Believe it or not, we are on our third baby and this is our first swing. Crazy, right?With our other two, it just didn't cross my mind to register for one. In part because we lived in smaller quarters and were short on space, but also just because it seemed like another piece of gear, and we already had so many!However, every mom Iknow who has used a swing has loved it, and so when I got the opportunity to try out the Fisher-Price Musical Projection Swing with baby number three, I jumped on it.
The first and most obvious thing about the swing is the cuteness factor. I have to admit Iam not much of a cutesy baby gear fan, but this swing has just enough whimsy and not too much “preciousness,” plus it has lively colors, which I always appreciate in baby gear. Sometimes you want to break out of the pastel rut, you know?
The swing comes in several pieces (9 or 10) and requires assembly, but I had no problem piecing it together (you'll need a Philips head screwdriver). The only part that gave me a little trouble was the aligning of the screws in the frame. All in all, it's fairly intuitive. Once assembled, you'll need four “D” size batteries to get it swinging and projecting and grooving. The harness system seems a little bit overthought—you have to thread the lap belt straps through the shoulder belt loops before buckling. But once baby is in, he's nice and secure, and the cloth seat appears quite comfy. The seat is adjustable as well, reclining to various degrees.
As for the “bells and whistles,”the unique part of this swing is, of course, the brightly colored projection that appears on the panel above when you switch that feature on. Once on, it rotates around in a circle pattern with a cartoon nature scene much like the one on the seat. You can choose nature sounds (quite soothing) or a musical accompaniment, or you can opt for no sound at all. There are two sound levels (I find the lower level to be quite sufficient for tiny ears) and the swing feature itself can be adjusted from a slight swing to a more vigorous one.
All of these features provide great options and flexibility for what your baby likes, and make this swing a smart buy for expecting parents.
Price: $110
To buy: target.com
