Product Description

First, it's an infant seat with a three-stage developmental system of toys designed to bring out baby's full potential in the first year. Then, as your child grows, you can use it as a toddler rocking chair (up to 40 pounds)!

Calming vibrations and gentle rocking motion help comfort and soothe baby in the infant seat. There's a foldout kickstand for feeing or sleeping and a two-position recline seat for baby's comfort. Machine-washable pad for easy clean-up. Requires 1 "D" battery (not included).

Developmental Guidelines: Use the upright position only when your child has developed enough upper body control to sit without leaning forward. Always use the restraint until your child is able to climb in and out of the chair unassisted.

Features:

• Promotes Comfort and Security: Calming vibrations and gentle rocking motion help comfort and soothe baby.
• Encourages Developing Motor Skills: As baby reaches to bat, grasp and pull hanging toys, eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills are refined
• Stimulates Senses: Colorful activities offer visual stimulation. Stimulates sense of touch with variety of textures.
• Better for Mom: Convenient space for feeding baby. Removable, machine-washable seat pad

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #55 in Baby Product
• Color: Blue/Green
• Brand: Fisher-Price
• Model: M5598
• Released on: 2008-01-07
• Dimensions: 17.00" h x 3.50" w x 23.00" l, 9.50 pounds

Features

• The Infant-to-Toddler Rocker is an infant seat that converts to a toddler rocker.
• In the infant mode baby is soothed with calming vibrations or mom's gentle rocking of the seat. There is a kickstand to lockout rocking for sleep or feeding. As the child grows, the seatback adjusts to a more upright position for a toddler up to 40lbs.
• In stage one, the toys are mounted to the toy bar and face downward towards baby for visual stimulation with bright colors and patterns.
• In stage two, the toys are unlinked from the toy bar and re-linked to the right and left of baby's grasp in addition to on the crotch strap for teething and to develop baby's sense of touch.
• Additionally the toy bar rotates out of the way to get baby in or out. The rear leg folds under to make it very flat and the toybar detaches for really easy take-along for Mom. A 3 pt. restraint is included and the pad is machine washable.

From the Manufacturer
The Infant-to-Toddler Rocker is an infant seat that converts to a toddler rocker. In the infant mode baby is soothed with calming vibrations or mom's gentle rocking of the seat. There is a kickstand to lockout rocking for sleep or feeding. As the child grows, the seatback adjusts to a more upright position for a toddler up to 40lbs. The toys incorporate the adorable farm characters. In stage one, the toys are mounted to the toy bar and face downward towards baby for visual stimulation with bright colors and patterns. In stage two, the toys are unlinked from the toy bar and re-linked to the right and left of baby's grasp in addition to on the crotch strap for teething and to develop baby's sense of touch. In the third stage, the toys mount back to the toy bar and the seatback adjusts for baby to bat at the toys. Toy bar and 3 toys are removable.

Customer Reviews

Not safe for infants who are starting to sit up
(I have the previous version of this rocker, the mechanics seem unchanged).

Our son loved this rocker as a newborn (1-2 months). We pulled out the "kickstand" and that allowed him to be in a flat position and he was very comfortable. Most bouncers are too upright fro newborns. Also, the rocker has two recline positions for you baby's comfort.

As he got older (3-4 months), we would push in the "kickstand" in so we could use the rocking feature. He liked being more upright than flat at this age. He liked to look around and play with the toy bar. Also, we could rock him to sleep.

But, once (around 5-6 months) when he was trying to sit up and lean forward he fell over (the reason for 3 stars only). He was strapped in, so the chair fell over with him. I was in the same room as he was and he is fine - he was just a bit startled.

(Think about sitting in a rocking chair and leaning forward - if you cannot lean back then you would fall forward.)

I put it away for now and will try it when he can climb in and out of the rocker on his own.

Good, waiting for it to become great.
First off, I have last years model. From what I can tell, the difference is the color scheme. I bought this for my daughter when she was about 4 months old. She's 11 months now. At first, she didn't like the vibrating, as it made her itchy and she'd rub her face. Now that she's older, she's OK with the vibrating mode. It's nice and portable and is good for keeping her put for a short while. She does get bored in it if stuck there for too long...but not much more than others things that are confining. At her current age, the activity center does the job a little better, but a bit bulkier, so this is great for hauling into the bathroom and keeping her safe and in view while I shower. Oh, so now that's she older she is able to yank off the toys that can be velcroed to the top bar. Not a big deal. Try the linkadoos and attach your kid's toy du jour to the links...attached in turn to the waist strap. DD is fond of throwing toys overboard these days, so with the links, they don't go far, and she can then reach over and retrieve them herself.
NOW, I MUST MENTION TWO things I don't like about this item. FIRST, my daughter isn't yet tall enough to reach her feet to the floor and rock herself, and she gets a bit frustrated at staying still in the non-rocking position for too long. I know that in time, she'll grow and that issue will be resolved.
But, the MOST IMPORTANT thing to note, is not to assume your child is safe and secure if you dash out of site for a moment. My daughter leans so far forward in the chair now (but is unable to reach the floor with her feet), that the entire cloth back just comes forward with her, since she's strapped in. No big deal I thought, until...I left the room for a moment, and when I returned, she was crawling on the floor! I have NO idea how my little houdini did it, but I had her buckled in...and the waist strap was still buckled! The chair wasn't even overturned! There she was nearby examining our heat register in the floor. We were VERY lucky since there were other non-baby-safe items within her reach and the door to the room was open...and the house not yet completely baby-proofed. My husband and I were in utter amazement and the only thing we could come up with is that she leaned so far forward to reach something on the ground in front of her, that her body just folded over itself and she simnply somersaulted out of the chair...her legs sliding out of the belt (and it's on the tightest setting...but still doesn't fit as snug as I think it should...but I never thought THAT would happen). The chair must have just rocked back into it's upright position...and there she was crawling around happy-go-lucky; unscathed by the event.
I still think the chair is a good thing...will last longer than a bouncer. However, NOW, if I have to dash out of site for a moment, I make sure the rocker is in the non-rocking position so that it doesn't lean with her if she tries to reach forward too far.
This just seems to be an awkard stage to get it's best use.
If they could improve upon the fit of the harness belt, and make the cloth back somehow not move so much with the baby as he/she leans forward while belted in...I would give it five stars.

Used correctly, this seat is perfect!
I've been reading the reviews about people putting their babies in this in the rocking position, and that's entirely too early for this feature to be used. The rocker part is for when the child is old enough to reach the floor with his/her own legs. You wouldn't put a child in an adult rocking chair and you shouldn't use the rocking feature of this chair for babies either. It's for the toddler stage. I've had this rocker for 6+ years and none of my 3 children have ever fallen out because they've never been put in by themselves in the rocker mode.