Baby Papasan or Maclaren Rocker? Also ?'s about swings and pack and play.

[louislinus]

We had originally registered for a Baby Papasan seat, but recently I saw the Maclaren Rocker and now can't decide between the two. I love the look of the Papasan, but am not sure if the fact that it doesn't bounce is an issue. Thoughts? Also, does the Maclaren Rocker fold up? If you've had either I'd love your pros and cons.

Swing Question:
We also registered for the Papasan swing, but I'm questioning my judgement because the Papasan swing is pretty reclined and there doesn't seem to be an upright position. Do most babies just sleep in their swing? Is it important for the swing to sit upright?

Pack and Play (last question I promise):
We had also registered for the Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper. I love the concept, especially because we want to do co-sleeping for a while but only have a queen size bed. However, I just purchased a bassinet/carrycot for our stroller and a special stand so that we could use it in the house. Now it seems like the arm's reach might be overkill and baby should just sleep in the bassinet in our room until she cries and I bring her to bed. But I don't know if it'll be squished in bed without the sidecar bed part of the arm's reach. Thoughts? If you think the Arm's Reach is overkill, what pack and play should we get? The Arm's Reach is $160 and I'm sure there are some just fine PNP's for under $100.

Thanks for all your help! This stuff is mind-boggling and just a bit overwhelming. :)

[babystuffbuff]

I don't know about the Maclaren Rocker (I've never seen one) but I was recently visiting my husband's sisters, both of whom have small infants (2 weeks and 2 months at the time I saw them). My one sister-in-law had the Baby Papasan seat (not the swing) and both of the babies LOVED it. My two month old nephew sat in it for the longest time, looking around and talking and grinning at anyone nearby. My two week old niece also sat in it for a long time, she was awake for a little while, and then she fell asleep. :) It seemed like that seat was never empty -- one of the babes was always in it. My sister-in-law said that it has been very helpful -- she sets the baby in it on the bathroom floor while she takes a shower, the kid is happy and comfortable, and she can look out and peek at him to make sure he's okay. I can't compare the two seats you are looking at, but my niece and nephew adore the Papasan.

Hope that helps!

[vikivoly]

The papasan is an awesome seat for newborns. It's soft, cozy, has an attached blanket and headrest. My DD loved it until she became colicky and nothing made much of a difference. I think DD #1 would have sat in it forever if I would've had it when she was a baby (actually she did her share of sitting in it as a 2 year old!). The other nice thing about it are the grips. You can easily carry the baby while in the seat from room to room. The downfalls are that it has a short lifespan. Once DD became more aware of her surroundings, she needed to be entertained. She's now more content in the FP Kick and Play seat. I don't think it's as much because it bounces, but because it has lights and a toy bar. If you're just looking for a plain seat or you're planning on having more children, then it's still not a bad investment. However, I think it might be overkill to get both the swing and the chair. Since the swings seat is so similar, I would be inclined to buy a different bouncer/seat. BTW, I would want a swing that had a semi-upright position and a reclined position. I can't comment on the Maclaren Rocker.

HTH