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I don't write many reviews on Amazon, but my wife and I felt that this one really needed one, especially since there are no reviews yet. We originally purchased a Graco Silhouette based on the Baby 411 book. After the first use, we were skeptical it didn't soothe at all, actually it made him more upset. We tried multiple times again, even when he was quiet, but to no avail. Every time we put him in, it was the same result he cried. We ended up returning the swing and assumed that our baby didn't like swings. Fast forward a month and we thought we'd give it another shot, so we purchased the Snuggabunny. We're so glad we tried again, because he loves the Snuggabunny! He can literally go from crying to sleeping within a couple of minutes. It could be that he is now a month older and that he likes swings more, or but what I'd like to believe is that this swing is much better than the Graco Silhouette line!
Here are some of the objective things I've noticed that make this a better swing.
1. Easier to put together vs. the Graco Silhouette. It took about 30 mins to put this together, much better than the almost 1.5hrs with the Graco.
2. Plug in option. All parents go through batteries with kids toys, but if you don't have to, why bother? This one plugs right into a regular wall outlet.
3. Much better mobile. This mobile is much more visually stimulating, especially with the mirror.
4. Material. This plush fabric is much more comfortable than the plastic-like material of some of the other swings.
5. Multiple swinging options. The Graco Silhouette model only goes back and forth, whereas this one can go side to side as well as back and forth. It's always good to have multiple options.
As for the negatives, I cannot really think of any. The only downfall I see to this swing when compared to Graco's line is the weight limit. This only can hold 25 lbs when the Graco can handle 30 lbs. Not sure what we're going to do when he hits that 26th lb!
So there you have it, not all swings are created equally! I'd highly recommend this to any new parent or those looking to upgrade swings. We're actually contemplating purchasing another one to have upstairs when he has difficulty sleeping!
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We loved this swing. Most of all because in addition to running off batteries-it PLUGS into the wall-i.e. it has an adapter. Maybe I just have bad parent luck-but every time I'd be desperate to use our old swing (baby colicky in the middle of the night-swing only thing that works) and of course the batteries were dead. I'm not sure why all swings don't plug in-but most of them don't and I would NEVER even take a battery-operated swing for free.In additionI love the neutral colors and it is quite snuggly. All three of my children ALWAYS feel asleep in the swing. Our second wasn't s found of it-but it did make her sleep.
GOOD:
Neutral peaceful colors
Extra soft fabrics
Swing can swing two ways-front to back or side to side.
Nice selection of music/sounds
Quiet
BAD:
The only thing is that we had to quit using it because our baby got too big and the swing just couldn't swing well-but I didn't take away a star-because our baby was and is off the carts as far as weight and height. I doubt any swing could have worked when he got close to 30 lbs.
Please say if this review is helpful to you-I've started reviewing things I've bought to return the favor of many reviews that I have benefited from reading on Amazon. But, I don't know if others rely on reviews as much as I do-and I don't need to be spending time on things that don't help people. Also, feel free to ask any questions in the comments and I will answer them.
Best Deals for Fisher-Price Cradle 'N Swing
I've tried out a number of swings. My two favorites are this swing and the Fisher Price Rainforest Open-Top Cradle Swing. I personally prefer the Rainforest swing because the open-top makes it so much easier to get the baby in/out of the swing. The pros and cons of the Snugabunny Swing are as follows:Pro's:
-Very Comfy Seat: The seat has very plush thick padding that's very comfy for baby. The contoured shaped of the seat helps to hold baby securely and comfortably. The swing holds the baby in such a way that the baby is closer to a laying down position then a sitting position. The padding on the Rainforest swing is not nearly as plush or comfortable. The Rainforest swing also has a safety bar at the foot of the swing that some babies may find uncomfortable. The Rainforest swing holds the baby in such a way that the baby is closer to sitting than laying down.
-Plugs-In: You have the option of either using batteries or plugging the swing in. If your baby is a fan of swings then you'll run through batteries really quickly so it's nice to have the option of plugging it in. The Rainforest swing has the same options.
-Swing in three Directions: You can choose to swing either front-to-back or side-to-side and can also chose which side you want the baby to face. It's very easy to turn the seat to switch directions. The Rainforest swing goes either front-to-back or side-to-side but you can only face one side. This has never been an issue for me but may matter to some people.
-Fun Mobile: The birds go around in a circle while the leaves go up and down. Your baby can also see themselves in the mirror. The addition of the up and down motion makes this mobile particularly interesting to most babies. The mobile on the Rainforest swing also has leaves that go up and down and animals that circle but does not have a mirror. The animals on the Rainforest mobile have brighter colors and are a lot cuter then the birds on this mobile.
-Decent Music/Sounds: There's a nice variety of music and nature sounds to choose from. It's very similar to the Rainforest Swing.
-Customization: The mobile, sounds, and swing are all controlled separately so it's possible to turn just one (or two) on at a time (same thing with the Rainforest Swing).
Con's:
-No Open-Top: I wish that this swing had an open-top like the Rainforest swing. The mobile on the Rainforest swing lifts up and out of the way of the swing making it much easier to put my baby in/out of the swing. With the Snugabunny swing I find it difficult to get my baby in/out of the swing without bumping his head on the mobile.
-Loud Motor: The motor on this swing makes quite a bit of noise. My son doesn't mind at all but some babies might and it can be kind of annoying for me to listen to. The motor on the Rainforest swing is also somewhat noisy but not as loud as on the Snugabunny.
-Swing Power: The Snugabunny swings much faster than most swings. Even the slowest setting may be too fast for some babies, especially younger babies. The Rainforest swings much slower then other swings and may not be fast enough for some babies even on the fastest setting. My son is perfectly happy in either swing we just use a lower setting in the Snugabunny and a higher setting in the Rainforest.
Honest reviews on Fisher-Price Cradle 'N Swing
I know that products can be different with each person, but I'll address the poor reviews from my own experience.1.--We have been using this now literally every day for multiple hours for the last three months (our son is four months old and spent the first month in the NICU). There has never been a problem with the motor, the AC adapter, or the swinging mechanism.
2.--It does go fast if your baby is a newborn and light, but it really does slow down when they start gaining weight. In fact, after he hit the 9 pound mark, it slowed down. That being said, there really isn't much of a speed difference between the first and the last speed. Basically, they all swing the same speed, depending on the weight of your child. For example, the first speed for a 7 pound baby will be the same as the third speed for a 12 pound baby (approximately). Even at 14 pounds, we still put our son in on the first speed a lot of the time, and it's just enough movement to soothe him, but not so much to get him excited.
3.--The motor is not loud at all. The swing is literally at the foot of our bed, and after about the first five minutes of the first time using it, you really don't notice the only noise the motor produces--a quiet clicking each time the swing rocks. The music has different volumes and four different settings: music only, music and nature noises, nature noises only, and water noises. The music is different depending on which setting you're on, which is nice because you don't hear the same song over and over. The only downside to the music is that it only plays for about 15-20 minutes. That's okay for our son, who (if he's going to fall asleep) falls asleep in 5-10 minutes...but it might be a problem for babies taking longer to fall asleep.
4.--At around three months, our son became very interested in the birds on the mobile, and not long after became VERY interested in the mirror. It used to be that he would wake up screaming for food in the morning (he has been sleeping 9-12 hours per night since he was 2.5 months old). Now when he wakes up, he sees his reflection and has a 20-30 minute "conversation" with himself. The conversation is now what wakes us up instead of screaming, giving us enough time to get his food ready. In short, he is HAPPY when he wakes up, and no longer just screaming.
5.--He doesn't always sleep in the swing (at night), but he almost always takes a nap in it during the day. The motion (there are three different settings as to motion direction) is enough to soothe him and keep him asleep, as opposed to putting him on a flat surface (i.e. a crib), which allows him to sleep, but not as well as in the swing. If your infant is anything like mine, he "startles" himself awake on a flat surface (I know that this goes away, but as of now, it still happens) as opposed to being cradled by the swing.
6.--The fabric is SUPER plushy and soft, but unfortunately, that also means it can get warm. We live in the high desert in New Mexico (Santa Fe), so it gets really hot here (and air conditioners are uncommon). He has never overheated in the swing, but occasionally he does feel a little warm on his back when I take him out. For the wonderful fun he has in the swing and the great sleep he gets, the temperature is something that is EASILY fixed by clothing choice. If it's really hot in here, I'll put him in a onesie and cover his feet with a flour sack towel (what we use for burp cloths) or an aden and anais wrap.
This is easily the best item we have as far as rest and non-excitable entertainment goes (along with the matching sleeper). If I had to do it over, I would purchase this swing EVERY time.
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