Ingenuity Smartbounce Automatic Bouncer

One of the best points of sale of this product is that it is advertised as an automatic bouncer that imitates the mum’s bouncing of the child. So if you have a fussy newborn that is difficult to get to sleep but at the same time, you have many other responsibilities and little time for yourself this bouncer can be a great option for you. It has two bouncing features -gentle rocking which does not include vibration and can be adjusted in two speeds while the baby is seated in a cradle with a comfortable seat pad that can be removed for ease of cleaning. For extra comfort and entertainment, there are 8 songs included and 3 sounds of nature, that can be chosen by a press of a button that is placed in front of the cradle seat. The product works with the assistance of batteries that are not included in the package, and you should purchase them additionally. When you turn the bouncer on, it bounces automatically for about half an hour and then it turns off automatically too. The safety of the baby is ensured with the help of a three-point restraint system which helps the baby to stay safe in the cradle while being bounced. Above the cradle, there is a removable bar with two toys. The size of the bouncer is 19 x 23 x23 inches and it weighs around 9.2 lbs.

This bouncer is designed to be used for babies and we must admit that its use is pretty limited. The minimum weight of the baby is more than 3 kg or 5 lbs and the baby who is seated in the cradle is not supposed to be able to sit up by himself/herself, otherwise, the bouncing can be dangerous for the baby. The maximum weight is 9 kg or 20 lb which is around 6 months of age. In this context, the bouncer can be used for almost 5 months. With so many other necessary things to purchase for the newborn, this product is definitely not on the list of priorities and we would say that you should be aware that because of its size you need to have a space for the bouncer because it can not be folded easily. The cradle is not intended for a prolonged sleeping because of the position of the baby and although portable you should never lift it by the toy handle. There are families who claim that the bouncer with the movements help their babies relieve from the colic so if you have a restless newborn who seems to suffer from colic it might be a good option for stress relief for the parents and soothing of the babies.

The product is not assembled and comes with instructions of use where there are straightforward and illustrated instructions on how to assemble the product. Majority of the customers claim that the item is easy to assemble and there should be no problems with the assembly. However, there are some parts that might not fit entirely at first and this can take a while but after figuring all up it is a process that should not take longer than 30 minutes. One common complain when it comes to the assembly is that the toy bar cannot be tightly snapped and might easily fall or be pulled. As the product operates on batteries you will need a small screwdriver for the opening of the battery compartment and you will need 3 (1.5V) LR 14 batteries to start the power on the bouncer. Unfortunately, the bouncer works only on batteries and does not have an option for adaptor or plug in the wall and this would have been nice feature compared to batteries only.

The bouncer comes in neutral colors with calming tones to serve the purpose of soothing and gentle rocking to sleep and this makes it great gender-neutral baby equipment. Its design is simple and still attractive. Compared to the other related product this one is not so bulky in size and does not have a large footprint but on the other side it cannot be folded and if you want to store it you will have to disassemble it, which is not very practical if you need to use it again. The fabrics are made of plush and have some plain patterns on them. In the looks, it resembles a swing mostly because of the cradle, but again unlike the swings, this bouncer can be used for a gentle bounce up and down trying to imitate the natural bouncing that usually moms do. The toy bar is placed over the cradle and it is really nice that you can add toys to it and you can position it slightly forward or backward to adjust it to your baby’s view. The buttons for control of the operation are easily accessible as they are placed on the control unit placed on the front part of the cradle. There are buttons for the volume of the melodies so you can easily increase or decrease the volume if your baby is taking a nap and also there are some buttons that are used to choose between the melodies and nature sounds.

Kids love this bouncer because the cradle is very comfortable and just enough size and space for them to relax and take a nap in the cradle. The fabric that the seat pad is made of is soft and gentle for the babies’ skin. It is a plush material that feels nice and keeps the baby warm. The bouncer does not have a canopy to protect the child from the Sun which can be a con for the product. However, there are lots of parents who put some kind of blanket over the top to cover the bouncer although you should be very careful when you do this and never leave the baby without supervision as the blanket may fall and be a hazard for baby’s health. For additional comfort of the baby, there is head support which is very important insert as we are talking about really small babes and some of them have not developed control over the head and the upper body so it is a really nice feature that enhances the babies’ comfort. Unfortunately, when you put the baby into the cradle there is no option for reclining positions as it is the case for example with the Fisher-Price My Little Snugabunny Cradle and Swing. Still, the comfort is ensured by the two speeds of bouncing and gentle movement of up and down that are accompanied by music from one of the eight songs that are in-built, so this way your little one can relax and take a short nap while you read your new book next to him/her. One of the most common complaints regarding the bouncing and the speed of bounces is that the motion is so gentle that cannot be felt at times. The bouncing is bigger with the lightest babies and as the baby grows and becomes heavier the motions become less felt and you can get the feeling that the bouncer does nothing to the baby.

Just above the cradle and the seating area, there is a toy bar with two plush toys that are there for the entertainment of the baby but also to promote and initiate hand-eye coordination and development of the baby. As the toy bar can be easily removed you can put additionally toys that are relevant in size and in weight and contain more colorful design so the baby will be visually stimulated too. As this item is designed for pure enjoyment and gentle soothing of the baby there are some integrated features that add to the element of entertainment, and in this case, we are referring to the eight integrated melodies and the three nature sounds which are about enough number to choose from and entertain the baby. Babies seem to like and enjoy the music as it is relaxing and comforting for them. The automatic bouncing for fun lasts for 30 minutes and after this, the bouncer stops. As this product operates on batteries only as it can be expected the batteries' life is quite limited and you have to purchase other to keep the fun going.

The seat pad and the bolster can be easily removed and are machine-washable so you can just remove the pad from the frame and put it in the washing machine. The plush toys that are positioned on the toys bar, together with the bar can be wipe-cleaned with a damp cloth and soap and should not be immersed in water. The rest of the bouncer is made of metal and can be easily cleaned with a soft cloth and mild soap. The product is relatively easy and simple for cleaning and as it is not used while the baby is being fed, it does not get messy and does not require frequent machine washing of the cover. Thus, the process of cleaning should not be time-consuming.

This bouncer is one of the items of baby equipment that comes as handy and nice to have but definitely not a necessity and something that you cannot live without. However, in certain circumstances such as babies who are difficult to calm down, like and got used to mummy’s bouncing or get to sleep more difficult so soothing them really helps, this bouncer might be a lifesaver. Compared to many other related products it has an affordable price but still, you will have to think again if it is suitable for your family because although not bulky in size it still requires certain space and is used for a pretty limited time period due to weight restrictions. Customers rate the bouncer as easy to assemble and easy to clean. The baby stays safe with the help of the restraint system with 3 points but unfortunately, the cradle stays only in one position without the ability to be reclined according to baby’s needs. The bouncing speeds work for one and do not work for other babies and families who claim that they can hardly feel the bouncing, which works only up and down without vibrations. There are 30 minutes of automatic bouncing and after the expiry of these 30 minutes, the bouncer stops working so you do not have to worry whether you have turned it off or not. Additional features are the in-built melodies, nature sounds and a toy bar that is also subject to many negative comments as it can easily fall down. The comfort is enhanced with a soft and cozy seat pad that is removable and safe for machine washing.