The Best Baby Bouncers We Tested for Happy, Busy Babies

Other Notable Baby Bouncers

• BabyBjörn Bouncer Balance Soft: As we mentioned in the review of the BabyBjörn Bouncer Bliss, we’re not sure how one BabyBjörn product could be designed so well while the other was not. But, the results were quite clear: Where the Bouncer Bliss is safe and convenient, the Bouncer Balance Soft has an option for a 75-degree incline that proved unsafe in our testing, effectively throwing the sandbag out of the seat and onto the floor. Even when used as designed for older kids, this incline carried a significant tipping hazard. While the Bouncer Balance Soft seems cozy and folds down easily for portability, its instability makes it hard to recommend. 
• Évolur Koko Bouncer: This lightweight bouncer is a no-frills, minimalist option, but its removable cover is spot-clean only, which is not ideal for young babies and their inevitable blow-outs and spit-up. We also think it’s a little overpriced for the fact that it’s just a chair with the ability to bounce a little.
• Chicco E-Motion Auto-Glider & Bouncer: We like that this sleek bouncer is suited for small spaces and is easy to clean, but we don’t think it is appropriate for newborns. It doesn’t have any straps or head supports that are designed for babies with a lack of head control, which caused concerns about the bouncer’s safety when the gliding motion was in use. 
• Bloom Coco Stylewood Lounger: This was a super stable option, even when rocking, but it isn’t particularly portable—it doesn’t fold and requires a good amount of floor space, so it’s more or less limited to families with larger homes.

Our Testing Process 

Our team of parenting editors evaluated 16 popular baby bouncers in our testing lab in New York City, assessing them on design, stability, ease of use, assembly, portability, ease of cleaning, and overall value. With safety being the most important factor, we used 15- and 25-pound sandbags to simulate a baby’s weight, based on each bouncer’s recommended weight limit. Throughout the test, we observed how secure the sandbag “babies” were in each bouncer, with our on-site pediatric nurse practitioner providing additional safety insights.

After assembling each product and evaluating how easy or difficult it was to put it together, we placed each bouncer on level, stable ground and checked its overall stability—if it seemed wobbly or uneven at all, we noted it. We also looked at other design features like machine-washable covers and accessories or toys.

Next, we strapped an appropriately-weighted sandbag into each bouncer. Our on-site experts checked that the bouncers seemed safe, stable, and solid once the weights had been added, and confirmed that we had positioned our sandbags in the bouncers and harnesses correctly. 

We then tested each bouncer’s ability to handle motion; we simulated infant kicking and, when applicable, turned on any battery-operated movement to be sure the bouncer would remain stable and secure. If a bouncer had any kind of variable incline options, we asked our on-site nurse practitioner to assess it for safe use with young babies without much head or neck control as well as older babies who can hold their head and neck up independently. 

Any bouncers that wobbled during our testing (after we had double-checked our assembly) were immediately removed from evaluation. Once the stability tests were complete, we evaluated the portability of each bouncer, including whether or not it folded for travel, if it could be easily stored in tight spaces, and how heavy it was to carry around.

Through the on-site testing process and the pre- and post-test research processes for baby bouncers, the following experts provided their expertise:

• Elizabeth Murray, DO, MBA, FAAP, faculty director for Child Health & Safety Communications at the University of Rochester-Golisano Children's Hospital
• Ben Hoffman, M.D., pediatrician, expert in child injury prevention and education, and president-elect of the American Academy of Pediatrics
• Laura Purdy, M.D., Tennessee-based family medicine physician and medical executive
• Ebony Barrett, PNP, NNP-BC, neonatology nurse practitioner at NYU-Langone Health

Factors to Consider

• Stability and Safety: Stability and safety are the two most important things to look for in a bouncer, says Dr. Purdy. Choose a bouncer with a sturdy, strong base to support your baby, she adds, as well as one that has the necessary straps and inserts to keep your baby safely contained in the seat without falling out.  Remember that even if your bouncer isn’t battery-operated, it’s designed to bounce with your baby’s movements; if a bouncer is wobbly or unsteady when empty, it may not be safe to use with a baby.
• Design and Features: Each family has different needs for a bouncer, so think about how you would like to use yours—that will help you determine what type of design you should choose. Some bouncers keep babies more upright, making them a good choice for feeding or distracting your child, while others are inclined more horizontally with built-in rocking motion or vibration for soothing fussy infants. Maybe you want a bouncer that literally does nothing other than bounce along with your baby’s natural movements, and that’s fine! But if you’re looking for one with some extra features, Dr. Purdy suggests a bouncer that has music, white noise, or vibration. Plus, some models, like the Baby Trend EZ Bouncer and Ingenuity InLighten Bouncer, include overhead attachments with sensory toys to keep a baby entertained. 
• Ease of Setup and Use: If you have an infant, you’re already pretty busy, so a bouncer should be easy to assemble. It should also be washable: Even if you’re not planning on feeding your baby in the bouncer, there will almost certainly be diaper blowouts and spit-up sessions happening in there, so you should be able to strip all the fabric off your bouncer and toss it in your washing machine as often as needed.
• Portability: If you’re a traveling family, ease of transport is definitely something you should consider. “Look to see how portable they are and [if] they break down or fold easily,” says Dr. Purdy. “Some bouncers can fold completely flat and some you have to break down or completely disassemble into pieces.” And even if you don’t travel frequently, think about how easy it is to move your bouncer from one room to another, which you’ll likely want to do as you go about your day.

How to Use a Baby Bouncer Safely

Baby bouncers can be a safe place to place your baby when used according to the manufacturer’s instructions and general consumer recommendations, like the ones issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Because they are positioned at an incline, baby bouncers don’t meet the American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) safe sleep guidelines and are not designed for infant sleep. They should never be used in place of a crib or bassinet for any type of sleep, warns Dr. Purdy, even though it can be tempting to leave your baby in a bouncer for a nap. Sleeping in a seated position increases the risk of infant death. To reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), put your baby to sleep on a firm, flat surface with nothing else in the crib or bassinet.

You should also never put your bouncer on an elevated surface, says Dr. Murray, who says she sees infants injured by falling off of tables and counters in these seats regularly in her role as a pediatric emergency medicine physician. Additionally, parents should avoid carrying their baby while they’re seated in the bouncer, should not leave their baby unattended in their bouncer, and should avoid using any bouncer that is damaged.

Safety Features

To be able to use a baby bouncer safely, it should have a five-point harness restraint system and be designed to sit on a flat surface without wobbling or tipping, says Dr. Murray, who adds that some three-point harnesses can still allow your baby to fall forward out of the bouncer. During our test, our on-site nurse practitioner evaluated models with a three-point harness to assess the fall risk, finding that some models seemed safe and stable, while others did not.

A bouncer should have clearly stated weight requirements, such as a minimum and maximum weight, or specify general age limits for use (like newborn to 6 months old, for example). The bouncer should also not have any sharp edges or loose parts, and there should be no exposed wiring if it’s battery-operated. 

Recalls

It’s always a good idea to check product recalls before purchasing any baby gear item. You can search for the name of a product through the CPSC’s recall database or sign up to be on their email list of new recalls. 

Your Questions, Answered 

At what age can you put a baby in a bouncer? 

It depends on the individual bouncer. Dr. Purdy says some newborns may be able to go in a bouncer if it has the right design and incline, and if it includes movement, a bouncer could be comforting for a new baby.

Some bouncers, though, are designed for older babies. Dr. Murray says you may need to wait until three or four months to put your baby in a bouncer to ensure they have good enough head control and muscle tone to hold themselves upright instead of slumping over. 

The CPSC says parents should stop allowing their child to sit in a bouncer when they can sit up unassisted or when they reach the manufacturer’s maximum weight limit—whichever happens first.

How long should your baby sit in a bouncer? 

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that infants under 1 year old not spend more than one hour restrained in any type of sedentary device. You can certainly use a bouncer throughout the day for periods of time up to one hour, but make sure you give your baby plenty of opportunities to be in other positions, too. 

The AAP recommends “tummy time” for this exact reason: lying in the same position, with part of the head pressed against a flat surface, can cause an infant’s head shape to become flattened as well.

Is a bouncer or a swing better for a newborn?

One isn’t necessarily better than the other: Both are generally safe for use with newborns (although you should always check the manufacturer’s recommended age and/or weight minimum first), so it’s up to you whether a bouncer or swing would meet your needs more.

Swings offer more movement than bouncers, so a fussy baby that needs a lot of motion-based soothing will probably like a swing more. Swings also may have a more horizontal seat that doesn’t require a newborn to have as much head and neck control.

Bouncers tend to work a little better for slightly older babies, and they don’t offer as much movement other than bouncing! But, they take up less space and are more portable, so they have a different set of benefits.

Who We Are

Sarah Bradley is a freelance health and parenting writer from Connecticut, where she lives with her husband and three sons. As a homeschooling mom who works part-time, she understands the value of shopping for parenting products that are not only safe and affordable but make family life easier. She used baby bouncers with all three of her kids and couldn’t have survived the infant years without them (see above re: being a homeschooling, part-time working mom).