Baby bouncers (also called baby rockers) are a great way to entertain your baby, help them get to sleep and keep them safe while you get on with other things. They are usually suitable from birth and while some are simple chairs that keep infants secure and enable them to have a bounce if they want it, others are more elaborate, with built in rocking motion or vibrations. Some even have sounds and toy bars, many of which are removable. When you’re looking to buy one, think about whether you want a natural bouncer, or one that uses batteries or mains power. Also consider whether you want several recline positions and how long you into childhood you want it to last. This one feels solid and has a two-position recline, as well as a toy bar to keep them entertained. The harness, with five adjustment points, and the supportive head rest, will keep baby secure and the bounce is smooth enough to calm the most active little ones. Babies seem to love rocking back and forth in this super-comfy chair, activated with a push.

There are lots of sounds, so no one has to listen to repeats of the same old melody. It vibrates and reclines and has a toy bar. We like both designs: “Ollie Owl” and “Hoot”. Suitable from birth to 9kg. 3. Chicco Balloon: £69.99, argos.co.uk Clever features include the adjustable headrest, entertaining toy panel and range of songs and sounds. Cleverer still is the fact you can do your own 30-second voice recording – ideal for tired new parents. It comes in four colours and will last them up to six months. 4. Nuna Leaf: £160, very.co.uk This award-winning, innovative rocker requires just a gentle push to move unassisted for over two minutes, with no need for batteries. It looks great, so you won’t feel you need to hide it away when not in use, and it can be used as a chair for toddlers and even older kids. For those on a tight budget, or parents looking for something to keep at Granny and Grandad’s, this is a good-value option from Mothercare. The harness keeps them safe and the non-slip rubber feet make sure it stays put.

It’s probably not one you’ll hand-down, but it will do what’s needed from birth until baby’s around six months old. Stokke excels when it comes to modular systems, with many a family home having made use of its Tripp Trapp highchair that grows with your child. This is based on the same concept, changing from a bouncer with cradling motion to highchair and later a versatile seat for use throughout childhood.table and chairs for sale hampshire This one is super-easy to use. cheap second hand double pushchairsOnce you’ve inserted your three AA batteries, you can make great use of the vibrating and musical functions. office chairs for sale ottawaIt has more padding than some, a secure harness and a toy bar with three cute toys.round swivel chair living room

8. Fisher Price Sensory Stages: £57.99, amazon.co.uk How about this for a cheery-looking bouncer designed to evolve as your baby develops (use until they sit up unaided)? The black, white and red toy bar, with mirror, provides visual stimulation, while lullabies, soft light and vibrations soothe. On the other side of the bar, older babies will like the animals and upbeat sounds.electric wheelchair prices in uk 9. Swoon Up: £119.99, babymoov.co.uksalon chair rental san francisco Nobody puts baby in the corner. And there’s no need to with this height-adjustable design that keeps little ones away from the worrying drafts and wagging tails of dogs. Set it to sofa or table-height and get them involved in family life. This state-of-the-art piece of kit mimics the natural motion of parents;

lightly bouncing and swaying, rather than vibrating or swinging. The babies we tested it on took to it immediately, and there’s a range of settings to relax, calm or entertain. We think the Nuna Leaf is the most innovative baby bouncer on the market, as well as being the most stylish. For one that’s got all the bells and whistles, we love the Chicco Balloon. IndyBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to bias our coverage. The reviews are compiled through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testingIf your baby is Pulitzer prize-winning sleeper who falls asleep easily, takes 1-2 hour naps every few hours throughout the day, and has been sleeping 4-5 hours at a shot at night since he was 4 weeks old, then huzzah! You won the big prize – a baby who sleeps well. However I’m guessing that is NOT your baby. In fact YOUR baby probably takes naps so short you wonder if they’re really just LONG blinks.

YOUR baby is up so often at night you no longer bother putting on pajamas. YOUR baby has never SEEN the inside of his crib except for that one time you tried to put him in the crib only to have him scream so loudly you thought he needed immediate medical attention. And you’re starting to wonder when things are going to get better because you’re so tired you would willingly give up a kidney for 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Sleep is like oxygen. You don’t really give it much thought until you can’t get enough of it. Then it’s ALL you can think about. If you haven’t already done so you might want to swing back around to visit How to Get Baby to Sleep Better – Part 1. If you’re using these techniques and your baby is STILL not sleeping well, it’s time to pull out the big guns. Or shall I say, THE big gun. How do you know the baby swing is for you? Your baby should be sleeping in a swing, 24-hours a day, if she is less than 6 months* old and you answer YES to any of the following:

* There are some instances where babies OLDER than 6 months do really well in the swing. Babies with reflux or food allergies often need the soothing motion of the swing past 6 months Baby swings provide two key elements to help babies sleep. The first is that baby swings simulate a consistent rocking motion which is almost identical to the motion your baby experienced when she was still inside the womb. Before she was born, your baby slept when you were out and about (during the day) because the natural motion soothed her to sleep. It wasn’t until the motion stopped, usually when you lie down to try to sleep, that she woke up and started to party in there. The swing simply provides the soothing motion that (from baby’s perspective) is a perfectly natural condition for sleep. Secondly the swing provides a really effective way to gradually help baby learn to fall asleep on her own. This is really important so let me repeat that: baby swings are fantastic tools to gently help baby learn to fall asleep on her own.

Helping your baby learn how to fall asleep on her own solves/prevents ALL SORTS of challenges down the road (especially if your baby is a troublesome tot). If you’re struggling to get your baby to fall asleep on her own, the swing is the answer. Also, even fully reclined the swing keeps baby slightly upright. Almost all babies have an undeveloped valve at the top of their stomach, which enables stomach contents (milk, formula, stomach acid, etc.) to get pushed up into the esophagus. Sleeping with the head slightly elevated enables gravity to keep their food IN their stomach. And unlike wedges you put in the crib (which don’t work – babies end up rolling off of them almost immediately) baby swings have straps that keep your baby safely in the upright position. When I work with families in person they almost always resist the idea of the swing. The babies in the diaper commercials are all sleeping in their crib so obviously I should be able to get MY baby in the crib too!

If I put get my baby used to sleeping in the swing what do I do when she outgrows it? Won’t she go to college sleeping in a swing? If my ultimate goal is to have my child sleeping in HER crib in HER room then let’s work on that and forget all this swing ridiculousness! And of course the classic… But MY baby HATES the swing! Then we work on HOW to help baby sleep in the swing, WHEN to transition your (now) happily sleeping baby to their crib, and then HOW to make that transition happen. And every family I’ve ever worked with now loves the swing. And every baby has happily made their way into their own crib. When they were ready. I’ll be writing more about how to get your baby swings (how to use, how to get out of, etc.) over the next month or so. Don’t miss out – use the form to the right to subscribe to TroublesomeTots or become a fan on Facebook to make sure you get those posts sent to you as soon as they are available! I’ve never had a pediatrician raise any concerns about the use of a swing.