My Best Baby Buy (Chicco Sofa Bouncing Chair)

Member Name: sersha

Product:	Chicco Sofa Bouncing Chair
Date:	18/10/05 (2185 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: safe place for baby, gentle bouncing motion, many positions

Disadvantages: awkward to clean, not very light weight, hard to transport, no vibrations or toys !

Much as I love carrying Leah about the house, there are times when your arms can't take the strain anymore, and a baby chair becomes your best friend! I have two baby chairs - the "bumbo" which is a funny thing that looks like a big potty and is made of a foam/rubber type stuff, and this Chicco chair.

The bumbo is the trendy one, and it's very useful in that it is lightweight so easy to transport around the house from room to room. But Leah doesn't like it as it holds her very upright, and she doesn't like to bend in the middle.

When Leah learnt to roll, it was no longer to safe to leave her lying on the floor while I went to a different room. The chair has been really useful especially since then!

The Chicco chair has lots of positions - there is a dial at each side so that you can lower or raise the back of the chair notch by notch, and have it anywhere from completely flat to bolt upright. When she was a tiny baby it was great to be able to lay it flat, and it doubled as a bed when she fell asleep as it was an easy place to put her down without having to move her all the way upstairs. Now that she is bigger but unable to sit up on her own, the chair is a great place for her to sit and play while I get on with things. It sits on rockers, so it moves gently with the motion of baby. You can opt to have it either fixed, or rocking. It's not as good as a proper reclining bouncy hair (with a material seat) for movement but Leah has outgrown that kind of chair now anyway.

There is a safety waist strap to make sure that baby is secure and can't fall out even when they are old enough to lean forward or sideways. Because it's a waist only strap, baby has plenty scope to move arms about. Once strapped in, I can move the chair with Leah in it about - out to the garden for example - by using the two carrying loops which are velcroed to the back of the chair. I just unstick them, and can then carry the chair with one hand like a bag of shopping! It's quite light to carry, but it is fairly bulky, so it's a bit of a hassle getting it through narrow doorways or around corners.

The padding is fairly plush, and there is an adjustable back rest. The seat cover isn't removable which is a bit of a pain, so the chair is strictly wipe clean only. It's not difficult to clean and drys quickly, which is always useful!

I have to admit the tartan design (red and beige) was a plus point - I like to wind my (English) husband up as much as possible, and Leah is 5/8ths Scottish, after all!

This is a fairly boring chair in comparison to others on the market - there is no electronic motion, flashing lights, or room to hang toys - the best I can do it fasten a rattle around the safety strap! Then again, it's not nearly as expensive as afore mentioned chairs, (a vibrating one with toys is about £60/70) and it's tough, durable and hard wearing. Leah doesn't seem unduly bothered at the lack of gimmicks as she is quite happy watching what is going on around her - give her a packet of baby wipes to play with and she is very happy!

This chair is fantastic now that I am giving Leah solids, as she is still too little for a high chair. It's a messy business feeding her from my lap, and a chair means I can watch her face and reactions to things with ease. So far, there's nothing she doesn't like!

I've had more value out of this baby item than anything else we've bought, and I would recommend it to anyone with a new baby.

Price I paid: £35 (Argos)

Suitable from birth up to 9 kg

Summary: a great value baby chair