The 4moms mamaRoo Baby Swing is taking the world of baby swings into new directions — five to be exact! This high-tech swing will be your baby’s first piece of ‘playground’ equipment and, as such, should be both fun and totally safe.
The swing is pricey, as one would expect with all its features. In addition, it can only be used until the infant weighs in at 25 lbs., usually around 12 months.
In this review, we’ll find out if its high price is worth the investment.
In this article:
Product summary
The mammaRoo Baby Swing (check price on Amazon) from 4moms is a Bluetooth-enabled high-tech baby swing.
This version sports a Classic Nylon Fabric seat cover. It also has five unique motions that are controlled with a Smartphone.
Baby swings have been popular with new parents for decades to both soothe cranky little ones and gentle them toward slumber before being transferred into their baby crib.
This swing doesn’t bounce, vibrate, or actually swing! Rather, the sleek, modern-looking device mimics real-life motions, plays music, and has three reclining settings.
The swing is also Bluetooth-enabled, so you can control it right from your Smartphone, on Android, or iOS. There’s even an MP3 plug-in, plus much more…
Important note for parents
The American Academy of Pediatricians strongly advises against allowing a sleeping baby to remain in an infant swing. Review the safety rules of the AAP before you purchase or use any infant swing.
Included with kit:
- Overhanging interactive toys, including rattle, crinkle, and mirror
- Reversible toy balls
- Seat covered in machine-washable woven nylon material
- AC adaptor: No batteries required
- Weight range: Birth to 25lbs (or till baby can sit without assistance)
- Item weight: 19 lbs
- Item dimensions: 33” L x 19.5” W x 25.5″ H
Pros
- Remote Bluetooth control of speed and motion
- Wide ranges of motions to soothe any infant
- 5 speeds
- Built-in music
- MP3 plug-in for choice of music
- No batteries ever needed
- The mammaRoo Infant Swing is used in more than 300 hospitals. (Source)
Cons
- Infants should not be left to fall asleep in the swing
- Youngest babies must always fully recline in the chair
Key features
The mamaRoo Baby Swing presents itself like the latest model car; it’s loaded! Every possible feature one can imagine is included in this piece of baby equipment.
Unfortunately, it will only be suitable for a baby in its first year. That said, it’s a great piece of equipment to pass on to a relative or friend, or, if nothing else, it will bring ‘top price’ from the local baby resale shop.
If your baby is fussy or suffers from colic, you may well find the features worth a king’s ransom. For my newborn Jack, the Colic King, I would have cheerfully mortgaged the house for this momentary relief!
- Multi-movement seat
The seat on the mamaRoo has five different reclining positions. 4moms and pediatricians suggest that newborns remain in the most reclined position. The reclining position can be raised as your baby gains more seating control. - Cool mesh
The cool mesh is washable, while the reversible cover keeps baby comfortable and makes cleaning it a breeze. Simply place into your washing machine and it’s clean in a jiffy. It can be replaced with a variety of mamaRoo covers with plush and color options. If you have a newborn, you may want to consider the newborn insert to ensure that your baby is cradled comfortably and securely. - Bluetooth-enabled
The mamaRoo swing features five different motions: Car ride, Kangaroo, Tree Swing, Rocking, and Wave. These motions, plus five rocking speeds, are controlled by the parent, either on the swing’s screen or by using an app on their Smartphone. The app is compatible with most Android devices that support Bluetooth Low Energy and run Android 4.3+. It’s also compatible with iOS apps supported on all Apple devices newer than the iPhone running iOS 9+. - Sounds
The mamaRoo has optional sounds to help soothe your baby. There are four songs built into the swing’s control panel. You also have an option to play your own lullabies with its built-in MP3 player.
Add-on purchases that make sense
4moms offers supplies and equipment that make owning the swing easier and even more convenient. Check these out before you place your order. The reversible newborn insert is particularly useful for the tiniest ones.
- 4moms New Reversible and Machine Washable Newborn Insert
Soft, Plush Fabric or Cool Mesh Fabric inserts (check price on Amazon) could even be bought together. Newborns are known for spitting up, so having a back-up insert could prove useful. The quick reverse side will handle the first upchuck or blowout quite well. New covers are available in grey cloth, multi plush, silver plush, and black classic. - Bobby Noggin Nest Head Support
This special pillow (check price on Amazon) can be placed underneath your baby’s noggin and is a nice accompaniment to the mamaRoo. The cut-out design relieves pressure while keeping your baby’s head safely cradled.
How the mamaRoo compares to the competition
The mamaRoo Baby Swing is a tremendous product that soothes infants and helps them fall asleep. A difficulty for parents is that pediatricians warn against allowing babies under 12 months old to sleep in any swing. We searched for a product that would resolve both these needs and came up with the HALO Bassinest.
The HALO BassiNest Swivel Sleeper, Premiere Series BassiNest, Luna (check price on Amazon) is not a swing, but a bassinet swivel sleeper. Just like a co-sleeper does at nighttime or during the day, the mamaRoo will fit right beside your bed so you can care more easily for your baby while recovering. This solution is co-sleeping at its best, most comfortable, and, certainly, safest. Personally, I admit I would have given up the lake house to have had this equipment for my Alice!
- Four-point base adjusts to bed heights from 24 to 34 inches, making reaching baby easier.
- Breathable mesh sidewalls lower and raise, then lock into position
- Bed swivels 360 degrees and rotates making getting out of bed a breeze
- Soothing Center includes three soothing sounds, three lullabies, a back-to-bed safety reminder, vibration, and a 30-minute auto shutoff
- Includes two storage pockets and 100% polyester fitted sheets
Who should buy a mamaRoo baby swing?
One parent was so thrown by her baby’s habit of sleeping for only 10 minutes at a time, day and night, that she confessed she’d sell her car, if necessary, to obtain this product.
She was finally able to do something other than rock, jostle, and croon. If your baby is unable to soothe itself, then seriously consider the mammaRoo swing.
If you can’t get it right away, and you’re still desperate, do what I did when Jack went through this phase. Learn the ‘hold’ from Dr. Robert Hamilton.
Old school or new, babies look to us parents for soothing. Eventually, they’ll learn it on their own, but for the first few months, we’re on constant duty.
