I registered for an expensive bouncer on my Babies R Us baby registry, but ended up getting a cheaper bouncer from a work shower. I didn’t know what we would end up using for our baby as a first-time mom, so I kept both to see which one I would use.

”From the soft snuggly pink pillow to the wings on the butterfly toy, everything about this bouncer says “It’s a girl”! As baby settles comfortably into the deluxe seat, she’ll enjoy the dragonflies with crinkly wings and the hanging butterfly—she can pull on it for a sweet little tune! And when it’s time for soothing, just remove the toy bar, turn on the calming vibrations and let her rest her little head on the snuggly soft pillow.”


The Fisher-Price Pink Petals Bouncer

This bouncer is sold exclusively at Babies R Us, and runs about $30. The Pink Petals Bouncer consists of a lightweight metal frame with a washable fabric cover. There is a small control box at the bottom where you can turn on the seat to vibrate, and requires 1 D battery.

This seat has a maximum weight of 25 lbs or until the child is able to sit upright unassisted.

There is a removable plastic bar which is covered with a padded fabric. The bar has a permanent plastic toy in the center, which has a ring that, when pulled, plays a song. (This plastic butterfly does not have a battery that can be replaced). There are is a Velcro tab on each side of the center toy, where you can attach two fabric dragonflies. The seat cover is pink with flowery designs.


My Thoughts & Experiences

It didn’t take long to realize I had a really fussy baby girl. By the time she was three weeks old, I was going out of my mind (probably quite literally, from the lack of sleep and the frustration). I had an Eddie Bauer B is for Bear Bouncer, which cost $50, and I had my doubts that I would ever use the Pink Petals Bouncer.

However, at that three-week mark, one of my relatives was visiting to help out, and she helped me unpack the bouncer. I had had many a sleepless night and was willing to try anything. There was the lure of $30 store credit for this extra bouncer, but I didn’t care.

The bouncer assembled quickly. There are only a few parts and putting the bouncer together was pretty straightforward. We were ready to go in no time!

My baby girl (at just over 8 lbs) fit in the bouncer just fine. The headrest was a little high for her, but now at almost five months and pushing 20 lbs, the headrest actually needs to be moved up. The sling is soft, and I would imagine it is comfortable as it conforms to baby’s body.

”Calming vibrations and gentle bouncing motion help comfort & soothe baby. I have tried everything with my daughter – the bouncer, swing, sling, etc., with not a lot of luck. I don’t think the vibrations do a lot at first, but they are great once she falls asleep. I think this feature allows me to stop bouncing the bouncer without her waking up!

”Encourages Developing Motor Skills - Reaching, batting at, and grasping onto hanging activities fosters eye-hand coordination. Stimulates Senses - Listening to music stimulates auditory sense” I didn’t know much about baby’s developmental stages, but my daughter wasn’t very interested in the toys until after three months. After around three months, she was fascinated with the toys. She would stare at them, grab, pull, etc. She constantly pulls the ring that hangs from the butterfly (setting off the music), and grabs the dragonflies right off the bar, sticking them right in her mouth. The toys are soft and large enough that it is fine with me!

I have also used other toys on the toy bar. There are plenty of toys that clip or Velcro on, such as “Sassy Bugs”. So if your baby gets tired of the dragonflies, they get lost, or you don’t want your child tearing them off, you can just switch out the toys.

The removable toy bar is convenient in several ways. It makes it easy to get your baby out of the bouncer without having to pull her out from under the toys and the bar. I also remove the bar when I am trying to get my baby to go to sleep. She doesn’t need the toys flinging around in her face, overstimulating her, when I’m trying to get her to fall asleep. You simply squeeze the clips holding it in, and pull it out. It takes just a few seconds. I did read the instructions to check – you are not supposed to use the bar as a way of carrying the bouncer!!

The machine-washable seat pad is really convenient. Within the first few weeks, we (that would be, my daughter) had a huge blowout in the bouncer. There was poop everywhere. She had been sitting in it for a while, too, because she had a nap. By the time we discovered it, there was a poopy puddle in the bouncer seat, nicely spread out by a few rounds of pee pee. I grabbed the seat cover, sprayed it with a little Baby OxiClean, tossed it in the washer – and voila – it was like brand new.

The head rest is also removable. I suppose this depends on your infant, cleaning, or if you want to use your own head rest.

There is a seatbelt. You simply put your child in the bouncer, pull up the padded center piece, and clip the belt into the sides. The seatbelt is adjustable.

What I like best about this bouncer… is that it is really bouncy! My other Eddie Bauer Bouncer didn’t bounce much. The first time we used the Pink Petals Bouncer, my daughter’s head was bouncing off the seat, so we carefully bounced it less. All you need is to put your foot on one (or both) of the metal pieces of the frame, and push.

I can’t tell you how many nights I used this. I would sit in the nursery with one foot on the bouncer. I bounced my daughter to sleep and as she was falling asleep, I would fall asleep. As soon as the bouncer stopped, she would cry, waking me back up and send a reflex reaction to my foot to start the bouncer!

Now that she is older, I still use this for my daughter. It is especially helpful because she is heavy (pushing 20 lbs) and it is often easier than trying to bounce her in my arms. I also just use it as a seat out of convenience. For example, I bring this in the bathroom while I take a shower. The toys keep her entertained, she is strapped in, and I can keep an eye on her. This bouncer is so lightweight that it is easy to grab baby in one arm, and this bouncer in the other.


Any Downsides?

The only thing I have, at times, not liked about the bouncer has been the plastic butterfly. For starters, I wish it was removable. I don’t like always having the plastic ring hanging down. It looks like it is about to hit my baby in the face as the bouncer bounces (but has never hit her – its close, but not that close).

When you bounce the seat, the ring can also smack against the butterfly, which is annoying. I have considered cutting off the toy, but it hasn’t annoyed me enough (yet!). I can always replace it with another toy anyway.

The battery cannot be replaced, so I imagine it will become at least partly useless at some point (when the music won’t play). So again, another reason I might cut off that center toy.

When I first got this, the “pink petals” was a little overwhelming. I thought it was a little too “Barbie” for my tastes, plus I like to be prepared for having another child (possibly not a girl), and prefer gender-neutral gear. However, I don’t care as much about that any more, and I will continue to use this for future children (girl or boy!).


Overall

This bouncer has been a surprisingly great addition to our baby gear. It easily surpassed our other (more expensive) bouncer, the swing, and sometimes even mommy’s arms. It has soothed my daughter to either a comfortable state or to sleep, and also works great as a seat (a portable seat, no less!). The best part is the bounciness and how easy it is to bounce. It has endured lots of crying, spit ups, blowouts, and trips everywhere from the bathroom to the basement. This has been a great product.


http://www.fisher-price.com/


My other baby reviews:
Eddie Bauer B is for Bear Bouncer
Munchkin Bottle Brush
Munchkin Bottle Drying Rack
Pampers Sensitive Wipes
Pampers Swaddlers New Baby
Johnson’s Naturals Soothe & Protect Balm
Dex Wipe Wamer With Light
Soothie Pacifiers
Diaper Genie II
Fisher Price Rainforest Swing


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 30
Age Range of Child: 0 to 12 Months