Fisher-Price Infant-to-Toddler Rocker, 3.08 kg, GNV70

Product Information

Never leave your child unattended – a young baby has little muscle control which can cause their head to flop forward.

As a busy mum of two young children, now aged eight and six, she knows just how important first-hand parenting knowledge can be, and she draws on her own experiences when writing about baby essentials, toys, health, money and lifestyle. She has also written for Prima Baby, Woman’s Own and Bella. Make sure harness straps are always done up, even if you are only putting your baby in the seat for a couple of minutes.The robustness of the safety harness (is it three-point or five? Does it seem secure when attached?) Fisher-Price advises that parents use the harness until their child can climb in and out of the bouncer by themselves.

Type: Freestanding chair which converts from baby seat to a highchair | Materials: Faux-leather; fabric; BPA-free plastic | Suitable from: Birth | Harness: Yes | Wheels?: Yes What we love Transparency is really important to us and that's why we're always upfront about how we tested the products we recommend. We won't always recommend the cheapest products, or the ones with the most extra features. We write about products that we feel offer the best value to most parents – the one's we'd recommend to our own friends and family.Suitable from: Birth to 18kg (approx. three years) | Fabric sling removable and machine washable: Yes | Additional features: Converts to toddler chat, vibrations, toy bar | Dimensions: 65 x 40 x 16cm | Weight: 3.7kg | Batteries required: Two C batteries What we like Although some of the chairs we tested had extra accessories making them suitable for smaller babies, children should only use a highchair to eat once they’re able to sit unaided. A beautiful, intelligently designed chair with lots of thoughtful details, the Oribel Cocoon missed out on our transitional award as it’s still only suitable up to age three. But it’s a stylish and flexible model, available in four attractive colours, that will complement your kitchen and make mealtimes a breeze.

We have a Stokke steps and LOVE it! It looks stylish, It’s easy to clean and has a foot rest. Highly recommend!” Loved by Mumsnetter AfternoonTea12 Our verdict

How easy it is to clean: Babies can be messy so ideally look for a seat that has a removable, machine-washable cover. Also ensure that the straps, frame, and toys can be cleaned too. At the inexpensive end of the spectrum are the budget chairs. These tend to be standalone highchairs (intended to be used by themselves using a plastic tray, instead of being pulled up to a table), short on adjustability features and elaborate design – favouring instead a functional simplicity that often, incidentally, means they’re much easier to clean.

She also spoke to Karen Sherr, a child psychologist, former play specialist at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, and founder of Musical Minis (a preschool music group focused on child development), to find out what parents should be looking for when buying a baby seat and how to use them safely. Budget-friendly, but with impressive features such as a detachable toy bar with hanging toys as well as vibration settings and 16 soothing tunes, the Red Kite Cozy Bounce Linen is ideal if you’re looking for a no-frills bouncer with added extras. She considered how entertaining and soothing any toys, music, lights, or vibrations were. Luci also marked the bouncer on how big it was and whether it was portable. We spend hours researching, speaking to parents, analysing data and listening to experts before we test out the products on our shortlist.

As the largest online network of parents in the UK, we've drawn on the vast wisdom of Mumsnet parents on our forums to collate a list of the top baby bouncers for every family, from budget and travel-friendly options to those that will grow and change with your child. The 2-in-1 Chicco Hoopla converts seamlessly from a baby bouncer once your child reaches 9kg to a toddler chair that will last until around three years of age. These ensure that your child always has somewhere safe and age-appropriate to eat when they’re not at home – whether that’s at a grandparent’s house, a friend’s, or away on holiday – although many are designed so well that people use them at home too. Bouncers often come with different recline settings for babies to rest, relax, play, and interact with an older sibling. While it doesn’t fold like the BabyBjörn Bouncer Bliss, it is light enough, at 3.7kg, to be moved around the house and to travel with if you have space in your car. As there’s no handle, our tester carried it under her arm up the stairs and from room to room. Her 75-year-old mother also had no problems carrying it to her car.