News - 2016051204 - An editor and his baby test out a smart infant seat
In the weeks before the birth of our first child, my wife and I emptied our bank accounts buying every baby accessory we could imagine using even once or twice. After our son was born, we spent hours repackaging and returning a lot of them, because we found out the kid had his own preferences. He hated the first bassinet we bought for him, but loved the swaddling cloths. He hates to be cold, but he likes baths. And during this process, figuring out which devices to invest in took some experimentation in the world.
My son Idris came into the CNET Smart Home to test out the MamaRoo.
On the app, you can control the speed and pattern of MamaRoo's movement. You can also control the ambient sounds and volume, but to connect your phone's music to the device, you must plug it in with an auxiliary cord.
At $270 (about £186 or AU$361), the 4moms MamaRoo is an expensive experiment -- especially for new parents being bombarded with medical bills and nighttime diaper runs -- but it's one that could pay off. Essentially, the device is a Bluetooth-connected chair that, according the advertisements, "moves like you do." 4moms attempted to replicate the range of movement patterns and speed that parents use to rock their children to sleep. Whether it calms your child will depend on his or her particular preferences, this base mechanic works really well.
The MamaRoo isn't a perfect product. It has major technical shortcomings --particularly with its basic mobile app and terrible speakers. Even in light of these issues, I like the MamaRoo. Unless you've got $270 lying around, though, you should wait to buy it until you're sure it's what your baby needs.
