4moms mamaRoo4
Baby April 3, 2021
Before a new baby arrives, people will often tell you that all baby does in the early months is sleep, what they don’t always tell you is that you may have to bounce, walk, rock or swing baby about to settle them into this sleep, remember they have been used to lots of movements whilst mum was pregnant.
Traditional bouncers and swings do not replicate the same motions that would be made by parents and care givers so some 4moms took it upon themselves to create a safe space to settle baby whilst replicating those natural movements. The mamaRoo4 offers five unique motions Car Ride, Kangaroo, Tree Swing, Rock a Bye, and Wave, these modes use a combination of up, down, side to side and forward and backwards movements to soothe baby. Each movement can be adjusted between 1 and 5 speed levels giving you 25 different combinations, there are also four built in sounds Rain, Fan, Ocean and Heart with adjustable volume. There is an included Jack to Jack Aux lead that can be used to connect an MP3 or smartphone with a headphone port, the mamaRoo4 can connect over Bluetooth to allow you to control the settings over the app but you cannot stream music directly from your phone. The speakers produce a reasonable sound, but it is a little harsh which is more noticeable when playing your own music, the app is simple to use letting you slow down the movements or lower the sound from a distance and prevents disturbing the dozing baby too soon.
We found the app can struggle to connect first time every time which can be frustrating if you have just sat down, the manual controls are intuitive and big enough that they can be adjusted with a poke of a toe, saving you from bending over at least once that day. Assembly is straightforward, once constructed the seat can be quickly adjusted to lay back, sit up or anywhere in between via a large lever and smooth action. The mamaRoo4 infant swing is available in three fabric options a plush seat fabric (multi and silver), a durable woven polyester material (grey and black) and the breathable cool mesh seat fabric (dark grey). A plush infant insert with a reversable pattern is available separately ($29.99) which along with the main seat can be popped in the washing machine when needed. The MamaRoo4 takes a little weighing up when it comes to deciding if it’s worth the money, considering it is only suitable for up to 6 months old, 25lbs maximum weight limits, or until baby can sit up unassisted/attempts to climb out, whichever comes first.
The faster the speed the louder the mechanism is, the short mains power lead restricts where it can be placed and it’s rather cumbersome to move about. However, if a fussy baby will only settle when being moved, carried or swung about a week can feel like a lifetime and for many parents’ the effectiveness of the MamaRoo4 could be priceless and for many babies this clever seat seems to efficiently work its magic. RRP £269
- Effective soothing motions
- 5 unique motions, 5 speeds and 4 built-in sounds
- Mimics care givers natural movements
- MP3 compatible
- Bluetooth connected app
- Adjustable reclining seat
- Removable toy mobile with interactive, reversible toy balls (rattle, mirror and crinkle ball)
- Machine washable seat
- Power lead could be longer
- Cannot stream audio over Bluetooth
- App can struggle to connect first time
- Expensive
- Not easily portable