Ocean Wonder Swing vs Kick&Play Bouncer

[kitty0898]

I originally wanted to get both a swing and a bouncer for my baby, thinking the bouncer for younger age and the swing for a little older. I narrowed the choices down to Fisher-Price Ocean Wonder Swing or Kick&Play Bouncer. But then I found out the swing has almost exactly the same weight limit as the bouncer! It seems to me that if the baby grows out of the bouncer, I won't be able to use the swing any longer either.

If I am only to get one of them, which one should I get? Is the swing really suitable for newborns? Or do you use both of them?

Thanks in advance!

Kitty

[sdbc]

We have both. My daughter definitely prefered her swing! If anything, she liked the swing when she was tiny and never would tolerate the bouncer. Now that she is 4 months, she tolerates the bouncer, but would rather be in her exersaucer. She still likes her swing occasionally.

I would say, for us, the swing was a soother, and the bouncer is for playing, but by the time she was old enough to "play" there are other things she likes better.

[June Mommy]

We have both and love them both! Sometimes DS will sleep in his swing, and he watches his Baby Einstein videos in his bouncer. I agree with the PP about the swing soothing and the bouncer for play. I'm glad we have both!

[iujen94]

Every baby is definitely different! DS loved his kick and play bouncer but could take or leave his swing. I think that the swing technically has a longer life -- I think babies "outgrow" their bouncers before they meet the weight limit because they're not supposed to sit in their bouncies once they can sit up (actually we had to take DS out even a little earlier, when he started rolling over, because he kept trying to roll his way out of the bouncy!) He's been out of the bouncy since maybe 5 months old (5 months ago) but still is under the weight limit for his swing -- he hadn't been in there in ages though, and we actually put him in there the other night just to see what he'd think and he was pretty bored by it. Even though he didn't use his bouncer as long, we definitely could not have lived without it, unlike the swing. (Bonus points for the bouncy for being more portable and lots cheaper, too.) HTH!

[Mamma2004]

We have a Graco swing from a few years ago and could not live without it! It's not the newest, fanciest model but it suits our needs perfectly. It definitely allows us to shower, eat dinner, etc. while keeping DS safe and reasonably happy. He sometimes falls asleep, too! He only tolerated his K&P Bouncer at first, then hated it, but now at over 3 months, he suddenly loves it! If you really need to choose, I think the swing will offer you somewhere entertaining to "place" your baby when you can't hold him/her. If you don't also get the bouncer, I would highly recommend a Gymini or similar play mat for you baby. It offers stimulation and play time and is wondefully portable!

Best of luck!
Stephanie

[lisak]

We have both, and if I could only buy 1, I would definitely invest in the swing. It is a little expensive (when compared to other swings), but this one has so many nice features. The music is so soothing, the sea animals give baby something to look at...and I just think you will get more out of the swing. Plus, if you use rechargable batteries, you won't have to buy quite so many batteries.

DS hated the vibration feature on the bouncer, plus he was also close to hitting the weight limit, as well as could almost sit up and I was afraid he was going to roll over in the bouncer, so we eventually stopped using it.

He can still use his swing now at 9 months, and takes an occasional nap in it.

HTH! Good luck.

[TahliasMom]

When our daughter was 3 weeks we started to use the swing the soothe her. We bought the Fisher Price Link a Doos one. She use to sleep in it sometimes at night when nothing else would calm her down. She tended to be a little colicy in the late evening. Also, during the day she use to take naps in it and watch her Baby Einstein videos. By 3 months she stopped napping in the swing and instead she would "chat" w/ her Baby Eistein videos. Now that she's 4 months, she usually last about 10-15 minutes and gets restless.
The kick and play bouncer she didn't like in the beginning. It was too stimulating. I pulled it out again when she was 3 months and she loves it but without the vibration. Only can take about 10 minutes and then I have to take her out before she gets overstimulated.
So each one serves its purpose.
The thing she loves now is the play mat.
Good luck!
Katherine