There are very few happier moments in life than when your doctor tells you that you are expecting your first child. Amidst the doting and excitement from friends and family, there is also a lot of planning that has to be done to prepare for the new baby. When you ask your friends and family for advice on what to buy for the baby, you may be surprised by the wide variety of answers you receive. Aside from the agreed-upon standard essentials: crib, stroller, car seat, diapers, clothes, bottles and wipes, your friends and family may not have matching answers on their compiled list of must-have items for a new baby.
One of the items that may or may not be on everyone’s list is a baby swing. Some parents love them and swear by them, other parents never even thought about purchasing one. Here are some of the benefits of a baby swing.
While it may not be an immediate need, post delivery, you may want to consider purchasing a baby swing once your baby starts crawling or becoming mobile. The vast majority of baby swings can be set up for indoor or outdoor use. This is especially handy if you have indoor or outdoor chores to do and need to keep your baby calm, restrained and occupied. When your baby is full of energy, a swing can help him or her use up some of that energy. Swings are also great for exercising your baby’s limbs, muscles and joints.
An indoor baby swing for toddler or younger infants can work wonders if your little one is fussy, teething, sick or cranky. Studies have shown that baby swings also increase focus, coordination and attention spans in little ones. Babies are effectively able to retain more information when they are swinging. The repetitive motion is also great for putting babies to sleep.
As your baby swings, electrical currents fire up in the brain. Colors, sounds, detection of shapes and speech will all be enhanced. You can teach your baby basic sounds, words, letters and numbers as they bounce the day away.