Product Spotlight: Rocking Chairs and Gliders

cato99 · April 2019

Hello! We are all at about the halfway point of pregnancy now, so we're probably at least thinking about serious furniture and decor projects! Maybe you've started putting your nursery together, maybe you haven't. Either way, to help the process along I'd like to launch a three-week Nursery Product Spotlight Series! We have already discussed the most important item, the crib, but there's plenty more to research and buy, and it's always nice to have guidance from others. This can be a companion series to the general nursery and baby room thread we already have going!

Week 1 (this week): Rocking Chairs and Gliders
Week 2: Other Nursery Furniture
Week 3: Nursery Decor

So this week I'd like to bring up the other big furniture investment aside from the crib: rocking chairs and/or gliders. This isn't necessarily confined to the nursery, but it's frequently where you'll find them! What brand and model do you have? What brand and model are you coveting? How about general guideline on style? Preference between rocking chair and glider? What features are absolutely essential (foot rest?) and which features are not really necessary (idk, a built-in mini-fridge like a LaZBoy)? Are there different materials to consider, depending on comfort and/or ability to clean?

And how about peripheral products for the rocking chair set-up: what lighting do you have around it? Do you have a side-table for your own drink or a stack of baby supplies? Any tips on placing it within the nursery space (e.g., close to an outlet so your phone doesn't run out of batteries at 3 am)? What was your experience with actual use--did you use it every day to nurse or bottle feed and now use it for bedtime stories? Did you not really touch it until you moved baby into nursery and spent more time there? Was it an ambitious purchase that never got used? Please share!

Prior and Upcoming Product Spotlights

Allycat11 · April 2019

When I was pregnant with DD we bought a pretty basic glider with ottoman, I forgot the exact model but the kind in the $150 range on Amazon. For the amount of hours I will have clocked in it by the time we are past that phase with #3, I wish we would have splurged on a more plush and cozy glider...but that was not in the budget 6.5 years ago. I prefer a gliding motion to a rocking motion and an ottoman is a must have for me.

I like to position the glider near the bookshelf in the nursery so I can use it as a table for my water and phone. It also is easy access for reading books to the baby. Within arms reach I like to have a swaddle blanket and burp cloth. Having a lamp somewhere in the nursery is handy, but I don't need it right by the glider. I like not having to turn on the full ceiling light during middle of the night feedings or while calming a fussy baby before bed.

I use the glider occassionally with newborns but not daily because we cosleep at first. Once they start sleeping and/or napping in the room I use it at a minimum to nurse before and after sleep. Sometimes I will use it to escape pesky visitors (ahem MIL). As they get older I continue using it for bed and nap time stories until they transition to a toddler or big kid bed.

heml · April 2019

I wasn’t interested in getting a glider or rocker because we’re not doing a true nursery, but my mom insisted and purchased one for us. So we got a gray glider from joss & main. I have no idea how much we’ll use it but it looks nice in our living room

cato99 · April 2019

So I'm a terrible person to "lead" this discussion because I never got either for the nursery. I thought about it very seriously but never went for it, since I already had a futon in the nursery and wondered if I just added an ottoman if that would be enough (I got this ottoman in green; it opens up for a little storage inside that I use for blankets). I decided that I'd see if adding an actual glider felt really necessary once baby was here and we were settling into our routines, and it never did.

That said, I did find the rocking armchair in our living room (some slightly fancier version of a LazyBoy) super comfortable. And any sitting surface you plan to spend time on should have 1) a table or something for your water or snack, 2) an outlet somewhere so you can plug in your phone!

aecm · April 2019

We have a glider and ottoman from Pottery Barn Kids. I really like it, it’s very comfortable, and the ottoman is essential IMO. We spent a decent amount of time using it for nursing, or rocking to sleep before naps, and now it’s our spot for reading stories before naps and bedtime.

We have a floor lamp beside it which I really like b/c I could still have a little light without turning on the main lights to the room...I think it makes it easier to get a kid, especially a sick kid, back to sleep without having their room lit up like a football field on Friday night. We also have a little side table next to it, which was super useful for a drink, nursing supplies, etc. in the early days. However - it’s not really sturdy...so my toddler had nearly knocked it over a million times. So my advice would be to invest in a side table with four legs and not a single pedestal stand, lol.

mrosek91 · April 2019

We purchased the Tryp by Best Chairs and are very happy with it. We actually keep it in the living room not the nursery, so it gets a lot of use.
A few things to keep in mind -

With our chair you cannot rock, and have the feet up at the same time (which I think is pretty standard). So if you are thinking you will want you're feet up all the time, then you may be better off with a chair and ottoman. I keep a little foot stool near the chair, so that if I need to rock, I can at least have my feet slightly elevated.
If you are thinking of getting a rocker/recliner that is not marketed to new moms then pay attention to the foot release mechanism. A lot of recliners have a lever or button on the outside of the chair, which can be difficult to reach when holding a baby. Ours has the lever in between the seat and the arm, so you can get to it pretty easily.
Pay attention to color choices, something too light will show dirt, but something too dark will show a lot of spit-up or spilled milk.
This doesn't have so much to do with the purchasing of it, but general advise. If you are planning on having it somewhere more public than the nursery, you may want to have established rules about the use of it. In our house the rule is that anyone who wants can use it, but if someone is holding the baby they can kick whoever is in it out.

One item of full disclosure. Ours did break when we moved it (we think it's because there were times we had 2 full grown adults sitting on it, which you are not supposed to do.) It was still under warrenty, and BuyBuyBaby (the location of purchase) and Best (the manufacturer) gave us a run around each claiming the other was responsible to replace the broken piece. We did eventually get it sorted out, but it took a while, and a lot of time on the phone.

Twinkiedoll · April 2019

We use our glider and ottoman every day because it's just so comfy. It's especially great right now since I sit in it whenever my back hurts, but it's too much effort to lay down and get back up again. i think ours is by the Best Chairs brand too. It was from Babies R Us. It's very plush. Cost us around $250-275, and it has been worth every penny given the use we have gotten and continue to get out of it. We got the dark brown color to hide stains.

thirdtimesacharm2019 · April 2019

I have an antique rocking chair that was my Grandma's when my dad was a baby. I thought it would be adorable in my son’s nurseries. DS1 it looked great. I maybe rocked him in it five times then it became an extension of the closet and was mostly covered in clothes and blankets. Then the real fun came with DS2 when I tried to nurse in it ... holy cow that was the most awkward and uncomfortable thing ever. As we prepare for DS3, I will forego my lovely rocking chair with very little function. Our old couch, which currently resides in the playroom, has a removable chaise that I’m going to make a simple slip cover for and use as my primary nursing station. There will be plenty of room for baby and I to get comfortable (I could even curl up and nap in his room if I wanted). The best part is 1. It’s free (other than fabric for a cover) and 2. Since baby (and probably me too) will leak on it at some point it can be thrown out when I’m done with it!

All that to say, new gliders are super nice, but if you have an existing recliner (or something) that will work just fine it may not be necessary. And always choose comfort over looks for a nursery chair!

Twinkiedoll · April 2019

@thirdtimesacharm2019 we have an antique rocking chair too that is made out of this beautiful koa wood. It's gorgeous, but SO uncomfortable to sit in. Thankfully, it was Justin's (deceased) grandmother's special chair that has to be in a special place in my in-laws house so there was never an expectation for me to use it and we got the glider/ottoman instead.

olivemomma · April 2019

I’m passionate about a good chair in the nursery as I lived in it with DD. We had the Balina rocker/swivel/recliner by Best Chairs. It was a splurge at the time but my existing mom friends convinced me it was worth it - they were right! Comfort when you are up in the middle of the night is extremely important. I also used it a lot during the day for nursing, rocking, and naps. We moved when she was about 18 months and sold all of our furniture, including my beloved chair. When DS was born I got a glider with ottoman and I hate it. Not so much the glider/ottoman aspect of it but it’s just not comfortable and having zero recline is a no go for me. I have looked up the 2 places within driving distance where I can buy Best baby chairs and will be replacing my original chair. I do think pottery barn kids has some nice ones too but Best Chairs tend to me a little less pricey. So yea 3 kids and 3 chairs - I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that approach but get a good one!

denma2015 · April 2019

We just bought the davinci olive glider with ottoman from Target. I believe it is also sold on Wayfair. Still in box so we will see how it goes. For our son we bought an ikea poang rocking chair and ottoman. It worked fine and we still use it everyday but it wasn’t very comfortable for breastfeeding.

purplg8r · April 2019

@olivemomma I’m so glad to read this! We went in clueless to BBB and we ended up buying the Bellina. I’m glad you loved it!! @mrosek91made me think. Could you rock/glide with the feet up? I can’t remember if I tried that in the store.

lovelikestardust · April 2019

This is one of those things where I'm inclined to splurge, and my mom friends have encouraged that. I haven't done any serious shopping yet, but have looked briefly while at Buy Buy Baby, and Pottery Barn Kids. Loved some of the gliders at PBK, but DH thinks they're too spendy. Haven't decided yet if I want a recliner versus an ottoman, but it'll definitely be one or the other. I'll be keeping an eye on this thread to see what all you mamas recommend!

olivemomma · April 2019

@purplg8r I did love it. No, you cannot rock while the foot rest is up (at least not on the version I had 5 years ago but I believe that’s pretty standard for recliners). The only thing I would have changed was I had a hard time keeping it reclined, almost like I didn’t have enough weight to keep it down while I was relaxed. I think this time I’m going to get it with a remote instead of just the lever so it will stay.

suzycupcake · April 2019

Is there a chair that's super comfortable, can fit a tall mama, has an 8" thick seat, and falls in the $300 or under price range? I found the perfect one on sale last week at PBK for $299, but when I got it to my cart, they wanted $150 for shipping

BigBadWolf12 · April 2019

We got a glider with a gliding ottoman. The glider also haa a lock so it can become a stationary chair (good for if your baby is fascinated with it when they start to be mobile and you can lock it to prevent finger pinching)

I added a little shelf beside and it was already close to an outlet. The shelf is necessary.....water/snacks/phone/burp cloths/nursing pads/ etc all needed a place within arms reach.

My son slept in his crib on our room at first but I still took him to his room to nurse and change. He was a spitter so there was so way I was nursing him in bed haha. I used the chair all the time and we use it for bedtime stories etc now. We will probably move it out of his room so it's accessible for motn feeds with the new baby though. Probably put it in the guest room and move it to our room if there's company over using the guest room.

suzycupcake · April 2019

@BigBadWolf12 Are we talking about projectile type of spitting? My stepmom tells me they pretty much squirt out of each end for the first 3-4 months 😳

BigBadWolf12 · April 2019

@Suzycupcake sometimes projectile, but even just a lot of volume even if it wasn't "forcefully released". My in laws said all their babies were spitters end didn't think he was that much more than average whereas my brother and I hardly spit, I guess, so my parents were like WHOA when they saw how much he spoit first. So it seems people's definitions of "spitting" and "spitter" are very fluid and vary drastically from person to person depending on their past baby experiences

ETA he had no problem sleeping flat on his back on a crib. Some babies need a wedge to incline their mattress but he wasn't that severe.

aukeev · April 2019

@suzycupcake Have you looked at the DaVinci All-Purpose Upholstered Glider Recliner? It's the one we're going with, and I read any reviews that said it was great for taller parents. It's $329, but it definitely seems to be popular! Plus free shipping on Amazon.

zamoraspin · April 2019

Does anyone have a Dutailier glider and do you like it? One review I read said some of them are kind of narrow. I sat in one and it was fine for me but I wondered about whether my husband (6'1" and 250 ish pounds) would fit. I will have to try to take him to a store but just wondering if anyone has experience with this one. I've heard they hold up well generally and are worth the investment.

suzycupcake · April 2019

Thank you @oklahomak I will check it out!

purplg8r · April 2019

@olivemomma I didn’t know there was a remote option!! Did you have an ottoman for when you were actually rocking?

jrm_14 · April 2019

@suzycupcake Here’s the link to what I went with. There’s a few retailers online. The cheapest I have seen it is $270. It arrived last week & I love it.

Baby Relax Mikayla Swivel Gliding Recliner, Gray Microfiber https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VAS7QS0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_8YNTCb6ZY8RDY

Twinkiedoll · April 2019

Since we're actively discussing this, I thought I would post it here rather than the deals thread:

Through April 20th, Sam’s Club has the Abbyson Living Leyla Gliding Chair with Ottoman for $299 shipped (regularly $450)

lovelikestardust · April 2019

@olivemomma I went in to BBB today and fell in love with the Balina! But now I'm trying to figure out whether we can get it up our stairs. Do you happen to know if the back detaches from the seat at all?

olivemomma · April 2019

@lovelikestardust oh man I’m not sure? But I would assume the store could surely answer that question for you! We got ours up a pretty tight set of stairs.

@purplg8r yes there is a remote option! I’m not sure if you can just walk in and buy it like that though, may be a special order and upgrade with the company. And no I didn’t use an ottoman. When I was rocking I just had my feet on the ground and when baby passed out I would get myself comfy and binge watch something on the iPad

lovelikestardust · April 2019

Thanks @olivemomma! Back to the store tomorrow to see.

purplg8r · April 2019

@lovelikestardust when we bought ours, they said it comes in 2 (I think ) pieces so it’s not bad to get upstairs

@olivemomma we just got the call that ours is in today so I guess it’s too late to change lol

lovelikestardust · April 2019

@purplg8r Ooh good to know, thank you!! Sounds like tomorrow will be a big purchase day (even with the 20% off coupon). ☺️

ETA: The back does come apart from the seat for easier moving! I was a little worried we'd get it, assemble it in the nursery then it would have to live there forever, but all is well. Definitely looking forward to having a comfy place to sit/sleep/nurse.

denma2015 · April 2019

This is the Davinci Olive glider that we bought from Target for my sons big boy room. Under $300, comes with ottoman and free shipping. It is super comfortable.

aukeev · April 2019

This is the Davinci Piper All-Purpose Glider/Recliner we got this weekend. It's super comfortable without being too plush. I'd also echo the review that mention it being a good fit for taller parents. Our dog also already rubbed her muddy nose on it, and it came out completely with just water.

Sorry for the box in the second picture. I was too excited to sit in it.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/lw/vl0tghaljhgv.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/4w/ftrd60nq9un0.jpg

Avrilmai · April 2019

@purplg8r @olivemomma we went to a local store to look for a chair (and to support a local business) we ended up getting the Best Chairs Balina too. and they had it on sale! I actually didn't realize that's what it was until we were paying. Glad to know you like it!

purplg8r · April 2019

@Avrilmai ooh! Nice that you got it on sale!!

Product Spotlight: Rocking Chairs and Gliders

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