Baby Products and Registries: Swings, Bouncers and Exersaucers

Here we are with another installment!  If you missed them, here are the posts on:


Strollers
Carseats

On today's agenda?   Those great products that give your wee ones a safe place to play or sleep while you catch a shower, a snack, or just your breath.  None of these are really essential, though all are nice to have in their own way.

Swings, Bouncers, and Exersaucers

Swings
Surprisingly, there are quite a few options when it comes to swings.  The main two types are full sized and travel sized.

Full sized swings often have the option of swinging the baby side-to-side as well as front-to-back.  This is a nice option for when you have a particularly fussy child who has definite preferences from day one. 

These also tend to have more bells and whistles.  Reclining seats, toy trays, spinning mobiles, and more than one or two speeds. 

Older style swings operate on a hand crank, and they can be noisy and frustrating to use.  (This really is only an option if you get a really old one).  Most others are operated on battery power, though some have battery power AND an AC adapter, which is golden, especially if your little one refuses to sleep elsewhere in the early weeks and you want to avoid middle of the night battery changes.  (You have enough to do in changing your child).  

Travel sized swings can be folded up and stored very easily, making them the ideal solution in tight spaces.  They're also easy to transport, which makes for nice visits to places where your little one may not have a place to sit. 

These also generally have music and attached toys, though they're often more limited than a full sized swing. 

Bouncers

Bouncers are small chair like seats with a harness that sometimes vibrate or bounce.  They are highly portable and many, many parents swear by their usefulness in allowing them to shower while keeping the baby close by. 

Some bouncers have toy bars suspended above the seat.  Some of these play music or light up.  More often than not, these can be removed. 

Some bouncers are battery operated and vibrate while others rely or a baby's natural motion to bounce. 

Exersaucers

These are round activity centers with a rotating seat in the middle for the baby to sit in.  They are generally rated from aged 4 months and up, though some doctors don't recommend that babies use them until 6 months old or until their head control is extremely established. 

Some exersaucers come loaded with toys and musical components in every available space.  Others, (generally older models), are relatively bare which allows versitility with which toys you chose to put on there.  A nice feature of having attached toys is that you're not going to be constantly fetching fallen toys from the floor. However, the same toys over and over can get boring for a baby.  The best models have detachable toys with open spaces for snacks or additional toys to be rotated in. 

These are generally large and don't collapse easily for storage or travel.  (For an Exersaucer alternative, check out my review on the Pop-A-Tot)

Pros and Cons

Very few kids like all three of these, nor do you remotely need all three to have options when you need them.  So which one is right for you and your baby?  Unfortunately, what your little one will like is really not determinable until they make their arrival.  My suggestion is to initially borrow these, find out what your kid likes, and then get one thing to start.  But, even with that, each of these have their own pros and cons.  You can use these from birth onward.

Swing Pros
Most babies love swings.  I've heard of very few who fuss while in a swing, particularly when they're very small.  The rapid sway motion is similar to the motion they experience in the womb.  Swings also allow your baby to be slightly upright, which many babies prefer, especially when young.   You can have two options of direction of the swing, which adds more versatility to finding what your baby will love.  Swings are often soothing enough to get a baby to sleep, which can save the sanity of a sleepless mom or dad. 

Swing Cons
The big ones are bulky and take up a considerable amount of room.  The small ones sometimes don't generate enough oomph to soothe a particularly fussy child.  They can be rather expensive.  If you kid is dependant on the swing, you might have a hard time getting them to sleep elsewhere.  If your swing is battery operated, you can potentially spend a FORTUNE on batteries. 


Bouncer Pros
They are small enough to take almost anywhere.  It's easy to go from room to room, which is nice if your little one has fallen asleep and you need to move.  They can be very inexpensive, (though some extremely expensive options are out there as well).  They can vibrate, which is sometimes enough to conk out the most fussy child.  They also respond to your baby's movement which can be soothing all on its own.  You can use these from your baby's birth onward. 

Bouncer Cons
Some kids really hate the bouncer seat.  Some kids love it.  It's one of those pieces of baby gear that you'll never really know if your kid likes until you try it.  Some don't fold up completely, which makes for awkward storage.  The more sleek options without to plethora of plastic are often ridiculously expensive.  They can be dangerous if left on a table or counter in the vicinity of another kid.  (Best advice, use on the floor only)

Exersaucer Pros
These are great entertainment for an older baby.  They allow for a baby to take in their surroundings from a new perspective, which is often enough to entertain a baby alone.  They are sturdy and tip proof.  They last far longer into babyhood than a swing or a bouncer.  When your baby gets to the age that they're crawling and getting into everything, this is a safe place for them to play while you cook or do what you need to do. 

Exersaucer Cons
These are HUGE.  They are giant, plastic beasts and can't be stored easily.  They can't be used until a later age than a bouncer seat or a swing can be used.  They can be expensive and sometimes overwhelming. 


Swings, Bouncers, and Exersaucers are all great places for your baby to safely play or rest while you need to get something done.  As with anything, these shouldn't replace you interacting and holding your child.  But in moderation, one or a couple of these can be a lifesaver to a tired parent in need of a break, a shower, or a sandwich.  :)

After I give a rundown of most things you can get in preparation for your munchkin's arrival, (or even after your kiddo gets here), I'm going to give my list of the best of the best in each category.  This will be based on personal use, friend recommendations, and reviews.  Stick around!  

For now, definitely let me know what you think of any of the above and if you have a favorite, post it here!

Baby Products and Registries: Strollers

First off, I just want to say thanks to my readers and commenters for commenting on yesterday's post about carseats.  To me, the reader comments are what are going to make these entries worthwhile.  Eventually, I am going to post my personal recomendations for each product, but for now, I'm more talking about how to decide in what direction you're going for each piece of equipment.

Today?  Strollers!  Strollers are possibly the most varied of all baby products out there.  They range in price from a cheap $15 bucks to over $1000. For all intents and purposes of this entry, the strollers I'm going to suggest and talk about are single strollers.

To decide on what kind of stroller you should get, there are some questions you should ask yourself:

1.  What kind of terrain are you going to be frequenting the most often?  Bumpy grass and trails?  Smooth mall tiles?  Walking trails in a local park? 

2.  What size car do you drive?  The smaller the car, the smaller the stroller needs to be.  Technically you can fit a large stroller into a hatch back, but you're not going to get anything else in there. 

3.  What are must have features in your book?  Snack holders?  Big baskets?  Small footprint?  One-hand steering?  There are a million of features for every stroller, and often, strollers can be customized with add-ons, so don't nix every stroller that doesn't have the feature you're dying for without some investigation. 

There are four main types of single strollers on the market:

The Travel System:   This stroller system actually combines the bucket carseat with the stroller itself.  The bucket seat clicks soundly into the stroller allowing you to transport your kid from the car to the stroller effortlessly.  Bonus for my A-type friends:  The patterns of your stroller and carseat match, thus allowing you to breathe easy.  (And yes, yes, that appeals to me as well).  These strollers also happen to have a lot of the bells and whistles:  Snack trays, cup holders for the adult, one handed steering, ample storage, one hand folding, etc.  Once your child outgrows the bucket seat, they can sit facing the world in the stroller itself.  Most of these have five point harnesses, deep padding, and large canopies.    But with all the features comes a lot of weight.  These babies are BIG.  But they're super popular and that's for a reason.

The Stroller Frame:  A stroller frame isn't necessarily a technical stroller.  Instead, this converts your bucket seat into a stroller by adding wheels and a basket.  These are inexpensive, lightweight, and easy to manuver.  Downside is that you have to purchase another stroller for when your child outgrows the infant seat. But they allow you to stroll around with your little one facing you, which when they're little, is the best thing for them when they have to be in a stroller.  Many other strollers don't give this option. 

The "Umbrella" Stroller - These are the lighweight cousins of the travel systems.  Generally, they don't hold the infant seat, which makes them great graduation strollers from the frames.  These often have the biggest price difference.  At the bare minimum, the cheap umbrella strollers have absolutely no bells and whistles, and are often the best strollers for quick jaunts into the store or to the post office.  These cheap strollers are great for bigger toddlers in times where they need a place to rest their legs, but you don't need a giant stroller to haul around.  The higher end umbrella strollers often have storage baskets, canopies, and five point harnesses.  Combi actually makes a travel system which I think is the best of both worlds.  It has the ability to hold the bucket seat but has the portability of a lightweight stroller.  Umbrella strollers are great for anyone, but the higher end versions are great specifically for city dwellers who need the lightweight portability of a stroller they can haul up and down steps or into stores without sacrificing the features. 

The Jogging Stroller - The bohemoth of the stroller world.  If you have intentions to jog or do trail walking, these are the strollers that should appeal to you.  Many of them accommodate the bucket seat if you chose to go that route, but sometimes you have to purchase an adapter kit.  There are many strollers that are built to look like jogging strollers, but are not recommended to actually take... jogging.  Definitely check on that. 

So, pros and cons?

Pros
The Travel System - Tons of bells and whistles, often very easy to use, offers complete compatibility with the carseat, allows you to purchase both pieces of equipment at the same time, fairly cost effective.

The Stroller Frame - Lightweight, portable, cheap, and easy to use.  Often has a super large storage basket and cup holders. 

The Umbrella Stroller - Lightweight, portable, and very versitile.  Offer many of the features that a travel system does, except in a smaller frame.  Can be relatively cheap.  Very small footprint, which allows for maneuvering in small spaces. 

The Jogging Stroller - VERY sturdy, smooth riding.  They often have big baskets and very easy steering.  Allows for strolling over varied terrains. 

Cons
The Travel System - Bulky and heavy.  All of those bells and whistles weigh a LOT.  Larger footprint, which makes maneuvering in small spaces relatively difficult. 

The Stroller Frame - You'll need to buy another stroller for when your child outgrows the bucket seat.  They don't have quite as many features as a travel system.

The Umbrella Stroller - Generally don't allow your child to face you.   If you don't buy one that can hold a bucket seat, your child is most likely not able to use it until they're about 6 months old.  (Most umbrella strollers recommend not being used until your child is 6 months old and sitting on their own...  I found that if the stroller reclined, you could put a 4 or 5 month old in one with no problem).  But alas.  It's a con, for sure.  They also don't generally come with a snack tray. 

The Jogging Stroller - HUGE AND BULKY.  The good ones are often expensive.  They weigh a ton and take up a lot of room in a car.  Child is often not able to use them until 6 months unless combined with an infant seat.  Child generally faces forward instead of backwards. 

Our Choice?
We registered for a stroller frame and a higher end umbrella stroller and found that to be an excellent solution.  The stroller frame served us well and because each of the strollers were so small, we were able to keep both in the trunk for the transitional period where she would be awake and wanting to sit up and see the world.  The umbrella stroller is a fantastic stroller to travel with.  We loved not having a huge bulky stroller in our trunk.  I really wish that our umbrella stroller had a snack tray, but otherwise,  we were extremely happy with our choice.

Tomorrow?  Highchairs and bathtubs (and maybe some other items if I feel motivated :)

Registries and Baby Gear

You would not believe how many people I know that are pregnant.  It's. In. Sane.  But really exciting!  A lot of those people are having their first child. 

And generally, most of them are swimming in the sea of trying to get a baby registry together. 

I remember how exciting it was to do our registry, but I also remember how crazy it was to try to figure out what we needed to put on there and what we could leave off.  Also, later, there were several things that I wish someone would have told me to forget completely.

So, here's the beginning of my tips.  I'll be continuing this for about a week, once a day, until I get all my tips out there.  (Because trying to get it all in one entry?  WHO AM I KIDDING?!)

Ahem.  Here we go:


1.  Every baby needs a carseat.  Consider this a true MUST-HAVE on your registry.  But there's more variety out there than not.  First you have to consider whether you want a convertible car seat that can go from the time the baby is born until they're well into their toddler years, a bucket car  seat that will serve you well from birth until close to one, or both. 

Convertible Car Seat Pros
*  You only have to buy one carseat for the duration of your child's early years.  (Obviously, there are some exceptions... a second car, an exceptionally tall and skinny or short and round child, etc.).
*  They're bigger and generally sturdier than a traditional bucket.

Convertible Car Seat Cons
*  You have to transport a sleeping baby out of the carseat into the stroller, instead of taking the whole carseat.
*  They're generally much bigger than a bucket seat, so for smaller cars, it can seem a bit daunting to have your tiny baby swallowed by a huge seat.  (Though the ones that are made for use from birth are absolutely safe for newborns). 

Bucket Car Seat Pros
*  It's awesome to be able to transport a delicately sleeping baby into the house without disrupting a nap.
*  The bucket is a nice place for a baby to sit that is much less germy than a shopping cart, etc.
*  They're great for babies with reflux to nap in because they allow them to be upright.  

Bucket Car Seat Cons
*  They are ridiculously heavy and cumbersome.  And that only gets worse as your baby grows.
*  Your child is likely to outgrow the seat before they turn one, which forces you to buy another seat that can face backwards AND forwards that is the right size. 
*  The convenience of the seat often takes away from time where you could be holding your baby. 

My opinion?
I like the option of having the bucket seat along with the convertible.  Although I hate the bucket seat's cumbersome and ridiculously heavy presence at times, I do love that C has a safe place to sit at the grocery store and that when she falls asleep in the car, I don't have to disturb her when we reach our destination.  I'm careful to take her out as often as she wishes when we're out and generally will wear her at that point.  But I love having the option. 

Tomorrow I'll chat a bit about strollers.  We bucked the trend of traditional travel systems and I would never go back.  Tune in tomorrow for the why.  :)