Marriage and Family Blog: Baby Rocker Chair Buying Guide

Baby Rocker Chair Buying Guide

Ever wondered how do I play with a baby that only wiggles? The answer is simple- By placing the little one in a baby bouncer / rocker, of course! With each bounce, your baby feels rewarded with a fun sensation and they just love it! These work as rocking chairs for the baby as well!

Oh your heart will be filled with joy when you see your baby bouncing in its very own baby bouncer. Baby bouncers / baby rockers are great way to make your little one entertained, it helps them to fall asleep and you can be rest assured that they are safe while you get on with life. You may begin using them from their birth; some are just the simple ones where all your baby has to do is sit and the Bouncer does the rest of the job; some need a little work from your baby’s end- like jumping and then the Bouncer comes into action; Some have sounds and music while others have lights- all these put together with your baby’s entertainment in mind!

A baby rocker chair is versatile and not very expensive baby equipment that your little one can use from when they are born. You’ll fall in love with this equipment in no time as you get used to all its functions and how easy it is to keep you baby occupied with it, while you can do things that you have been postponing for quite some time now. It’s surprising to note that most mums tend to put away simple things like eating, taking a shower, exercising, reading a book (to name a few) just so that they can keep an eye on their baby. So much to sacrifice when all they have to do is get a rocker chair and let it take care of your baby while you catch a breath!

The rocker chair will love your baby right back while your baby enjoys staring at the toys that dangle from the frame on the toy bar, or watch in excitement as the lights go flashing on it, or even jiggle a bit to the sounds and music from the Bouncer. Now all this activity and motion can be really taxing on your little one and guess what? In no time your baby will fall asleep (well, maybe not always that easy, but yes all the activity can tire your baby).

The market is full of various options with colors, patterns, designs that are gender specific and also have extra equipment on it to keep your precious entertained- music, lights, toy bar, vibrations and what not!

Baby rocker chairs are age specific, weight specific and height specific. Some are good for newborns and won’t come to any use later, so if you intend to use this for a long time, choose one that can has a higher weight limit to accommodate your child later. Also, this tip comes handy if you don’t want to have a lot of baby equipment at home, so if you just invest in one that can be used for a little older baby as well, you’ve invested well.

What’s the need for a baby rocker chair?

A bouncer soothes and entertains the baby. Apart from the baby being entertained, a bouncer will also let you have a time to yourself with your hands free. It’s a priceless feeling when you’re able to do catch on some reading or even finish up some pending chores.

How to Choose?

Baby Swings – Swings on its own and does need your baby to move at all for the motion
Baby Bouncers – Your baby’s wiggly movements will set it to bounce
Baby Jumpers – Whenever your baby kicks the floor, it will move , bounce and have a jumping motion

Okay, now that we have you covered the basic questions, it’s time to get into the real deal of this guide. With so many different baby bouncers / rockers available in the market, it can be difficult to pick which one is best for your little one. With this guide, we’re aiming to teach you everything there is to know about baby rocker chairs.

What to Look for in a Baby Rocker Chair?

The first thing to look for is if your rocker chair has pads underneath to make it non-slip. If you have tiles or wood at home as floors, this is a very common hazard. So the foremost thing to look at to keep your little one safe would be to ensure that your bouncer / rocker comes with these pads.

Seat – Considering that your baby is going to spend a lot of time here, you could look into the seat features like, soft material and without anything that could potentially irritate their soft baby skin; adequate padding- not too much or not too less; Easily cleanable seats (some even come with machine-washable covers or waterproof fabrics); removable head supports to assist the newborns as they are not able to support it on their own and last but not the least, the seat should be reclineable, as the sitting positions of newborns and older babies vary.

Frame – It’s the frame that actually makes the seat to be in a supporting position. Some important features to consider are:

Material – Always look for metal ones and avoid the China made plastic ones. Metal ones are built to be sturdy and strong and can last for a longer time
Portability – How long do you intend to use the bouncer and how will you store it is also an important factor to consider. When you’re baby is outdone using it, how easy is it to fold and store it away? Or for that matter, even if it’s in use, how convenient is it to fold it up and keep it if you have a small home? Some things to ponder over.
Base – You may want to look for a rocker chair that comes with a wide base just to ensure that your baby remains safe and sound inside it. Rockers have the bouncy, swinging or jumping motion and if not checked, it could go bad.
Bounce – The bouncy nature of the bouncer / rocker is attributed by the frame, meaning the frame decides how bouncy your rocker chair is going to be.

Sun Shade – On sunny days, when the weather is nice, you may want the baby to get some of the Vitamin D. But not at the risk of getting your little one sun burnt. While your baby enjoys his/her time bouncing while sitting close to the rays of the sun, a sun shade will do its job of keeping your baby’s skin safe.

Secure straps – By now we know that bouncers / rockers can get jumpy, swinging and bouncy. And if your baby is in a happy and excite mood, maybe he’ll bounce more! You wouldn’t want such a happy baby to get unsafe because of straps not being secure or if the straps are not comfortable.

Batteries or Plug-in? – Plug in option is great as it’ll save you from using up a lot of batteries.

Weight – All rocker chairs come along with specified weight limits or weight capacities. Choose one that has a higher limit so that your baby can use it for a longer time.

Entertainment Features

Now that we’ve got you covered with safety, let’s look at some entertainment features for the baby!

Theme – Choosing gender specific themes would enhance the baby’s enjoyment in the bouncer / rocker. A car themed or blue colored bouncer would suit a boy similarly a pink one or one that has frills would suit your princess.

Musical sounds – Rocker chairs with some baby music will get your baby excited, happy and they will enjoy their time all the more. This does have a downside though, with the repeating music, it could make you insane!

Vibrating seat – These are not found in all rockers / bouncers and you may have to shell out extra bucks if you’re looking for this specific option. The gentle vibrating motion on the bouncer provides an extra level of comfort that most babies love and can even lull them to sleep. These work particularly great with newborns.

Lights – Just like the vibrating bouncers, the lights are also not found on most regular bouncers / rockers and the ones that have lights could be expensive. The lights flash in varied patterns and keep your little one entertained. The lights can be switched off during their nap time and if you find them annoying!

Baby Rocker Chair Safety

While your baby enjoys the swinging and vibration motions, as a parent you would want to be sure how to use the rocker chair correctly and safely. Here are some safety precautions that you must bear in mind while purchasing a rocker chair for your baby:

With your baby in the bouncer, don’t lift or carry it by the toy bar or the frame. These aren’t handles and can come loose or snap off.
Place the rocker chair with the baby well away from hazards like window cords, heaters and monitor cords. And always try to keep it in the same room as you are so you can keep an eye on the baby. Of course the baby Bouncer is there to keep your baby occupied, but try not be occupied yourself where you forget to keep a check on your baby.
Follow guides – The rockers have specified recommended weight, age and height limit. If you continue to use the bouncer even when the baby exceeds the limits, it could result in a possible injury.
Slip – As previously mentioned, some floors that have tiles or wood are more prone to being slippery for the bouncer and the vibrations, jumping, swinging and bouncing motion add on to it. Most rockers come with a pad underneath or if not you could make it safe for the baby by adding a mat under the rocker.
Safe area – Placing the rocker chair in safe place is critical; therefore try to place it in a flat area, and also away from pets. Pets can get all excited when they see the baby bouncing and excited; in turn they might want to join in the fun and think of it as a game. We love our pets to get along with our baby and vice versa, but this could prove very unsafe and could lead to serious unwanted injuries.

A baby rocker chair is that piece of baby gear that may easily fly under your radar until you wish you had one. Getting to know the little one before making an investment in a baby rocker chair could be the best option for your family. Some will just enjoy having “extra set of hands” and for them investing in a baby bouncer / rocker is a great decision. Babies enjoy the rhythm of a baby rocker and you will love seeing them comforted and safe. No one can put a price on the happiness and contentment that comes when you know you have been able to finish things that were on your to-do-list for quite a while; or even just enjoy a cup of coffee without being worried that it might get cold by the time you can sip it!

Our Recommendation

The world has become such a better place now with the baby gear manufacturers coming with up with such helpful and thoughtful equipment for parents. It certainly makes their life easy! We hope the above guide will make choosing the right swing for you an easier decision. Having covered you with the best information there can be about how to buy a baby rocker, let’s not leave you without our recommendations on the Top 5 Best Baby Rocker Chairs.

And our top pick is the Fisher-Price Infant To Toddler Rocker.

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Originally posted 2016-07-04 04:05:49.

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