In the womb, babies love when you move and walk around because it rocks them to sleep. When they are born into a cold and bright world, all of that change is a shock to the system! This is why babies love being cuddled and rocked by you. Your warmth, your scent, and that motion calms them and makes them feel right at home. However, it’s unrealistic to think that any parent can constantly rock and bounce their baby. Your arms, shoulders, and upper back will ache! This is why baby swings and baby bouncers are a thing and why many parents swear by them. But what are the best baby swings and baby bouncers on the market? We are sharing our favorites — also known as our Chick Picks! — so that you can look at the best ones and determine which is the right one for your baby.
First, what are baby swings and baby bouncers?
A baby swing is a baby gear item that you can safely place your baby in that rocks them side to side or head to toe. It is operated by batteries or can be plugged into an outlet that constantly provides motion. Its purpose is to soothe and entertain your baby so that you don’t have to always hold and rock your little one and can get other things accomplished around the house.
A baby bouncer is another baby gear item that can also soothe and entertain baby. However, bouncers are set in motion by the baby’s own movements rather than being battery operated or requiring a plug outlet.
What is the difference?
Many parents use baby swings to help their babies sleep while they are monitoring them and accomplishing other tasks at home. Baby bouncers are mainly used for entertainment purposes and to keep baby upright and in one position. (If you have a crawler, a baby bouncer can be a fun activity for them and will keep them in the same place so no need to chase them!) Neither of these products are considered sleepers and they are not intended for overnight sleep because they are not flat, firm surfaces. This is why it is not recommended to leave your baby unattended or unsupervised (a parent should be awake and closeby) when the baby is in a swing or a bouncer.
Why are these baby swings and baby bouncers our favorites?
Having helped parents over the past 10 years as a baby planner and doula, I’ve seen and tested a lot of baby products. I know which ones work, which ones are popular with parents, and which ones newborns love. I have also consulted with other parents, doulas, and midwives for their favorite baby swings and baby bouncers and these are the ones that have made it on our list.
Chick Picks: Best Baby Swings and Baby Bouncers
1. Fisher-Price Sweet Snugapuppy Dreams Cradle ‘n Swing
This baby swing from Fisher-Price has been a parent favorite for years! As a postpartum doula, I’ve seen this swing in so many parents’ homes and they all rave about it.
This infant swing is super cozy and it lets you choose from a variety of soothing options to find the calming combination that works best for your baby. You can choose for it to swing side-to-side or front-to-back. I love how the plush seat is machine-washable because spit up and blowouts are inevitable. The swing is also at a comfy incline and it has good head and body support. Another thing that I love is that it is plug-powered so you don’t have to worry about any batteries dying or the swing stopping which could wake up your baby. The overhead mobile turns on its own, it has a mirrored dome, and it has three soft animal friends for your baby’s visual senses which encourages eye-tracking. It also plays soft music.
2. 4moms mamaRoo 4 Baby Swing
If you are a parent that geeks out about techy products, this swing is for your family!
The 4moms mamaRoo 4 infant swing is really cool because it bounces up and down and sways from side to side, just like parents do when comforting their baby. You can select from five unique motions, like car ride and tree swing, and five different speeds. Usually, babies have a preferred motion and speed so it’s good to play around with the settings to determine which your baby enjoys the most. You can also choose from four built-in sounds or connect it to any MP3 player! I personally like that the seat reclines to multiple positions to allow your baby to lie back and relax or sit up and play.
What a lot of parents love is how the mamaRoo is Bluetooth enabled so you can control the motion, sound, speed, and volume all from your compatible smart device without disturbing baby! No need for you to get up and adjust the dial. Just download their app on your phone or tablet and you can adjust the settings to whatever your baby prefers. (The 4moms app for iOS is compatible with all Apple devices newer than the iPhone 4s that are running iOS 9 or newer. The native Android app is compatible with most Android devices that support Bluetooth Low Energy and devices that are running Android 4.3 or newer.)
Another thing that I like is how the overhead toy mobile includes interactive, reversible toy balls. One is a crinkle ball, another rattle, and the third a reflective mirror ball. One side of the toy balls has color and the other side has a black and white pattern. Newborns’ vision hasn’t fully developed yet so and they aren’t able to see objects clearly or full color just yet. They love to look at high-contrast black-and-white patterns, so these patterns on this mobile are perfect for a newborn’s developing brain and vision.
3. Nuna LEAF Grow Seat
This baby bouncer is beautiful and calms me when watching a baby slide back and forth.
I remember when I first saw this product while visiting a baby expo. I thought it looked so beautiful. And then when I saw how it rocks a baby, I was sold! Nuna said that this baby seat takes inspiration from the mesmerizing motion of a leaf floating on the breeze. This revolutionary bouncer seat is noise-free and is a motor-free design that maintains motion for more than two minutes with just a gentle push. This way your baby can drift off into sleep or kick and play in nature-inspired comfort. I absolutely love it. And I like how the seat has three recline settings and that it can be locked in a stationary position for feeding or playtime.
4. BabyBjörn Bouncer Balance Soft
The BabyBjörn Bouncer has been a product of theirs for decades. My parents even had two (one for me and my twin brother) when we were babies in the ’80s! It’s a true classic and it’s a product that has grown and improved over the years. We love it.
The BabyBjörn Bouncer Balance Soft is an ergonomic baby bouncer where your baby can play or rest beside you while you take on your tasks. I love the modern simplicity of the design and how your baby’s own movements set the baby bouncer gently rocking. Lots of babies have great fun bouncing up and down. The fitted fabric seat is comfortable and it gives good support to your baby’s back, neck, and head. I also really like how this bouncer grows with your child. It can be used from birth up to the age of two. It’s also perfect for travel because when the bouncer is not in use, it folds completely flat for storing or transporting.
5. Graco Simple Sway Baby Swing
If you want a baby swing that is not going to take up a lot of room in your house or a swing that you want to easily be able to move from one room to another, this a great option.
If the size is what matters to you–and I’m talking about taking up less space–then the compact frame on this Graco Simple Sway Infant Swing is for you. It can easily fit in just about any space in your home. You’ll love being able to keep baby close to you, no matter where you are in your house.
Something that I really love about this baby swing is that it gives you the option to either use batteries for convenience or to plug it into a wall outlet. Plugging in can save you money over time and using batteries is great because if you want baby closer to you but there isn’t an outlet close by that won’t be a problem.
I will say that this compact baby swing doesn’t have the most padding or head support. Because of this, I recommend getting an infant head support pad in addition to this swing. But what we love are: it has 6 side-to-side swaying speeds so you can match your baby’s preference. It has a mobile with 3 soft toy stars, it includes 15 songs and sounds, and it has a 5-point harness to keep baby secure. To start the swing, just rotate the speed dial clockwise, and lightly push the swing. It does gradually reach the swinging speed that you selected for baby. Stay close and wait as it adjusts to your preferred speed setting.
6. Graco Duet Soothe Swing & Rocker
Here’s another great Graco swing that is particularly popular with families who have babies with colic.
What’s cool about this baby swing is that it has a seat that doubles as a rocker! Just detach the swing seat and use the carry-handle to move around the house while your baby remains cozy and close-by in the rocker. Other things that I like are: it has the option to use D batteries or to plug into an outlet. It has three seating positions to give baby the option to sway side-to-side or swing back-and-forth. It also has great features like vibration (2 speed settings), music (10 melodies and 5 nature sounds), and 6 swing speeds to choose from.
7. Charlie Crane Levo Beech Wood Baby Bouncer
If you want a beautiful, modern, minimalist styled bouncer, look no further. This bouncer is all about the cool style.
This bouncer became extremely popular after the Fixer Upper star, Joanna Gaines, posted a photo of her newborn son, Crew, swaddled in this beautiful baby bouncer. It has serious Scandinavian style and immediately everyone was commenting asking where they could buy this bouncer. Even Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt asked, “Where can I get a grown-up version of this?” tagging then girlfriend, now wife, Kealia Ohai, in the comment.
This quality baby bouncer is the perfect place for your little one to relax. These super stylish LEVO rockers from Charlie Crane will complement your stylish home perfectly. They come in the cutest colors and patterns so you can choose which look you prefer. They are suitable for babies up to approximately 7 months. I really like how it’s easy to clean with the detachable machine-washable fabric and that the wood is oiled with a natural protective oil. Just use your foot to gently rock your baby back and forth.
What should I consider before buying one?
When considering which baby swing or baby bouncer to choose, consider these things first: price, functionality, size, features, and style. Then determine which are most important to you. Once you have narrowed it down you should know which one is the right fit for your family.
Is there a baby swing or baby bouncer that you used with your little one that you absolutely loved that isn’t on our list?
This article contains affiliate links. These opinions are our own, however, if you buy something we may earn a small commission, which helps us keep our content free to our readers. To see more of our recommended products check out our Chick Picks Shop here. It’s our carefully curated shop of products we love and recommend! ❤️
