Babies get tired easily and need frequent sleep to grow up rapidly. Getting your baby to sleep, however, can be exhausting. Therefore, most moms and dads should look into getting the best baby swing for sleeping.
Baby swings are normally equipped with music and swing motions, either from front to back or from side to side, some with both motions even. With such entertainment and advanced design, parents are able to do one’s own business while helping the baby sleep.
However, a baby swing is not designed for long time sleep, it is not flat as a bed or cradle. If a baby sleeps in it for a long period of time, it may hinder the baby’s growth and bone development.
Thus we suggest moms use it mainly for entertainment or a place for the baby to get a short nap, instead of sleeping all night.
The following products we will recommend are mainly good for short naps. If you are looking for a helping hand in getting your baby to sleep, don’t worry! We hope you can find the most suitable one from our best baby swing for sleeping review.
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Table of Contents
The 4 Best Baby Swing For Sleeping: Top Recommend
Is it OK for Babies to Sleep in Swings?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), parents should not use baby swings as sleep aids. Although convenience is important for you as a parent, the safety of your baby should be the first priority. Swings help babies to fall asleep, but you should move them into a crib once they sleep. Do not let the baby sleep in the swing for a long period of time, especially if he or she is unsupervised.
Sitting your baby for a long period of time in a swing can also make it hard for him or her to breathe well, leading to an increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The risk is even high if you have a newborn because they are delicate and need to be supervised constantly.
For these reasons, never let the baby sleep in the swing at night. You can supervise her to nap in the swing during the day, but make sure that the baby is strapped into the device tightly. Also, do not put any loose pillows, stuffed animals, or pillows in the swing with the baby.
While most parents cannot imagine functioning without the baby swings, it is important that they be cautious because these rocking devices are among the causes of SIDS.
How Long Can a Baby Take a Short Sleep in a Swing?
Though most experts advise parents to limit their baby’s time in a swing to a specific duration in a day, there are no hard and fast rules. According to Consumer Reports, you should not leave the baby in the swing for more than half an hour (30 minutes). Also, in her book “What to Expect the First Year,” Heidi Murkoff recommends putting your baby in the swing for only 30 minutes, twice a day, no matter for sleeping or playing.
If you leave your baby for long in the swings, they are most likely to miss out on interaction with you, which helps them mature physically and emotionally. It also limits the baby’s movement, which she needs in developing motor skills that leads to pulling up, cruising, and crawling. And sitting in a swing will not help her do that.
Consumer Reports further state that the strong motion of the swing can prevent your baby from being able to lift their head, delaying motor development.
Best Baby Swing For Sleeping Reviews
1. Best Baby Swing For Sleeping – Graco Dream Glider Gliding
If you want one for baby to have a nap, this Graco baby swing is the best-recommended type. From the shape, we can find that it is designed totally into cradle shape. It has two modes of use, one is for gliding seat, while the other is for gliding sleeping. Through adjusting lever below the seat, you can change it into a flatbed or angled swing seat.
There is an infant head support but you can get an extra thick one for napping. A clean sleeping environment as a bassinet does for baby is important, it frees baby from getting sick. All the fabric on the machine can be taken off and washed by washing machine.
For baby sleeping, there are 10 songs and 5 sounds, white noise included can soothe baby down and get into sleep mode rapidly and effectively. Besides, if you add battery into it, you can have 2 vibration modes, one is hard while the other is slow, find the suitable one for your baby and you can do your own business while the baby is sleeping.
If you are getting tired of turning off music all the time, you can set a timer and it stops automatically. Thus battery life is saved to large extent.
Pros:
- 2 modes of using
- 6 gliding speeds
- Plug in or battery
- Easy to assemble
- 10 songs and 5 sounds inserted
Cons:
- Take up much space
- 3 point harness
2. Best Baby Girl Swing – Fisher Price Papasan
We recommend this Fisher-Price baby swing as the second-best baby swing for sleeping on our review, mainly for its appearance and delicate design.
There is a net around swing, and if you put it somewhere dark and turn the machine one, the light on net shines and interest baby a lot. Baby is afraid of staying alone, she or he is not ready enough to face strange things on the world alone, therefore, the net around gives him or her a sense of security and makes infant peace and sound while staying inside.
There are 2 swing motions, one is from side to side while the other from front to back. Swing motion gives the baby a feeling of lying right in mom’s arm. Soft hanging toys attract baby’s attention and 16 songs and music relax baby a lot.
It is a full size baby swing, the open angled swing foot structure makes swing more stable but also occupies more space in home. For daily recreation, you can put toy tray on it.
Pros:
- Removable toy tray
- Foldable leg
- 2 swing motions
- Plug in or battery operated
- 6 swing speeds
- 16 songs and sounds
Cons:
- Light shuts off after about 15 minutes if sound isn’t on volume control
- Seat is not deep enough
3. Best Portable Baby Swing – Graco Lite LX Gliding
This baby swing is a small portable type, suitable for travel use or small tiny home use. Of course the price of which is super cheap, thus if you lack enough money but still want one for short sleeping of baby, you can choose this one.
The reason we suggest this one is for its seat design, the seat is quite deep and flat. When the baby sleeps inside, he or she will feel secure. There are altogether 6 gliding speeds you can choose, from fast to slow. The Control panel is set on the right arm of swing.
It has 5 point harness to keep baby safe in using time, infant head support is set within the machine, get a thick one if you think it is unable to support your infant. All the fabric on the machine is washable and can be taken off easily.
The swing serves as a small cradle and you can carry it around anywhere you go for its lightweight. There is also a built-in timer to automatically control it on and off. Most of travel baby swings are battery types, constantly changing the battery is also costly. However, this baby swing is designed to be plug-in type, you can plug it in the wall when used at home and choose a battery for outdoor travel use.
Pros:
- Lightweight
- 6 gliding speed
- Removable toy bar
- Built-in timer
- Plug in and battery both
- Space save
Cons:
- Unfold
- You need to remove swing away before putting the baby in
4. Best Baby Swing For Small Space – Graco LX Gliding
This is another Graco baby swing we would like to suggest for short sleeping. It looks pretty giant but is actually occupying 40% less space than other full-size baby swings.
Like most of the types, this one also has different incline positions, if you want the baby to get a short nap, turn the seat into a flat position, for recreation play, just put it to the upright situation.
There are also 6 swing speeds you can adjust, from fast to slow, you can choose the most suitable one with your baby’s preference. See the setting on the seat, that is vibration set, there are two modes also, but is driven by a battery.
Infant head support is inserted in the swing, there is also a five-point harness to keep baby safe all the time. For cons? Well, it swings from head to toe only and is unfold, thus we suggest it be used mainly at home.
Ahead hanging toys are able to entertain babies.
Pros:
- Save space
- 3 incline positions
- 6 swing speeds
- 2 vibration modes
- Plug in and battery both
Cons:
- Swings from head to toe only
- Unfold
When Should Baby Start Using A Baby Swing For Sleeping and Playing?
Parents need not wait until their babies are a certain age before using a swing. However, putting your newborn in a swing depends on several factors such as the weight restrictions in a specific model as well as its ability to recline.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, you should put your infants, especially if they are under 4 months, in the most reclined position. Use straps to secure the baby in case the seat adjusts to more than 50 degrees. Also, supervise the baby while they nap in the swing during the day and make sure they are strapped into the device tightly. Avoid putting any loose pillows, stuffed animals, or pillows in the swing.
Features to Consider in Good Baby Swings For A Short Sleeping
The market is flooded with many baby swings, all claiming to be the best in soothing and entertaining your baby. But there are specific features that set each one apart. And they make the difference between buying a perfect baby swing and a cheap, unsafe one.
Here are a few features in a good baby swing.
Seat
Comfort is a key feature in a baby swing. And a good sleeping swing has a comfortable, well-padded seat. The seat cover is also soft, warm and easy to clean. It also has a seat belt. Baby swings have either 3-point or 5-point harnesses, which help keep the baby safe and secure.
Head and Neck Support
The swing for sleeping or napping should support the head and neck of your infant. This reduces the risk of sustaining head, spine, and neck injuries. Newborns are delicate and stand the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Swing Speed
Make sure the sleeping baby swing have multiple swing speeds to ensure that they cater to the needs of all. Some newborns prefer slow motions to a faster ones. But ensure that you moderate the swing speed to prevent shaken baby syndrome (SBS).
Sturdy Construction
Robust construction ensures safety. And safety is important when using a baby swing. In other words, you should find a well-designed baby swing. Test the frame material to decide whether a swing is well built. It’s supposed to be metal.
Portability
It is incredibly easy to use a compact baby swing. Hence, it needs to be small and lightweight to be portable. It should also be foldable and easy to assemble – the easier it is to assemble a baby swing, the better for everyone!
Power Source
Baby swings are powered differently. There are some that you need to plug into an electrical outlet while others use batteries. The latter may be costly, but it is the best option when considering portability.
Safety Cautions on Sleeping in the Baby Swing
- The baby swing is designed mainly for freeing parents’ hands and giving them more time in doing their own business. Thus it can also serve as a temporary place for soothing baby down. The swing seat is not good for the development of a baby’s bone when it stays inside for a long period of time. Therefore, all recommended products in our best baby swing for sleeping review are suitable for taking a nap only. We strongly suggest the baby not sleep in swing for a long time, no more than 2 hours especially.
- Though baby swing is equipped with all sorts of safety equipment, it still has unpredictable dangers in using period. Therefore, when the baby is using a swing machine, you should always keep an eye on him or her for safety.
Features of Best Baby Swing for Sleeping
1. Flat
Sleeping in somewhere flat such as bed or cradle is good for the development of baby’s bone, therefore, most of the baby swings are designed to be multiple incline positions. You can either adjust it to flat positions or angled positions.
2. Soft fabric
Babies’ skins are pretty soft and sensitive, the soft fabric can protect the baby’s skin. Besides, fabric and infant head support of most baby swings are easily taken off and are machine washable.
3. Built-in head support
Head support is inserted to keep the baby into a sound sleep.
Can Sleeping in Swings Cause Shaken Baby Syndrome?
It depends!
Violently or persistent shaking of a child or an infant causes the shaken baby syndrome or SBS. In America, an estimated 1,400 children seek treatment for SBS and can occur from as little as 5 seconds of shaking. It is also common in children below 2 years.
According to the Consumer Reports, long sessions or strong motions on swings can result in SBS. When an infant is shaken constantly, the brain bounces back and forth against the skull, bruising the cerebral contusion as well as swelling and bleeding in the brain. A small child is also likely to sustain injuries like damage to the eyes, spine, and neck.
So, limit the swinging period to 30 minutes, twice a day, and do not leave your baby unsupervised while at it.
Are Short Sleeping Baby Swings Good for Babies?
No!
Baby swings offer parents the much-needed break from holding, rocking, and bouncing their little ones. Dr. Jen Trachtenberg, founder of Pediatrician in Your Pocket, says that a baby becomes more relaxed, entertained and content while swinging. The National Sleep Foundation also states that swings tend to calm infants down as it is a sensory experience, which reminds them of being in the womb. You can use the baby swing for babies to have a short nap around 30 minutes so that you can have time doing your own business. The short sleep in the swing won’t do much harm to babies under careful supervision, so get one for your little one to free your hands!
Summary
| Type | Best |
| Graco Dream Glider Gliding Swing and Sleeper- Percy | Best one for taking a nap |
| Fisher Price Papasan Cradle Swing- Starlight | Best one for soothing baby |
| Graco Lite LX Gliding Baby Swing- Lambert | Best portable type |
| Graco LX Gliding Swing- Affinia | Best space saver of full size type |
Again, we strongly suggest baby swings are used mainly for taking a short nap no more than 1 hour instead of a bed.
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