Are all singing/dancing baby rockers worth the money?

[Fancy1993]

DD was a terrible sleeper - reflux and just could never ever be put down. We survived using a sling until she was about 8 months and could be persuaded to nap in her cot. We have a Baby Bjorn bouncer which was great for popping her in for 10 min breaks but she never really took to it and certainly never fell asleep.

Expecting baby no. 2 and thinking that a sling will probably be great again, but also that it would be lovely if there was a bouncer baby could go into and maybe even sleep in...? Does that actually happen? Looking at the Graco All Ways which mimics rocking motions and vibrates. Has anyone found this type of bouncer to actually work at settling a baby and buying them some hands-free time?

Bumping...

I had a baby much like your first so any fancy rocker would have been laughed in the face of! She wouldn't be put down anywhere until she was sitting up unaided. I just carried her around with me until then (either in sling or in arms).

Personally, I think you'd be better off saving your money until no.2 arrives and make a judgement based on temperament then. Hopefully, you'll get one who is happy to sit in a rocker/bouncer but if you don't, you won't have wasted a load of money. Could you buy cheap second hand or borrow one from a friend to try out initially?

Sorry, I realise you wanted recommendations and I've been no use whatsoever!

We used the Baby Bjorn to a great success until about 3-4 months after which he was sitting by himself or laying on the blanket as too mobile for a bouncer. Not sure if sleeping in it is a good idea but if desperate I would let him sleep anywhere so hey ho.

Never buy those kinds of things new, they either hate them or only use them for five minutes.

There are always loads of them on marketplace, check the previous owner isn't a smoker and get one from there.

DS1 did used to sleep in things like the baby Björn bouncer when he was tiny. Not overnight but during the day.

My baby rocker saved my life with both children but more so with ds

It rocked at 4 different speeds (he liked the fastest) and it played different music but he liked the white noise function.

He was a terrible sleeper due to an undiagnosed medical problem and the only way either one of us got any sleep was for him to sleep in his swing at night whilst it rocked and played white noise.

It cost us a fortune in batteries but seriously, we needed to sleep

My SIL forked out for a very expensive Mamaroo for her baby. I tried my, very screamy, DS in it..... and he just screamed I was very glad I hadn’t paid hundreds for one. Might before worth seeing if any friends have some you can try baby in before commuting? I guess they work for some babies but not others and you don’t know which you’ll get.

The snoo crib is amazing. It is expensive but if your baby stays in it till 6months old- it's £6 a night, which for me is definitely worth it. I have pretty low expectations of baby sleep as my DS was a terrible sleeper but my DD does regular 5hr stretches which are wonderful!

Isnt it dangerous for them to sleep in them as they can slump forward when newborn and it can restrict their breathing?! I'm pretty sure even the swing ones say no sleeping if you read the small print. Anyway personally I used a cheapo fisher price bouncy chair about £20 discontinued version, it still had vibrate which both babies hated. I can play white noise for free from not tuning my radio I used it to put baby down when trying to cook or having a wee. I did put her down in bouncer when asleep sometimes, but I watching her like a hawk rather than cleaning the house which really needed doing. She then learnt to turn and almost could flip herself out about about 4 months. So switched to a sit up seat and just holding her for naps.

£29.99 on amazon for similar .. I've seen so many expensive ones not selling (for a fraction of the price) on Facebook marketplace. A few friends had the Joie dreamer rocker which is mid range cost.

I had a similar DC1 and panic bought a highly recommended expensive singing swinging vibrating chair. She absolutely hated it.

I would recommend looking at a Cocoonababy especially if you think DC2 may have reflux too. I had a sleepyhead for DC2 which definitely helped but as I recall the Cocoonababy was shaped to help with reflux

@togetsomeperspective

Isnt it dangerous for them to sleep in them as they can slump forward when newborn and it can restrict their breathing?! I'm pretty sure even the swing ones say no sleeping if you read the small print. Anyway personally I used a cheapo fisher price bouncy chair about £20 discontinued version, it still had vibrate which both babies hated. I can play white noise for free from not tuning my radio I used it to put baby down when trying to cook or having a wee. I did put her down in bouncer when asleep sometimes, but I watching her like a hawk rather than cleaning the house which really needed doing. She then learnt to turn and almost could flip herself out about about 4 months. So switched to a sit up seat and just holding her for naps.

They do yes but mine was desperation, plus the back laid back quite far so I wasn’t too concerned with neck restrictions

I wasn’t thinking for long or unsupervised naps - just half hour snoozes (if some babies do that?!) to literally to allow me to be on the sitting room floor and playing with the toddler, for example. I’ve resigned myself to the fact the sling will feature heavily again, but I found that really uncomfortable for my pelvic floor for those first few months so any relief would be welcome.

I think waiting and seeing what kind of baby this is will be the way forward. I might even have a baby who just nods off in a Moses basket. Apparently they exist??

I've seen one of these mythical babies that will sleep anywhere. It was like finding a unicorn. Not mine sadly, he's still a terrible sleeper at 2.5 but I don't think he slept anywhere other than on/next to me until he went to nursery at 10 months (and I swear they must drug them).

Good luck with the new baby! I hope they are one of the unicorns.

We bought one, expensive automatic thing with vibrations and music. Baby slept for about 10 mins and refused to go in again. I gave it away to another family for their newborn who a few months later passed it on again on Facebook as their baby didn’t like it either.

With my first we borrowed a very fancy swinging and vibrating thing with all sorts of functions and she really wasn't keen at all!

With number two we just bought a battery vibrating one, with a toy bar from Argos for about £25 and it was great! She was an easier baby all round though tbh.

Another vote for the cheap Fisherprice basic one. My in-laws bought us a fancy swing thing but neither of mine liked it nor the cousin we passed it on to...

I had a Nuna leaf with the wind attachment which was amazing and safe for the baby to sleep in.

My baby loved it and it saved my sanity although I did buy it second hand in perfect condition for less then half the retail price.

We have a Mamaroo. It's been brilliant. Like anything with a newborn, you get them used to it. We did 5 mins to start with and took DD out as soon as she cried. 12 weeks later she will have a 3 hour nap in it

I’ve never heard of the Snoo. I’ve just looked it up and nearly passed out at the cost!! And I thought the Mamaroo was expensive!

OP I’m in the same boat - first baby sounds exactly like yours and I’m due again soon and hoping the second is different!

I have a baby bjorn bouncer from first time round too, and was also thinking I might set up the travel cot in the living rm in case she would sleep in there (maybe inside sleepyhead which DS never slept in either) while I’m playing with DS in the same room. But the sling is blatantly going to be my saviour! I’ve got a close caboo for the first few months this time.