Wind-Up Baby Swing

The Two Opponents

Wind-up baby swings date back to the 50s. They are half the price of battery-operated models and cost nothing to operate. Battery models offer more speeds and music/sound options but require batteries for the rocking/swinging motion and additional batteries for the music.

A wind-up swing runs for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the model, and stops; rewinding is necessary, and wind-up swings are noisy when they are being wound. This could wake a baby that is slipping into sleep. Wind-up models should be checked for sturdy construction, thick padding, and easy access through open-top construction.

Simplicity

Some parents insist that wind-up swings offer all the necessary options: a low speed to relax and put the baby to sleep, and a higher speed for the fussy, overactive, or colicky baby. Since children prefer repetition, a large selection of songs and nature sounds offered in the battery-operated models probably means more to mom than to baby, who is happy with a simple combination of music and motion.

A baby is only in a swing the first year. It is easy to justify $45-$70 out of most budgets to purchase this accessory that both amuses baby and acts like a second pair of hands so mom can spend time with baby and handle some light household chores at the same time. Portable/travel baby swings are also available (in wind-up and battery styles), and though portable swings are great for small spaces, these models are not quite as sturdy as the larger models.

Fashionable Baby Swings

Wind-up and battery-operated baby swings come in cradle/papasan styles for infants and position-changing models that adjust as a baby's abilities mature. Side-to-side, rocking and vibrating motions soothe the baby while stimulating development, and mobiles and toy bars entertain. Baby swings come in color themes, but this feature also excites mom more than baby.