All Bound Up in Baby: November 2012

Keeping your baby occupied and amused can be a full time and exhausting job. Having two free hands and a few moments to yourself can be rare, but the 4moms Mamaroo can help.

The Product:

The Mamaroo is a revolutionary "swing" that is easy, convenient, and well-loved by parents everywhere. This is not your typical swing that glides back and forth or vibrates. Instead, the Mamaroo focuses on mimicking the movements of parents by bouncing and swaying, just as you do when holding your precious little one. The familiar motions help ease and comfort a fussy baby while keeping them securely strapped in with the five point safety harness. The bounces and sways have five speeds and unique motions: car ride, kangaroo, tree swing, rock a bye, and ocean. Each motion can be experienced in an upright position or more laid back with its adjustable recline. What really sets it apart, however, is the music. Every Mamaroo has built-in nature sounds but if those don't suit your needs, then you can easily plug in your own mp3 player with the included cord. There is also a simple mobile attached to the top that features three reversible soft toy balls with cute monster designs on them. One side is left black and white for the sharp contrast visible to infants, but once their sight improves they can be flipped over for a more colorful viewing experience. Rather than using batteries that need to constantly be replaced, the Mamaroo can easily be plugged in. To take things even further, 4moms made all of the six removable seat fabric options (in plush or nylon) machine washable.

The Story:

This company, like many others out there in this industry, was both created by and named after a group of moms. Though the name suggests only four, it actually started out as a group of five back in 2005 and has only continued to grow since then. There are not a lot or products out there by this company as of yet, but every new design manages to be innovative and a step above everything else currently on the market. Their products are a bit on the technical side, but if any issue arises, they're really great at helping you out. At this time, I don't have any information as to the safety of its components (whether or not it's BPA-free for example), but once I obtain that information I'll be sure to update accordingly.

The Seller's Stand-Point:

There is nothing about the Mamaroo I would change. The plush fabrics (a personal favorite) are soft, the speeds have a wide range, the motions are very similar to what a parent would provide, and the ability to plug it in is key. Keep in mind that this is the most recent model and the older ones vary slightly. You can tell whether or not your model is an old one by taking a look at the buttons located on its base. If the buttons are green, the model is old. If the buttons are grey (like in the image above), you've got a new one. The newer model provides faster speeds for older babies and a sturdier mobile. When babies get older they tend to require faster speeds, but the reality of the situation is your baby is most likely going to outgrow this swing based on their maturity before they will reach the age or weight limit. 25lbs varies a lot and even a child's ability to lift their own head and neck can come at different ages but your baby will let you know once they're sick of sitting in a moving swing. The Mamaroo is perfect for smaller homes and mobile parents. Not everyone has the space for those other massive swings and even if you do find a place for one of them, there's no moving it. The Mamaroo's small size, however, allows the parent to move it to whatever room necessary or even take it to a friend or relative's home. The fact that it can be plugged in will save you from running out of batteries at crucial moments too. The trick though, is to not let your baby fall asleep in this thing. Once your little one starts to fall asleep in the Mamaroo, they'll suddenly feel as if it's the only way for them to fall asleep. Before you know it, it's impossible to put your little one to bed without having them in the Mamaroo first. Don't say I didn't warn you. As always, remember that just like adults, every baby has his or her own likes and dislikes. Sometimes (though rarely) babies just don't want to be in a swing.