more on bouncing babies: baby hammocks that bounce themselves

i cannot say enough good things about baby hammocks.  we purchased one by the kiwi company miyo (photo above) and started using it immediately after my son was born.  he loved it, because it is so cozy and womb-like.  almost like a non-constrictive swaddle (is that an oxy moron?) and a crib all in one.  it bounces gently with his movements ---again, womb-like.  they are typically used in malaysia from birth on up and have been said to help babies avoid getting a flat head--plagiocephaly--which has become a problem in western society from babies always being laid on their backs in their cribs (to avoid sids).

one of the greatest things about baby hammocks is how portable they are...not only can you hang them from a hook and chain (properly drilled into a beam above the drywall) anywhere in your house, they come with a foolproof doorway hanger, so travel with baby is a breeze. we even hung ours from a tree on the beach on vacation!  baby's gotta nap, right?

we had great success with the miyo from infancy until about 6 months (when my nearly 20 lbs son finally said, "get me outta this little thing!").  at nap time, we'd put him in and rock it fairly intensely--like a swooshing---he wasn't lulled by gentle sways and lullabies.

after the miyo, we tried out the kanoe (photo below), and are still using it at 10.5 months for all naps.  kanoe is great because they have a rental option.you can rent a brand new organic cotton kanoe for $40/month.and at any time, you can commit to buy or return it.  it is larger in size than the miyo, so i cannot vouch for how a tiny newborn would do in it, but you can check out their website for testimonials.the kanoe is equally as easy as the miyo to travel with though no doorway hanger.you can invest in a collapsible frame like this though for home and travel.

and finally, the piece de resistance!!  there is an importer of baby hammock bouncers that you can purchase a little machine from that will safely bounce the hammock for you (see it att'd in photos above and below)...how cool is that!?!  the day we started using our bouncer, baby's naps went from 30 minutes to an hour and a half!!  if you use the bouncer with a kanoe, you'll need to shorten the kanoe straps and not use the kanoe spring.  also, this bouncer comes with the previously mentioned collapsible frame.

UPDATE : we are still using the kanoe for naptime for my 22 lbs son at 18-months-old.