glider/recliner question

sillybiochemist

Some input based on experience or what you're doing in your home would be appreciated. 

DH and I were looking at gliders yesterday and came up with a few ideas.  He thinks that the ottoman is silly with the glider but became a bit more convinced when I sat down in a few and he realized my short legs didn't easily reach the floor (and that was with shoes on) with most of the models available.  Obviously a wood nursing stool (~$35) could probably be substituted for the $120 gliding ottoman.  No big deal unless there's a distinct advantage of one versus the other.  His other idea is to take an ottoman (block style) that goes with our living room coffee table instead of buying something new.  I see his point but if the height is funky (which I think it will be) then it will be a pain to use.

We have a two story house with the bedrooms upstairs and the rest of the living space on the main floor.  DH thinks that we should get a recliner and put it in the living room, although he admits that it would be more difficult to rock/recline at the same time.  He sees little reason to have one upstairs where the nursery is.  My thought is where on earth am I going to breast feed upstairs?  I'm not going to want to go down stairs in the middle of the night to breastfeed.  The only other option would be to go in our spare bedroom and sit on the futon.  He doesn't want a chair upstairs that in theory could be moved down stairs because it would be a pain.  (I'll give him a bit of flexibility on this one, he was tired and had a crazy busy day at work.)

So if you have something like a glider or recliner where do you have it?  

If you don't have something like that, what do you use as an alternative?

Any thoughts are appreciated.  I know we'll talk about this after he's had a good nights sleep but wanted other's opinions on what worked well for them.  Thanks! 

BlondeBeachBride08

We're only on one floor so it's a bit of a different scenario. We just purchased a small recliner that also rocks 

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It's going in the nursery and will be used for nursing but also just for rocking and cuddling with the baby. When it's in the reclined position it's locked into place but when the foot rest is down, it rocks.

We went with this over a glider/ottoman because we didn't want to drop a lot of money on furniture that our family would out grow. I associate gliders with babies/nurseries so I'd want to get rid of it when we don't have babies anymore.  But the recliner can be used in other rooms.

Have you thought about nursing in bed with a reading pillow to start? I agree that if the baby is going to be sleeping in the nursery, you'll need a place in there to sit and nurse.

Craigslist often has gliders/ottomans for much less than baby stores.

GL 

AprilJT

I have a mid-level entry house so everything but my family room is upstairs.  I bought a glider to go in the living room upstairs so I would have something to sit and rock the baby in.  Rowen loved to be rocked so I wanted to have something that rocked again this time.  I was going to put it in the nursery but I figured I would get more use of it out there.  I put a chair that reclines and has a foot stool in the nursery so I would have somewhere to sit though.

When I had Rowen I lived in a house that had everything on the main level but the bedrooms, which were all upstairs.  We had a recliner that rocked downstairs that I would use during the day.  At night we had a rocker in the nursery.  But honestly, I just nursed Rowen in bed every night and only used the rocker when I would get him ready for bed after he was sleeping in his own room (after 6 months).  

I bought my glider at Target.  It gets really good reviews and the footstool comes with it.  I only spend about $150 on it too.

MelVic

I LOVE my chair and ottoman!! You definitely need something to rock in while feeding the baby in the middle of the night.

Currently the chair/ottoman is in my bedroom because the baby sleeps in there for the time being, but eventually the chair will be moved to her bedroom when she goes in there at about 3 months or so, so I can still use it to breast feed. 

eamaines

So if you have something like a glider or recliner where do you have it?    Our glider/ottoman set is in the nursery--perfect for the late night feedings.  For regular daily feedings I usually park it on the couch, not exactly the most comfortable though.

If you don't have something like that, what do you use as an alternative?  The couch w/ about 4 pillows.

Ashleysred

I have a plain old rocking chair in the nursery that I have used about 4 times.  Other than that I feed her where ever we are right then- the couch, the bed, the floor.

natalee215

We bought a glider with ottoman, but we got a combo one that came together so it was cheaper.  I let DH pick it out and he tested out all of the floor models and found it to be the most comfortable.  We just happened to luck out that it was a set and therefore cheaper.  I think it was $299, but I used a 20% off coupon, so we saed $60.

We have it in the baby's room so that me and DH have somewhere to feed the baby during the night as to not disrupt the other one.  Our bedrooms are on the second floor and there is no way that either of us is going downstairs in the middle of the night for feedings.  We don't want to feed the baby in our bed because we want the other person to have the least amount of interuption possible.

MrsBlayne

Ugh I had a long post typed up last night and then my phone died. Let's see if I can sum it up. This is what I think is most important in a nursing chair - some kind of motion, high back so that you can lean your head back during early morning feedings, straight back with good support, and low and shallow enough that you can stand up without using your hands. I would try to find one where your feettouch the ground. It helps a lot for getting out of the chair without waking up baby. Personally I don't like nursing in bed, I used the chair in Bs room even when she was sleeping in our room. You definitely want a chair upstairs. Also, I don't think reclining puts you in a very good position for nursing, so I wouldn't get a recliner unless it's like Morgans. My chair came from Ikea, you might check them out if you have one nearby.

Wendells

we have a dutalier glider/ottoman.  i love it, super comfy.  it's in gavin's room.  the ottoman has a black piece that pulls out to rest your feet on when nursing. 

Eleise96

We have a glider/ottoman that is in Kellen's room.  I nurse him up there in the middle of the night and first thing in the morning most of the time.  I do also nurse him in bed first thing in the morning as well.  During the day, I will sit in a leather chair (stationary) we have in our living room that has an ottoman. I think nursing is much more comfortable when you can prop your feet up.  Oh, and I use a boppy while nursing in the leather chair. 

sillybiochemist

Thanks girls!  We still need to figure out what to do.  At this point it may come down to buying a breast pump or buying a glider.  Not really something I want to think about.  Ikea is about 2 hours away (Cincy) in one direction and 3 hours in another (Chicago).  There's one up around Detroit which would be a fun option b/c of friends in the area but DH just looks at me like I'm crazy when I suggest that one.  (Just to go to an IKEA!?!?) LOL

Breastfeeding in the bed is an option but I want other options.  (silly me)  I think if we get a nursing stool I can pull off using the futon upstairs (in a separate bedroom that also has a TV) but down stairs in the living room we already have ottomans so I'd just need to figure out the best way to make it work.  As if I won't have to do that anyway.  

Love the input & really appreciate it!