Vibrating baby equipment has been the source of much controversy. Many feel that these devices will eliminate human contact between infants and parents.
Vibrating baby equipment such as cradles, swings, baby seats and swings are battery-operated devices designed to deliver a soothing, low-intensity vibration to an infant. These vibrations are intended to soothe restless infants into sleep. Another function of these devices is to reduce or eliminate infant colic pains by gently dislodging trapped gas in the infant's stomach.
Most of the baby seats or swings have child safety belts and colorful, detachable toy bars for the amusement and mental stimulation of the baby. Prices are usually fairly inexpensive, around $20 to $30 for babyseats, but the cost for replacing batteries can be high, depending upon how often the baby uses the equipment. While most pediatricians do not disapprove of vibrating equipment, some warn that a baby could become so accustomed to being put to sleep in this manner that there might be problems with the infant falling asleep naturally. Pediatricians also agree that the vibrating chairs and swings are excellent ways to treat colicky babies without having to use medications and that no long-term damage is done to the child.
Opponents of these products, which include laymen as well as some child advocates, argue that the devices are little more than mechanical babysitters and that their use will inhibit the natural bonding of parent and child through physical contact. The feeling is that many parents will use the equipment as an acceptable means to ignore their children and not give the attention and physical contact that a developing infant needs. Without this attention, they feel that the infant will be irreparably damaged emotionally. More radical opponents see vibrating baby equipment as being cruel and possibly causing Shaken-Baby Syndrome, in which an infant is violently shaken by another person until physical and/or mental damage occurs. This is unlikely, however, considering the low-intensity vibrations emitted. The vibrations have been compared to the feeling of riding in a car. Opponents also downplay the advantages of treating colic with vibrating equipment and lean to more traditional ways of treating infant colic.
Although each side presents some valid points, the final decision for or against using vibrating baby equipment lies with parents and their individual situations.
