The Mamas & Papas Wave differs from many other models in that it does its basic job well, without offering wacky extras that never get used, or are of little interest to an infant who is just a few weeks old. It has a solid frame, is made of strong but attractive fabric, and looks classy rather than tacky. The Wave Rocking Cradle comes in a range of designs – Millie & Boris, Hodge Podge, Zeddy & Parsnip, Sky Blue and Chocolate or Raspberry and Grape. We tested Hodge Podge.
What we loved
The Hodge Podge cream and green spotty design is gorgeous, and would look good in either traditional or modern nurseries. There's a whole raft of items with the Hodge Podge designs for those who want a perfectly co-ordinated nursery.
This is a roomy chair so ideal for bigger babies - even though my baby son Elliot was towards the upper echelons of its weight capacity (it supports babies up to 9kg), he still had room to spare. The 3-point harness held him in securely and snugly, and the manual rocking action was nice and smooth, and not too hard work to get going.
The toybar clipped on very easily, and Elliot enjoyed playing with the Hodge Podge stuffed animals that come with it, including a cheeky mouse and a patchwork hedgehog. The chair also comes with a headrest to support newborns.
I really liked the practical carry straps, and the fact that you can fold the bouncer flat – handy if you’re staying at grandma's and want to sling it in the car. Another plus is the fact you can remove the seatpad for handwashing – when yet another breast or bottlefeed has gone in the wrong direction, it's nice to be able to wash the residual baby sick away!
Lots of bouncers have fixed-position seats, but here the seat back has three positions, ranging from fairly upright to fairly flat. You can also lock it in stable as well as rocking mode. Like me, you'll probably need to consult the instruction leaflet to locate the controls for folding, adjusting the seat back and swapping modes, but once you have, adjusting is fairly straightforward.
What to watch out for
If you're looking for an all-singing, all-dancing mini entertainment centre with songs and flashing lights, the Wave won't be for you. And, of course, you'll have to put a little elbow grease in – there's no battery-powered autopilot here, it's manual all the way.
While the hanging toys are cute, young babies respond more to bright primary colours rather than the tasteful little fellows here.
Who's it best for
Mums who want a classic bouncing chair that co-ordinates with their nursery.
The Wave Rocking Cradle is a solid product that's comfortable, has a nice rocking action and comes in a choice of cute Mamas & Papas designs. It's not cheap, but you get what you pay for.
