The 10 Best Baby Swings
Special Honors
Nuna Leaf Grow As the name implies, Nuna Leaf Grow is designed to accommodate your child as they get bigger, all the way up to toddler age in fact. It features an organic infant insert that can easily be removed for washing, as well as a removable harness. When it comes to motion, it relies on you to initiate it, but it can continue to sway side-to-side for up to two minutes after a gentle push, and it is almost completely silent while doing so. nunababy.com
Editor's Notes
March 23, 2020:
Anything that can give new parents a few minutes to relax and unwind is a going to be a welcome addition to their household, and that is exactly what these baby swings do. Rather than having to manually rock or swing your baby yourself to calm them, the majority of the models on this list handle that task, so you can get so much needed relaxation. That being said, safety should still be a top priority and one should never leave their kid in a baby swing unsupervised. It is also vital that you properly match the age and size of your child to the manufacturer's recommended guidelines to ensure it is designed to accommodate them. It may also be a smart idea to check with your pediatrician before placing your child in any model to ensure its movement and seating position is well-suited to their unique needs.
If you want something that gives you the flexibility of connecting to mains power when at home and running on battery power when not, you'll want to take a look at the Graco EveryWay Soother, Fisher Price Snugabunny, Graco Duet Soothe, Graco Glider LX, and Primo Smart Voyager. On the other hand, if portability is most important, you may be better of with the Ingenuity Cozy Kingdom Portable and Ingenuity Convert Me. While they can only be operated via battery power, they both fold up and are lightweight. Of course, few can compare to the Kidco SwingPod when it comes to being easily transported. Since it is a completely soft model, it can be stuffed anywhere, and it weighs less than a pound. Its major downside though, is that it requires you to manually swing your baby the entire time.
When it comes to operating on auto pilot, we really like the Primo Smart Voyager, which can turn itself on if your baby wakes up and starts to cry, so you won't have to drop what you are doing and rush over. As an added bonus, it converts to a highchair, so you'll be able to use it well into your kid's toddler years. The Haba Aircraft is another model that can be used well into the toddler years, however this one is only suitable for children 10 months and older, so you won't be able to use it with a newborn.
While every powered model on our list offer some kind of motion, the Graco EveryWay Soother and 4moms Mama Roo offer the most range when it comes to types and directions of movement, making them some of the best options for fussy babies.
If you are looking for something to keep your little one occupied when they aren't napping, we have put together a list of the best safe baby toys and one for activity centers that can help give you some suggestions.
The Best Buys For Your Baby
When it comes to food related products for infants and toddlers you can find everything from bottle warmers to baby food makers.
Any parent of a young child can affirm that the market is overloaded with a glut of products designed for small children, or for the parents doing their best to raise children well. (In fact, anyone who has so much as strolled through a shopping mall or turned on their television at the right hours of the day can attest to the same.)
From new variations on old classic toys such as instruments and puzzles to decidedly more modern play items like baby tablet computers and, there are countless objects designed for amusement and distraction. When it comes to food related products for infants and toddlers you can find everything from bottle warmers to baby food makers. And choosing the right stroller, car seat, bassinet, and crib can be a monumental undertaking given the multitudes of options at your disposal.
The field of early childhood related literature has also swelled in recent years, with books covering topics as diverse as "proper" infant diet to parent-child communication to sleep "training" to breastfeeding "guides" and more. With such limited time available in the day, it can be difficult for a new parent to decide which books to read and which are simply fluff.
As you work to make sure your child has all of his or her necessities covered and then go a step beyond to make sure that the infant is also as happy and engaged as possible, you will have to choose which products are going to be a part of your family's life and which are to be left on the store's shelf. Beyond the basics of a safe place to sleep, a good car seat, and a sturdy stroller, there might be only one piece of furniture that you should at least give careful consideration: a good baby swing.
Countless parents (or nannies) who are caring for an infant or have been through the process of raising one will tell you that a baby swing can be a priceless addition to your home. Not only can a good swing keep a child amused and engaged for many hours out of the week, but it can also soothe and calm them, and even rock the little one to sleep. And the moment a wailing child calms down then drifts off to slumber is the moment you'll agree the price tag really didn't matter.
Choosing A Baby Swing For Playtime
A swing is the perfect place for a baby to play for many reasons, but from the parent's point of view, one of the primary benefits of a swing is that it safely keeps a baby in one place while he or she plays.
When your young one is securely strapped into that swing, you can rest assured they are not crawling toward the top of the staircase or reaching for an electrical outlet.
When your young one is securely strapped into that swing, you can rest assured they are not crawling toward the top of the staircase or reaching for an electrical outlet. Thus the prominence of baby swings in kitchens, where an adult is trying to get some tasks crossed off the list, or in living rooms or dens, where the grownups are also trying to take a break for a second or two.
If your child is out of their newborn phase, then feel free to select a swing with multiple toys attached to it; keep in mind that toys which require some tactile and imaginative play are better than screens or toys with lots of flashing lights and squawking sounds.
It's best to avoid a swing in which your child must sit upright until they can easily do so in a chair or on the floor, as the motion of the swing only makes this task more difficult. But once the child can support themselves in a seated position, there are countless swings from which to choose, many of which mount in a doorway, others of which are ready to be hung outside from a tree branch or deck.
Choosing A Baby Swing That Soothes
Before you consider buying a baby swing intended to soothe and calm your child, do bear in mind that multiple researchers and pediatricians assert that allowing your child to regularly sleep in his or her swing is a poor idea. Swing sleep is rarely as productive as sleep in a crib (or a bassinet for very young newborns), as the child is limited in his or her positioning and ability to readjust, and as it can promote bad habits that make sleeping in a standard setting more difficult.
If possible, it's best to transfer the child to their regular sleeping location before they sleep, but indeed this might not always be the way things work out.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has also raised some concerns about the dangers of a child sleeping anywhere but a crib, as swings may increase the chance for accidental suffocation or partial airway obstruction.
If your child falls asleep in his or her swing from time to time, that's more than acceptable. You simply need to (gently and slowly -- no need to wake the slumbering child) remove the sleeping baby from the swing and place him or her in a crib for the duration of their nap or bedtime. If possible, it's best to transfer the child to their regular sleeping location before they sleep, but indeed this might not always be the way things work out.
Swings calm children thanks to their gentle motion, which can be reminiscent of the time spent in the womb. If you are looking for a baby swing to help soothe and calm your child, motion and comfort are more important than stimulation (which can in fact have the opposite effect from what you want). Look for swings that have minimal accessories, that either feature no lights or sounds or where these can be turned off, and which can provide your baby adequate support. A baby young enough to fall asleep in a swing should be in a swing that supports their neck and shoulders and into which they can be strapped securely to prevent slumping or sliding.