Baby Bjorn Bouncer - what's all the rave about?

[PurplePansy05]

As per the title!

I've seen countless posts on MN saying how good it is.

But it's massively expensive, doesn't have the handle to carry it, it seems really big in comparison to many other bouncers, I gather it's meant to last longer but I can't see a 2yo being strapped in it easily anyway?!

Finally, I actually don't really like the design of it, tbh. For the little time a baby should spend in a bouncer following all the scientific/medical advice, I don't see the point in buying something so expensive either.

Am I missing something? Please throw it at me if so as I'm about to buy a bouncer. And actually there's a BB I found second hand so that's an option if everyone tells me why it's supposedly so great.

Any other recommendations also welcome, particularly reclining bouncers as I'd rather my son stay flat as much as possible when he's born.

TIA 😊 xx

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[Liadan]

I bought it for my now nine-year-old when she was a baby. We found it amazing, mainly because the babies loved it, you could wash the cover in the washing machine and it folds flat. The bouncer is now on baby number six (sisters and friends babies) and it's still perfect.

[miltonj]

I got a red kite one for 15 pound and it was great. My Daugher use to sleep very well in it. She was too light to make it bounce or her own for the first month or so. By six months she was trying to escape it. I got her a fisher price sit me up which she liked for a while but has now outgrown so I'll probably get a jumperoo next! Yes the baby Bjorn bouncer lasts a lot longer but honestly can't imagine many babies wanting wanting to be that passive and recline past about 5/6 months anyway so might as well get a cheaper one!

[PurplePansy05]

@Chelyanne I'm in the same frame of mind as you.

I also find that a lot of posters (I'm not saying on this thread, but generally on MN) seem to be really pleased with BB which is fair enough, but not many seem to have any comparison against other bouncers which actually also seem perfectly fine based on what other posters who use them are saying. xx

[Caspianberg]

Ours was/ is great. He napped in pram carrycot and crib, and in sling. But he didn’t like just laying down when wide awake. He used to nap in it at least once per day ( they nap for like 20 mins max at newborn), and it was the only place we could put him in happily so we could eat our meals hands free.

He started climbing out of it by 5 months so had to stop using it. But now at 11 months he’s a confident climber and Walker and has started using it again without the strap as a place to chill. He climbs in with his teddy or book

[Caspianberg]

The main positive is the fact the bb is a soft hammock like fabric, most other chairs are not, they are fixed padded fabric. The hammock helps prevent flat head and completely moulds to their shape.

[8dpwoah]

I think most of them have washable covers and go (nearly) flat so I'm still not parting with that extra £100 that's still in my pocket 😂 I don't doubt they're a good bit of kit and they do look nice and soft, but...

[Nameregretter]

I’ve got 2 kids and a variety of bouncers. The difference between the BB and most others, as pp have said, is that it’s a soft hammock as opposed to a rigid chair, so it’s really gentle and supportive, especially when they’re tiny. Other things I like about it are (other bouncers have some of these too): it folds flat so easy to store and transport, the cover is easy to wash, it’s really easy to bounce with just one finger or a foot, the toy bar is actually great and has kept both of mine entertained, and it has different height settings so can go really flat for newborns.

My first child was really fussy and hated all bouncers except the BB. My in laws have the hoopla at their house and he screamed his head off every time he went in it. It holds them in a really forward/upright position which just seemed uncomfortable. He also really disliked anything motorised so the jiggle function on my fisher price one and my friend’s swing were totally wasted on him. He never learned to bounce it himself but was content in there while I showered etc which was a godsend as he was generally a Velcro baby. My second is much more chilled but the BB is her favourite as she bounces it herself.

I got mine on eBay secondhand and will prob sell it on for a similar price so will be so well worth it IMO.

[Hockeyboysmum]

I had a cheap fisher price one which my son loved but he soon got big for it so we got a joie one which rocks and bounces. He is disabled so at 12 months old still cant sit up etc so he still loves his bouncy seat. Really comforts him and he can rock hinself. This one does to 13kg i think rsther than the usual 9kg.

[Lnix]

We got a baby bjorn one from gumtree for £30. For that price and for us it has been really worth it. Quite upright, which helped reflux a lot and gave baby a good viewing platform for the antics of his big sis. Tbh gave us spare hands when we needed them and that little bit of movement was great. Never tried to get baby to sleep in it so can't comment on that. I liked it! But wouldn't pay 150 quid for it!

[Yummymummy2020]

Our baby loved it but I agree it’s very expensive, in saying that I bought a cheap one in boots I think it was a jungle friends bouncer to rocker thing for older kids first and she absolutely hated it. She was an angry baby and after reading the rave reviews I bought it, I was delighted as she slept in it loads and was happy to sit in it bouncing away too. It was super easy to wash the cover too. I’m sure there are basic ones similar in style out there way cheaper but I’m pregnant with number two now and I’m glad I’ll get extra use out of it!

[AuntLucy]

Design is less garish than the other ones, its very easy to wash the cover, and it can be resold quickly for the same price that I bought it for on eBay.

[glasshalfsomething]

@wellerhugs5

I wouldn't have paid full price for them as they are SO expensive brand new, but I had 2 for my twins second hand (still expensive) and I liked the fact I could fold them flat and take them easily to other places and set them back up super quick. Also easy to remove covers and wash, and they were reversible.
Also, I liked the fact they went with my front room hahaha 🤣 x

Everything above - except matching decor. I have two despite them not matching my decor.

Folding and sliding under the sofa is my favourite time of day. Dreading the return of the Jumperoos!

[user1471604848]

I have two BB bouncers for my twins.
They are fantastic and the babies love them.

When they were very small, I used to bounce them to sleep and then transfer to their cots.
They were invaluable for the middle of the night feeds, when I was on my own with twins.

Now the babies are 13 months old and still use them every day :

• Used for their short 30-min nap.
  
• they have their bottles in the bouncers.
  
• sometimes they climb in, to bounce or just relax.
  When they see me coming with their bottles, they climb into the bouncers themselves!
  
  When they're bigger, you can turn the material around, so they become a seat.
  They're so easy to rock with one finger/toe.
  
  Yes they're expensive, but I'd say they were the most used item I bought. I recommend them to everyone. (I never used any other bouncer, so don't know how they'd match up).

[PlanBea]

Our baby isn't here yet but we got one in the sale at John Lewis at Christmas time for about £75 - we've had several friends tell us it's an essential baby purchase so we took the plunge when they reduced them. We should hopefully be able to sell it on easily once we're done having babies as they disappear off gumtree really quickly for not that much less than ours cost new! 🤞

[Camandmitch]

It's just Instagram/middleclass trendy.

I second the chicco hoopla. Both of my DC's used it until 6ish months and I sold it on FB marketplace afterwards for £15, it was still in great condition. The entire fabric comes off and can go in the washing machine which was handy for my eldest who vomited a lot.

[liquoricecravings]

I love my baby bjorn bouncer.

• super easy to wash
• great to store as it's so slim
• easy to take to another house (lockdown aside) as it's so compact
• super light
• my dd loves it and has learnt to bounce by herself

When you can have a shower or prep a meal and the baby is content it's worth every penny imo. My dd is 7 months and still just about fits in the baby seat. As her naps are unreliable I don't know how I'll manage to shower on the mornings when she doesn't nap and doesn't fit in the seat. It's been so easy to use the bouncer so far. She's never slept in it as I didn't want that. We are planning to have more children so I see it as a good investment.

[liquoricecravings]

Oh, and the toy bar is a favourite of my dd. We have the soft toy one and she still loves playing (sucking!) with it now.

[MondeoFan]

Is it the baby bjorn babysitter?

If so it's fab. Reversible cover? Light rocking motion? Lays completely flat. Totally worth it.
Didn't have one for first DD and regretted a £40 mothercare one. Made sure I got it for second DD. Brilliant

[BobBobBobbin]

I’d recommend getting one second hand - they hold their value so you can sell it on again and recoup what you spent

[Teakind]

I agree the price is ridiculous for what it is but it’s a really great bouncer. Both my kids loved it but I never let them nap in it when they were very young. My DD would sometimes climb in to it and go to sleep when she was about 14 months though.

It’s so light and easy to move between rooms and they seem to love the way it bounces with their movements. It has different reclining positions too which is helpful.

[ejhhhhh]

It's just brilliant. I have no idea why it is better than others, but it just is. We borrowed a different one at first, but that just did not bounce and our eldest looked sort of slumped and uncomfortable, so we bit the bullet and bought it. For a good while with each of them it was the only thing that was guaranteed to get them to sleep. It's quite portable, so we ended up taking it everywhere. You could get one second hand, or sell when no longer needed, we still got a good price for ours after use with two babies. It's one of the only things I'd just tell people to buy, it's unlikely you'll regret it.

[LaPufalina]

Agree with all PPs. We had other swings/bouncers for our two but it's the hammock seat and perpetual motion with one toe on whilst you eat dinner with both hands! I also got mine in the sale; it's on loan to a pal until I can see her to have it back and pass to someone else!

[PloddingAlongHere]

We bought one when DD was about five weeks old as she had reflux so needed to be kept as upright as possible after feeds, for this reason it was worth every penny for us. I prob would have paid twice that for something that worked. It's now all packed away ready for baby #2 if that should ever happen! I wouldn't have spent all that money before I needed to though!

[MarceyMc]

We had the Aldi version which was great, but it only goes up to 9kg max weight and the BB goes much further than this. However, having said that - when my LO hit 9kg at about 8 months, the chair had already been up in the loft for about 2 months as there is no way she would have sat in a bouncer beyond 6 months once she could sit independently and could roll/move about/sit and play with toys so the larger weight limit of the BB wouldn't have been a selling point for us anyway.

[PurplePansy05]

Ok, my son won't be sleeping in a bouncer anyway, at least that's not what I'm hoping for.

He might or might not have reflux, if he does then a more upright bouncer will help, won't it?

And in fact an actual bouncing bouncer seems to be what babies like.

I found really similar bouncers to BB for £50 with fab reviews, up to 9kg so less than BB, but I really don't see the point later.

Sorry to sound dismissive, I appreciate your thoughts, but really nothing stands out for me about BB. xx