Do you really need a baby mobile?

There are two main schools of thought about having mobiles in cribs, and what they do to your baby’s sleep. Both ideas sound plausible, and both were developed as a way of working towards a goal that’s near and dear to your heart – encouraging Baby to sleep through the night. Unfortunately, these two schools of thought completely contradict each other – there isn’t really an opportunity for a happy medium.

Two opinions on the mobile

Fans of crib mobiles argue that they entertain babies when they wake in the night, which means that they’re willing to wait for you more patiently if it takes you a little longer to get to them. The theory suggests that if they aren’t waking up for a feeding or a change, but rather just for the sake of waking up, they might be distracted enough by it not to end up calling for you at all.

On the other hand, the argument against the mobile is that it can transform babies’ associations with their cribs from places to sleep to places to play, which could make it harder for them to fall asleep. In the end, it may come down to a question of Baby’s personality, whether a crib mobile will help or hurt his sleep. In either case, in the first few months, as long as the mobile is securely attached to the crib or ceiling so it won’t fall down into the crib, and all of the hanging pieces are both securely fastened and fastened on strings no longer than 7 inches, mobiles don’t present any danger – besides the danger to your sleep schedule that Baby might be one of those children who likes his mobile enough not to want to fall asleep when it’s around to watch!

The end of the mobile

The only point when the mobile starts to present a safety hazard is when Baby is around 5 months or whenever he starts sitting up. This is when he starts getting close to being able to reach up and grab things, or sit upright. Even if Baby isn’t quite at that point physically, when his fourth month rolls around, it’s a good idea to move the mobile preemptively. After all, he will be mobile enough to start going after the mobile soon!

Sources

• Mary L. Gavin. “Household Safety: Preventing Injuries in the Crib.” KidsHealth. The Nemours Foundation, August 2013. Web.
• “Suitable Sleeping Sites.” Healthy Children. American Academy of Pediatrics, November 21 2015. Web.

Last Updated on January 24, 2022 by

A nursery mobile is not a necessary piece of baby equipment. However, a crib mobile is worth your consideration. From decorative purposes to promoting brain development, buying the right crib mobile can gives a lot!

Do you really need a crib mobile?

I think a quality crib mobile is a good investment for you and your baby. Yes, for you too! If you are one of the lucky ones, it will engage your baby while giving you a much-deserved time for yourself.

Of course, engaging is not its only benefit. A crib mobile can also soothe a fussy baby, nicely tie together a nursery’s theme, and promote the baby’s sensory development.

A quality crib mobile can either entertain or soothe the baby into sleep!

I am not saying a crib mobile works all the time and for everyone. But I have to say that it was working for our family. For me, buying a crib mobile was one of the best purchases I have made for my baby. It was unquestionably worth my money!

Nevertheless, I admit I was one of the lucky ones. My daughter loved her crib mobile. She watched the spinning toys, listen to soothing sounds, and enjoyed a night star projection until she fell asleep.

RELATED: Best crib mobiles of the year

In my case, a crib mobile was worth buying!

The crib mobile mentioned above was not the only baby mobile I’ve bought. I soon figured out that a crib mobile can help in many ways, so my daughter had three. Yes, three. Why not, if she loved them?

Simple, yet efficient nursery mobile:

First is a simple Ikea wind-operated mobile that I have placed above the changing table. When she was on the changing table, she was engaged by the mobile’s colorful toys, making diaper changing faster and hassle-free.

I hung it on the bar, which I bent in an L-shape, and attached to the back of the changer. When I placed my baby on the changer, I pull it down a little and left it to bounce back. It offered just enough resistance that toys were hopping for a while when the bar returned to its initial position. Just enough to entertain my daughter!

*Ikea’s wind mobile looks a little different today, but the purpose is the same.

Crib mobile with starlight projection:

The second mobile was for the crib in the nursery. I have chosen a Fisher-Price Butterfly Dreams projection mobile, which didn’t disappoint.

I am not a fan of nursery mobiles with flashy colors, so this one was perfect for me. I also wanted a model that would draw just enough of my child’s attention while acting soothingly on her.

Oh, I have to say that she still uses it. The Fisher-Price Butterfly Dreams is a convertible crib mobile that grows with the baby. We have converted it into a table-top night-light projector with soothing sounds.

Portable mobile:

The last one is a Tiny Love portable mobile. This baby crib mobile is very versatile. It has three different attachments, so it can clip-on to almost anything you can imagine.

We were using it on a Pack ‘N Play, took with us on holidays, attached it on the stroller’s canopy, or placed it on a crib in grandparents’ home.

I could use teddy bears from Fisher-Price mobile (the lower part disconnects and, for example, attaches to a stroller canopy), but I preferred this one. 

The Tiny Love portable mobile is the only model with a motorized unit. Toys do not only hop because of the stroller’s movement but rotate and play sound, just like on the crib.

The reasons why I think the crib mobile is worth your money

1. It can be a nice decoration in the nursery.
2. It can buy you some much-needed time for yourself.
3. And most importantly, it has benefits for your baby!

Crib mobile benefits for the baby

Crib mobile promotes the baby’s sense development:

A crib mobile provides visual stimulation and promotes brain development. The more colorful it is, the more visually stimulating it is for babies. So, if you want an engaging mobile, pick the model full of different colors, contrasts, and shapes.

Music, dangling toys, and the mobile’s movements stimulate the baby’s sense of sight and sound.

Relaxation:

Soothing sounds and steady movement create an atmosphere that calms babies and helps them fall asleep.

Language & Communication:

If the baby likes her crib mobile, she is happy and, sooner or later, starts trying to talk with dangling characters. That is how she is practicing baby talk and hone her communication and language skills.

Hand-eye coordination:

Because of the bright colors and fun shapes, a baby may become excited and try to touch the mobile’s characters. Sooner or later, her hands will start following her eyes, trying to reach a particular toy.

By looking into a toy and trying to reach it, she will learn to coordinate her movement with her eyes, to get what she wants.

Crib mobiles that emphasize hand-eye coordination are colorful and move toys in different directions. Such crib mobiles have multi-dimensional movements, move up and down, or rotate clockwise and counterclockwise.

Education:

Some battery-operated baby mobiles can serve as an educational tool after your baby stops using them as a crib mobile. Such mobiles convert into a take-along musical toy for toddlers.

Toddlers can press various shapes or buttons on the unit. Buttons may denote letters and numbers, blink, play different animal sounds, etc.