If you are in search of a swing for your baby but you are not sure how to buy one that best suits your needs, you don’t need to worry. In this comprehensive guide on how to buy a baby swing, you will get the answers to your questions that will make it easier for you to choose the best baby swing.
How to Buy a Baby Swing
The best baby swing is one that soothes and calms your baby and lulls the baby to sleep. Gentle swings, calming vibrations, pleasant music and melodies, safety and comfort, are all you need in a perfect baby swing.
Before you buy a swing, you need to look for its type and size, portability, different functions, safety, durability, etc. Let’s discuss each of these so you can understand each one better.
Type & Size
From simple to complex, baby swings now come in different types. Some are simple enough that requires no power supply but offers no luxuries of sophisticated swings. And then there are 2 in 1 baby swings that double as a portable rocker or stationary seat.
Swings that are big sized offer great features but often take larger footprints. So if you are short of space, go for best baby swing for small spaces that are compact in size but provide gentle swings and maximum comfort like the big-sized swings.
Features
This is what gets you confused sometimes. The simple solution is, go for necessary features if you are looking for in-budget swing.
All baby swings that are powered by plug or batteries nearly offer gentle swings that have adjustable speeds, seat vibrations that usually run off of battery, music and melodies, overhead toy bar, and machine-washable seat cover.
Some swings offer more features as unique swinging motions, a swing with removable rocker, two ways swing, etc.
Comfort
To provide your newborn maximum comfort is what every parent looks for. Baby swings that come with extra plush, super cozy and comfy seat pads are the ones to go for. In addition, some offer removable head and body support for infants to take extra care of your baby. Don’t overlook comfortability in a swing.
Safety
While the infants don’t move around in a swing, as they get bigger, babies tend to sit up and move around. That’s where a safety harness comes into play. Baby swings usually come with a 3-point or a 5-point harness safety straps.
These straps make sure to secure your baby in the swing. Other than that, a baby swing with a sturdier base is safer than those with a weak base.
Power
To give gentle swings, play music and melodies, rotate overhead mobile, require a power source. While some swings come with both, plug-in and batteries, there are other swings that support only one power option. Save on batteries with a wall plug-in or choose the one that uses batteries for your convenience.
Portability
If you travel a lot or move around, you should look for a portable baby swing. Thanks to advanced technologies, modern baby swings are now studier yet they fold flat for storage or easy portability.
Some swings that double as a rocker or seat allow you to carry your baby around wherever you move. If these sound like you, go for the best portable baby swing that offers these features.
How much a Baby Swing Costs?
Prices of baby swings vary from brand to brand and types of swings. There are manual swings that will cost you $40 to complex and sophisticated swings with luxurious features that cost around $270. Simply put, baby swing ranges from $30 to $300.
Which Brand is best for what Age?
The best leading brands that manufacture exquisite swings to appease and lulls your baby to sleep are these in no particular order:
- Graco
- Fisher-Price
- mamaRoo
- Ingenuity
Then comes the question of which brand is best for your baby according to his age? The simple answer is it depends on weight as well as age. Whatever your baby reaches first, it is best to discontinue using the swing.
The main motive of a swing is to comfort your baby. If your baby outgrows it but hasn’t reached the age limit, stop putting your baby in the swing. Usually, baby swings from leading brands come with 20-30 lbs maximum weight recommendation and up to less than 24 months age limit.
Below, we mention some of the baby swings that come with age recommendations by these manufacturers.
- Graco’s Simple Sway Baby Swing for babies less than 24 months
- Graco’s Duet Soothe Baby Swing and Rocker for babies less than 24 months
- Fisher-Price Sweet Snugapuppy Dreams Cradle ‘n Swing for babies of 6 months of age
- Fisher-Price Deluxe Take-Along Swing & Seat for babies of age greater than 6 months
- 4moms classic Grey mamRoo 4 for newborns to babies until they can sit up unassisted or reach 25 lbs
Simply put, it varies from baby to baby. Most leading brands recommend a maximum weight of 25-30 lbs. If your baby reaches the weight but not age i.e. maximum 24 months, stop using the swing. The main purpose of the swing is to provide a soothing and cozy experience to your baby. When they start feeling uncomfortable in the swing even when they haven’t reached any limit, discontinue it.
Final Words
Last but not least, this article guides and walks you with every important step you need to consider before buying a swing. From features to compatibility by age to portability and safety, this guide is perfect and to the point answer on how to buy a baby swing.
Before buying a swing, consider your budget, the space in your house whether you will have the capacity to accommodate a big swing or you need to go for a compact one, the features you would want such as swinging motions, music and sounds, toys, soft and cushy seat pads, easy usability, and safety and security.
Now that you are well equipped with necessary information, it’s time to go for the best baby swing that takes care of your baby when you do the chores while your baby is close by.
