bouncer or swing?

[orangeshortbread]

I'm looking at bouncers and swings as I hear they are great for somewhere to put the baby down while you need your hands to do something. I would appreciate experienced MNers opinions about which is better - bouncer or swing?

Imo a bouncer, I've had both with my big two, and have them for dc3, the swing is very short lived and eats batteries, and many friends have said the same. Whereas the bouncers have lasted until dc is plenty old enough to not need it, vibrates a handy extra on them so you can stop bouncing and wander off and the batteries last for ages on that it seems.

This is my first baby so I can't say which is best but I've just got a bouncer with vibrate, music and White noise sounds on it. In mothercare they have 20% off all toys and this is including bouncers and swings. Mine was £60 reduced to £45 and then had 20% off.

For me, they were entirely different things - not a case of either/or

For dc1 the swing was an utter lifesaver. He would not sleep during the day unless I held him, until I got the swing. I was then able to put him down and he'd fall asleep. Hoped me get him into a routine of day time naps.

Bouncer was just for fun - not for chilling out!

DC2 seemed immune to charms of the swing, thoug he enjoyed it sometimes, but he was a much easier baby who slept during the day.

If it is a case of one or the other, I'd go for the swing.

Bouncer as a toy, turn the vibrate on for sleep. Tried DS in a swing and he just screamed :)

both ! try and get the biggest bouncer u can find because it will last . money still sits in his now and he's 1 . I have the fisher price rocker and the swing I agree does eat batterys and only lasts a few months but it was a GOD SEND for me I could not ha've done the early months with it ( I had bit of a unsettled baby ) we went out and brought it when he was 8days old's and owwww the relief was the only thing he settled in ill defo be getting it out again for this baby :)

*mine

I had both bought a swing 2nd hand off eBay and lovely woman threw the bouncer in for free. He never took to the bouncer screamed a lot in it only slept in there a couple of times the swing on the other hand was great!! He sat in it, slept in it, played in it would def recommend both