How to hang a hammock for babies? – A swing hammock can be attached in different ways. For example hanging the baby hammock from ceiling with a hook, with a door clamp in the door frame or on a rack. Outside, you can also simply use the stable branch of a tree in addition to the frame, without the need for a spring. Otherwise you can basically use anything if you can be sure (to 200%) that the weight of the child is carried.
Hanging correctly – Fix the baby hammock to the ceiling
Swing baby cradle are typically fixed to the ceiling. Completely closed eyebolts with a diameter of at least eight millimetres are used. These are safer than rocking screws, which are also turned, but are not completely closed. This is because there is a risk that the swinging up and down movement will cause the hammock to come loose from the screw.
When buying, make sure that the screws are tested, so that absolute safety for your baby is guaranteed. Basically, the fastening devices are designed for concrete ceilings or wooden beams. If, on the other hand, you have plaster or wooden ceilings, consult an expert as a precaution to make sure that the baby cradle construction can withstand your baby’s weight. Because of the hanging construction, the baby hammock is very space-saving and can be placed anywhere in the home.
Screws, dowels & hooks for ceiling mounting
To anchor the swing hammock securely in the ceiling, the appropriate screws and dowels are (usually) supplied.
Go through your house or apartment and think about whether there are several places where you could hang the baby hammock.
Maybe in the bedroom next to the bed? Additionally in the living room and on your veranda?
Once you have installed the appropriate device, it is no problem hanging the baby cradle flexibly and quickly in different places.
Swing hammock on suspended ceiling (plasterboard)
Whether this is possible cannot be answered in a generalized way and depends on various factors. In principle, it is recommended that heavy loads always be mounted on the bare ceiling.
If you want to use the baby hammock longer, you should expect a maximum load of 44 lbs. Unfortunately, most plasterboard panels cannot withstand this punctual load.
If there is already a suspended ceiling in your apartment, try to find out how and with which sheetrock board this was realized. This will certainly not be easy.
If you are (200%) sure that the construction is stable enough, it is advisable to use a tilt or fold dowel for the gypsum board. It is even better to use the substructure. This will limit your choice somewhat, but the load does not have to be carried by the plasterboard.
To find the construction, you must try to find the edges of the individual boards and the screws. This is how you can recognize the “grid”.
If you are not sure, you may need to consult a professional or consider buying a frame. More information is provided below.
Mount the swing hammock on the beam or in the garden without drilling
In the house or apartment you can also mount the baby cradle on a beam or on the stair railing.
Attached to a tree or pergola, your baby will find a peaceful sleep in the fresh air in no time, even in the garden. All you have to do is loop the chain of the baby hammock around a stable branch or wooden beam and then attach the baby hammock to it. This makes a swing hammock much more flexible and handy than a bed, for example, and you can be sure that your little one will be rocked to sleep calmly and firmly.
Hanging door swing for babies
If you do not want to drill holes in your ceiling, you can also mount the swing hammock in the door frame with a few simple steps. All you need is a door frame clamp. This is stretched over the door frame and you can securely attach the hammock to it. The downward pull creates a “scissor effect”, which presses the door clamp firmly together and holds the cradle securely in the door frame.
This clamp can then be removed without leaving any residue. By the way, this is also a good solution when you are on the road. You can also take this baby cot with you, for example, to a friend’s house and spend a pleasant evening while your baby sleeps peacefully. Another possibility is to place the baby cradle outside.
Please remember that the door frame must not be too wide. For example, it is not possible to install it in classic old buildings.
Note: When purchasing, make sure that a safety rope is available. This prevents the door clamp from overstretching.
The illustration shows a typical door frame clamp. (1) When you wind it up, the spring eventually reaches the point of maximum expansion. (2) If you continue to pull, it will fold back. (3) You can get stuck or the spring will jump off and become a dangerous projectile. This problem can be avoided with a simple safety rope. (4) Usually you can vary the length of the rope, but not too long.
Unfortunately only a few manufacturers take this into account. Here is a list of all clamps with safety belt currently available at Amazon*.
The bad ratings mostly refer to a too strong spring, which makes it difficult to pull apart and to residues on the wallpaper. If you want to be on the safe side here, just put a small piece of cardboard between the clip and the wall.
Door clamp for wide door frames
This is where a door clamp reaches its limits. So take a close look at how far the clamps can be stretched.
In our Berlin apartment in an old building, the door frames were sometimes too thick and could not be used.
You should also make sure that the door frame is at least 1cm thick and preferably has no round corner, so that the door clamps can rest correctly here.
Alternatives for door frame clamps
Sometimes it makes sense to simply convert objects that you already own. In the case of the baby cradle, for example, a pull-up bar would be conceivable.
There are different models available, either hanging up or to fix it to the wall. If it holds your weight, you can be sure that the spring cradle will hang securely here.
Hanging on the stand
If you do not want to or cannot hang your swing hammock from the ceiling, the stand is a good solution.
This is especially true if you want to be flexible. Because as practical and advantageous as a ceiling hook is, there are still situations in which a stand is useful. First of all, you certainly do not want to drill holes in all the ceilings in your apartment. And of course you don’t want to spend the whole day in the same room.
In order to remain flexible and still have your baby safely beside you, a stand for the baby hammock is highly recommended. You can place it next to you while you are cooking or watching TV and of course it is also ideal when you visit friends or relatives. Your baby will hardly notice that he or she is not at home, as the familiar sleeping environment is always around him or her. And of course the stand works on the same principle as the cradle’s ceiling attachment.
The stand also means that it is always close to you. So if your little one does sleep restlessly, a little nudge is all it takes and your little one is weighed back to sleep. And don’t worry, the racks for swing hammocks are made for transport.
Stands of wood or metal
The models can usually be folded together, so they can easily be stored in the car or backpack and can be taken everywhere. Nevertheless they are stable. Since they are made of robust steel tube or wood, there is no danger of tipping over.
It may therefore be worthwhile to buy a frame for the spring cradle. As already mentioned, it is not automatically necessary. But for certain situations racks are very practical. Depending on how flexible you are or want to be, you should consider a frame for the baby cradle.
Which stand for the spring cradle?
Amazonas Hippo
- elegant stand for spring cradle
- up to 66 lbs load capacity
- simple and easy to store
- clearly cheaper than other racks
The hanging baby bed for little space
The ideal place is of course right next to the parents’ bed in the bedroom. This way you can keep an eye on your little one at all times and do not have to get up at night when the baby is crying. A simple nudge of the hammock is enough to rock the baby back to sleep by weighing her. This guarantees not only your baby, but also you a pleasant night’s sleep.
DIY – Build your own stand for baby hammock
It is of course obvious to build such a frame yourself and save some money. Here are some points that speak against it:
- Safety: If you are not talented in craftsmanship, your construction will not last long in the worst case.
- Optics: The point may be negligible, but whatever you tinker with will later stand in the apartment/house and should match the interior design.
- Costs: If you add up the cost of the material and then add the labour time, the savings are manageable in the end.
Cheap stands for baby hammocks
The stands of the baby cradle manufacturers are often quite expensive and have only a low load capacity. Here it is a good idea to look a little bit beyond the edge of your plate. The company Amanka for example offers a frame for hanging chairs, which costs about 90$ and can be loaded up to 330 lbs!
For this it is only available in black, but will otherwise serve its purpose.
Cheap alternative for stands
If the stands are too expensive for you, you may already have a practical alternative at home. A classic stepladder can simply take over this function. These are robust and can withstand heavy loads.
Ladder made of wood
Ladder made of woodWith a ladder made of wood, which may already have a natural vintage look, this would even be a fashionable alternative. The ladder can of course also be decorated and embellished.
To make sure that the ladder does not tip over together with the cradle, it is advisable to retrofit here. The simplest solution would be to fix the ladder to the wall with a safety rope, but this limits your flexibility.
Modern conductors made of metal
That would be the practical solution. These ladders are made of the most modern materials, are very stable and can usually be folded up and easily stowed away. Such a metal ladder looks quite cool of course, but with a little fantasy you can also embellish it.
Wall rack / wall stand
The “little brother” of the actual stand is the wall mount / wall stand. The function is the same, but the construction is a bit slimmed down and you have to mount it firmly on the wall. Only then it can be used at all and gets its stability.
The disadvantage is obvious, a nail or better a screw has to be mounted to hook the frame. This makes you less flexible. When the apartment or house is completely designed, you can look for different places. If you like to move around, you will have to put up with one or two more holes in the wall.
Depending on your needs, it is advisable to order another fixing set.
If the frame is not needed, it can be leaned against the wall and fixed. The round arch can be turned towards the wall. This way the frame takes up very little space.
The spring for smooth hanging
The spring of the swing hammock is – as you can easily tell by its name – the pivotal point of the baby cradle. In the truest sense of the word. Because its special mechanism ensures that the hammock rocks your baby into a well-deserved and restful sleep. The principle is simple.
A steel spring is attached to the ceiling, to which the baby cradle is then attached. The highlight of this spring is that it does not weigh back and forth like the classic cradle, but also bounces up and down. This three-dimensional rocking is stimulated either by the baby itself or by a slight nudge of the cradle from outside by the parents.
It is the same movement that newborns know from the womb when they are moved in the amniotic fluid. The spring of the cradle is also designed to vibrate about 70 times per minute – just like the mother’s heartbeat. This is why babies can rest so relaxed in the cradle. The hammock reminds them of the environment in the womb and therefore gives them a feeling of security and safety.
Important note about the spring!!
The suspended construction should have a swivel to prevent overstretching. It is also important that the baby cradle’s suspension mechanism works via a closed system.
This means that the hook to which the spring and hammock are attached should be round and closed. This is the only way to prevent the swing hammock from coming loose from the hook during more violent movements. The combination of high quality spring, safety valve and closed system are therefore essential for the safety of your baby in the baby cradle.
Broken spring – How can this be prevented?
The spring of the swing hammock is also constantly being developed and improved. Whether it is the length of the spring or the improvement of the oscillating mechanism – the manufacturer of the hammocks is always at the cutting edge of technology to improve the quality of the baby beds. Higher safety precautions or even smoother vibrations, everything is done to ensure that your baby can sleep even more relaxed.
The hammock bag
Depending on the supplier, different materials are used to make the baby hammock. To make sure that you are buying a really high quality swing hammock, make sure to look for the quality seal. This guarantees you that no harmful substances have been used in the production. Since your baby will have a lot of skin contact with the baby cradle, it is very important that you pay attention to the materials used for the production.
The materials should not be bleached or chemically processed or dyed, because your baby can also absorb harmful substances through inhalation. Most manufacturers use 100% sustainable cotton for the baby hammock as well as unvarnished wood or jute.
The baby cradle mattress
The mattress of the swing hammock should also be made of natural and sustainable materials. Mattresses made of sheep’s wool are particularly recommended, as they act as natural temperature regulators due to the lanolin fabric. In winter they preserve the warmth, in summer the coolness, so that you do not need an extra blanket for your baby.
Quilted mattresses, on the other hand, can cause too much heat to be given off and your baby to overheat. You should avoid this if possible. Sheep’s wool also has an anti-inflammatory and healing effect – an additional plus with the materials of the swing hammock. What is often forgotten with the materials of the baby cradle is the feather itself. It should definitely have a protection or a kind of cover that prevents you or other siblings from getting your fingers caught in the mechanism.
Cleaning
Swing hammocks are made from purely natural materials such as sheep’s wool and cotton – from 100% organic cultivation. These materials not only have the advantage of being absolutely free of harmful substances and thus cannot cause allergies or other harmful reactions in your baby. They are also easy to care for and simple to clean. You do not have to have the baby cradles dry-cleaned, but can usually wash them in the washing machine at 40 degrees.
Just remove the fabric cradle from the chain link and wash the fabric. This fabric can also be ironed after washing. The baby cradle mattress can also be cleaned. However, since it is usually made of sheep’s wool, it requires special care and must be dry cleaned.
The basic principle of the swing hammock is as easy as cleaning: absolute well-being for your newborn child is the main focus. It should give your little one a pleasant start in life. This includes not only the gentle materials and easy handling and cleaning, but also the mechanism of the baby cradle. The cradle is based on the baby’s environment in the womb.
A swing hammock can give your child back a little of the familiar security of the first nine months. The gentle rocking of the baby cradle imitates the rocking movement from the womb. The cuddly tightness of the cradle also contributes to the baby feeling safe and secure. So softly wrapped in soft cotton and cuddly sheep’s wool, your newborn baby will fall asleep calmly and relaxedly under the rocking movements in no time at all.
So not only does your baby have a gentle start in life, but you too can be relaxed that your baby is safe and can sleep wonderfully.