Tips for Using Your Baby Swing
So you’ve succumbed to the power of the swing and are considering using it as a soother for your baby. Where do you start though? Placing the baby right in the swing and hoping for the best? Our postpartum doulas and infant care specialists share their tips and tricks for successful swinging:
Use the swing from birth
When you put baby into the swing soon, they make an easier transition from when they were in the womb and it helps them to settle.
Use White Noise
The swing alone is powerful, but combining the swing with white noise is amazing at creating those coveted cues for calming.
Get baby calm before getting into the swing
It’s rare for our postpartum doulas to be able to make magic happen with a screaming baby that’s placed into a swing. The mechanical rhythmic motion doesn’t replicate the soothing and alternate fast/slow bouncing movements of a human.
Swaddle Baby in the Swing
Helping to keep a baby’s arms down and resist activating the moro (startle) reflex when they’re swinging will help them stay calm longer. Always remember to still use the straps and device’s recommended safety features.
Put baby in a laid back position
Some swings have an upright setting - this won’t work well if your goal is to help baby either find sleep or stay calm.
Swing at full speed
We always laughed that our swing had multiple speeds. The idea of the swing is to SWING; so don’t be stingy with the settings!
Don’t give up the first (100) times
Sometimes we’ll meet with a family postpartum who swears their baby just doesn’t like the swing. Like anything, it takes time for the baby to adjust to something that’s not you. Don’t discard it if the first few times your baby doesn’t seem to settle. Something else might be going on!
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