Baby Bouncer vs Swing Comparison With Best 6 Reviewed

Last Updated on March 8, 2021

Many of us would hold our babies 24/7 if we could. Still, we have to put them down to shower, cook, and occasionally rest. Having a bouncer or swing available will keep your baby calm and free your arms and hands to do other things. But which of them is better for you to get some work done? Keep on reading to find out the differences between bouncer vs swing. I’ve also included the reviews of the best baby bouncers and baby swings if you need help in choosing.

Baby Bouncer vs Swing in a Nutshell

Baby bouncers and baby swings are both moving baby seats that can be used from birth. The main difference lies in the type of motion. Bouncers bounce up and down (or rarely, side to side). In contrast to bouncers, swings are usually powered by electricity and swing back and forth or side to side. This said, there are exceptions.

You can find more information by scrolling down.

They are both excellent tools for soothing a fussy infant or keeping your little one occupied while you get some work done. Baby swings and bouncers both have a reclining position and offer the same comforting motion as in a parent’s arms.

What is a Baby Bouncer?

A baby bouncer is a seat where your little one can rest in a reclined position or bounce up and down or side to side. The movements are powered by the caretaker or by the baby. This said, there are also a couple of excellent electric options out there.

Types of Baby Bouncers:

1. Standard Baby Bouncer

This no-frills option requires an adult to move the seat up and down manually. It also bounces in response to your baby’s kicks and wiggles.

A standard baby bouncer is perfect for when you need to work out, meditate or perform yoga. You can place the baby on the floor next to you as you take a little time to de-stress. 

This said, it depends on your infant’s temperament if he enjoys sitting there still before she is strong enough to move it herself.

Many baby bouncers come with extra features. Some units feature a vibration mode, resembling the soft hum of riding in a car. They may also include toys that suspend from a bar for interactive play. 

2. Electric Baby Bouncer

This type of seat is battery-powered, and you don’t manually have to bounce it. 

Graco Soother with a removable rocker (also sold on Amazon) is one popular example. You can choose between 16 different types of motions (including bouncing). 

It’s often a matter of taste if you call some products electric bouncers or swings with a bouncing feature.

3. Bouncer/Swing Combo

This dual option may offer the best of both worlds for those who can’t decide between a bouncer or a swing. The seat detaches from the swing and converts to a bouncer or rocker. If this description got your attention, then Graco DuetConnect is one of the best picks for you. 

PROS of Baby Bouncers:

• Bouncers are usually more lightweight than swings, so you can effortlessly move them around
• You can fold many baby bouncers for easy storage
• Both baby bouncers and swings are usually easy to put together. This said, you can find baby bouncers that don’t even need to be assembled
• Baby bouncers are designed to be also moved by your infant so they are not as confining as baby swings. They usually have a 3-point-harness

CONS of Baby Bouncers:

• Standard baby bouncers are powered by caregivers or the baby 
• In contrast to baby swings, many bouncers don’t come with extra features. For example, we even had to buy a toy for our BabyBjörn bouncer as it’s not included in the package. This said, it also depends on the model. I’ve reviewed here two Fisher-Price bouncers that come with extras.

What is a Baby Swing?

A baby swing is a seat where similarly to baby bouncers, your little one can rest in a reclined position, but it also moves if needed. The main difference lies in the type of motion. You simply choose a setting. After that, the swing will rock your baby back and forth or side to side until he or she falls asleep.

In contrast to bouncers, baby swings usually operate on batteries or an AC adapter. They are ideal for times when you are exhausted, but your little bundle of joy is not.

PROS of Baby Swings:

• Baby swings are hands-off solutions because they are powered by electricity
• They usually come with many nifty features like toys, options to play calming sounds, or vibration mode

CONS of Baby Swings:

• They often take up more space than baby bouncers and can be quite heavy
• Some baby swings are surprisingly loud

Baby Rocker as an Alternative to Bouncer and Swing

When you’re trying to decide between a baby bouncer and a baby swing, you’ll sooner or later discover small kid rockers. These are tiny rocking chairs that are usually powered by caregivers. They often feature extras like soothing sounds and vibration mode.

Most of them are big enough for toddlers, who can then use these are their tiny rocking chairs. As a result, you can use one for quite a long time.

Fisher-Price Deluxe Infant to Toddler Rocker is a popular example that’s also sold on Amazon.

Bouncer vs Swing: Which one Should you Choose?

The picture below sums up the main points to take into account when deciding between bouncer and swing. This said, you can scroll even further down for a more thorough discussion. And remember, if you can’t choose between the two, you can always opt for a combo set.

1. Baby’s Temperament may be the Most Important Factor When Deciding Between a Bouncer and a Swing

There’s no point in buying baby swing or bouncers unless they can calm your baby. As a result, you have to consider his or her temperament when deciding between bouncer vs swing.

For example, our baby always started crying when we weren’t sitting just next to him. This nulled the benefit of our hands-off baby swing as we still had to sit right next to him. So a less bulky baby bouncer was a better option for this reason alone.

This said, most swings feature music, a vibration mode, or toys to relax babies and keep them occupied. Many settings will give you ample alternatives to keep your baby rested. So, in contrast to baby bouncers, you have more options to try to stop the inevitable crying.

2. Bouncers Usually Offer More Mobility for Your Child

Restraints are essential regardless if you choose a bouncer or a swing. You don’t want your baby to fall out of the seat.

Many swings use a 5-point-harness because the device may become unstable if your little one is very active. A baby bouncer, in contrast, is meant to be moved by your baby, so it usually comes with a 3-point-harness that allows more mobility.

3. How Much Free Space you Have and how Often you Travel?

Your choice will also depend on how much space you have available in your nursery. 

In contrast to baby bouncers, baby swings can be bulky. Depending on the dimensions, it may be difficult to even fit through a door or narrow hallway. 

It was more convenient for me to set the baby seat up in the living room and leave it there. This way, we could fold clothes, watch TV and eat while my boy enjoyed the gentle motion of the baby swing.

A bouncer is also a better pick if you don’t have much storage space or travel a lot. They are very dad-friendly products as fathers usually end up packing and unpacking family-cars.

4. Do you Have Pets?

A baby swing is a better option if you have small pets in the house. They generally sit higher than baby bouncers and have a frame around them. As a result, it’s harder for your dogs and cats to disturb your baby during naps.

5. The Longevity of use Depends on Your Baby

Most baby bouncers can hold a baby up to around six months old because they sit low, and big kids would bounce against the floor. This said, it’s possible to use some of them as toddler seats. The official upper age limit for a BabyBjörn bouncer is two years, for example.

Since swings are heftier than bouncers, they tend to hold more weight. Many parents report using the containment device for up to a year.

In my personal experience, a swing becomes more quickly absolute. When our 20-pound baby wiggled to look around, the swing became uncomfortably wobbly. But after nine months, we also gave up on our baby bouncer because he wanted to move around and didn’t enjoy being contained.

All in all, it depends very much on your baby, for how long you can use a baby bouncer or baby swing. If your little one is very active or relatively heavy, then you can pack your baby seat (regardless of the type) after around nine months.

6. Best Baby Seats Should be Easy to Clean to Make Your Life Easier?

In the event of an accidental leak or mess, waterproof seats wipe down easily. But you shouldn’t have to worry about a bigger mess either. Most modern baby bouncers and baby swings feature covers that detach from the frame so that you can throw them in the washer. 

Are Baby Bouncers and Baby Swings Safe, and can Baby Sleep in a Bouncer?

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), both bouncers and swings are safe as long as parents don’t keep their babies there too long. They should not be used for routine sleep.

To minimize risks, experts suggest:

• Read the safety guidelines that come with the unit
• Place bouncy seats on the floor. Please resist the temptation to elevate them to a countertop, table, desk, sofa, or bed
• Always secure your child in the seat with restraints and check to make sure that provide a snug fit
• Keep the baby within eyesight at all times. Even if you have to use the bathroom, you can sit a bouncy seat on the floor
• Move the baby to a crib once they fall asleep
• Stop using the containment device when your baby reaches the manufacturer’s recommended limit or can sit up on her own
• Look for items with a Juvenile Products Manufacturer’s Association (JPMA) label to ensure the bouncer or swing was tested and meets safety standards

3 Best Baby Bouncers for DadProgress Reviewed

BabyBjörn Bouncer Balance Bliss (Check the Latest Price on Amazon)

Weight limit: Up to 20lb when you are using it as a bouncer. You can also use it as a chair, and then the weight limit is 29lb

Item Weight: 4.5lb

Type: Standard Bouncer

PROS

• BabyBjörn bouncer is very lightweight, so it’s easy to transport around the house or take with you while traveling
• It’s stable
• The ergonomic design means that the weight of your baby is distributed evenly
• There are six different colors available (don’t buy black though as dust is clearly visible on it)
• There are three materials available. You can click here for more information about different materials
• This bouncer is safe. It’s JPMA certified and belongs to Oeko-Tex Class I
• There are three different positions available depending on your baby’s weight 
• The seat cover is machine-washable
• You don’t have to assemble it, and you can easily fold in a couple of seconds for transportation or storage

CONS

• The price is relatively high. For that price, they could have at least included the toy bar (you have to buy it separately, by the way). That said, I had this bouncer and never regretted buying it

Fisher-Price Baby Bouncer (Check The Latest Price On Amazon)

Weight limit: Up to 20lb 

Item Weight: 5lb

Type: Standard Bouncer with vibration mode

PROS

• This Fisher-Price bouncer is competitively priced. The removable toy bar with two toys is included in the package
• The vibration mode is a nice extra feature
• It’s also a stable baby bouncer
• At the moment of writing, you can choose between three different colors 
• The seat bad is removable and machine-washable 
• You can easily assemble this baby bouncer, but you can’t fold it for easy storage

CONS

• This bouncer take up a little more space than the BabyBjörn bouncer
• Batteries are not included
• This bouncer isn’t adjustable

Fisher-Price Deluxe Bouncer (Check the Latest Price on Amazon)

Weight limit: Up to 25lb 

Item Weight: 8lb

Type: Standard bouncer with extra features

PROS

• It’s a standard bouncer (so the movements are triggered by you or your baby), but it also has an option to switch on the calming vibrations. This bouncer also plays calming music for your child
• The insert of this bouncer is soft and cozy. If your baby doesn’t already feel relaxed enough, you can turn on some soft music
• The toy bar is included in the package
• It’s a stable bouncer
• At the moment of writing, you can choose between five different designs
• The seat pad and insert are machine-washable 

CONS

• This bouncer is bigger than the BabyBjörn bouncer. So it may not be the best choice if you have to travel a lot
• Batteries are sold separately
• The incline of this bouncer isn’t adjustable based on the weight of your baby. This means that it may not move as much as you’d like at first

3 Best Baby Swings for DadProgress Reviewed

Graco Simple Sway Swing (Check The Latest Price On Amazon)

Weight limit: Up to 30lb

Item Weight: 17lb

Baby Swing: This baby swing is powered by D batteries or an AC-adapter, but you do need batteries to use the vibration mode

PROS

• It’s a stable swing that moves from side to side. You can choose between six different speeds
• Vibration mode and different sounds are ideal for soothing your baby
• This baby swing features a compact frame, so it’s ideal if you’re looking for a baby swing for a small nursery
• The toy bar is included in the package
• The cover is machine-washable 

CONS

• –

Fisher-Price Sweet Snugapuppy Dreams Cradle and Swing (Check the Latest Price on Amazon)

Weight limit: Up to 25lb 

Item Weight: 25lb

Baby Swing: This swing is operated by batteries, or you can use the AC adapter

PROS

• There are two ways to swing, two recline positions and six different speeds. So this swing allows you to find what really soothes your baby
• The toys are included in the package
• You don’t need batteries as it also works with a cord
• The seat pad and insert are machine-washable
• This baby swing is quiet

CONS

• The swinging motion is surprisingly slow
• This swing is quite heavy compared to some others baby swings (but still only 25lb)
• Adjusting the swing legs can be challenging. If they aren’t properly adjusted, the legs don’t touch the floor at the same time, and so the swing stays unstable

Graco Baby Swing With a Removable Rocker (Check the Latest Price on Amazon)

Weight limit: 25lb (18lb for the rocker)

Item Weight: 22.5lb

Baby Swing: It’s powered by an AC-adapter, but you need batteries for the vibration mode

PROS

• It’s called a baby soother because you can choose between 16 different soothing motions and six speeds
• You can adjust the recline angle. This means that this baby swing grows with your baby
• This swings also offers a calming vibration mode and an option to play different soothing sounds 
• The toys are included in the package
• You can detach the seating area from the base and only use it as a rocker
• The seat pad and insert are machine-washable

CONS

• You need to assemble it
• While most baby rockers convert into toddler chairs, this one has a weight limit of only 18lb 

To Sum Up

To be honest, as a new dad, I didn’t even know these things existed. We bought a standard bouncer for our boy, and a friend gave us their old swing. So we a chance to test both of them.

It may be hard to decide between a baby bouncer and a baby swing. You could buy both of them, of course, but a better option is to read the pros and cons carefully.

For our second baby, we’re only using the standard Babybjörn bouncer (also sold on Amazon). It’s an excellent lightweight bouncer that’s effortless to fold and grows with your child.

This said, if you have enough space, a baby swing combo may be the best option. Graco Baby Swing With a Removable Rocker (also sold on Amazon) offers 16 different motions and comes with extras. This means that you have a myriad of options to soothe your fussy baby.

Thanks for reading!