Experienced Moms - Question about Swings

[snowflake20]

I have a 6 month old and we have a hand me down swing which my DD loves.

For some reason, I want a new one because the one we have is sort of dingy looking (I did wash the pad and clean it before we used it). I really love the FP Rainforest one, and my god mother gave me some money when the baby was born that I haven't spent yet.

My question is...how long do babies like the swing? I know we are going to have another baby in a year or two, so it's not like it will go to waste. DD is 15 pounds, so I am assumimg she can fit in the swing for a while.

Any advice will be appreciated. I think I am being stupid because I just want the new one because it is so cute.

[tarabenet]

Check the particular swing(s) you are interested in for the weight limits. I don't think there's a lot of variation, but there is some. Aubrey loved her swing until she outgrew the weight limit. At 2.5 she still loves her outside swings and is moving from the bucket seats at the park to the "big kid" swings. When her little brother arrived and the baby swing came back out, she tried to climb back in it. I've heard of kids growing bored with swings, but i've never actually seen it happen! LOL

Edited: Left out what I most wanted to say! If you want a new one and can afford it, go for it and enjoy watching your little darling have fun for as long as the fun lasts!

[snowflake20]

Thanks for the advice! I think the weight limit is 25 pounds...so that means that she'll be using it for quite some time. I think she gains like a pound a month now.

[C99]

My babies never liked the swing, so there's a good chance that your second child will not, even if your DD loves it now. Although I can understand wanting to buy the new one, as a mom of 2 and a 3rd on the way, I feel safe in telling you that there are so many other pieces of baby gear that you are going to want/need to spend your money on. Since you have a perfectly good/usable swing now, I would save it for buying a potty chair, a booster seat, a ride-on toy or trike, an umbrella stroller, a wagon, a sand-and-water table to use when DD is a bit older.

[SnuggleBuggles]

We didn't have much call for a swing after 6 months or so. It wasn't just a weight limit thing- it was a sitting up and not wanting to be confined thing.

I would personally not buy a new swing. You probably won't get that much more out of it for this one and if you do have more kids I bet there will be a fancier/ cooler swing you would want to buy then. :)

Of course, if you *love* that Rainforest swing and can't imagine a better one coming along for your aesthetic tastes then get it. Just don't count on this little one using it much.

Beth

[s7714]

My older DD loved her swing until she was just too big for it height wise at about 1 1/2 years old--she didn't reach the 25 lb. mark until much older!

My youngest didn't care for it much until she was about 8 months old, and then fell in love with it. She reached the weight limit around 1 year old.

If I were you I'd probably just use the one you have and wait on buying a new one. I was really tempted to buy a new papasan swing for my second, but I'm glad I didn't as she didn't really like being in a swing in the beginning and I would have felt like I wasted my money.

Jennifer
Mommy to
Miss Pure Energy 3/03
Miss Antsy-Pants 6/05

Our bones may be brittle, but our spirit is unbreakable.
Osteogenesis Imperfecta www.oif.org

[racerl1]

DS loved the swing until he was about 9 months. Then, he was pretty big for it, and although he would still swing, he would only stay for a few minutes. We have the FP Aquarium swing, which is similar to the Rainforest one, and DS loved it. The side-to-side cradle action was his favorite, especially when he was small.

[lilac0422]

You might want to test out the Rainforest swing before you buy. We have it and it swings really slow. We had the Aquarium one before and the Rainforest one is a lot slower. My DD does not like it as much. Just thought I would mention...

[ajmom]

My kids stopped enjoying their swing when they were sitting up really well. We went to an exersaucer at that time.

If your DD loves the swing she has now, why mess with it? Personally, I would spend the money on an item like an exersaucer rather than get something that I already have, especially if there's a chance DC might not like a different swing as well as the current one.

[DebbieJ]

I'd keep the swing you know she likes and use the money for something else you'll need down the line--like a high chair or exersaucer or ???

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
Breastfeeding After Reduction is possible! www.bfar.org

http://www.bfar.org/members/fora/style_avatars/Ribbons/18months-bfar.jpg

[Nooknookmom]

My 1st DD loved it until around 8-9 months. She fit fine weight wise but, she started grabbing at the legs and trying to hang on which became dangerous. We had to ditch it then. I was sad - she actually slept in it!

[cindys]

We got as a baby gift the Fisher Price Papasan Swing and its been by far the best gift we got!!!!!!!! Our baby has loved this swing since he came home from the hospital. We are having to put the swing away though because he has reached the 25 lb weight limit at 9mos. :(..

Cindy

[bj_1152]

We just had our third boy. Our first two both hated the swing - it was just a typical graco, open top with several speeds.

Convinced that it was the swing and not my children, I felt the need to buy a different swing for the third (born Feb 1st). I bought the Fisher Price Nature's Touch Cradle Swing - papasan styly seat.

HE LOVES IT! My husband was against the purchase but has since come around and said it's worth $500!! It's the best piece of baby equipment we own. It's probably sinful, how much time he spends in it but, with two other little boys, I view it as a blessing!

He naps in it all day and has spent a few nights in it as well. When we're having a rough night, we resort to the swing.

He loves looking at himself in the mirror above, on the mobile part, too!

TIP: Look for a used one. We got ours on craigslist.com for $90. It's $140 new.

[MamaMolly]

I got our swing at a thrift store, the little bird has chipped paint on his beak but other than that it has been great. When I joined a playgroup I felt a little funny because one mom in particular has tons and tons and tons of new and shiny stuff, but then I went to other mom's houses and realised that it was just in my head. :)

DD is now about 8 mos. and is sitting on her own, ans is now starting to sit forward in the swing. Once she could sit by herself, she really didn't want to be 'confined' to the swing.

Our highchair and booster are also hand-me-downs, and believe me I'd much rather have a new highchair than replace the swing.

HTH