[springbride]

I keep being told that having a baby swing or bouncer is a necessity with a LO. Do you use one? If so what for and how often? TIA!

 

[Nikola's_Mommy]

I originally didn't want a swing but my husband bought one anyways and I am very happy he did!<br><br>
My dd all of a sudden hated being in a sling after she turned 2 months <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/greensad.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="greensad"> so I use the swing in the kitchen when I cook. We got the papasan swing and dd loves to stare at herself in the mirror and look at the mobile. I also have a bouncy chair in my bathroom which she loves being in and it lets me take a nice long shower every day! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/love.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="love"><br><br>
I don't think either are necessities but they sure make life easier!!

 

[Beene]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>springbride</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/13966349"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">I keep being told that having a baby swing or bouncer is a necessity with a LO. Do you use one? If so what for and how often? TIA!</div>
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I hate to say it (I am so anti-stuff, believe me!), but you may appreciate having both. I use the bouncer (actually it's like a bouncy cradle from Boppy) and it's light and portable. So I take it into any room, including the shower and my son just sits there and plays while watching me do my thing. The swing is great for putting a cranky baby to sleep so your arms don't fall off! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/winky.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Wink">

 

[JBaxter]

I didnt vote I use/used my sing and bouncer more than once a day but not "way to much". I have 4 kids and Jack LOVES his bouncer and swing. I do use my ergo alot but he sits in his bouncer while im cooking or showering, swings if hes a little fussy etc. He also has alot of floor time. I have 2 bouncers actually one up stairs and one down.<br><br>
Both bouncers and swings were very very usefull with my 4. Some liked the bouncers better some liked the swing.

 

[Everrgreen]

I have both. The swing I didn't get until DS was about 2 months old. It was nice to have a place to put him where he would be happy so that I could eat or get something done. The bouncer is nice because it's portable, mostly it stays in the bathroom and he sits in it while I shower.

 

[kawa kamuri]

not at all necessary but nice depending on the personality of your baby and help (or lack of) you have in caring for him or her.

 

[annettemarie]

It wasn't a necessity with number one, but the more children I have, the more I appreciate my swing!

 

[marisa724]

I agree with annettemarie! With DS2 it was nice to have the swing, it was a safe place for him to nap down here on the main level of the house so he could be nearby and I could take care of my older child. I used it more than once a day but I wouldn't say "too much", LOL!

 

[Amydoula]

I use my bouncer to get a shower or do things that just aren't safe to do while ds2 is in the sling, like draining the pasta water

 

[jeliphish]

With 2 or more I would consider it a necessity.

 

[kirstenb]

I had both a swing and a bouncer for DS. He LOVED his swing and we used it until he reached the weight limit around 6 months. As a newborn it was very calming for him, and as he got older it was a safe place to put him when I was getting ready for work in the morning. He always enjoyed being in it. He didn't care for the bouncer at all so I don't think we used it much past the first few weeks.

 

[JD5351]

I use my swing about once per day, when I cook or need to run the vacuum or something like that. He doesn't like to be in it too long, so no more than 15-20 mins. It's actually a 3 in one--Bouncer, Swing and toddler rocking chair. I've never used it as a bouncer, because I can't understand the instructions to convert it to the bouncer..lol Maybe I should figure it out.

 

[Quindin]

Nope<br>
Never have, never missed it.

 

[Emmery'sMom]

The bouncy seat is in the bathroom- lets me takes a quick shower or poo without a baby on my lap <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngtongue.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Stick Out Tongue"> She's only good for 5 sometimes rarely 10 minutes.<br>
The swing is my only hope of having a few minutes to eat while she sleeps- I nurse & rock her down and <i>sometimes</i> can transfer her to the swing & she'll sleep there for 15-60 minutes. I sometimes try the swing in desperation at 3am when she is having a hard time settling- she's "asleep" but can't stop moving...if she stays asleep for the transfer (it's right next to the bed) then that usually buys us an hour of sleep.<br>
She's never been one that would go in the swing while still awake.... She screams if I even try it. But it has been a livesaver for me.

 

[Peony]

I choose the once a day option even though we use it way more then that, i don't feel that it is too much. My babies have always spend far more time in arms then out.<br><br>
The swing I don't feel is a must, I lived through 2 children without one though it's getting some use with #3! Some times you need two arms and no baby attached to you when there are other children involved. The bouncy I do feel is a must, in fact I have one upstairs and downstairs. It is a quick, safe place to place baby while I take food out of the oven, take a shower, change clothes, etc... things that aren't easy to with a baby in arms or in a sling. And DS is a chunk already, every now and then my back needs a break!

 

[akayerich]

We don't have either, but we do have and use one of those reclining high chairs that straps onto a regular dining room chair. It works for a young infant just as a seat, and then later as a high chair. It's not so great for soothing the fussys, but its great as a place to put the baby down when I'm cooking or doing something like that where I can't hold the baby or wear him in the wrap. He usually really likes it- lately he loves being in a sitting position, and gets sick of laying on the floor pretty quickly.

 

[LynnS6]

I didn't have either with my first, and I had both with my second (the swing was given to us, the bouncer I asked for). I'm glad I had them for #2, but really for #1 they weren't a necessity.

 

[AKislandgirl]

I use my bouncer in the bathroom while I shower. Not sure I would get a shower otherwise! Sometimes she'll sit in it while we eat/cook dinner but is usually in arms or rolling around on the floor for those things. I'm really happy to have it for showers though!

 

[marrymeflyfree]

I wouldn't say they are necessities, but they can be very handy. I would never have bought the swing...it was a gift from my parents. We used it in the kitchen, and it was great to have her there while we were cooking or eating. We never relied on the swing to put her to sleep or anything, but it was a nice place to set her down in that part of the house. The bouncy seat (a low-tech Baby Bjorn version) has always been in the bathroom for DD to sit in while I shower and get dressed when hubby isn't home. We used that for a little over a year, when she figured out how to climb out of it. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngbiggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="orange big grin"><br><br>
ETA: or did you mean a bouncer that the baby can jump up and down in? My mother has one at her house, but we have never felt the need for one.

 

[allisonrose]

I voted incorrectly, I think. I have a swing although we didn't get it till he was approx 3 months old. He wasn't too impressed with it so it didn't get used much but then he started getting more mobile. I moved it into the bedroom next to the enterance to the bathroom. Sometimes I can time a shower during a nap but sometimes it just doesn't work out so I pop him in the swing and give him a couple of toys. Of course, the fact that my hubby's away for work during the week for the past 3 months is why I don't have an extra set of hands around. So he spends 10-15 minutes in the swing 2-3 days a week and occasionally a couple minutes while I use the restroom.