Baby Bjorn BabySitter - worth the price?

[dullified]

Hi I think the title says it all. Is it worth it ? it has excellent reviews but at over ?110 for seat plus toy it?s rather pricey? How much baby hands free time will it buy me each day?

Having had no luck finding a comfy chair for my first child (tried a fisher price swing which he hated, a mamas and papas rocker he was less than impressed with and a bumbo which he would not tolerate at all). I?m keen to find a decent baby chair for the second which she will happily sit in and watch the world go by in for at least 5 minutes leaving me to get on with making a cup of tea and unloading the dishwasher.

Thank you in advance for any opinions/reviews.

[Sanne Panne]

It's very good. But it depends a bit on your baby. Our first loved sitting in (and leaning back in) bouncers until she was over a year old. Our second was only happy in one between 1-6 months old and then just wanted to sit more upright, get onto the sofa etc. We've used a couple of different bouncers (Chicco, Bjorn) and did like the Bjorn one best (although it can be a bit scary if you have a toddler "lovingly" bouncing the baby as the seat really does bounce when you push it a bit!). It's also a bit heavy for carrying the baby from one room to another in (not allowed anyway but you, ok I, DO sometimes do it). So yes, great for not-too-restless babies who don't need to be moved from room to room all the time.

[bluesuperted]

We liked it for a few minutes use here and there (main use was sticking in it whilst we had baths!) but our boy was very mobile very quickly so didn't use it at all after 5/6 months. Thank goodness we bought it for ?25 via the forum! Wouldn't recommend buying it new as they last and wash well and ours will be in perfect order for another baby.

[chantelle]

bluesuperted - wonder if that was the one I sold? ;)

i never used the bjorn seat when we had it, having also gotten a hideous fisher price jungle thing that vibrated and played music and which my son really loved. it looked nice though.

[mrs f]

My little one loves it... Although he does hang into the toy bar & try to sit more upright! It's lovely quality so will last for any siblings... I brought ours new but often see them on the forum for sale so would prob buy one 2nd hand if I were to get it now..

[Yak]

I think it depends on the baby. I got a second hand one and I get a good 30 / 40 mins of the yaklet sitting in it watching me make dinner while singing and dancing like a loon every night. It keeps me sane and him entertained. I think they are particularly good for babies who like to sit and watch the world go by while keeping you in sight, if you see what I mean.

[srisky]

Friends clubbed together and bought my daughter one of these. She loves it and, therefore, we love it! She has sat in it every day since birth and it has recently come into its own, as she loves to kick so the the bouncer bounces vigourously and she will sit it in for ages pondering life etc!

The pros (from our point of view) are:

- It's suitable from birth until about 2y (as with all baby stuff it's weight dependent)

- it's aesthetically pleasing

- no bells or whistles to drive us mad

- no batteries to constantly replace

- very easy to clean

- folds nice and flat so it's easy to sling in the car boot when going visiting/staying away

- easy to move around the home so our baby can be with us if in the kitchen, shpwer etc (but this is probably true of most bouncers)

The cons

- price - as above, try and get a second hand one or, even better still, borrow from someone

- the toy bar doesn't come with it and at ?20+ is not cheap

I hope whatever you decide your baby loves it and it's money well spent - that's the challenge when it comes to all the baby paraphernalia out there!

[ClareC]

My daughter loved her's too! She would sit bouncing for ages. She is 18 mths now and still try's to get in it now it's out again for my son! Think it was a lifesaver until around 6 mths, as soon as she crawled she wouldn't sit still in anything!

Def buy second hand, they are so easy to wash.

[hellosailor]

Our 5 month old baby has never been that into the bjorn bouncer, though I have found it useful for stuff like giving calpol and being able to gently lean her back! In terms of getting time to do other stuff while she sits in something, we have found a swing chair like the Fisher Price Aqua Take-along swing which we bought via the forum has bought a lot more hands free time than the bjorn, but I know other babies who love bouncing in the bjorn so as Yak says it does depend on the particular baby I guess. I would definitely get a second hand one via forum, ebay or gumtree rather than shelling out for a new one, as everyone says, they wash very well.