You need a baby bouncer because you simply can’t hold your baby all the time at home – and neither should you want to. You want to keep your baby occupied while you’re doing other things, but also you need to know that they’ll be safe, which they will be in the bouncer.
Be under no illusion though, this phase will last such a short time that it will be a bit blink-and-you’ll-miss-it. While it’s naturally worth getting something that’s good quality, it isn’t worth breaking the bank over. Naturally we’ve gathered together the very best baby bouncers for your perusal, and we’ve listed our favourites in order below, starting with the best.
You ideally want something from birth to around six months, after which most babies will be able to sit upright and so they’ll need something more akin to a chair or walker (as they need to strengthen their neck muscles at that stage). The idea behind a rocker is that you can rock them initially, while after a while they can move themselves a little when they start to move or kick. Most have something to which you can attach small baby toys, as well as a strap to keep them in. Some bouncers also come with power-assisted movement as well as music. This isn’t essential, but you may prefer to have that option.
JoJo Maman Bébé isn’t seen as the cheapest place to get baby gear, but what you do get is always excellent quality. However, we think this floating bouncer is not only great quality, it’s stylish and well-priced too. While you can, of course, spend more, this does everything that you’ll need from a bouncer. It’s also nice and sturdy, which you’ll want. The toys aren’t as interactive as many mini toys for buggies, so you’ll need to add to the selection. If you have a playmat, you might be able to detach some of those toys to add to the bouncer, too. We prefer the red and white design, though you might prefer the more subtle grey/white version.
If it’s included toys you’re looking for, then this is the best we’ve seen, not least because the main part of the toy bar can detach to your baby’s cot or crib and play sounds and tunes to get your baby to the land of zzzz. The toys are good quality and are designed to stimulate and entertain. It’s a very solid chair too, as you’d expect from Chicco, who is a quality name in baby gear. Again grey is available. Grey seems very popular at the moment, which seems a shame, since bright colours are what children are all about – it’s also available in bright blue, lime green and pink. The chair folds away easily, while it can be used in fixed and rocking mode depending on what you need.
A well-priced bouncer from a huge name in baby toys, the Fisher-Price Woodsy Friends Comfy Time Bouncer is excellent for the money, though it does require both one AAA battery plus an expensive D battery as well. The chair will vibrate as a result of you shelling out on the mini power packs, plus there are various melodies to soothe your baby, too. The three included plush toys are of an excellent quality as you’d expect, while there's a three-point harness. The whole chair is woodland-themed and there are animal noises to go along with it, too. Fisher Price also does a Take Along Swing and Seat Set with overhead handle, including one that’s rainforest-themed.
If entertainment and adjustability is what you’re looking for in a baby bouncer, then look no further – this seat boasts two vibration speeds plus five classical lullabies that can be played. In addition you can also choose from five nature sounds, too. The seat is also completely adjustable with three recline positions, two positions for the leg rest and the ability to stop it from rocking entirely if your baby doesn’t like that. There are also toys available on a removable ’street lamp’-style bar (only two soft star toys so you’ll need to add to them) plus a three-point harness. Essentially, this is the ultimate rocker for the gadget fan. It also folds up really well for easy transportation, so definitely consider this if you have a small car.
This remarkably expensive bit of gear has a trick up its sleeve – as well as being a very good baby bouncer, it can also be used as a children’s rocking chair, suitable up to two years. That will make it a very good value purchase for some, although many children are sitting on normal furniture or have children’s wooden chairs or other furniture by two years’ old. As well as a fold-flat travel mode, it can be folded in three other positions, dubbed play, rest and sleep – the latter is good for babies who could well fall asleep in the chair. The seat is easy to remove and machine wash, which will be really very useful with particularly sickly babies.
