On March 7, , the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported that Jool Baby has issued a voluntary recall of the Jool Baby Nova Baby Infant Swing, previously on our list. While no known injuries have occurred, the swing was found to violate the CPSC's infant sleep product regulations because it has an incline of more than 10 degrees, posing a suffocation risk for young infants, and it does not include warnings about safe sleep for infants. Learn more about this recall on the Jool Baby website .
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We tested these baby swings in our lab with real-life parents and consulted pediatricians, a pediatric nurse practitioner, and parents about swing safety and use. (Have you ever put a sandbag in a baby swing to see if it will tip over? We have!) We assembled each swing, measuring the footprint and placing it on an even surface. After placing a 15-pound sandbag &#;baby&#; into the seat, we turned the swing on, with our on-site nurse practitioner assessing the speed settings and incline levels for child safety. Our editors also used a sound meter to learn how loud the motor, music, and white noise are to make sure the noise levels are safe for your little one&#;s tiny ears. We noted design features, like the fabric and folding capabilities, and compared all of our findings to the swing&#;s price to determine overall value.
One important thing to note about all baby swings: Because babies lie on an incline in swings, these are not safe sleep spaces , and babies should never be left unattended in a swing. It is safest to use these devices to soothe your baby, then remove them from the swing and place them on a flat surface intended for infant sleep.
Baby swings have a long history as a beloved product for soothing fussy infants &#;some of us may even remember the hand-cranked baby swings of our parents&#; and grandparents&#; generations. Baby swings have come a long way, with many models offering modern features like white noise and soothing music, timers, Bluetooth connectivity, and even the ability to automatically detect a baby&#;s crying. With all the choices available, it can be hard to choose the right baby swing for your baby, so we put 18 different baby swings through rigorous testing to find the best options for your family.
The Munchkin baby swing is sleek and compact and has multiple sound options, including eight white noise, four classical music, plus Bluetooth capabilities so you can customize playlists.
However, the stability and security features of the Munchkin aren&#;t as strong as in some other swings. For instance, there&#;s only a three-point harness, and since it&#;s more of a side-to-side seat, not a back-and-forth swing, the structure does have a lot of bounce and instability to it. There are also no incline settings. While we appreciate that the seat detaches from the base for storage, you do still have two parts to store, and detaching the seat isn&#;t the most intuitive process. Still, the overall footprint is compact and convenient for most spaces. $200 is a little steep, but it has lots of sound options and is easy to clean, so it&#;s worth it if your baby likes side-to-side motion.
The swing comes with just two parts&#;the seat and the base&#;that click right into each other, so we were able to put it together in just three minutes without using tools. We also like that the back has breathable mesh and that the seat and headrest fabric is removable and machine washable.
With its side-to-side motion, this swing is designed to soothe by mimicking a parent&#;s swaying motion. The settings are easily adjustable via the digital touch display or included remote control, so you can easily adjust the swing speed, multiple sound options (including built-in white noise), and timer from across the room. There are eight different white noise settings, including rain and ocean sounds, as well as four classical music options. Plus, this swing is equipped with Bluetooth capabilities so you can make custom playlists for your little one, too.
Why We Like It : It has a small footprint, a sleek design, and collapses for easy storage.
The Graco Slim Spaces is a simple, sturdy, battery-operated swing that is easy to assemble but has fewer features than other models.
Overall, this is a no-frills swing that gets high marks for effectiveness and safety features and won&#;t cost you a fortune. There&#;s a little bit of a hum from the motor, particularly when it&#;s set to the highest speed setting, but it&#;s quiet enough that it&#;s likely to be drowned out by background noise around the house.
However, this relatively basic swing doesn&#;t have sound, vibrations, or reclining abilities, and there are only three speed settings that you set manually with a dial. (The seat only moves back and forth, not side to side.) You still get a removable, machine-washable cover, though, and the seat fabric is a super-soft fleece material in a neutral design. After you&#;ve folded the seat in half, the frame&#;s bars act as carrying handles.
A simple, straight-to-the-point swing, the Graco Slim Spaces offers a little more height but fewer features than other compact models, like the Bright Starts Whimsical Wild Portable Swing. It&#;s a breeze to assemble&#;the parts snap right into place&#;and our on-site nurse rated this swing as the sturdiest of all she evaluated in the lab. We appreciate the extra security of the five-point harness as well.
Why We Like It : The top bar doubles as a carry handle, making it an ideal portable swing, and assembly is easy.
Bright Starts Portable Swing is lightweight and easy to set up, plus, it has many features including reclining, music, a toy bar, and adaptable speed.
Though the toy bar is a nice touch, it does look like a handle but isn&#;t strong enough to use as one. There are neat tags on the side of the seat for the baby&#;s tactile exploration, and a convenient flap over the harness buckle keeps it out of their reach. There are buttons to turn on the music and motion, but it&#;s annoying that the music button cycles through each of the 10 songs (there&#;s no way to select the one you want). And while we like that there&#;s a timer function, it&#;s a little finicky: You&#;ll need to press a button repeatedly to set it to 30, 45, or 60 minutes, which isn&#;t clear without the instructions. On the other hand, we like that the swing&#;s motion turns off automatically after 90 minutes.
While there are technically two recline positions, there&#;s not a lot of variation between the two, so it&#;s difficult to get a more upright position if your baby prefers that. In addition, the recline position doesn&#;t lock into place, so if you have a younger sibling or a large pet, it&#;s possible they could get underneath the swing and tip the baby seat forward. We appreciate the straightforward assembly&#;our editors didn&#;t need to refer to the manual&#;and that it stands upright when folded. Note that since the seat is low to the ground, caregivers will have to bend over quite a bit to get the baby in and out.
With a reasonable $70 price tag, this Bright Starts swing is a little basic but offers surprisingly smart features, including adaptable speed technology, music, a toy bar, and reclining abilities. The swing is simple to set up, lightweight enough to move if needed, and has lots of convenient adds-ons, such as the headrest pillow and cute monkey-themed toys. While not luxurious, the seat fabric is removable and completely machine washable, which is likely your priority as a parent.
But Take Note: The seat material is thin and not the most comfortable.
Why We Like It: It&#;s simple, affordable, and gets the job done.
The Graco Soothe &#;n Sway Swing is easy to use but hard to assemble, and we found you have to remove the seat and reattach it to change the motion&#;s direction.
For the price of $160, you&#;re getting a dual-function piece of gear with a three-position recline. While it doesn&#;t have a ton of frills, this baby swing works well once you&#;ve put it together.
The swing starts moving with a simple twist of a dial and can move in a back-and-forth or side-to-side motion, but be advised that you can&#;t change the direction of motion with just the touch of a button&#;you have to physically remove the seat, turn it 90 degrees, and reattach the seat. This is a bit of a pain for busy parents, but it&#;s not difficult. The seat also has a slightly larger footprint in real life than it advertises, though its neutral palette does help it blend into its surroundings somewhat.
We love the vibrating function of this swing, which is subtle enough that there&#;s no annoying buzzing to distract working caregivers but is still strong enough to soothe a baby. You turn on the music and vibration features via buttons on the swing&#;s base, which is powered by a cord that plugs into a wall outlet. However, when you attach the seat to use as a bouncer, it uses battery power to play the music and vibrations so you can move it from room to room. While the swing is easy to operate, assembling it is a headache: The instructions are confusing, and the parts don&#;t fit together intuitively and require some awkward angles to attach.
With the Graco Soothe &#;n Sway LX, you get a baby swing and portable bouncer in one: Simply detach the seat from the base, and you can take your baby on the go or around the house. Because the seat is on the deeper side (and sunk even lower when we put in a sandbag &#;baby&#;), our editors and pediatric nurse practitioner expert agree that it&#;s best used for older or bigger babies, rather than a small newborn or a preemie baby. There&#;s a toy bar, which can be adjusted for different sight lines, and we didn&#;t feel like the toys posed a risk of falling off.
But Take Note: Assembly can be tricky and the seat may be too large for preemies and small babies.
Why We Like It: This soft, stylish swing doubles as a portable baby bouncer and has multiple speeds and reclining options.
The 4moms MamaRoo Multi-Motion Baby Swing has a smooth motion that mimics a parent's arms swinging side to side, which we love, but it was tricky to assemble.
We don&#;t love the directions: The illustrations are not accompanied by any written instructions, and it&#;s not intuitive to figure out what the numbers on each part signify. Ultimately, we had to refer to an online tutorial video to put it together properly, which isn&#;t ideal, although assembly is a one-time nuisance. For the higher price tag&#;the MamaRoo is the priciest baby swing on our list&#;we&#;d expect easier assembly, but it&#;s one of the biggest names in baby gear for a reason: It grows with your baby so you&#;ll get more use out of it, can be controlled hands-free with the compatible app, and provides smooth side-to-side motion.
The compatible app is simple to set up and provides clear instructions on connecting your swing. Since the settings are adjusted via the app, rather than buttons, you avoid having an inquisitive big sibling accidentally change the speed or volume. Cleverly, the app prompts you to move your , mimicking the way you&#;d like to rock your baby, and it&#;ll suggest which motion settings to use. There are also several presets to choose from, though we struggled to pair our phones with the swing via Bluetooth, so we weren&#;t able to stream our own music.
While the MamaRoo can be a miracle worker for some fussy babies, it&#;s also pretty specific to the individual: Some will love the side-to-side motion, while others will be less than impressed. If you&#;re going to invest in a MamaRoo, it&#;s also worth considering that although it&#;s lightweight, it can be bulky to move and is only powered by a cord, so you&#;ll be limited by your home&#;s outlet placement. On the other hand, we like that it has an adjustable recline and a mobile with rattling, crinkling, and mirror details.
We love the smooth motion of the MamaRoo, which swings side to side to mimic the motion of a parent&#;s arms. Our editors feel this seat would be ideal for fussy or colicky newborns, and the option to switch from a five-point harness to a three-point harness as they grow is a helpful feature, too. And speaking of newborns and their infamous blowouts, the seat fabric is all removable and safe to toss in the washer and dryer.
Why We Like It : Its hallmark side-to-side motion is meant to mimic the sway of a parent&#;s arms, and its settings can be adjusted hands-free via an app.
The Graco Soothe My Way Swing took around 30 minutes to assemble but doubles as a baby swing and a rocker.
Overall, this swing is intuitive to use and adjust: The buttons are marked clearly and work well&#;we didn&#;t need to refer to the manual to figure out how to change the volume and motion settings&#;and the straps are easily adjustable. Our only complaint is that changing the swing&#;s incline requires two hands, which could pose a challenge if you&#;re also holding a baby in your arms. Attached to the swing is a cute mobile with a plush star and monkey dangling from it, and the seat has a vibration setting to soothe your little one. Just note that while putting this swing together was neither the easiest nor the trickiest one we tried, it did take us around 30 minutes to get it fully set up.
This piece of Graco gear pulls double duty as a baby swing and a rocker. Since the swing&#;s seat detaches from the base and can be used as a rocker, the $210 price tag is more reasonable, since you&#;re effectively getting two products in one. And uniquely, there are eight different types of motion to choose from, including back-and-forth, side-to-side, a figure eight, and an S-shaped curve. This is particularly useful if you plan to have more kiddos down the line, as all babies will have varying preferences for speed, incline, and motion. Plus, parents will appreciate that the seat fabric, which is soft to the touch, is removable in case of spit-up or blowouts.
Why We Like It : It&#;s a 2-in-1 product with both a rocker and swing, plus it offers, swing, arch, bounce, figure 8, circle, wave, zigzag, and sway movements.
The Maxi Cosi Cassia swing has a sleek design with high-quality features and an automatic motion sensor that detects when the baby is fussing and starts rocking.
This swing also offers impressive stability and a five-point harness to keep your baby secure. With its small footprint and light weight of just 10 pounds, it&#;s not difficult to move around, and we like that it swings in a side-to-side motion&#;similar to the 4moms MamaRoo&#;and comes with built-in audio. The volume of the music and nature sounds is a little low, though: We had to strain to hear it ourselves, but we do appreciate that the sound quality isn&#;t as tinny as some other options. Assembly is quick and easy (we put it together in under five minutes), but since the swing is low to the ground, it may be tricky for some caregivers to bend down to adjust the settings on the touchscreen panel. While this is one of the pricier picks on our list, the price tag is justified if you&#;re looking for a visually appealing baby swing with plenty of handy features, including automatic motion detection.
We love the sleek design of this swing, with luxe details like wood trim and neutral toy colors, but the features it offers are high-quality as well. For instance, the swing has a built-in timer, five speeds, a removable newborn insert, two recline positions, a washable seat cover, and a 360-degree rotating seat. Plus, you just can&#;t beat the motion detection feature, which senses when your baby is fussing and starts rocking the swing automatically.
But Take Note : This swing is low to the ground, so parents who have difficulty bending over may have challenges adjusting buttons, and the volume is pretty low.
Why We Like It: The Cassia mixes a minimalist design with modern technology, thanks to features like automatic rocking and multi-directional movement.
The Bright Starts Playful Paradise portable swing is lightweight, and we liked the five-point harness that secures a baby tightly, although, it has limited functions and features.
But perhaps the coolest feature of the swing? It has &#;TrueSpeed&#; weight-sensing technology, which automatically adjusts the swing speed for your baby&#;s size. This, coupled with its portability and reasonable $50 price tag, makes the Ingenuity Bright Starts Playful Paradise a smart pick for families with younger babies who are often on the go.
However, we also found that the chair did not seem as stable and sturdy as other options, so it is not suited for older babies. There are also somewhat limited features and functions: For instance, the toys are located high up on the mobile bar compared to where the seat sits within the swing, so they&#;re not quite in the baby&#;s line of view. Plus, the seat only has two recline positions and only swings front and back, rather than in multiple directions like the Graco Soothe My Way Swing with Removable Rocker.
Overall, we appreciate how portable and lightweight this swing is, as well as how understated the colors and design are to blend in with nearly any environment. We also like the five-point harness, which feels extremely sturdy and kept our sandbag &#;baby&#; in securely during our lab test. Our pediatric nurse practitioner, who was on-site during the test, also pointed out that this swing is similar to what&#;s often used in NICUs.
But Take Note : You&#;ll need four C batteries for power and they aren&#;t included.
Why We Like It : At just 4 pounds, this compact swing sits just off of the floor and can travel nearly anywhere.
And while it does have a somewhat larger footprint and takes up quite a bit of space, even when folded, it&#;s an even trade for how stable the swing is. It also doesn&#;t hurt that the soft seat fabric is shaped like a sweet animal&#;options including an elephant, lion, or bunny&#;and the $155 cost makes it competitive with other top models.
The Ingenuity InLighten emerged as our top pick because it has all the baby-friendly features that a parent could want. For instance, the 360-degree swivel seat is convenient for getting your baby in and out; plus, it lets your baby face different directions while swinging. The reclining seat offers plenty of comfort, and we feel that the noise of both the built-in audio and the motor are just right. Assembly was a breeze, too: Everything snapped right into place.
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But Take Note : There&#;s no Bluetooth or app connectivity and the swing is on the larger side.
Why We Like It : This swing has all the features you need in a baby swing&#;automatic mobile and lights, music, just-right speeds, swivel, and recline&#;all for an affordable price.
Other Notable Baby Swings
In our testing, three swings received honorable mentions but, ultimately, didn&#;t meet all of the criteria for our recommendations.
Our Testing Process
To find the best baby swings, we put 16 of them through rigorous evaluation, considering our own at-home experience with these swings and our babies and testing each one in our lab with a pediatric nurse practitioner, Ebony Barrett, RN, providing an additional expert opinion about the safety and stability of these swings.
In the lab, we first assembled each swing according to the manufacturer&#;s instructions, noting how easy or difficult the setup is. Next, we measured each swing&#;s footprint and placed it on level ground, adding batteries or plugging it into an outlet when necessary. We then put a 15-pound sandbag &#;baby&#; in the swing, inspecting the harness and level so incline to see if there were any safety, stability, or security concerns. We then turned the swings on, assessing how stable the swing was at every speed setting. (If a swing was wobbly and unsafe for a baby, we immediately disqualified it.) Then, we used a sound meter to assess the volume of the motors and sound effects so we could ensure each swing is safe for your baby&#;s ears. We also took note of design features, including power sources, folding and storage abilities, and fabric comfort and quality. Finally, we looked at our results next to each swing&#;s price to determine its value.
We also consulted several experts throughout the process:
We also received insight from real-life parents:
Factors to Consider When Buying a Baby Swing
Size
Before purchasing a baby swing, you&#;ll want to look at its dimensions and measure the space you plan to put it in to make sure there&#;s enough room for it to rock your baby safely. Putting a large swing in a crowded corner may pose safety concerns for your baby. Also, consider the swing&#;s size limits for your baby as well. All baby swings have maximum weight limits&#;usually around 20 pounds&#;so you&#;ll want to check your baby meets any minimum or maximum size restrictions before purchasing.
Type of Movement
It might sound surprising, but Dr. Murray advises parents to choose baby swings with minimal and smooth motion. &#;The more we stimulate our babies, the more stimulation they will expect,&#; she explains.
Contrary to popular belief, she adds, babies don&#;t actually need movement to fall asleep&#;if you cement the habit now, it could become something you regret as your child gets older: &#;When we put them down for sleep, we are creating routines they will carry into toddlerhood.&#; Long story short? Consider swings that soothe subtly.
Noise Level
According to Dr. Murray, when it comes to noise, &#;the less stimulation. the better.&#; As far as safety goes, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) explains that children of all ages should not listen to prolonged sounds over 75 decibels. And babies' and newborns&#; ears are even more sensitive, especially if the noise is near their ears like a swing&#;s noise box or motor might be.
When in doubt, you can always sing or talk to your baby instead, Dr. Murray says. But because we&#;re all tired parents, the swing&#;s music or white noise at a healthy level works, too.
Incline
In general, any baby swing on the market will have to pass various safety tests, but Dr. Murray explains that parents should still be aware that any type of baby rocker, swing, or bouncy seat that positions babies at a steep incline, ranging from 10 to 30 or more degrees, present a serious safety risk for sleeping.
&#;Babies&#; neck muscles are not developed, so when their heads droop down as they fall asleep, their muscles lack the strength to lift their heads back up,&#; she says. So, before purchasing, check the swing&#;s incline features. Be sure to start on the lowest incline&#;for very young babies especially&#;and only adjust the incline up when they are developmentally ready. &#;The greater the incline, the more likely the baby is to slouch,&#; Dr. Murray adds. &#;The younger the baby, the more reclined they should be.&#;
Portability
If you will be using your baby swing in different locations, whether that&#;s taking it from house to house or just room to room, you&#;ll want to check how portable it is. Even if you don&#;t plan on carting a baby swing around out of the home, Kropf urges parents to consider a portable option for its versatility. She&#;s a big fan of the dual products (like the Graco Soothe 'n Sway LX Swing with Portable Bouncer) that provide both a portable bouncer and a baby swing in one, calling them a &#;lifesaver for on-the-move parents&#; like her.
She also points out that baby swings aren&#;t just for soothing&#;they can help parents get to other necessary tasks, like prepping a meal, while their baby is safely entertained. &#;In a nutshell, when you're dealing with a restless baby and a mountain of tasks, a baby swing can be a game-changer,&#; she adds.
Some swings may be advertised as compact or travel-friendly, but it&#;s also worth considering how the swing actually breaks down for travel and what accessories, like batteries, are needed if you do transport it.
Extra Features
Extra features such as music, Bluetooth, and cry sensors can be helpful in some scenarios, but they&#;re usually not necessary for a baby swing to be effective. However, each baby and caregiver is different, and some features, like automatic sensors or a 360-degree swivel, could be helpful for parents with limited mobility or babies with disabilities.
Dr. Murray also cautions parents not to get fooled by fancy and comfortable-looking padding on a baby swing. She explains that neck padding is, in general, a &#;false reassurance&#; that it&#;s holding the baby&#;s head in the right position and is not to be relied on. &#;If the baby slouches down, it can in fact make their head go forward more,&#; she points out. &#;Gravity always wins. They will always slouch.&#;
How to Use Baby Swings Safely
There are four basic rules when it comes to using a baby swing safely, says Dr. Hoffman:
The cardinal rule of using a baby swing safely is that, unless the product you are using is specifically designed for infant sleep (and no baby swing is!), you should never let your baby sleep unattended in it, says Dr. Murray. &#;Any type of baby holding device, [whether it&#;s] a seat or swing or car seat&#;is not safe for unattended sleep of infants,&#; unless it&#;s something specifically designed for sleep, like a crib or play yard, she explains. While a baby swing can certainly be used to help calm a baby for a period of time, always keep the swing&#;s design in mind, which may allow them to scrunch down and end up with their airway blocked, Dr. Murray says.
If it&#;s simply not possible to take your baby out of the swing when they are sleeping, Dr. Hoffman says that the baby will then need &#;constant supervision,&#; the same way a parent would supervise a baby in a bathtub. &#;I think there is a perception that a swing is a safe place to leave a baby and that you can walk away, but we want people to think about that,&#; he adds.
Along with airway and breathing safety, Dr. Hoffman says that many baby swing injuries involve falling, which is why the correct use of the included safety harness is incredibly important. Though Clemence loves using baby swings as a &#;tool in our parenting arsenal,&#; she also agrees that safety is paramount when using them. &#;Even with the best intentions, accidents can sneak up on us,&#; she notes.
To minimize risks associated with falling, Dr. Hoffman recommends double-checking for a harness before purchasing, ensuring the harness&#; positioning is correct, and using the swing on a stable, flat surface&#;even fluffy carpeting could be a risk. And as baby products evolve, safety standards can change in an instant, so parents can also check saferproducts.gov for updated safety information on specific products or recalls.
Your Questions, Answered
What is the best age to use baby swings?
In general, baby swings can be used from the newborn stage up until the baby reaches the weight limit of the swing. Many baby swings have a limit of 20 pounds, which is often the size of a 4- to 5-month-old baby, though this differs by the swing and the child. Be sure to consult the manufacturer&#;s instructions, and ask your pediatricians if you have additional questions about the swing&#;s fit.
Are baby swings a SIDS risk?
Allowing your baby to sleep anywhere than in a designated sleeping product, like a crib or bassinet, can increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) (SIDS). If your baby falls asleep in a baby swing, you should transfer them to a crib with a firm, flat mattress as soon as possible. Additionally, you should always keep an eye on your baby while they&#;re in the swing, so you&#;ll notice if they fall asleep.
How much do baby swings cost?
You can find baby swings from around $50 to upwards of $200, depending on the type and features offered. Our most budget-friendly pick, the Ingenuity Bright Starts Playful Paradise Portable Swing, is $50 and a relatively basic option. The priciest swing on our list, the 4moms MamaRoo Multi-Motion Baby Swing, will run you $270 since it&#;s packed with features, including a compatible app, Bluetooth connectivity, and two harness options.
Who We Are
Chaunie Brusie, BSN, RN is a labor and delivery nurse turned writer and mother of five from Michigan. Her memories of her babies in a baby swing are some of her favorite (and not just because they happened to be times they weren&#;t screaming.)
We all know the benefits of buying in bulk. As long as you&#;ve got the space to store stuff, why wouldn&#;t you purchase a ton of everyday essentials at once? It&#;s economical, it cuts down on time spent shopping, and there are so many options for ordering in bulk online.
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