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If you’re on the hunt for a baby swing, you’re probably also looking for a way to soothe or entertain a fussy baby. In fact, Melissa Bykofsky, executive editor at pregnancy and parenting website What to Expect, describes her baby’s swing as “a lifesaver in those early weeks.”
Overall, a great baby swing is one with exceptionally smooth rocking motions — the goal is to soothe, not to startle. And because it’s a product for babies, it should also be able to be washed with ease. And beyond that, the right baby swing for you will depend on the quirks of your space. For instance, if your home is small, look for baby swings with small footprints or ones that fold up easily. If your outlets are awkwardly placed, pick a battery-powered swing rather than one that needs AC power. I spoke to seven experts — including a baby sleep consultant, a family-medicine doctor, and a day-care provider — to find the best baby swings. And then I cross-referenced their suggestions against dozens of reviews, and my own testing. So whether you want a lightweight baby swing, a foldable baby swing, or a battery-powered baby swing, I have some great options for you.
Before we get started, it’s important to note that there are some safety guidelines to be aware of when using a baby swing. The American Association of Pediatrics advises against letting babies sleep in them. “Putting a baby to sleep on an incline is linked to higher risks of SIDS,” explains infant- and child-sleep consultant Eva Klein. That’s why you should move your child to their crib or other suitable sleeping surface right away if they happen to fall asleep in their swing. The AAP also says that if the seat can be adjusted to more than a 50-degree angle, it should have a safety harness, and it advises that parents limit the time their baby spends in a swing.
What we’re looking for
Motions and vibrations
Baby swings are motorized and can automatically move in a range of ways. All of them swing, but some only swing side to side, while others also swing back and forth. Some offer other types of motion, such as bouncing, rotation, and vibrations. A greater range of motions isn’t necessarily better, but it does give you more options. I’ve included swings with a range of motion types.
Entertainment features
There are a variety of entertainment features you might find on a baby swing, including a mobile with hanging toys, sounds, and lights. I’ve included a mixture of swings with low-key entertainment features and those with more elaborate options.
Best baby swing overall
Motions and vibrations: 5 multidirectional motions Entertainment features: Sounds, hanging mobile
When I tested the MamaRoo, I was impressed by how smooth (and almost parent-inspired) the rocking motions were. You can control the motions through the 4moms app — which I found easy to use — or on the body of the swing. It’s nice to have the app option, but it’s sometimes just going to be easier to press a button on the swing itself than get your phone out and open an app.
The MamaRoo has a simple mobile featuring three hanging balls that are black and white on one side and colored on the other. Birth and postpartum doula Shira Sharifi of A Birth Connection likes how they’re suited to both newborns (who only see in black, white, and shades of gray) and older babies. I really pulled at the mobile to see if it would move — it didn’t break or pop off its hinge. The toy balls inside the frame of the mobile pull out easily, but this is part of the design — the balls are safe for babies to play with and machine washable. It also means the balls take just seconds to reverse from the black-and-white side to the colored side.
The MamaRoo is also incredibly easy to clean. When I spilled some milk on it, it wiped off easily with a damp cloth. If you want to get rid of a larger stain, the fabric only takes about 30 seconds to remove from/replace on the frame. You can also remove the fabric from the frame to machine wash it. Overall, this is a good pick for both newborns and older babies — I especially like that you can play your own music on the speakers via Bluetooth. Three of the experts I spoke to (including Sharifi) agree — I’m calling this the best pick overall.
Best (less expensive) baby swing
Motions and vibrations: Swinging, vibration Entertainment features: Hanging mobile, sounds
The MamaRoo is innovative for sure, but I wanted to include a swing at a realistic price for more parents — and that’s the Simple Sway. Its gentle side-to-side swaying motion is generally soothing for infants. And there are six speeds and two vibration settings to customize the motion to suit your baby’s preferences.
The deep seat holds infants securely, and it has a head support for newborns that can be removed once a baby can support their own head. The hanging mobile has cute star toys and can play ten classical tunes and five soothing sounds. I like that you have the option to plug it into an outlet or run it off five D batteries, as some of our experts note that power cords can be restrictive.
Best foldable baby swing
Motions and vibrations: Swinging Entertainment features: Hanging mobile
This swing is a firm favorite of Bykofsky, who used it to help get through the early days with her son. She and her partner kept it in the dining room, where they could use it to calm their baby while they ate. “Around 5 every night, our baby would cry and only wanted to be held and rocked,” she explains. She appreciated “being able to put him down and let the swing gently rock him back and forth” to soothe him.
The compact design and portability of this swing is a big draw. Bykofsky likes that its carry handle makes it easy to move between rooms, and that it folds to save space when you aren’t using it. However, the portability comes at a price — it isn’t particularly feature-rich. It has two hanging toys but no lights, sounds, or music. You switch between speeds with a fully adjustable dial, so there aren’t a fixed number of speed settings. There’s a low speed and a high speed, and you can adjust the dial to any point between slowest and fastest setting. This gives you more freedom to find a swing speed that’s right for your baby. It’s battery powered, requiring four D batteries.
Best lightweight baby swing
Motions and vibrations: 2 swing directions Entertainment features: Sounds, hanging mobile
Family-medicine physician Dr. Laura Purdy recommended this swing to us. At ten pounds, it’s extremely light, and she appreciates how easy it is to move around the house. This makes it easier to get on with your day. “Need to shower? Move to the bathroom. Need to do laundry? Move to the laundry room,” she remarks. It takes four AA batteries for easy portability, but it also works with an AC adapter.
“I also love that it has multiple sounds and songs you can select from,” Purdy continues. It has a total of 12 melodies to help soothe little ones. It’s always a bonus if baby products are easy to keep clean, and she notes that “the soft fabric pieces of the swing can be removed and washed, which is great for blowouts and spit-up.”
Best rotating baby swing
Motions and vibrations: Swinging, rotation, and vibration Entertainment features: Lights, sounds, hanging mobile
“I love how it has six speed options and that it can swing back and forth as well as side to side,” says Klein. It also rotates 180 degrees, swings in three directions, and has vibration settings. Klein likes that the recline options mean it’s suitable for newborns as well as older babies (the AAP recommends using the most reclined position for babies under 4 months to avoid slumping and a risk of suffocation).
The mobile features two plush toys and lights that can be turned on and off. There’s also a mirror on the underside for little ones to look at themselves in. Plus, it plays 16 melodies, 3 nature sounds, and white noise to help soothe infants — or connect it to your phone to play music of your choice. It runs off an AC adapter, but it also needs a single C battery if you want to use the vibration function.
Best battery-powered baby swing
Motions and vibrations: Swinging Entertainment features: Sounds, hanging mobile
Founder of Adventure Kids Playcare Dana Oliver has used Soothe ‘n Delight in her work as a child-care provider. “I’ve seen how it soothes upset babies and helps to entertain them,” she remarks. It’s foldable, which Oliver appreciates, noting that it’s great to travel with. It’s also battery operated — and, between these two features, it’s easy to move from room to room to soothe your baby anywhere in your home.
It has six speed settings and can be put on a timer for 15, 30, or 45 minutes — although Oliver is quick to note that you shouldn’t leave your baby in a swing for too long. She says they’re only meant to be used for “brief periods when your baby can’t be in your arms.”
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Our experts
• Melissa Bykofsky, executive editor at What to Expect
• Eva Klein, baby and toddler sleep consultant, founder of My Sleeping Baby
• Dana Oliver, child-care provider, founder of Adventure Kids Playcare
• Dr. Laura Purdy, family-medicine physician
• Karen Reardanz, Babylist director of editorial and brand
• Shandra Scruggs, labor-and-delivery nurse, founder of Simply Birthed
• Shira Sharifi, doula, founder of A Birth Connection
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