Swinging in Plush Comfort

When I was pregnant a friend who is the mother of three children, recommended that I purchase a travel swing because of it’s portability around the house and usefulness. She had used hers everywhere, including the bathroom to occupy her child when she was in the shower. I checked out two travel swings and decided upon the Boppy Rock in Comfort Travel Swing because it looked so comfortable and was neutral in color. I was not crazy about all of the wild primary colored baby items out there and was happy to find a piece of baby equipment that would not clash with my décor.

I received the Boppy Rock in Comfort Travel Swing as a shower gift, but it retails for an average of $65. It comes flat in a box unassembled. I was able to easily assemble the swing in about thirty minutes while I was nine months pregnant, using just a screwdriver. The swing operates on the juice of four “C” batteries that are not included. (Silly me thought they would include them, but no!) The swing’s dimensions are 8x22x14 inches, making it quite small and low to the ground. Its legs collapse at the push of two buttons and the seat or hammock part of the swing folds in half and snaps shut for easy storage or travel. This swing would easily fit in the back seat or trunk of a car collapsed for travel to Grandmom’s house. It also stores quite nicely against a wall in my family room when we are not using it.

The seat of the swing is similar to a boppy pillow—soft, plush, and comfortable fabric. The seat resembles a hammock and can be adjusted to two different incline positions. There are three fabrics used to make up the seat: a pseudo-suede type fabric in a light tan color is the trim, a plush padded ivory fabric makes up the side part of the seat and the neck support pillow, and a cotton striped fabric is the base where the baby sits. There is a five point harness system used to strap the baby in, so he or she is very secure. In fact, the harness seems almost too much and my son tends to hate being strapped into the seat. I personally think a three point system, excluding the over the shoulder straps, would be just as effective with this type of swing.

There is a large dial on the right side of the swing’s bracket that controls the six speeds. It is easy to turn on and off. There is also a timer feature with 8, 15, or 30 minute options. The swing used without a timer shuts off after 45 minutes. There are five soft melodies that can be played with two volume choices, lasting approximately ten minutes. A removable bar that attaches over the swing has a plush bee and dragonfly attached for visual stimulation for the baby. This “toy bar” is rather close to the baby’s head. I realize that infants’ have limited distance vision, but I feel the bar is a bit too close to the baby’s head. It is almost impossible to remove the baby from the swing without banging into the toy bar, so the bar must be removed first. This isn’t a big problem, but a bit of a hassle, as it does not attach and detach smoothly, especially when baby is sleeping. The manufacturer advertises this swing as having “six speeds with True Speed™ speed control which automatically maintains selected speed as baby grows.” What I have noticed about this is that when my baby moves while in the swing, the swing slows down or stops briefly, and then restarts. I figure that the shift in weight affects the swing action.

There is a locking peg on the swing arm that when used stops the swing from moving, making entry or removal from the swing easier. I forgot about this locking peg when I first used the swing and could not figure out why the swing was moving oddly. The locking peg does not disable the swinging motion, but tries to keep the swing still. The swing can accommodate a baby from 6-25 pounds.

Initially when I used this swing, my son was a week old and did pretty much whatever I made him do. He was recovering from jaundice and was quite lethargic. He would sleep comfortably in the swing and his bobble head was supported nicely by the plush neck support pillow. This neck support is a removable pillow that is shaped like a traditional boppy pillow. As my son grew, he decided for a few weeks that he hated his swing and would scream bloody murder if I tried to fasten him in it. This was when I decided that the five point harness was a bit much. Now that Andrew is nine weeks old, he is comfortable again in his swing, harness included, and will stay in it for up to an hour, chilling out to the music.

I also have a traditional Graco full sized swing that was a hand-me-down from my sister's children. My son is not as thrilled with that swing. The neck support is not as good as the Boppy Rock in Comfort Travel Swing and the seat is hard molded plastic covered with fabric as opposed to all fabric comfort.

Overall the Boppy Rock in Comfort Travel Swing seems to fit several needs I have in a swing. It is small and compact, taking up little room when not in use. This swing is extremely quiet, so quiet that I cannot hear the motor even with the music off and a silent room. The fabric seat appears comfortable and cushions my son, who seems content to relax in his swing, now. The color scheme of the swing is neutral and calming. And finally, the swing is easy to operate, even when in a sleep deprived state.

Things that could use improvement are the ease of fastening the harness, which connects under a fabric cover that sits between the baby's legs. When attached, the fabric folds over the connecting latch with velcro. I suppose this looks visually appealing, but it is a pain to un-velcro it in a jiffy when baby is throwing a hissy fit and wants out NOW! Also, the length of time that the music plays could be longer than ten minutes. I would like having an option to have the music stay on as long as the swing was operating.

This is a perfect swing for both travel and home as it is small and easy to use. It would work great in an apartment or small home because of its compact size. Some days I wish there was an adult version, as it does look so comfortable!