Baby Swings

We have heard many new parents praise their swing for soothing an otherwise inconsolable baby. However not all babies love a swing, in fact some never take to it. Since this is one of the more expensive purchases you'll be making, we suggest you first borrow a swing from a friend. If baby loves it, go ahead and buy one. If not, you just saved yourself lots of dough not to mention storage space. A walk through the swing aisle at Babies R Us illustrates the dominance of Graco in the baby swing biz. Graco makes several different models with different features as discussed below.

Fisher Price 3-in-1 Cradle/Swing

This swing is unique in that it offers two different swinging actions. The first is the traditional head to toe swinging motion, and the second is a side to side cradle like motion. The seat is removable and can be used as an infant carrier. The swing also includes a two position recline, activity toy bar, three swing speeds, a machine washable pad and is battery powered. Some users have complained that even on the lowest speed it is still a little too fast for a newborn baby but they found that attaching a blanket to drag will slow the swing down sufficiently. Can be used until your child exceeds 25 pounds.

Swing 'n Meals High Chair & Swing

The biggest complaint in the swing department is that it is a large item that spends most of the time taking up lots of storage space since it can only be used for a limited time. Fisher Price has just introduced a new product to the swing line that addresses that problem by adding to its functionality. The Swing n' Meals starts off as a traditional three speed open top swing. However, instead of lugging it to the attic when your child outgrows the swing, it easily converts to a full sized high chair. The conversion is easy, requiring no tools and the high chair features a removable, machine washable seat padding and two height positions.

Graco Open Top (3 Speed)

At the top of the Graco line are the open top swings. The open top allows for easy access in and out of the swing (no bumped heads for baby). It also features four recline positions, a washable seat pad and a toy bar. One model also plays music at the press of a button. The open top swing comes in a two-speed and a three-speed model. The motor runs approximately 200 hours on a set of batteries.

Graco Wind-Up Swing

At the low end of the Graco line is a traditional wind up swing. They have wind ups that provide either 15 or 30 minutes non-stop swinging. The vinyl seat reclines, a toy bar is included, and the 30 minute model comes with a time-meter so that you know when its time to rewind. The biggest complaint with this swing is that the noise of the crank often wakes your sleeping child up when the swing needs to be rewound.