i think the best thing we ever got was our "swing" it is an old one (got it 7yrs ago) but it did wonders, my dh used to work night shift and i found if really hard to get things done at night with an unsettled baby that just wouldn't sleep, she used to sit in the swing and it would swing her whilst she looked around and could see me going about doing the dinner, dishes etc.

as i said it is an old one a graco brand - but it has been used with my 3 children and about a dozen friends have borrowed it to and it looks good enough for another child.