You Rock! Rocker vs Glider Question.

BiggerinRealLife · December 2013

Just wanted to see what you all thought about classic rockers vs. gliders. I'm a FTM and have heard from several people that whatever you rock your child in needs to be comfy enough to fall asleep in or sit in for hours at a time. I know gliders are awesome, but I hate the look of almost all of them, and have a big problem with buying an expensive piece of furniture that I wouldn't want in my house after the baby is grown. I found one at BRU that doesn't make me gag, is really comfy, and it reclines! But I still wouldn't keep it around after we stop having kids. I loved a wooden rocker my mom had growing up and found it very comfortable, and I'm in love with this rocker from Land of Nod:

Pros:

In our price range
classic look
I won't hate having it my house once kids are grown = 20+ years of use.

Cons:

No padding, would have to purchase some.
Can't actually sit in it to test comfort before purchasing because LON has no physical stores near me.

So what would you do? Go the ol' standard glider or take a chance on a non-padded classic?

b-ruth · December 2013

I bought a very cushioned glider and ottoman and I am very thankful I did. I spend a lot of time in it with my son and if he wakes up in the night I can be cozy as I rock him back to sleep. A recliner would have been great also but for me personally I would not have survived the past year with a wooden rocking chair.
Edited for wording

Sarahjess06 · December 2013

I had a glider with my first. I didn't find it comfortable at all. We had an old school rocker growing up and I didn't find that comfy either. Maybe I'm just picky. This time we are getting a recliner. One that rocks and reclines. Otherwise over sized chair did sure ^

Eija3014 · December 2013

We are quite positive we are getting a recliner. I love the way traditional rocking chairs look and my mom still has hers from when my brother and I were babies, but I could not imagine being comfortable in one for hours on end! I don't really like gliders either so I think a big, comfy recliner will be what we go with.

zazu13 · December 2013

I am getting a rocking/swivel recliner from BBB. I cannot imagine spending lots of time in a wooden rocker (though it is lovely). I also wanted something wide so I can have two babies BF or sleep in my lap and I can get some sleep there when I need to, too. I intend to use the chair well into the toddler years so I'm not worried about it when the babies are grown. I think I will get my money's worth out of it. If/when we get to a point we don't use it then I will probably sell or donate it.

seafyr · December 2013

I was terrified of getting a rocker our first time. All I could see is our son smashing/pinching fingers and toes in a glider/rocker. So we lucked out on a Labor Day sale and got a new couch and recliner for the price of 1. But now that we have an upstairs bedroom I really do want a rocker or glider for baby's room.

BiggerinRealLife · December 2013

@AprilMay9 That is brilliant! I never heard of that!

@Poru I like the way you think. Our baby's room is smallish though, so prob won't do a huge chair in there. It's ok, though. I have one plus the huge ottoman in the living room 5 feet away.

@Zazu13 I didn't think Bed Bath Beyond had them. Thanks for the tip, I'll look!

Thanks for the feedback ladies! This makes me more confidant about going for function over form.

Sisimama10 · December 2013

I want a recliner glider - the big puffy armchair ones, but they are just too much money. So I'm going to get a glider and ottoman. They're way more comfortable than a regular rocker IMO.

porterlove525 · December 2013

I love the look of the Land of Nod rocker! My sisters and mum all used wooden rockers without pads and so did the woman I nannied for years for. It was never an issue for rocking, but I wouldn't BF in it for lack of cushion

We went with a Poru type combo, big, cushy, overstuffed chair that rocks. It's from Pottery Barn, but we found one on Craigslist for $150. Granted, I haven't fed or rocked a child in it yet, but it's insanely comfy and something I wouldn't mind keeping for a while.

smashton14th · December 2013

Last time around, buying a glider was one of our big purchases. I knew that i would be in the glider a lot rocking our DD asleep. I was right! There was a lot of nights i slept on that glider.
It is about what you prefer and what use you think you are going to get out of it.
I bought my glider on Amazon because it saved us about $100 conpared to BRU.

ksulli · December 2013

I have an armchair that has a rocker base and love it. It remained our bedtime story/snuggle seat until she moved to a big girl bed. We got it from a local furniture shop though, so I have no idea the brand/manufacturer, but they do exist. I didn't like the feel of the gliders as much as a real rocker.

Teresa1896 · December 2013

We have a cheap glider from BRU, which I don't love. It was a gift, and the fabric is pink gingham which obviously doesn't fit In any room of our house. It was comfy enough to nurse in but honestly I only used it at bedtime- otherwise I nursed wherever I was in the house. It definitely wasn't essential for us.

zazu13 · December 2013

BiggerinRealLife said: @Zazu13 I didn't think Bed Bath Beyond had them. Thanks for the tip, I'll look!

@BiggerinRealLife - sorry, I meant BBB - Buy, Buy Baby

ZebNMichelle · December 2013

With DD I had a glider but it was a old one with not a lot of padding. I HATED IT!!!! the wooden arms would dig into my arm when holding DD.. I was always scared of her head resting on the wooden arm. and it was not comfortable after sitting for a while.

RebeccaY1 · December 2013

We have two gliders in our living room. I really don't like the motion of them. I'm not sure why, but I get nervous when the glider goes backwards. I feel the same way in rockers, so I doubt I'll use them very often. I think it depends upon your comfort level. I have sat in various wooden rockers and didn't find that they needed any padding whatsoever. I guess it's all in what you find comfortable.

Linnea503 · December 2013

We have one of the gliders with padding and it works just fine.

I try not to fall asleep on couches or recliners with a newborn, it's just not safe at all. It's much safer to have a prepared place to safely lay down with baby and side nurse. I used a firm futon mattress on the floor with DS with no blankets and one tiny pillow.

Even if you don't intend to bed share regularly I found it helpful to have a safe place to lay down and nurse/snuggle. I got a lot more sleep this way. I fell asleep with DS on the couch a few times and it was scary because it's really not safe.

Oh, and that wooden rocker is really nice! Maybe one with a little more padding though.

britt33 · December 2013

DH is 6'4 so his height makes some chairs uncomfortable. We wanted something we could keep after kids are grown. His parents still have the lazy boy recliner they got when he was a baby 29 years ago. So we got a plush comfy lazy boy recliner/rocker. So excited!

BiggerinRealLife · December 2013

@Sisimama10 The rocker/recliner I found at BRU is $500. Not cheap, but less than any other I found. It's new in their store though, I saw it at my local one, it's not online yet. Here's the pic I took of their tag:

britt33 · December 2013

I would keep your eye out at Lazy Boy. They have fantastic sales all the time! Our rocker recliner was $499 and that was with the fabric protector was added (spill proof stuff to protect against baby accidents). This was the most comfortable chair I have ever been in. Just check out their stuff online and keep an eye out. The sales lady said they have some sale every month. And in February we have Presidents' Day so big sales are pretty much guaranteed.

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