To swing or not to swing...

I feel like this is a fairly unimportant question, considering all of the difficult real-life stuff that people on this board seem to be going through.

But as we were revising our registry, I found myself attracted to registering for a swing for the little bits, maybe even one of the cute travel ones, and probably just one to start with.

We were given a couple of cute Fisher Price bouncy seats. DH thinks that a swing on top of a bouncy seat would be redundant. I kind of thought they would serve two different purposes.

What do you think? Any veterans out there have a great/terrible/in the middle experience with using a swing with your babies?

 

I would say get one - all 3 of my kids love the swing, it is nice when they get fussy you put them in and off they go to sleep. I had a big one and a travel size one, they both were great. You will want both the bouncy and a swing.

 

I would get one- most babies like them- but not all of them. Even a travel one would be fine. The babies tend to like the rocking motion. I would stick with a bouncy seat or two also, they really seem to like these too- plus they can be kind of handy for feeding them in when you first start, or if you are bottle feeding when they get a bit bigger, it helps keep them sat up so they can eat, and helps keep your arms from being so full!

 

My dd practically lived in her swing for the first several weeks. I've got 2 just in case her brothers have the same affinity! She also loved her bouncy as well.... 2 must haves for me (or 4 actually

 

We got one of each. My two hated the bouncy seat (probably the only ones ) BUT loved the swing so we sold the bouncy and bought another swing

 

First of all, there are no unimportant questions! We need something to get our minds off how painful and crappy twin pregnancy can be!

That said, I wished I had 2 swings, on top of the 2 bouncies and 1 swing I did have. That swing was a lifesaver for us; when nothing else worked, it did the trick.

They are expensive though, with a relatively short 'lifespan' -- mine wouldn't sit in it after 6 mos -- so unless you plan on having more children in the future, I would try to get it second hand.

The bouncies are great around 2-3 months when they are starting to reach out and interact with things; great for strapping a baby in a safe spot while you go to the bathroom, etc... different uses

Plus, with twins, it's good to have as many attention-span-capturing objects as your house will hold!

 

Swing and bouncers are life savers!! You will need them. Especially if they end up with acid reflux or something. Laying the crib to sleep maybe to painful so that is where the swing and bouncer come into play....yes it is perfectly fine if that is all they sleep in. DD didn't even sleep in her crib til 3months and Carlie only will sleep in the bouncer or swing.

April

 

Swings saved us! Mine absolutely love their's. They didn't at first but as soon as they hit about 6 weeks it is the only thing that calmed them. They did also like their bouncies. I have the Fisher Price cradle swing and they love the sideways motion it puts them right to sleep. I would start with just one. Also we had a travel swing and it didn't seem to last very long they don't really comfortable fit in it anymore.

 

When DD had colic, the swing was a life saver. We'd put her in (battery operated thankgoodness), lay a hot water bottle on her tummy, turn down all the lights (except on the huge fish tank with the colorful huge goldfish we had visiting with us), and played some very soothing music. She'd calm down and eventually go to sleep with this routine. We saved ourselves some sanity as well. We already have 1 swing and will definitely get another one just in case this happens again, or they need some time to themselves so mommy can get some sanity. lol

 

I thank god that we had two swings, for a few months its the only place our DS would sleep at night. I would so get it!!!

 

The swing and bouncer were the most used items we had with my son. I got my naptimes becasue of the swing. A must have. Also when he got older he ADORED his johnny jump up. He would bounce himself till he fell asleep in it. It was a great tool to help him burn off that energy and then he would pass out. We got some darling pics of him sleeping in his jumper. tell DH that both swings and bouncers are a MUST HAVE. I was excited to find out my friend was passing down all of her stuff to me until ..... awesome news..she will be needing them instead. She is 3 months pregnant and has a 5 month old baby. She wil need them more than I do.LOL

 

We got one bouncy and one swing (instead of 2 of each). They liked the bouncy MUCh better and we ended up buying a second. They never really did like the swings. We had the travel swing (to save space)...but when Morgan was about 6 months old...she fell asleep in it and I went to put some laundry in...the sides are open on it and she had slumped over and was hanging upside down out the side with her waist still strapped in. it scared me half to death and we never used it again after that.

we are borrowing a papsan swing from a friend when this baby is born b/c I refuse to use that travel one again. I was out of the room just long enough to have her slide out like that...less than 2 minutes to throw some laundry in.

 

I'm going to get two new bouncy seats (the one my second son used was worn out!) and one swing to go with the one I already have. With both of my other children I could not have survived without the bouncy chairs... totally necessary for taking a shower, although I felt like a zoo animal lol (I'd bring them into the bath so I could talk to them).

I have a travel swing, it travels alright... if you have a wagon and someone to push it. My travel swing never changed location once it was up I'm going to pick up one more swing, and try very hard not to obsess over the fact that they won't match... the twins won't care.

 

I've always had one of each...I think we'll keep it that way even w/ our twins. One may enjoy swinging more than bouncing and vice versa!

 

Oh, I think you definitely need a swing. All 3 of mine loved their swing! For the twins we had one regular one and then the Fisher Price Ocean Wonders one (went side to side and front to back) and they loved the side to side motion. It was great for getting them to fall asleep when they were little.

 

Our swings were a lifesaver. We have both - a bouncy and swings and used them all the time!

 

You will use both. I did with my daughter and can't imagine not having both with the twins! I have heard many moms of twins say the swing was the only place their little ones would sleep!

 

We have 2 bouncies that we got for our shower, and a friend gave us a papasan swing. I've heard some babies hate swings, so we will see what they think and then buy another if they both love it...

 

my first dd hated the swing...my twins loved them!! I had one, from my first dd, a travel one...and a friend lent me another travel one. The great thing is that they are fairly inexpensive. I totally DON'T recommend the large versions...too expensive and many of them don't recline exactly right for smaller infants. I did see a neat one that is just a frame for the infant car seat to sit in...can't remember the price on it though...

 

P.S. none of my kids were really into the bouncer... my sister lent me one...but it did come in handy just for having a place to put the babies.... having 2 "safe" places on each floor was great...didn't have to lug the swings around.

 

Get a swing. You'll probably end up gettng another swing. If you have to skip something, skip the bouncies. But we had 2 bouncies and 2 swings (2 upstairs, 2 downstairs) and used the heck out of all of them. The swings probably saved my life, or at least my sanity. We used those far longer than the bouncies.

 

My girls were not fans of the bouncy seats, thankfully we had two that were handed down so no one was out $$$. I could not have made it through their first 9 months without two swings though, they loved those. Slept in those. My dad got us two of the cradle style swings for the shower, they rock side to side or front to back, with a mobile, and they could lay way back in them and went into them as soon as they came home at around 4.5 pounds each.

 

We have a boppy travel swing and so far the babies hate it, I'm hoping that they are just too young and that in a few weeks they will like it more!