They didn't have that much choice to be honest but out of the ones there I liked this one best. I didn't want anything too big and cumbersome and this one seemed quite small and neat. Some of them had different swinging motions and toys hanging and music playing but I just wanted something simple that did the job and musical toys tend to get on my nerves - if I want some music to help him fall asleep I'd rather play something on my laptop that we we can both enjoy listening to!
It cost £44.99 which I thought was pretty good (considering my Bjorn bouncer cost me more), but don't forget it takes 4x D batteries, which cost £10. Not sure how long they'll last but we've had it about two weeks and used it every day for over an hour and there's no signs of them running out yet. I'll try to remember to post an update later when we have to get new ones! Apart from the price another annoying thing about the batteries is that you can't open the compartment very easily, you need a screwdriver or something and it's quite fiddly. I'm sure they could design an easier to open baby proof cover!
Anyway, it comes in this box and you have to assemble it. I didn't actually assemble it myself but my husband seemed to get it done pretty quick and said it wasn't too difficult.
It has 2 'speed' settings, setting 2 swings higher than setting 1 rather than faster; Isa seems to like the second setting better; it puts him to sleep as you can see in the video. Have to say not sure how he can bear to be in there so long and not feel sick lol, but he must be comfortable or he wouldn't be sleeping right? I have to say it does look kinda fun like a mini fair ground ride! I never actually knew these things existed before my mother in law came over! So yeah, we prefer setting 2, also because setting makes a really irritating clicking noise. I was hoping that it would go away once we 'broke it in' but it's still there so I think we might see if we can exchange it for another one tomorrow! So maybe don't order this online as it would be a hassle to send it back if you have the same problem.
It's suitable for babies up to 9kg (not sure how old this would be?) but it says on the box 'not suitable for babies who can sit up by themselves' (again, not sure what ages babies sit up by themselves! this is my first as you can tell!). It does swing quite high so it has a harness to strap baby in and make sure he's safe. It's quite easy to put on but the button is a bit fiddly to push when trying to take it off, however no big deal.
It has an arch (moves back to get baby in and out of if you just want it out the way) with two little balls hanging down but they're not exactly very interesting so we've added our own one as you can see in the picture. It nice it has the arch as you could always hang your own toys from it make it personalised.
The seat has 3 reclining settings but we've only used the most reclined one so far since Isa is only 13 weeks.
Hmm... I think that's all I can think of for now... oh one more thing, you need to be a bit careful when putting baby in as it swings so easily it's not stable so a couple of times it's kinda swung away from me when I'm trying to put him in. It would be nice if there some type of latch to keep it steady while taking them in and out.
Overall, despite all the complaints I have, I would recommend this swing. Unlike the bouncer you don't have to stand there moving it, it does it by itself! Plus, my baby likes it, so that's the most important thing right?
Summary
Pros :)
- Good value for money
- Easy to use
- Light and compact
- Looks nice
- Baby likes it!
Cons :(
- Unstable when putting baby in and out
- Expensive batteries required (but maybe you could get a better deal than we did!)
- Fiddly harness and battery compartment
