Baby Swings - damaging to eyes

1moremakes4 wrote: A lady at my church, who is a childcare worker, told me she took a class at a local college last week and learned that if you put your baby in a swing before they are 6 months old, it could do damage to their eyes. I knew that a baby can only see something like 8-12 inches from them and their eyes just aren't very strong yet. Very interesting...just thought I would pass it along. Maybe that's why my daughter doesn't care for it.

Beth

MyBrownEyedBoy replied: Personally I wouldn't have survived until 6 months without the swing. And Logan's eyesight seems fine to me.

kimberley replied:
all my babies were swing babies and no eye problems here.

mckayleesmom replied: I have never heard that before....I would have died if I didn't have my swing.

kayla's mama replied: Kayla lived in her swing I would've gone insane if I didn't have one

moxee24 replied:
Same goes for me

MommyToAshley replied: Interesting... I've never heard that before... did she say why or how it is damaging to their eyes?

Ashley hated the swing, but I probably would have put her in it if she would have liked it (unless I knew it was harmful)

CAMSMOM1 replied: I am guessing the reason for that is because most swings now have mobiles/lights on them?? If that's the problem, take it off the swing. The swing itself isn't harmful.

ITA, Cameron slepted in his swing, even at night for the first 5 months, and I don't know what I would do without it!!!!! I had his light on, no problems. I would have to see alot of studies done to prove to me that it causes damage. I love the swing, and my next baby is going to be in one, it was a lifesaver!

But thanks for the info, even though it hasn't changed my mind on it. Maybe next time I'll just turn the light off and take the mobile off.

~Roo'sMama~ replied: Hmm that's weird. I would have gone stir crazy without my swing. And actually you're not supposed to put them in it anymore after they're sitting up so if you can't use them before six months you pretty much can't use them at all.

jacobsmama replied: ITA with all you I would have gone crazy without swing and never heard that before.

Jamison'smama replied: I would like to know the source of this information. I did a quick search on the net but found nothing relating eyesight to infant swings. It sounds interesting and would like to know more---can you ask her?

Michaelsmommy032504 replied: lol..thats crazy..my son loved his swing..till he started crawling he thought he was supposed to spend every waking moment in it...

1moremakes4 replied: The way she presented it to me was that they would be trying to focus on something and because of all the movement, their eyes are moving and working more than they should be, but they are trying anyway.
But like my husband said - it's hard to believe swings have been around so long and this is the first we've heard about any problems with them.

PrairieMom replied: i'm sure if it werw any sort of a problem all those parenting magazines would have alerted all us paranoid mommies by now! My baby will be going in a swing too!

CantWait replied: Sounds like bull pucky to me Serously I don't believe it, I couldn't have survived without my swing with either kids, and they both see just fine, especially Anthony, he can see things to get into that I can't

EvesMom replied: My daughter uses a swing and the doc says her eyes are wonderful

interribleplain replied:

Um... what is this about the babies not being in a swing after they are sitting up? I still use a swing for my son everyday and I don't want to tell you how old he is!!

interribleplain replied: Oops, I am sorry, I am new here and didn't realize this board was for babies up to 1 year... my son is older than that sorry.

My3LilMonkeys replied: If we had to wait until 6 months my kids would never have been in a swing - they were too big for it by then!

myangels_parkerntaylor replied: The swing saves my life. I love it and if i didnt have one i would probably lose it.
My son lived in his swing for the first 6 months of his life and he is now 3 and no eye problems here. My daughter lives in it now lol and she is 3 months old.

NEWMOM05 replied: MY DAUGHTER LOVES HER SWING. SHE gets mad if the fish on her mobile don't move. she yells at them. it cracks me up.


Peggy

MyLuvBugs replied:
ITA! I think swings are a god-send and are perfectly fine for a babies eyesight. They've been around for years, and I've never heard anything. Sorry.

redchief replied: I've never heard of such a thing and it seems that nearly everyone here is in the same boat. I always try to double check my knowledge when I see a medical question or reccomendation. I couldn't find a single thing on this. Not one thing. I'd like to see the details of the study before I totally discard it as a meaninless rumor. Can you get the study data for us?

holley79 replied: Annika just got to where she likes her swing. Thank goodness. Before that it was the bouncer. Never heard that one though. I was a swing baby and have perfect eye sight. Would be interesting to know where they got their information.