4moms MamaRoo4 The 4moms mamaRoo4 is an app-enabled infant seat that mimics the actual movements that parents make to soothe babies and keep them happy.

4moms MamaRoo4

  • Pros

    Natural movement soothes babies. Bluetooth controls. Easy to clean.

  • Cons

    Mobile is flimsy. Poor speakers.

  • Bottom Line


Babies enjoy the comfort of being bounced and swayedat least all three of mine doso it's not hard to see where 4moms came up with the idea for the mamaRoo, a bouncing infant seat that mimics the movements you make when you soothe your baby. Its latest version, the mamaRoo4 ($219.99), is nearly identical to the previous model except for some redesigned menu buttons, a slight change in the attached mobile, and the fact that four percent of its sales through the end of 2017 will be donated to Project Sweet Peas, a non-profit that helps NICU babies. Wisely, 4moms didn't mess around with the basic design that soothes babies so well that it's used in hundreds of hospitals and countless homes.

It Moves Like You Do

At first glance, the mamaRoo4 doesn't look any different from the previous version. The shape and size are unchanged, but a few things have been tweaked to make the seat easier for the caregiver to maneuver and more entertaining for the baby.

The seat can accommodate babies from birth to 25 pounds (or when your baby can sit unassisted or starts trying to climb out, whichever comes first). You get to pick from four different fabrics for the seat itself, two of which are super-soft plush. The seat is easy to remove and machine washable. Inserts for newborns can be purchased separately, though many newborns like the mamaRoo4 just fine without one; mine do.

4moms MamaRoo 4

The mamaRoo has five different settings that mimic the soothing motions that seem to come naturally to people when they have a baby in their arms. The motion and sounds are controlled either via the hard buttons on the base of the unit or by the mobile app, which uses Bluetooth to control the seat. Large, easy-to-see buttons make it easier to change settings and power the seat on and off with your foot than previous models. (The buttons sit only a couple of inches off the ground, so using your foot feels fairly natural.)

The 4moms app is available for Android and iOS devices. It's the same app you use for other 4moms products, such as the Moxi Stroller. Pairing the app with the seat is simple—the app walks you through the process, but basically all you have to do is select mamaRoo from the main menu and the app will automatically locate and connect to the seat. From there you can control settings such as motion, speed, sound, and volume.

There is a mobile over the seat that's easy to remove or turn out of the way. This is the only piece of the mamaRoo4 that feels flimsy a bit to me. On a previous mamaRoo I've tested, the plastic that holds the mobile in place wore down after a couple of months and I couldn't use it any more. I've been much more careful with this new model, and it's holding up fine.

Sweet Seat, Soft Speakers

From the start, my newborn has loved the mamaRoo4. She's nine weeks old as of this writing, and I use it almost daily. She's just starting to notice the colorful fabric mobile, and I love that the toys in it can be flipped over to change the color scheme. The toys feel like little round pillows, and can be removed and played with when your baby is ready. One of the three has a bell that jingles when shaken, another makes a crinkling sound when squeezed, and the third has plastic a mirror sewn on it.

4moms MamaRoo 4

The only really disappointing aspect is the built-in speaker. In addition to pre-programmed white noise tracks, there is a 3.5mm jack and cable so you can plug in a phone or MP3 player to play your own music through the speakers in the seat's base. The speakers, however, just don't sound good. I can see them being useful if you're playing music from an iPod or some other storage device that doesn't have speakers at all, but if you're using a phone, you're actually better off just using its integrated speaker.

The seat's movements are smooth, although there is a slight increase in speed when changing motions, The seat slightly jolts from one program to the next. Very rarely has it been noticeable enough to startle my baby, and I haven't been concerned at all from a safety standpoint. Besides, she prefers one program above the others (Kangaroo), so we don't end up switching programs often.

Comparisons and Conclusions

4moms has made a name for itself as a company by creating well-designed baby products unlike any others on the market. The mamaRoo4 is unique in the realm of baby seats and swings, but there are a couple that come close to comparing.

Nuna's LEAF curv sways babies back and forth like you would if you were twisting your upper body with your feet planted. We use this move with our babies all the time, and it almost always works. The curv, though, only offers this one movement, and it's powered by a gentle push from a caregiver every couple of minutes. At $229, it's also slightly more expensive.

Fisher Price makes the 4-in-1 Rock 'n Glide Soother, which is a seat that can be rocked manually or attached to a base that slides from side to side or front to back. This movement may soothe babies, but it doesn't mimic a caregiver's movements like the mamaRoo4 and curv do. But then again, it's only $108.

The mamaRoo4 does exactly what I want it to do: It rocks and sways my baby in a way that calms her when I am not available. It offers a variety of motions and sounds that can change with her as she grows and needs more variety to keep her happy. It's safe, doesn't take up much room, and is light enough to easily move around.

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