If you are a new parent, you might be facing this puzzling question in your head “Do I need a baby swing?”
You might be consulting experienced parents to determine if this baby gear is worth buying.
After all, babies can be very fussy and demanding, and you might not have enough time or energy to rock them to sleep every time they cry.
Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered!
In this blog post, we will tell you everything you need to know about baby swings, including the benefits, the safety tips, when it is a good idea to buy a swing and when it’s not.
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Table of Contents
Benefits of Baby Swings
Let’s take a look at the benefits of baby swings:
Allow you to free up your hands
A baby swing can really help you have free hands.
When your baby is in the swing, you don’t have to hold them all the time.
Babies love to spend time in baby swings thanks to soothing features like swinging, vibrations, melodies, toy bars, etc.
And when he is enjoying his swing time, you can do other things, like cook, clean, or even just take a moment to relax.
It’s like having an extra pair of hands to help you out.
So, a baby swing can be a real helper for busy parents who need a break or have chores to do.
Mimic the womb-like environment
An unborn baby experiences a lot of motion in the mother’s womb.
That’s why the first three months after birth are very difficult for newborns to adjust to this world as they look for the same womb-like environment and motions.
A swing can help babies to get through this difficult time.
It mimics the womb by rocking and swaying the baby, which makes newborns comfortable and helps them to adapt to this world’s environment.
Can be helpful in easing colic
A newborn is colicky if that healthy baby (having no disease) cries for hours without any apparent cause.
Usually, it happens during the first six weeks of a newborn’s life.
Some professionals think that acid reflux is a contributing factor in colicky babies, but the exact reason is still unknown.
Swings can be helpful in soothing colicky babies.
According to this pediatric research, the severity of colic significantly lessened in 97% of the infants by using any vibration frequency with or without sound for babies.
This research proves that swings having vibration features and sweet sounds can be helpful in soothing colicky infants.
Keep infants entertained
Baby swings have made notable improvements in the past few years.
If we look back at older days, swings were very simple and provided very few features.
But these modern swings have many features to soothe and keep the little one secure in the swing.
Nowadays, many swings provide plenty of delightful melodies and nature sounds.
Even some swings allow you to connect your cell phone to the swing to play your baby’s favorite music.
Some swings have vibrations and colorful toy bars to capture the baby’s attention.
Every baby swing comes up with these kinds of several different features which keep babies well entertained.
Keep your baby close to you
You can easily keep your eyes on your newborn while working in the kitchen or other rooms if you have a portable baby swing that you can effortlessly move in your house.
Even if other family members are enjoying dinner or movie night, a mother will never want her newborn to be left alone in a room.
A baby swing can be a good solution for this problem as your infants can always take part in the action with their swing.
When Do I need a baby swing?
Let’s see in which circumstances parents should go for a baby swing:
If your baby is colicky
Baby swings are super good for soothing colicky babies.
So, it’ll be an excellent decision to buy a baby swing if you have a colicky baby and you often remain frustrated that you aren’t able to soothe your crying baby.
If your baby likes swinging
Baby Swings are one of the expensive baby products, so before buying a swing, you have to make sure your baby will love spending time in his baby swing.
You can borrow a baby swing from any relative or friend for a few days and analyze whether your baby enjoys swaying and rocking in a swing.
If you don’t have a budget issue
If buying a baby swing does not disturb your budget, you should go for it.
Baby Swings perform outstandingly in soothing fussy babies and giving you a break from the baby’s caregiving job for a while.
It can be a lifesaver for you, especially if it’s your first baby as many parents who used baby swings admit this.
If you plan to have another baby
If you plan to have another baby, you can decide to buy a baby swing more conveniently because baby swings don’t come up with expiry dates.
But your infant will outgrow the swing in 6 to 9 months and will not be able to use the swing anymore.
Then, it’ll be time to store it somewhere to reuse it for your next baby.
When it’s not preferred to buy a swing
Let’s see when you should not buy a baby swing:
Your baby is not a newborn
A baby from birth to 2 months of age is considered a newborn.
If your baby is not a newborn anymore and you decide to buy a swing for your baby, that may not be a wise decision.
Because the baby swing age limit lies between 6 to 9 months of age.
And buying a swing for just 4 months of usage isn’t a good idea.
If you can’t supervise your baby
Baby swings should be used under the supervision of an elder.
Leaving your little one unattended in a swing for too long can be a safety risk.
If your baby falls asleep in the swing when you are not there, move them to a flat sleeping surface.
Sleeping in a swing in an upright position increases the chances of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
If you can’t keep pets away from your baby
Baby swings are often low to the ground.
And if you have pets, keep in mind that pets can easily jump up on a baby swing even if your baby is in the swing.
In this case, make sure to keep your eyes on your baby and remain nearby with your baby.
If you have a tight budget
New parents often face a budget issue and can’t afford a baby swing in the fourth trimester.
If you are one of them, you can go for bouncers as they are more affordable, occupies less space, and are easier to carry while traveling than swings.
However, a bouncer doesn’t move automatically with a motor like swings. To soothe your baby, you have to operate it with your hands.
Safety Tips for Using Baby Swings
Parents should follow these safety guidelines to ensure their baby’s safety in the swing:
- Do not let your baby sleep in the swing. You can use the swing to make your baby sleepy.
But when your baby sleeps, move them to a flat and cozy place to sleep. - Ensure the swing you are going to buy isn’t recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
- Check the maximum weight limit of the baby swing before putting your newborn in the swing.
- Newborns should lie in the most reclined position in a baby swing as it reduces the chances of falling forward and suffocating.
- Always buckle your baby in the swing with the safety straps.
This can stop your baby from getting out of the swing and hurting themselves.
Final Words
In conclusion, deciding whether to get a baby swing depends on your needs, budget and lifestyle.
As we’ve explored in this blog post, there are several benefits to having a baby swing.
They can let you do other things when the baby is relaxing in the swing. They can also make your baby feel better if they are fussy or crying.
It can be a real game-changer for busy parents.
But there are times when a baby swing might not be the right choice, like when you are having budget issues or, in rare cases, your baby doesn’t like to spend time in a baby swing.
I hope this blog post helped you get the answer to “Do I need a baby swing?” and you have decided whether it’ll be a valuable baby item for you or not.
If you have decided to buy a baby swing for your little one, you might want to know, “Which swing is best for your newborn?”
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