Great Expectations: Baby’s First Year

This is our prep course on choosing great baby gear, along with our recommendations. Here we cover not only the basic equipment you’ll need for your newborn, but also the big-ticket items you’re likely to acquire later, such as a stroller and high chair. The list is in alphabetical order to make it easy to find what you need.

A lot of babies are soothed by the rocking and rhythmical motion of a swing. Baby swings come with baby-sized seats mounted on a frame that tick-tocks the seat back and forth after you wind it up, or pop the switch that turns on a small, battery-operated motor.

Baby swings are for newborns to babies who are under 25 pounds or about 6 months of age. Keep in mind that most swings take up a lot of floor space; but smaller, travel models that fold are also available. Or, you may want to consider a bouncing baby seat as a space-saving alternative. (See in this chapter.)

There are basically five styles of automated swings: wind-up A-frames, battery-operated A-frames, open-front models, multiuse models, and small travel swings. Wind-up A-frames are equipped with an internal spring that tightens with a hand crank. The spring loosens gradually with each successive swinging motion. They are the least expensive swings you can buy. While some models offer only 15 minutes of rocking time per windup, others will run up to 30 minutes with cranking—a better choice.

Battery-operated swings have small motors inside to push the swing arms, and usually require approximately six C-or D-cell batteries that run the swing for about 200 hours before the juice runs out. Most versions offer on/off switches and allow a choice of several swing speeds. Some come with built-in computer chip music, which is more likely to drive you nuts than soothe the baby.

While traditional swings have an A-shaped frame to support the swing assembly, some newer designs are configured with an open top, allowing easier access to the seat portion when you’re putting the baby inside or removing her. Folding travel swings are small, tabletop versions of swings that fold readily for travel. They use batteries and may offer sound and music options. Multi-use swings are equipped with both a seat and an interchangeable bassinet (baby bed), either of which lock on to the swing’s arms.

The least expensive option. Babies like the tick-tock sound they make. Models fold easily and are usually very simple, but adequate for the job.

They take up a lot of floor space. Winding the swing may be noisy enough to wake up the baby. Sometimes spring assemblies break from over-winding.

They’re quieter than the wind-up models. The seats may be more comfortable and offer a recline feature that the wind-ups don’t.

They cost more than wind-up models; plus, you’ll have to pay for the batteries. Their batteries and motors make them heavier and more cumbersome to move or store. The music may be annoying.

They’re easier to use, and some offer side-to-side rocking in addition to front-to-back motion. Most offer a reclining seat.

They generally cost more than A-frame models and take up a similar amount of floor space. They don’t fold for storage as compactly as A-frames.

They don’t take up much space, yet offer rhythmical movement that babies love. They’re easy to move from place to place.

Gives a young baby an alternative place to snooze without having to sit upright.

These systems are huge, and the bassinet section isn’t always comfortable for small babies. When rocking, it may knock the baby from one side to the other. There have been recalls when the bassinets have broken loose from the swing’s arm.

WARNING! Baby-Product Safety

For more on baby-product safety, see our important baby-product danger table on of 6. Medical and Safety Guide.