Are swings evil?

[Emmy142]

We got a swing for my son at our baby shower. Honestly, he was in the thing maybe a half a dozen times. He always fell asleep in our arms either after nursing or rocking, he was not a fussy baby so we never needed it.

Now onto Teagan. She is Little Miss Fuss Pants. She does not nurse herself to sleep and sometimes will fall asleep in our arms on her own but many times it will be us walking, holding, walking holding rocking, bouncing on the birthing ball, sitting holding in colic hold, swaying in colic, sitting swaying in colic hold...You get the picture anything to help her fall asleep. Out of desperation the other day, I got the swing out. She loves it. Absolutely loves it. We put her in it after we try a few different things if those don't work, we put her into the swing, once she falls asleep we take her out and put her in bed with us.

I'm afraid I'm creating an addict. I also admit I feel guilty. Alex spent so much time in our arms, falling asleep in our arms, that I feel like she is getting the shaft here.

Am I silly to feel guilty?

[Attached Mama]

nope - I wouldn't feel guilty! Espec since you aren't leaving her to sleep there. DD gets over stimulated being held sometimes. The swing is very relaxing for her. I think sometimes it allows her to look around, but not be involved in what we are doing - or to be in one place but still look around a bit as opposed to being held. We hold her much of the time, but she definitely needs her swing time sometimes.

[MinnieMouse]

My now 4.5yo LOVED the swing. She never tolerated it awake but would nap in it every day and would sleep in it at night when she was super fussy, congested or teething.

For a long time I thought I was the WORST mom in the world but then I thought about it. SHE was happier in the swing. She was able to sleep there and at the same time dh and I got to sleep (we were up holding her at a 45 degree angle from us w/ her facing us...does that give you the right visual? rocking her from side to side ALL the time before the swing). So if everyone is rested and happy then it can't be a "wrong" thing to do.

I have always boiled AP down to meeting the needs of my child so if my child NEEDS to be in the swing to sleep well...then that is fine w/ me.

Now ..when the swing is a problem IMHO is when awake infants are placed in there and they are screaming to get out...and the parents don't respond.

There is a difference!

[IncaMama]

well, you're silly AND normal for feeling guilty. LOL whatever works, man...whatever works. Ava spends a lot of time lying on her changing table (which is right next to me in the family room) staring off into space. She really really really really loves it. it's one of the few things that actually seems to make her happy. so i'll be damned if i'm gonna take her off of there when she's having a blast so i can hold her so that I feel better...when i know that she'll hate that.

as usual, i think it's about following our kids' individual needs. if Teagan is telling you that she likes the swing, by golly let her swing! it's not like she's juggling knives. LOL it's about s.u.r.v.i.v.a.l!!!

[MinnieMouse]

Michele Ben loves the changing table too...as does my best friend's new baby (new..he is 5mo now). I don't remember Bethany loving it this much??

[lilyka]

my first one absolutely had to swing. It was the only way she could organize and regroup. She needed the hands free stready pressure of the swing. she needed the back and forth. she needed the clicking. She could have sat there fro hours every day. I don;t think she ever slept in it but when she was awake she was only happy in the swing. turns out she had SID and many kids with SID need to swing. She is nine and still spends most of her park time on the swing. She also finds metronomes soothing . . . .

#2 would only sleep in the swing.

#3 could take it or leave it (the first nice swing we invested in. go figure.)

My firend would put her baby to sleep in the swing and then take him to bed with them when they went (they were scared to leave him alone in the bed and there was literally no where on the floor tp put him. ) he was happy they were happy.

the important thing is seeing what your baby needs and enjoys and following thier lead. Swings are fun. Its no mystery babies like them so well.

[rozzie'sma]

I used the swing with DD. Sometimes she just needed the rythmic click clack noise, and I needed to prepare a meal. As long as you are using it to augment and not to substitute your parenting you are fine. Hold her kiss her play with her and if need be use the swing. It is not evil and you are not leaving your child alone in a cold plastic womb. I daughter still loves to swing, at the park, in a swing I made in my doorway. Cut yourself a break. The fact that your concerned says that you are definately a very loving, attached parent.

[allnaturalmama]

Ditto all the great advice here. I almost got rid of our swing (a shower gift that didn't get used barely at all with the first 2 DC), but now I'm so glad I didn't.

While ideally, I would love for Will to be either worn by me or sleeping with me 24/7, it's not what he wants. After a few hours of being worn, he gets fussy in the sling and needs some time away. I put him in the swing in desperation one day, and he immediately stopped crying - he LOVES it in there!

So, I wear him, give him a break in the swing when he gets fussy, and then put him back in the sling when he's recharged and ready for some more "Mommy & Me" time.

At first I felt guilty, and then I realized that I was giving him what he wanted and meeting his needs - and that's part of what being an attached mama is all about!

[birthjunkie27]

Samara loves her changing table too. :lol

My first one liked the swing. My second one LOVED his swing :love . He used it till he was almost a year old and getting way too heavy for the poor thing. I actually wished that they'd make toddler swings or something cause I didn't know how we'd put him to bed without it, but we mananged. :lol It was calming for him. He'd fall asleep in it and we'd transfer him to our bed at night. During the day we'd let him nap in it. He was happy and comfortable.

[DesireeH]

nak

I use it too. She likes it and it helps me be able to take a shower, make lunch for ds, etc. So long as she is happy, I dont think its a bad thing at all.

[Emmy142]

Okay so I'm silly :lol Nothing new there. I guess a lot of it is just adjusting to how she is so different from my son. Everyone always tells you they are different but when all the old tricks of the trades don't work, you really start to doubt yourself.

She is very cute in there. As Michelle says, she will sit in there contentedly staring around and watching, when for an hour or more she was screaming and fussing in my arms as I tried to make her comfortable. I think as someone else said, it is also the full coverage of comfort for her. At night we swaddle her also and put her in there, so she is quite the snug as bug and she loves it.

[aisraeltax]

one of the mamas on here and i traded some stuff in the summer time and a portable swing was one of the things i got. i never thought i would really use it (like, go to a friends house and whip it out...dont think so) but that swing is the only thing that allows me to take a shower every day. i put him in it and he's all set...with the noise of the water and the swing, hes a happy camper for a long time..and will fall asleep.
i say if they love it, we shoudl promote it (well, other than the knives Michelle mentioned!!). :)

[spiralmg]

There certainly must be a traditional society somewhere that puts their babies in hammocks, right? I think I remember reading about that. Not that that makes it right or wrong but if you like me sometimes play the game of "if it happens in a traditional society I can find some justification for it" maybe that's another way of thinking of it. The swing is just a modern version of the hammock.

My two cents at ten minutes past exhaustion time!

[lilyka]

ooo we had the poratable swing an no I never took it anywhere I wasn't going to be for more than a day but what I really really liked about it was it took upso little space in our house.

[amygoforth]

Ava spends a lot of time lying on her changing table (which is right next to me in the family room) staring off into space. She really really really really loves it.

YES!!! The only time Drew really gets worked up cooing and smiling at me is when he's naked on his changing table. He's so dang cute about it too... when he's not peeing all over me.

We often use our swing -- guilt-free. I'm still working on my paci guilt, but I'm a-okay with the swing. I'm worse though... I put the swing in front of a baby mozart or beethoven dvd while I'm piddling around the house. Works wonders.

[IncaMama]

ok now i'm green with envy about your swings. LOL Ava can't stand her swing. WAAAAH! i'd love for her to love it so i could get some down time. she does sleep a lot in her moses basket so that's good...but i'd love for her to have other options for happiness while she's awake LOL

[MinnieMouse]

Here is an interesting swing note...

We have the OLD Fisher Price Cradle Swing. It has a Noah's Ark Theme. Like I posted previously, Bethany slept in it a lot and we just kept it tilted all the way back (it has multiple positions).

Well, my best friend borrowed the swing for her now 5mo. He loved it. Poor kid (and momma) had an evening witching hour that stretched from about 4 or 5pm to about 10 or 11pm... and the swing was really helpful.

My friend returned ours when Ben was about 3/4wks old and purchased the "new" Fisher Price Aquarium Swing. You would think it would be pretty similar except for the 90 bazillion bells and whistles they added to it...NOPE. Seems they added more padding to the "cover" on the seat and it raises the infant's head up. My friend's 5mo is less than thrilled it! Won't sleep in it at all! And there is no way to remove the "extra" padding on the cover.

Just goes to show ya that newer isn't always better!

[mariposita]

funny this thread came up...dh and i have been talking about maybe getting a swing or bouncy seat for reed. he will NOT let us set him down at all. he's the happiest baby i've ever seen until he's set down. i've pretty much held him 24 hours straight since birth. and while i'm fine holding him 99% of the time, sometimes i need to put him down to tend to my 3yo or to run to the bathroom. i'm thinking a swing or bouncy seat could be an option.

i'm nervous to spend $ on something though if he might not like it. i totally need the occasional break though!

any recommedations of whether a swing or bouncy seat might be better? or recommendations on a model you like? i'd rather it not be too large. thanks!