the same work at tomorrow? So it’s pretty sweet to have some options in your parental toolbox.
Offering a back-and-forth swing motion and a side-to-side rocking cradle motion by better swings.
•Offers soothing sounds and features, for both baby and parents. Some newer swings come with an iPod dock so you can choose your tunes. That’s certainly a plus, but when you can’t find your iPod at 3 a.m. makes sure you choose a swing with canned music and sounds that you think both you and your baby will enjoy. When testing a swing at the store, test the noise the swing itself makes as it rocks—does it squeak or rattle?
It’s worth the time to know what separates a good swing from a bad swing but on the other hand, don’t get sidelined by color scheme and various add-ons such as trays and attachable toys. These may not be used or interesting to you or your baby once you get him/her home and aren’t important for assessing which models are the best baby swings.
These things may detract from what you want: a consistent motion that soothes your baby.
Our Pick
Specifications
- Dimensions: 33 x 34 x 43 inches
- Weight: 25.9 pounds
- Batteries: 1-5 D batteries
- Min Weight Rocs: 5.5 pounds
- Max Weight Rocs: 30 pounds
- Is the best choice for most parents? It offers all the features a parent wants in a swing: easy to use, comes with both a rocking and cradle setting, comfortable seat with adjustable two-position recline, can be plugged into the wall or battery-operated, has decent canned music, and a JPMA safety seal.
- It came down to some key details to make the final call. It was easy at the testing period to controls for switching from rocking to the swinging and a nice variety of music option, including various white noises and traditional lullabies. The rocking motion comes in six speeds, which is essential for dialing in on the perfect amount of movement and can be adjusted accordingly as the baby gets heavier.
- Other criteria that put the Graco Duet Soothe at the top of the best baby swings list are a roomy seat with soft fabrics and plush head support; acute, rotating mobile with plush toys; a time when it’s on battery mode to help preserve expensive battery replacements sooner.
But what makes it truly great is that for nearly the same cost as other swings, it comes with some nifty features that many other swings don’t have such as:
- The seat can be used as a portable rocker. (One caveat: some reviews on Amazon said the rocker was heavy and wasn’t used very often, yet others have sung its praises and considered it to be the feature that truly “made” the swing fantastic.)
- A Two speed comes at a vibration seat motion. It’s yet another tool in the box when it comes to calming a fussy baby. I know my baby liked the gentle shaking motion that happened to come with her bouncer, so I’m sold on the vibration feature.
- The Graco Duet Soothe also bills itself safe for children up to 30 pounds versus 25 for the majority of other swings I looked at, which theoretically, means you may be able to use it longer if you end up with a swing-loving baby.
- The footprint was slightly smaller—every inch counts when it comes to nursery space—than other swings in its class at 34 x 33 inches across.
- The swing can be plugged into an outlet or battery operated. The swing requires a D battery to use the vibration setting while rocking. Four more D batteries are required to make the swing work when it isn’t plugged into an outlet. If you use battery only, swinging two hours a day, you can expect to pay $130 on replacing batteries every year, according to Graco.
Also Great
Fisher-Price Snugabunny Cradle ‘N Swing with Smart Swing Technology
After scouring many reviews and seeing the swing in person and knowing parents who have one, you don’t think you’d be unhappy owning one, but ultimately, when it comes to fussy babies, and the “if” factor of whether your baby will care for the swing at all, the Graco had just a few more bonuses that persuaded me to choose it.
Multiple parent reviews from Amazon that struck a chord were like this one: “The seat detaching from the swing is the best feature. This rocker design is nothing like any other swing.
Wrapping It Up
A baby swing can be a new parent’s best friend. If you choose to buy a swing, don’t skimp. After comparing the best baby swings, you can think the Graco Duet Soothe Swing & Rocker provides all the bells and whistles that may buy you a few moments rest of your own.
The Competition
You can consider these alternatives from manufacturers, but can’t recommend them:
- 4Moms —4moms RockaRoo— The RockaRoo only sways up and down in a “rocking horse” motion. Most of the favorable reviews you read liked the 4Moms swings for very, very young babies and not much was discussed how older infants liked them.
- Ingenuity swings: In Lighten Cradling Swing and— This swings sure looked nice and had comparable swinging action to Graco and Fisher-Price models, but you cut it out of contention right away since they are not JPMA certified. Also, there were very few parent reviews in comparison to other swings you looked at.
- Summer Infant: Summer Sweet Sleep Musical Swing — this model has been discontinued not as many setting controls or other swings in the same category. You are in the camp that if you can’t afford a good swing, you may want to save your pennies for something else. You have to a personal experience with going with a cheap swing only to have my baby dislike and it collected dust. You will learn at later that good swings have multiple settings that may be a better fit for your baby. These swings had only one swing motion of up-and-down.
- •Graco: Glider LX Gliding Swing —This Graco model had only one motion of the back and forth in a glider configuration. That seemed like a risk if it wasn’t a motion that would be soothing to your baby. There were many positive reviews, but the most consistent complaint was that the glider motion wouldn’t work properly because support bars didn’t fit correctly to the motor when assembled.
Care, Use, Maintenance, and Repair
Here are a few best practices for keeping the Graco DuetSoothe clean and in good working order: The frame of the swing can be easily wiped down with antibacterial spray. Very easy to remove the cover and should be washed as needed. Please read carefully all instructions and directions to keep your swing running smoothly. To be fair, almost every review I read on various models, some people complained about the motor conking out. This seems to be something that is a small possibility no matter what swing you choose. Don’t hesitate to return a swing or make use of the warranty.
The plus side of buying from a large baby product manufacturer such as Graco, is that they’re available to troubleshoot by phone or email Mon.-Fri. from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. All of their swings come with a limited warranty, which states the swing will be replaced up to one year after purchase due to workmanship defects. Replacement parts may be available as well.
Read More: http://Best Baby Swings Review
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