Fisher Price Newborn Rock ‘n Play Sleeper {Review}

I was so excited to receive this Fisher Price Newborn Rock ‘n Play Sleeper in the mail for my review.  I am a huge fan of Fisher Price products and have always gone to them for my newborn gear including my swings, bouncers and toys!  The quality is superb and they seem to last through many children.  Violet is my 3rd baby in just over 3 years and while all of our gear is still in great condition I was excited to get something new!

My new baby Violet loves her new rocker!

I am adding this rocker to things you should have when you come home with baby.  You can see my post of things I used in baby’s first 2 weeks here.  I am not a full co-sleeper or a full attachment parent, but I like to have my babies near me every moment.  I think it provides the littlest people with a sense of security and trust when they open their eyes and see a caretaker.  This little sleeper works perfectly for my schedule and parenting style as it is higher up than most bouncers and lets her sit right by me when she is relaxing or taking a little cat nap and gives me a little babywearing break.  I can easily rock it with my leg and it also slides easily across the floor when you tip it up so you can move baby from room to room without lifting the piece off the floor or waking baby.

While we do not use this sleeper at night, it meets industry standards for a bassinet and can be used for baby to sleep in at night in lieu of a co-sleeper or bassinet.  It elevates baby’s head which gives baby a better view and makes sleeping babies more comfortable.  Many babies sleep better with thier heads elevated.  This position can help both with breathing and with stomach issues such as reflux.

Where We Use the Rocker

The rocker’s height is great for being next to me while typing or eating lunch, but it is not really high enough to go near my bed.  Violet would be much lower than my mattress height, so I prefer the co-sleeper as I can make it level with my bed.  However,  I think this is a great option if your bed is lower, you are not co-sleeping or you need the elevation.   Still, we use this everywhere but by the bed!

As a travel bed for little ones, this rocker was awesome and can hold babies up to 25 pounds!  It weighs almost nothing and folds up to almost nothing in a flash!  We took it to Charleston for an overnight and it easily slipped in the back of the car next to our suitcase and easily fit in between the bed and the wall in the room.  It took about 5 seconds to fold it up versus 5 minutes (or more if you hit a snag) with a pack ‘n play.  In your home it could just as easily slip under a bed or in a closet for storage.  This is a huge plus! 

We also take this to restaurants and love having Violet out of her car seat and in her own place next to us.  You can easily carry it with one hand and it is so convenient and so much safer and more comfortable for babies.  It fits easily next to the table and lets mom enjoy her meal!

Basically we use this rocker all over in the house and out of the house because it works so well for our little one.  I would say we use this more than the swing or the bouncer because it puts baby Violet so close to us and provides such a calming and safe place for her.

Great Things About the Rocker 

The rocker took all of 5 minutes to put together.  This includes taking the tape of the shipping box.  It was that simple.  There were no screws or strange small parts to figure out. 

Miracle of all baby gear miracles, the cover easily attaches to the frame and stays attached and just as easily comes off for washing.  Finally! 

The rocker is lightweight, compact and extremely easy to move around or store.  You can (and we do) take it anywhere!

This sleeper is a jack of all trades.  Baby can sleeep, baby can relax, baby can play! 

There is a cute little toy bunny and a pocket on the outside for baby stuff.  I keep a burp cloth, some wipes and a paci in there with the bunny!

The high sides are fabulous for newborns.  I have a Fisher Price bouncer upstairs that we have had for 5 years and used for all of our kids and passed around to other babies and everyone loves it.  They no longer make it and I was really trying to find one for downstairs.  It too has wonderful high sides for extra support and a feeling of safety for babies.  They just came out of the womb and many babies prefer to be in tighter spaces.  This is why we swaddle them!  In the picture below you can see violet in the standard style of bouncer these days and you can see that she is falling a little to the side.  You can also see how the product comes and the size versus the bouncer.  We weren’t using the bouncer much because she seemed uncomfortable at her young age.

In the rocker she does not fall to the side at all and while she has freedom to move, her neck and torso are fully supported.

The design is simple and does not require batteries.  I will admit sometimes I miss the good old vibration feature but after much thought and observation of my 3 and 1 year olds I have decided it is wonderful to have something that does not fascinate them.  Sophia and Miles can help to gently rock her, but there is no music or toys on it to make them go crazy!  You can see Miles “helping” violet above.

Things I Would Like to See

The legs attach to the rocking frame with the standard pins and I would love if the height was adjustable.  Just a couple of inches would provide a lot of versatility for moms who wanted to sleep next to their babies.  An extra couple of inches would make a big difference.

The color and design is gender neutral and very cute, but I always like when a product is available in a “natural” color.  Creams and beiges and browns are also gender neutral but feel more modern and more easily blend in with home decor.

I would love a toy bar that could attach to the sides when Violet gets a little older.  This would give her a little entertainment while not leaving her on the floor when my kids and dog are running around!

Overall Opinion

I love this rocker from Fisher Price.  It was exactly what I was looking for to keep Violet near but give me some hands free time.  I have used in more places and situations already than any other piece of baby gear, and that is saying a lot.

You can purchase the Newborn Newborn Rock ’n Play Sleeper for approximately $50 from many baby stores and online retailers. 

I would highly recommend this product.  The Fisher Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper gets a big Mommy Words Woo Hoo!

Disclaimer:  Thank you to Fisher Price and MomSelect for providing me with this product free of charge in exchange for my honest review.  The opinions expressed are 100% my own.

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