All parents need somewhere to put their baby down at times — whether you’re using the bathroom, preparing bottles, or unloading the dishwasher. A baby bouncer is a good solution — and it has the added benefit that the bouncing motion can soothe your infant while they hang out there. However, the bouncers available on the market can vary wildly. Do you pay $20 or $250? Does a good bouncer have music and toys? And will a motorized bouncer soothe a fussy baby faster than an old-fashioned rocker? So I interviewed two pediatricians and ten other experts (including a nanny and a postpartum doula) to find out the best options for all types of families.
But before I get into the expert picks, both pediatricians I spoke to told me that where you place your bouncer is just as important as the type of bouncer you buy. Dr. David Sorrentino — a pediatrician specializing in neonatal care at Pinewood Family Care — makes it clear that bouncers should always be used on the ground rather than on an elevated surface. “When a bouncer is placed on a table, countertop, or any raised surface, there’s a heightened risk of it tipping over or the baby making movements that could cause the bouncer to slide or fall off,” he says. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, you should also make sure not to put a bouncer on a soft surface (such as a bed, couch, or even a comforter on the floor). This is due to the risk of suffocation when bouncers tip over on a soft surface. With that in mind, read on for the best baby bouncers, including options for under $30 and a bouncer so stylish that you won’t mind leaving it out.
Best baby bouncer overall
BabyBjörn is synonymous with bouncers — six of the 12 experts I spoke to recommended it. Its status is earned: It features in the Strategist Baby Registry (as well as our story on the best baby-shower gifts). It’s stylish: Contributor Hesper Desloovre Dixon (who relies upon it when traveling with a baby) calls it a “spare, modern piece of design.” “I personally used and loved the BabyBjörn bouncer for each of my children,” says certified pediatric sleep consultant Jensine Casey of Baby O and I Consulting. She likes that it had “a good recline for my newborn to be safe but also see what I was doing.” Casey also notes how easy it was to move from room to room to use wherever she needed and raves that “the mobility of it was really the best feature” for her (it also folds flat for easy storage).
Dr. Sorrentino appreciates that it goes “from newborn to toddler stages” so it has use beyond the infant years. The durability of the BabyBjörn is also impressive. “The one I bought for my first lasted past having my third and final baby and now supports my nieces and nephews,” says Kalli Chason, a doula and in-house pregnancy expert for Your Baby Club. She adds that “it’s also easy to clean, and with all the newborn blowouts, that was a must for me.”
Best baby bouncers under $100
Leah Rocketto, associate commerce director at What to Expect, loves the Bright Starts bouncer — not only because of its affordable price point but because “it was the bouncer that consistently soothed my daughter,” she says. “I think that had a lot to do with the bar that has three colorful and not-too-noisy toys.” Rocketto notes that the toys “distracted her when she was particularly fussy and kept her entertained once she’d calmed down.” She mentions the slow and gentle vibrations that helped soothe her daughter. According to Rocketto, it’s also “light enough to move between rooms, even as you’re dealing with postpartum recovery.”
Rocketto recommends the Alpine Deluxe “if you want something similar to the BabyBjörn but don’t want to spend as much money.” She appreciates the “soft, machine-washable cover,” which is made from cotton and comes in six colorways, including indigo and sage. Rocketto and Karen Reardanz, baby-product expert at Babylist, both like that it has a toy bar to help keep babies entertained. The toys on it vary depending on the color chosen, but include leaves, mushrooms, snails, moons, and stars, all of which are as cute as they sound. Reardanz also notes its three recline positions and the fact it “folds flat for storage or travel.”
Best baby bouncers under $250
You’re probably familiar with Ergobaby’s slings and carriers, but they also make bouncers. The Evolve is a favorite of Poppylist co-founder Tamiz Ahmed in part because of its convertibility. He notes that the infant insert “provides extra comfort and support for younger babies,” cradling them from head to hips. Then there’s the normal bouncer mode for infants that lets them rock themselves. Finally, “you can convert to a toddler chair, too, so you can use it for longer,” explains Reardanz. She also likes the “clean, modern design” and the fact that it “folds completely flat, so you can easily store it away or take it to Grandma’s.”
Kelsey Keith, the former editor of Curbed and current editorial director at Herman Miller, wanted baby products that appealed to her on three levels: “price, looks, and function.” While she accepts that “most baby stuff isn’t so nice looking, and you just have to get over yourself,” she still thinks that this Bloom Baby bouncer is “beautiful.” As well as being lovely to look at, it was also effective, Keith adds. “This seat helped my husband and I make time for adult dinner — we’d just plop her in it with a blanket and a stuffed animal and sit her near our feet, beside the kitchen table.” Sarah Hollingsworth, one of the founders of parenting platform Poppylist, also recommends the Coco Go. She likes the three-in-one design, which means “it serves as a bouncer, lounger, and upright stationary seat.” It has a two-speed vibration unit to help soothe babies, but it’s concealed so it doesn’t affect the clean design.
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