As a young parent, you may not have the purchase of a hammock for your baby at the top of your shopping list. Because good swing hammocks are not exactly a bargain and the purchase does not seem to be absolutely necessary.
Does a baby hammock work? – Yes. The purchase of a swing hammock is worthwhile and saves the purchase of a nursing bed, travel bed, bassinet or baby cot. In addition, they have many positive characteristics and promote the development of your newborn child.
Advantages of swing hammock
Swing hammocks are attached to a hook on the ceiling. Using a spring mechanism, they swing back and forth as well as up and down, at a rate of about 70 times per minute, which corresponds to the heartbeat of an adult woman. Babies who already know the swinging from their gently moving time in the amniotic fluid are thus reminded of their time in the womb.
In such familiar surroundings, even crying babies quickly find peace and fall asleep in a flash. Of course, a swing hammock cannot solve all your baby’s sleeping problems, it is certainly not a panacea. But the swing hammock focuses on a need that babies have.
Swing hammock as womb replacement
Often babies do not cry because the diaper is full, they are hungry or sick. Sometimes they just miss the familiar environment of the womb. Just as we sleep restlessly when we spend the first night in a new bed, so do our babies. After nine months of complete security, the new sleeping environment is very unfamiliar to them. A swing hammock comes closest to this environment and can even soothe your baby in case of colic.
Is it worth buying? – The Baby hammock for cot
The first peoples who discovered hammocks for newborns originated from the tropical regions of this earth, where sleeping in hammocks is common practice. It is an ideal method of being weighed to sleep without being bothered by heat or humidity. Swing hammocks work on a similar principle. In addition to the soothing rocking motion, they are made of natural materials and offer mattresses of sheep’s wool as a sleeping surface.
This insulates perfectly, so that your little one will neither freeze in winter nor sweat in summer. Swing hammocks are therefore manufactured in such a way that they offer your baby an ideal sleeping environment. And in the first few months, a good night’s sleep is the most important thing for your little one. This is why midwives also recommend this swinging babybeds right after the hospital stay. Of course, a hammock is not essential for your baby’s survival, but it is certainly a sensible purchase that you will not regret.
Swing hammock in use
A swing hammocke has many positive qualities for the development of your baby and is also multifunctional. As a comfortable retreat, it can ideally make some other purchases superfluous. Here you can find a list of different possible uses of these swinging baby beds.
Alternative to a baby side bed
Many parents use side beds that can be placed directly next to their own bed. Admittedly, they are really practical and a swing hammock cannot quite keep up here completely. In a side bed, your baby lies at the same height, creates additional lying space and makes it easier to put on the breast. If your bedroom and bed are simply too small, buying a side bed definitely makes sense.
If you have it a little more spacious, then save yourself the money. Your newborn baby could sleep in the parents’ bed for the first few months. The intervals between meals are so short that a peaceful sleep is out of the question anyway ;). At that time I slept on the couch for a while, is not optimal, but so at least one is well rested and ready for action.
A swing hammock takes over the role of a fast sleeping aid during this time.
The modern bassinet
With the purchase of a swing hammock you save the purchase of a bassinet. With a frame or door frame clamp you are flexible and can have your newborn with you at all times. Many children also prefer a round lying position, which is not available in a classic bassinet.
The swinging bassinet with basket
However, some hammock manufacturers also use a rigid basket instead of a weighing bag. The advantages here are the same, except that the basket needs more storage space.
Replacement for baby bed or cot
Many babies love their swing hammocks so much that they want to sleep as long as possible. Our daughter used her cradle even after her first birthday to sleep. Afterwards, we immediately got a large bed with additional fall out protection and could avoid the purchase of a cot. It has to be said that my daughter is quite a lightweight and she broke the 33 lbs limit quite late.
We got a feather upgrade back then so she had a choice. The transition to the “big” bed is individual again. With us, she wanted to spend the night in her parents’ bed for a while. Since her bed can also be removed, one of us always stayed with her afterwards until she wanted to sleep alone at some point.
Travel bed
In my opinion, mobility is one of the best features of these swinging baby beds. For models with a cradle bag, the complete featherweight set fits into a standard jute bag and can be stored anywhere and at any time. Back then, we were given a classic travel cot as a present, but we never really used it, simply because of the lack of space in the car.
For the installation we could use crossbeams in the house at my in-laws, otherwise we simply used the door frame bracket.
With the swing hammock you not only save money, but also gain additional storage space in the car by dispensing with a baby bed.
Outdoor – Hammock for babies in the park
Due to the small volume and the low weight, you can actually always carry the cradle bag with you. In the park, for example, a branch can be used to swing the cradle up and down and save you having to carry the spring with you.
Some manufacturers also design their cradle bags so that they can later be used as a real hammock. As described elsewhere, the maximum load of usually 33 lbs usually refers to the spring. The cradle bag alone can often be used with up to 66 lbs or more weight.