Graco has managed to migrate the taste for baby entertainment systems very successfully from the US so now multi-speed swings, vibrating chairs, and of course vibrating travel cot-cum-playpens are  all very much on the newborn UK baby wish list. Fisher Price, Graco's major American competitor has followed suit, focusing on the bouncer market with models that are priced towards the mid to higher end with functions to match such as the vibration control and fold away designs.

Chicco offer similar price points to Graco in the chairs, but there is a wide range starting at around £20 up to around £175. Phil and Ted's double seat for their e3 buggy very cleverly converts into a bouncer chair called a Lazyted and packs up easily for travelling. Hauck have produced a huge range of baby bouncer chairs many of which are licensed products and hit the mid market with a retail price of around £30.

Baby Bjorn's Babysitter seat is more of a traditional wire chair and gives the parents something more subtle to look at. Unlike  some more flexible designs it offers a supportive highback to encourage the baby to stay awake and look out at what's going on or twiddle with the toy bar. Few babies could manage to sleep in Safety 1st's Rockin Jitter Buggy Bouncer. This baby dream machine offers bright colours, fun noises, and a vibrating steering wheel. Parents have raved about its entertainment value as it does indeed allow them to do other things knowing their child is safe and entertained. It's a solid car-shaped toy come bouncer with babyseat inside and musical gadgets.

Concord has the Rio Rocker Xenon which has a reputation for being suitable even for small babies. It's wooden base and metallic legs give it a futuristic appeal and the fabrics are excellent. But if its the top draw of baby bouncers you want, the Baby Bloom range is worth looking at. Their ‘loungers' start at £120 rrp and go up to just under £200. The smooth lines of curved beech are very appealing to mum and dad, but they offer far less in terms of entertainment value  for an inquisitive 6 month old.

Door bouncers are still an option and babies absolutely love them! Lindam Bounce About Plus rrp £29.99 and Tippitoes Door Bouncer rrp. £22.99 continue to offer a huge amount of fun. But do ensure customers are aware that adult supervision is essential with all these items as head injuries in babies under one do occur occasionally from falls and in the case of baby walkers, falling down the stairs in them. A recent report from Iraq found 94% of 83 babies using them, had suffered injury from minor bruising to serious head conditions using a baby walker.*

* Ann Trop Paediatr. 2006 March. Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Baghdad, Iraq.