How Can I Get my Baby to Calm Down and Sleep?

Getting a baby to sleep, or even stop crying, can sometimes be quite a chore. Micah loved being held and rocked. Required it. But my arms got tired and the dishes needed to be done, so he learned to love his bouncer when I couldn’t hold him. Emersyn also loves being held, but she seems to get overwhelmed when she’s sleepy and falls asleep WAY better out of my arms, but still swinging or moving somehow. She’s a fan of her bouncer as well, but she sleeps better lying flat. Our new favorite arm-saving, baby-happy tool: the Graco Soothing System Glider! I so wish I had this when Micah was a baby!

The Graco Soothing System Glider: The Good

This system is a fantastic idea. Just wonderful. The idea: the Graco Soothing System Glider has 4 modes: Bassinet, Bouncer, Gliding Bouncer (glider swing), and Gliding Bassinet. Plus music or sounds, volume control, and a 10-20-30 minute timer, the Graco Soothing System Glider has it all.

Graco Soothing System Glider: Bassinet and Bassinet Glider

A basic bassinet, it’s a nice high-sided with mesh “windows” flat bed for baby. The Graco Soothing System Bassinet is average size, easy to put together, and light enough to move from room to room or take on trips, whatever we need. Take the bassinet and set into the glider base and it glides! Just like a rocking chair glides forward and baby, baby glides with 6 different speed options and I can set the timer so she stops swinging after 10, 20, or 30 minutes.

Emersyn currently sleeps in this at night and she sleeps better than any other thing we’ve found. The bassinet is small enough that if she spreads her arms and legs she can hit the sides or bottom and not feel like she’s lying in the middle of nothingness. Plus if she startles awake, it glides a little just from the being on the glider base and helps her soothe herself. She is only 3 months old, so she still wakes up at least once a night, but the once in the glider is way better than the 3 times in the crib or swing!

Graco Soothing System Glider: Bouncer and Bouncer Glider

The Graco Soothing System Bouncer is your average bouncer with a couple awesome perks: the adjustable back can sit at 3 different angles! Plus, the bouncer has a handle (similar to a carseat handle) for easy moving from area to area or in and out of the glider base.

And the 5-point harness makes it safe to set it in the glider base so it can glide just as comfortably as being in your arms while you get things done, or catch a nap yourself.

Overall, the whole system works beautifully. The bouncer is cozy and easy to adjust. Both pieces are easy to set into or take out of the glider base. There is no latch or clip to mess with, it just sets deeply and snuggly into it. I tried to make it “accidently” fall out, no luck, it’s snug and safe.

Another perk; it’s ability to come apart means it’s easier and lighter to move from room to room as a base, bassinet and bouncer instead of one massive, awkward swing.

Perk or all perks: it plugs into the wall! Or it can take batteries, but I prefer the wall because it never runs out and needs replacing!

The Graco Soothing System Glider: The Bad

The motor on the system is actually quite noisy, but it’s rhythmic and doesn’t seem to bother Emersyn a bit. The volume on the music/noises also doesn’t get as quiet as I’d like, but a little loud is good to drown out Micah’s noisy playing.

The whole thing also took about 45 minutes to put together, the base being the most time consuming. But, after it’s together, it’s solid and safe. There are covers over the moving pieces. The screws are really hard to screw in, but there are only 3 of them.

My last complaint is super minor: the bears on the bouncer are facing the wrong way…. they are looking out at me instead of in so baby can see their faces. They are soft and fuzzy though, cute little toys.

Go online to check out more about the Graco Soothing System Glider or Graco in general and on Facebook and Twitter!