You’ve finally swayed, jiggled, and bounce your newborn to sleep. Gingerly, you settle into a rocking chair or the couch to rest and your infant’s eyes pop open within seconds. They stare incredulously or start screaming as if to say: YOU’RE NOT STANDING!
It’s a tale as old as time. Babies love to be moved in a very specific way and, in my experience, it has meant a lot of time walking circles in the living room of our home. The 4Moms MamaROO Swing was created with this in mind, with the goal of mimicking the movements baby’s love instead of the traditional “back-and-forth” of a typical baby swing.
MamaROO gives touched-out parents a much-needed break, with five different types of movements, like ocean wave and car ride, that can be used at five different speeds. The swing is Bluetooth enabled, so you can play music or your baby’s favorite white noise track. Since there is also white noise built-in to the swing with adjustable volume, you don’t have to connect your phone to the MamaRoo if you don’t want to.
Newborns up to 6 months can swing in the MamaROO. The weight limit is 25 pounds, but the makers advise that you stop using it once your baby is either too heavy or able to sit up on their own. The seat of the swing is adjustable, so it can be positioned in slightly reclined positions for the newest babies or sit up at a steeper incline as the baby gets older.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Machine-washable cover
5 unique motions
Good for small spaces
Adjustable
Cons
Material not "cozy"
Babies can't bounce on their own
“MamaROO gives touched-out parents a much-needed break, with five different types of movements, like ocean wave and car ride, that can be used at five different speeds.”
How the MamaROO Swing Worked for Our Family
During the first month of my baby’s life, I spent a lot of time with him in my arms. I expected this, of course, but as he started to reach six weeks, my situation started to feel dire. As dreamy as non-stop cuddling sounds, I was also homeschooling two older kids and chasing around a preschooler while working part-time from home. Letting the dishes pile up because babies don’t keep is a nice sentiment, but that only works for so long. Suddenly you realize you’ve stopped being the fun mom and instead you’re a stressed-out monster who sighs too much, yells a little, and cries daily. Ask me how I know.
So, one day, I sent my mom a text and Venmo’d her some money. It was a desperate plea for her to pick up a MamaROO that very day and bring it by. I swear I heard the hallelujah chorus when she walked in the door.
It wasn’t a seamless transition from non-stop holding my newborn to using the swing, but we saw steady improvement in his independence starting as soon as it was set up. Within a few days, my son was happily hanging out in his 4moms MamaROO while we homeschooled.
My family used the swing exclusively during the day and never at night since babies shouldn’t be left unattended in a swing. The sound machine attached to the swing became invaluable since my four-year-old is as loud as he is cute. (Hint: he’s very cute.) I would nurse my little one, burp him, and change him. Then, I would move him to the swing to rest next to our school table so I could do lessons with my big kids. In the afternoons and evenings, I would scoot the swing next to my workspace and power through my to-do list between nursing, diaper changes, and snuggles.
“It wasn’t a seamless transition from non-stop holding my newborn to using the swing, but we saw steady improvement in his independence starting as soon as it was set up.”
Features of the MamaROO Swing This Mom Loved
Although the MamaROO might have different capabilities for different families, here’s what I loved the most about mine:
Adjustable movement and noise
What I loved the most about the MamaROO swing was the option to adjust the movement and noise until we found our baby’s favorite combination. We discovered he liked to sway at the highest speed. We relied on the water white noise turned up half-way to drown out his siblings while he dozed off between nursing. From there, I could move him to his bassinet so he could sleep safely on his back.
I also like that it is adjustable, so I don’t need to use it just for sleep now that my baby likes to sit up and watch us do our stuff throughout the day. I’ll often buckle him in and we’ll all talk to him while doing lessons. I think he loves being a part of the chaos.
Machine-washable cover
The removable, machine-washable cover for the seat is a detail that proved important since my baby’s reflux has been accompanied by a lot of spit-up.
Built-in white noise
The Bluetooth option wasn’t important to me, but I did utilize the white noise feature. Since the white noise was already included in the swing, I never hooked up my phone and played sound or music that way.
Longevity
Cost is definitely a consideration with this wing, so I appreciated that I could rely on finding one that was gently used but still in great shape. We were fortunate enough to be able to find it secondhand and spent a fraction of the cost of buying it new. I
Now, my baby’s reflux has improved and he’s falling asleep easily in his crib. I mostly rely on this when he’s awake and cranky and I need to get something done, which actually isn’t all the often right now. By the time he’s teething and I need a way to keep him content, he’ll be too old for the swing and we’ll have to explore other options.
“What I loved the most about the MamaROO swing was the option to adjust the movement and noise until we found our baby’s favorite combination.”
What to Consider Before Buying
I would recommend this product to moms who have a lot on their plate and need another place for their baby to hangout during the day. Being able to get a break from holding him during those weeks when I wasn’t on maternity leave anymore and we were back at school was a lifesaver for me and it greatly reduced my stress level during the day. I do think that the different movement options made a huge difference compared to the swings we’ve had in the past. And, with a four-year-old in the house, the noise machine was very important to my survival as a mom of four.
Before buying, moms should know that babies aren’t supposed to sleep unattended in this swing. If you plan any kind of napping in the MamaROO, it will need to be right where you are and certainly not while you’re sleeping. This can be a little limiting, of course, since this swing plugs in. With the white noise maker, however, I was able to get a nice long respite from holding my baby during the day even in the thick of the action of our main living space.
Final Verdict
My final verdict on the MamaROO swing? If you have the space in your budget, it is worth the try. If you’re limited on funds, consider shopping second-hand like we did or planning to resell it once your baby is too big. And if you’re in the market for a different type of swing or looking for more price point options, try pursuing one of Truly Mama’s other baby swing recommendations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the MamaROO swing worth it?
The MamaROO is not a cheap swing, but for my family, it really was essential to our survival for nearly two months of the newborn phase. It is nice to have options when you have a new baby so you can get things done or just get a break from being touched for a little while and the MamaROO is great for this.
Can a baby sleep in MamaROO swing?
It’s OK to let your baby fall asleep in their swing, but they should be moved to a safe sleeping area if they do nod off. For the safest sleep, babies should be placed on their back in an empty crib, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. For this reason, they recommend moving your baby to their crib when they fall asleep in a swing.
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