Yahoo News Joie’s dreamer rocker soothes and entertains little tots so you can go hands free
You’ll find you are having to do a fair amount of things one-handed when you bring your lovely new baby home from the hospital. When you need to do something that requires two, or you simply just need a minute to relax, a baby rocker can be a great addition to your kit.
A rocker intends to provide babies a safe and secure environment to rest, be soothed or even entertained while you get a few things done. You can of course, play with your baby while they’re in their rocker, too.
Award-winning baby brand Joie creates products to make life with small children less work and more fun. Its commitment to the highest standards of design, engineering and safety mean it is accountable for everything it produces – and is proud to be.
Drawing on decades of industry experience, the brand’s devotion to infant products is aimed at doing what is right for parents, children and the environment.
We took a look at the Joie dreamer rocker, a rocker loaded with self proclaimed “simply brilliant” features that promise to grow alongside your little one.
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How we tested
We tested the Joie dreamer rocker with a five month old baby who is not yet sitting independently. We tried the bouncer both when our baby was happy to play, and also when sleepier and wanting to rest. We rated it on its features, comfortability, value, safety and longevity. Read on to find out if it rocked our world.
Joie dreamer rocker: £70, Boots.com
Rating: 8/10
Design and features
This rocker and bouncer comes in several different designs and colourways with varying toy bars. We loved this, as it gave us a nice choice and a chance to pick the model that best suited the style of our home and the personality of our baby.
In the end, we chose “portrait”, which is a tasteful grey colourway with teddy bears and other cute creatures as accents. It won out mainly because we liked the neutrality of this model and also as it matched our baby’s nursery. Plus, by opting for a more gender grey, that means it can be used for any further babies down the line, if we’re lucky enough to have them.
Assembly
Parents will be pleased to know that we were able to put this rocker together and figure out the way it worked without looking at the instructions – always a positive when you’ve got limited time (and often only one hand!). The 3-position reclining seat easily clicked into position with one hand and once assembled rocks or bounces with a simple push or when baby moves, giving us the choice on how to soothe baby, depending on their preference.
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It’s also possible for your baby to be almost fully reclined, or sat more upright to survey the room – ideal for differentiating between nap times and just giving your arms a break. Similarly, the rocker can be switched into a static seat with a simple flick of the kick-stand at the base.
This rocker is definitely for babies who love to be soothed with gentle noise. With five classical lullabies and five nature sounds paired with vibration it was possible to entertain our baby for a while as well as finding a little peace and quiet. Battery operated, the lullaby and vibration panel is hidden beneath a velcro patch towards the bottom of the seat, perfectly kept out of the way of curious fingers.
Our little tester was also transfixed by the rotating toy bar. Sitting just above our baby’s head, it can be manipulated into place for optimum positioning and she enjoyed looking up at them and watching the plush characters spin on the arm.
Suitable up to 15kg (or an average age of six months), we also liked the 3-point harness to keep our baby safe, as the catch was hidden. We found the body support really soft and comfortable, plush but removable and, more importantly, washable, which is ideal.
Comfort and performance
The first thing we noticed about the Dreamer is how padded it is. We were able to take off this well-padded seat pad to wash after a few too many baby burps! This rocker made a perfect cocoon for our baby and she was quite comfortable, whether resting or at play. We also loved the adjustable leg rest for our baby’s extra comfort, which could be moved up or down, dependent on preference.
As for space saving, the rocker can be collapsed easily and transported, or slipped out of sight when baby has gone to bed for the night.
The verdict: Joie dreamer rocker
The Joie dreamer rocker is a great mid-market rocker for a young baby, cheaper than the luxe models out there, but a worthy competitor. The different features including the vibration, lullabies and rotating toy arm will keep your baby entertained and soothed, while the plush padded seat will keep them in comfort, from birth to beyond.
Joie dreamer rocker
Buy now £70.00, Boots.com
Voucher codes
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For cocoon-like comfort, read our best baby nests round-up which can help to settle and soothe your baby into a peaceful sleep
