Is a rocking chair necessary?

lajoliedreamer · September 2016

DH and I hadn't really considered getting a rocking chair for a variety of reasons - little space to put one, haven't seen one that we even like, etc - but MIL was visiting last week and made us feel like we have to have one. We went out and bought an Ikea Poang rocker because it's the only one we've seen that we kind of like, even though we don't love it. Now we have it home, still in the box, and are having doubts that we really need it.

So STMs - would you say it's necessary?

Katemr1146 · September 2016

I say yes. We use ours daily still and my son is almost 2.5.
It was great for feedings, calming babies, snuggling sick kiddos who just need to be held to sleep. I've spent so many hours in that chair. I would recommend getting something pretty comfortable.

MrsBigTime · September 2016

We thought we wouldn't need one, so we didn't get one, and wouldn't you know I ended up using an old office chair for 2+ years! It was a comfy chair, but it certainly wasn't aestheticly pleasing!

Muscatmommyof4 · September 2016

This is my 4th and never had a rocking chair so I wouldn't say its a need to have but I have always thought it would be nice to have one we just have no where to put one.

rachlee2010 · September 2016

We have one and used it for our first for middle of the night feeds in his room but never really during the day. I like it as it's super comfy but I don't think it's truly necessary

BmcD2016 · September 2016

Not a need, but it's definitely something that made my life easier. I spent many hours sitting while feeding and having a supportive chair (a rocking recliner in our case) was amazing. Plus I can't count how many times I fell asleep with a napping newborn on my chest and I didn't want to move for fear of waking her.

princesslockness · September 2016

We just have a recliner that can rock. Typically we just lean back and L was good to go. It's nice, but really not needed for my kid.

Greencows4812 · September 2016

I think this largely depends on your plans for where LO will be sleeping. If you plan to cosleep or have baby in your room until the STTN then I don't think it's necessary. If you plan to have LO in its own room before then, then having a place to sit and feed baby is ideal. Having a comfy chair to sit in when your half asleep is necessary. Even once baby is a toddler, I still found it nice to have a place to cuddle and read books before bed. Our bedtime was bath, rocking in chair with books and then bed but you could also sit on the floor, it just won't be comfortable or easy to get up, especially if LO falls asleep on you. I think this depends on preference and parenting plans.

arcticseal-2 · September 2016

I have one. We actually got a rocker from my parents that they used with me with my first, but it squeaked. So, we upgraded to a used recliner. It's nice for rocking when baby doesn't want to sleep or is sick, etc. It was probably more for relaxing me than baby!

rspalding001 · September 2016

We used a comfy chair for feelings and for soothing I used one of the exercise balls and just held the baby and bounced on the ball. A rocker would have been more relaxing but it wasn't a necessity.

hollowway · September 2016

Not really. We co-slept at night and during the day I just used the couch or recliner.

camcbeth · September 2016

With my first I didn't have one. However I hated that I really didn't have any seat in the nursery. So I was limited to our bed, the kitchen chairs that were uncomfortable for long periods of time and our couches. I thought those would be enough the first time. This time I did get a leather chair that's a rocker. I'm very excited about it for the baby's room and to have somewhere to at least sit.

erniebernie1 · September 2016

I feel that it is, especially for when the baby wakes up for night feedings and they are in their own room already. We still use ours every night before bed and before naps for our 18 month old, he runs to it when he knows it's time to settle down for bed. We love ours so much we were even thinking of getting another for the new baby instead of reusing the same one since my son still uses his in his room.

MollySm · September 2016

We've always had a chair in the nursery and the bigger kids' bedrooms. But never a rocking chair. So definitely not a necessity. A chair is useful for feedings when they are little, and also for reading before bed and naptimes. But I prefer a non-rocking chair, especially as the kids got older.

OlgaN15 · September 2016

I think a chair of some sort is necessary. We have a glider which we still use everyday. I don't think it necessarily needs to be a rocker, but having something to sit on is advisable (particularly if/when you aren't sharing a room).

rspalding001 · September 2016

Also just to think about... If you have carpet, depending on the thickness a rocker may not work as nicely as a glider. We bought a rocker with DD and never used it because it was too difficult to actually rock on the thick nursery carpet. We ended up moving it to the living room as extra seating for guests.

mrsmoose5 · September 2016

We were gifted a glider with DS and we love it. I can't even tell you how many countless hours (night and day, mostly night) I've spent in that thing. I was going to move it out of his room and into the new nursery for this LO, but we still use it for him so much. I still read to him in it all the time and a good portion of our bedtime routine happens there. I ended up scoring another used rocker from another mom for $10 to put in the new nursery — yay! I definitely think you will want somewhere to sit when you get up for MOTN wakeups with baby.

shevaCC · September 2016

We coslept and my kids would never sleep in a crib on their own, so I didn't need a place to sit down in the nursery. But I really liked having a glider downstairs during daytime naps when they'd fall asleep in my arms and I didn't want to move and wake them up.

TrulyBlessed22 · September 2016

I vote YES, our DD is over 3yo and we still use it every single night for her bedtime book - she loves it. I'm actually wondering how she's going to be without it now that we are moving her into her big girl room and leaving the chair in the nursery. Hopefully she won't mind books in bed

PrettyPalomino · September 2016

I bought a nice rocker recliner that we will put in the nursery when she arrives and it will move back up to the living room when I stop using it in the nursery. It's sooo comfy and reclining might be nice for late night feedings.

knottie67abe493a54fb25d · March 25

Yes, I vouch for it.
I bought a lovely rocking chair from wayfair and have been using it for the past 3 years; it helped
me a lot during my late night feedings, now it gives me a cozy place to read
stories to my baby. My son loves playing on it in the living room.

knottie210c943f9d078bc9 · July 1

We used ours a ton in the early months, but it wasn’t a must-have. If space is tight and you don’t love it, skip it!

knottie6f55c2cdcd00affa · July 7

We used ours a lot during cluster feeding and sleep regressions, but I can see how it’s not essential for everyone.

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