Fisher-Price My Little Snugapuppy Cradle n' Swing

By Published On: January 30th, 2014

When we had our firstborn two years ago, my hubby […]

When we had our firstborn two years ago, my hubby and I created an unwritten house rule for baby’s things (or what I refer typically refer to as “kid clutter”): If it isn’t in use at the moment, it gets tucked away out of sight.
Or, I should say we did have this house rule.
Ever since my sweet girl came home from the hospital, the Fisher-Price My Little Snugapuppy Cradle n’ Swing has been a permanent fixture in our living room. We even rearranged the furniture to give it it’s own prime real estate space. Yes, y’all, it is that worth it.
Fisher-PriceSnugapuppySwingThere is rarely more than an hour or two during the day that goes by without my wee one swinging away happily in the cuddly seat. (If there ever were a day when she wasn’t in it constantly, the frame does collapse for easy storage.) As a work-from-home mom of a demanding toddler, the Snugapuppy swing has been a lifesaver over the past few months.
And, it has been impressive from the start. My husband and I both tend to get overwhelmed easily with DIY projects. The minute we see a million pieces and a diagram, stress levels (and snippy comments) soar, but not so with the Snugapuppy. The swing’s directions were easy-to-follow and all the pieces were clearly packaged. From start to finish, the swing was together in about 20 minutes without a single snippy exchange between us.
The first time my husband and I placed our little princess into the cushiony infant support, I knew it was going to be a hit. She fell asleep right away, and didn’t make a peep until feeding time. Now, months later, it is still the only place (besides our carrier) that she will nap during the day for more than fifteen minutes straight. On a good day, she will log two or three hours in dreamland.
Really, it’s no wonder why. The Snugapuppy’s fabric is soft and snuggly, and the five-point harness holds her securely and comfortably in place. (It also ensures my peace of mind. No worries about big brother pulling her out of her swing while I’m cooking in the kitchen.) When she is snoozing, the seat reclines at the push of a button. When she’s more alert, the seat back can be lifted to a more upright position.
Like the reclining feature, the swing has multiple other options to fit baby’s mood, including six speeds and two motion options. There is a traditional side-to-side movement as well as a head-to-toe motion. You can adjust between them with the push of a button and by rotating the seat a quarter-turn. When my gal starts to squirm, a simple switch of movement usually keeps her happy for a few more minutes.
Fisher-PriceSnugapuppySwingBabyThere are also three sound options on the swing and a volume control to suit your and baby’s moods. The nature setting plays cricket and owl sounds, which can get repetitive after awhile, so I prefer the “soothing” music setting, which plays quiet, pleasant lullabies. When my gal is alert, the “entertaining” setting features a fun mix of cheerful tunes. There are sixteen easy-on-the-ears songs, eight on each setting, so you don’t tire of hearing the same songs over and over. (As an aside, while I find this swing gender neutral in most respects, I can’t help but chuckle when ‘For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow’ plays as my little princess swings away.)
But, of all of the swing’s options, my favorite is the mobile that rotates at the touch of a button. A mirror above the seat keeps my little one’s attention for long stretches of time, but when she begins to fuss, I simply switch on the mobile and she is mesmerized. The combination of the swinging motion, soothing music and watching the puppies go ‘round and ‘round and the fabric butterflies move up and down is almost always enough to lull her into sleep.
While there is certainly enough variety on the swing to keep baby happy, the styling and design of the swing keeps mom happy, too. Fisher-Price clearly had real-life moms in mind when they designed the Snugapuppy. The cover on the swing is machine washable and easy to remove, and the swing includes an AC adapter so you never have to worry about running out of batteries during one of baby’s cranky moods. (Although, I do wish the cord was a wee bit longer.) The color scheme of the swing meshes perfectly with my neutral-toned living room. In shades of tan and cream with subtle hints of green and peach, the swing gently suggests a baby is nearby, rather than screaming it as some bright-colored baby items do.
In the past few months of use, the only drawback I have found to the Snugapuppy is that the motor is fairly loud when the swing is trying to settle into a rocking motion. When my girl was a newborn, the sound would sometimes wake her if we placed her into the swing while she was asleep. However, once the rhythm is established and the music or nature sounds are playing, it isn’t noticeably noisy, and when the sounds are off, I find the methodical tick-tock from the back-and-forth motion soothing.
Oh, did I say I’d only found only one drawback to the Snugapuppy? Make that two. The swing is only rated up to 25-pounds, but I’m pretty sure an adult version would be a big hit, too, Fisher-Price. Just sayin’.
Price: $100
To buy: target.com