What Is A Baby Bouncer?

A baby bouncer is a semi-reclined seat that a baby fits snuggly into.  The seat sits atop a frame that provides motion, most often using battery power.  Most battery-operated bouncers have a built in unit for vibration that allows you to adjust the speed.

Why Babies Find Them Soothing

Babies find bouncers, swings and being rocked in-arms very soothing probably because the motion is similar to when they were in the womb, where they spent about 9 months.  The womb is a place of warmth and comfort, where there was almost constant motion, and they were floating in amniotic fluid.  So, babies love the motion of bouncers.

Types Of Bouncers

Framed Bouncers framed baby bouncers have flexible frames that rock bath and forth simply by the shifting of a baby’s weight.  These types of baby bouncers are available in a wide variety of colors, patterns and styles, with a wide selection of extra features.

Vibrating Bouncers. As mentioned, there are battery-operated bouncers that vibrate.  Battery operated baby bouncers provide a consistent rocking motion.  This is really helpful for babies  who like or want that constant rocking motion.

There are also portable bouncers that fold up for travel.  These are often convertible, meaning they can be a bouncer or a bassinet.

Convertible Bouncers also can grow with your child, which certainly gives you more bang for your buck.

Convenient Not Just For Babies, But For Parents

Yes, a comforted baby is a happy baby.  A happy baby makes for happy parents.  So, devices like bouncers can give a parent peace when they may otherwise have a fussy baby.  The vibration of bouncers is most helpful for this.

Of course, giving your baby as much in-arms attention as possible is better than any device–bouncers, swings, entertainers, play centers alike.  Carriers are great for keeping baby close.  However, there are times when your arms simply need a break (and so does your back!).  So, this is another point of convenience for bouncers: Parents can be hands-free while baby is happy and soothed.

Safety Tips

• Always use the straps to secure your baby in the bouncer.  Once your baby learns how to turn over, they can easily flip right out of bouncers and swings and beds.
• Do not place your baby in the bouncer and leave the bouncer atop a high surface, such as a table or chair.  Serious injury can occur.
• Never leave your baby unattended in a bouncer.
• Check all parts and assembly of the bouncer before using it, especially if you buy it second hand.
• For added stability, get a wide-base.

Products

• BABYBJÖRN BabySitter

• Safety First Nature Sound Bouncer
• Bright Starts Comfort and Harmony Cradling Bouncer
• Graco Soothe and Swaddle

What is The Bumbo?

Made By Wartburg Enterprises, the Bumbo is a single-piece seat made of a low-density foam.  It’s a deep seat, with a high back and sides.   There are leg holes, which fit to a baby’s size, and also a front support so the baby won’t fall out.

The Bumbo essentially has infants sitting in an upright posture before they are physically capable of doing so themselves.  It is important to note that the Bumbo should definitely not be used if a baby cannot hold his/her head up.

Convenient Device

Like baby swings, bouncers, strollers and baby carriers, the Bumbo baby seat is convenient for parents.  Parents can put their infant who cannot sit upright on their own, in the baby seat, in a sitting position, fully supported.  Parents are then free do do what they may, while baby is happily sitting.  The Bumbo Baby Sitter Tray provides a surface baby can play on or eat off of.  This is both convenient for parents, and useful for baby.  The baby also gets used to sitting.  They can feel what it’s like.

Just Use It Responsibly

One area you need to used discretion is overuse. This idea goes with most devices, like jumpers and walkers.  The problem with these devices when overused, is that they are very much acting like a “crutch.”  Think of these devices as training wheels.  They give the baby the sense of the motion or activity.  But until the wheels are off, a child won’t know what it’s really like to bike.  With the Bumbo, a child may actually learn to depend on the seat, rather than developing their own ability to sit upright.  This may cause delays in that ability.  It is recommended that you do not overuse the Bumbo, and don’t have baby sit in it more than 15-20 minutes at a time.

It is important that parents use this device responsibly.  There have been many negligent parents who put the baby in the seat, and put the seat up on a table or a chair.  Horrible injuries have resulted from this sort of negligence.  There was even a Bumbo recall.  However, problems of negligence are not with the makers of the device, but with the parents using the device.

Conclusion

Used responsibly and properly, the Bumbo can be a helpful little device.  It comes in a bunch of different colors.  It’s also lightweight and easily carried from place to place.