Before the birth of my son I couldn’t quite see the point of vibrating baby seats. Music and vibration seemed to be added extras that pushed up the price and which I doubted that I’d use. I envisaged active play with my son at all times and the baby seat as somewhere to put a baby when they were dozing but didn’t want to go into a cot, or to put them whilst playing with them. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

After chatting to other new mums I began to think that a vibrate option did have its uses and now, having got one, I’m so thankful that I did!

The Fisher Price Flutter & Chime baby seat has, bells, whistles and more – quite literally.

SHAKE ME BABY

The vibrate option on the seat has just one speed but it really does serve to calm the baby. I have used it to settle in the evenings if my son is feeling particularly tetchy or at meal times if he is only fussing for attention (rather than food/nappy etc). I’m not sure what it is about the vibrations that babies find so calming but it really does work. In fact, it’s so effective that, at times, I’ve taken to mimicking the action of the seat via the cot mattress to settle in the middle of the night.

The vibration runs off a D battery and we probably get 20 hours from a rechargeable before it runs out. You don’t get any warning that it’s about to stop such as a slow run, it just stops, so, if you don’t want tears have another battery on standby! Thankfully, although you have to lift the seat cover off to change the battery you don’t need a screwdriver, just something thin, such as a knife, to prise the battery compartment cover off.

BELLS & WHISTLES

The added extra that this chair has is an activity arch comprising two hanging teething rings, one with a rattle on the other with a bell, and a bird. When the teething rings are pulled the bird spins! Whilst all this is happening some rather tasteful music is played, mainly classical, and birdsong is heard.

There are two modes of play, continuous for the younger child and child-activated for the older child. The child-activated mode will only operate if the child pulls the teethers. Failure to do so means silence! There is also a handy volume switch with two levels although we find that the loudest setting really needs to be used as the speaker, for some obscure reason, points away from the child!

Like the vibration, I wondered whether I had wasted my money buying a chair with music as my son took no notice at all when I first introduced him to it. I now know he was just too young. Now, at 10 weeks old he adores it and his face literally lights up as I pick up the arch to fit it to the chair. He talks to the bird and picks up the teethers and bats them about. He’s not yet figured that he can pull the teethers and so we have to use the continuous mode but he has worked out that he can just hit the bird to make it spin! The chair keeps him amused for up to 20 minutes and he thoroughly enjoys it. Of course, a child should not be left alone in such a chair and I try to interact with him as much as possible when he’s in it, but it does mean I can put washing out or do other similar short tasks with him amused by my side. It really is a hit!

The arch uses 2AA batteries but is not so power hungry as the vibrator and so in 6 weeks use (about 1 hour a day often) we haven’t had to change the batteries. You do need a Phillips screwdriver when you do come to change them though!

SIZE MATTERS

This is not a big chair. At 10 weeks my son fills the chair and I suspect that the maximum age of 6 months advertised will not be reached.

I do also think that this seat is a little upright for newborns and, in my opinion, is certainly not suitable for long naps. I treat it rather like the car seat – a maximum time of 2 hours in it so as not to damage the spine. There are seats that are flatter and more suited if you want to sleep baby in the chair during the day. I use a cot.

The safety harness is plenty big enough without restricting too much movement. The straps are adjustable and despite the ferocity with which my son kicks his legs we haven’t noticed any chaffing.

CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE

New parents will be pleased to know that this chair does not require a degree in engineering to construct it. You basically slot together all of the parts according to the clear instructions and fit the seat cover.

The padded seat cover is machine washable and does not shrink in a 50 degree wash.

OVERALL

I’m so glad I gave in to the gimmicks. This really is a multi-function chair that is worth the extra £5 or so. It’s widely available in Argos or Mothercare for example at about £25.

The bright colours and cheerful sounds stimulate baby but there’s nothing about the twinkly sounds that will really drive parents to distraction.

The fact that you can detach the play arch is really useful as you can use the chair with or without the toys depending on why you are putting the child in it.

If there is a negative it is that I can’t see my son lasting the advertised 6 months in it – he’ll have outgrown it in about 4 I suspect.