I haven't gotten around to assembling my first "baby rocker" just yet, but ideas are flowing.
I've got all the wood I need. I've got the 22"x36" fabric hemmed and whipped up to about 22"x30" inside the whipping. I've got the rope, the screws, the tools, etc...
Still trying to think about safety just a bit more. I'm not happy with the idea of a ridgeline that holds up breathable walls (tulle?).
But I'll tell you what I do like... a harness!!
A hammock is an absolute knockout for a miserable cranky baby. When my girls were babies I had a chepo fishnet hammock that I would figure out how to securely suspend between two points. Put the screaming kicking little kid in, the net hammock stretches a little and the sides roll inward and completely close over and envelop the child. Start slowly rocking. After about three minutes the wails start to decrease and within 10 minutes and often within 5 the kid is asleep. I would come home to an exhausted wife who had been trying to cope with a baby that didn't feel well for most of the day, string the hammock put her in, start swinging and zonk. Slam, bam, thank you ma'am, the kid is out like a light. The first time I did that my wife's mouth just fell open.
Tip: For Momma's benefit, put in some sag and let it swing about a foot off the ground.
Baby hammocks are quite common in the tropics etc...mostly homemade.
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