honestly, we use our exercise ball about 100 times more than we have ever used our rocker in the nursery (maybe all we really needed was a dresser in there, since we don't use our crib either). the ball is great for gently bouncing baby to sleep. since i have "the boob", i usually do not need to bounce my son to sleep, but my husband and babysitters do for every nap.
some may worry about babies developing an addiction to having to be bounced in order to fall asleep, but babies actually need bouncing (and swinging, etc) in order to develop their very important vestibular system---the system in the inner ear that controls their sense of movement and balance. read more here.
the ball can also come in handy when you are in labor---my doula tells funny stories of running through hospital hallways with a gigantic ball to her clients' births. you can lie on it with your chest and gently hug it in order to take the weight off of your back and belly. also, in early labor, just sitting and bouncing is helpful.
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