Mumsnet Talk

Just to continue my series of endless questions about nursery furniture (see my earlier thread on cotbed versus cot) I am wondering if anyone has an opinion about the value of a specific nursing chair instead of just any old armchair?

The issue is partly that I would need to buy an armchair for the baby's room anyway as we don't have one spare from downstairs, and I do like the idea of being able to plonk myself down on a chair in the nursery for feeds, even if I don't manage to breastfeed. So I am committed to buying a new chair no matter what.

BUT are nursing chairs worth it? Would I be better off getting a regular armchair that I can use elsewhere in the house when the baby is older? Or are nursing chairs really worth their weight in gold?

I have a chronically bad neck and back and so I do want something supportive. Also I think I can probably buy a nursing chair for cheaper or the same price as a regular armchair as I have seen good deals on kiddicare etc.

But will it be a white elephant and money a bit down the drain because I won't be able to transfer it to the living room or wherever a few months/a year down the line?

Any thoughts, if you have a nursing chair or if you think it's money for old rope, hugely appreciated!!

I didn't have one but I have said for the next it will be top of my wish list. There was nothing worse than being uncomfortable feeding for hours and hours.
But saying that, I did see some when shopping for my first and thought they were the ugliest pieces of furniture I have seen. Are there any pretty ones?
If you got a lovely one, could it be used as a normal comfortable chair in the long term?

Supersesame - that is part of my issue! They do look so ugly!! Well, certainly there is no way you would be able to use them anywhere else in the house later... they are too obviously a bit 'medical' looking...

Will have more of a look for something attractive but I fear that's where silly money may start to creep in...

As I suspected... I've found an absolutely gorgeous-looking one... for a mere £925!!!

Not an option unless this baby happens to pop out clutching a grand's worth of cash in her hand, sadly.

I bought one when my boy was about 4 months old thinking that it would be good for rocking him to sleep with the illusion that I wouldn't always have to feed him to sleep....it didn't work for that, but he's a very wriggly baby, could work for others. I didn't find it comfortable for nursing to be honest, but we have had a lot of problems feeding so maybe that's why, I do think I would have used it when he was a small baby, but would have outgrown it by 6 months. I find it more comfortable to lie down and sleep while feeding him. The chair had a click to it and ended up sending it back to kiddicare who gave full refund. I bought one for my mum from ebay just because she thought they were really comfy, got a really nice Dutalier one which has a lovely rocking action, they are not all the same and I would suggest you try before you buy, or check you can send back if you don't get on with it?

I found an ikea tub chair was the best nursing chair for me (and v cheap!). It allowed you to sit up nice and straight and the arms were good support for the nursing cushion. You want one you can easily get up from without waking baby once they've nodded off!

I had one and it has been brilliant. I didnt breastfeed or co sleep so somewhere comfy to sit in the night was a must. I used it for nightfeeds with both of mine.
I bought mine second hand through our local paper, and just made covers for the cushions (well my mother in law did) to match the nursery. And I've just sold it for what I paid for it.

I got one for £125 from Kiddicare, it reclines slightly I still love it now.
Look on ebay my sil got one with footstool hardly used for £37 and sold it for about the same amount a year later.

Thanks everyone - I think I may just go for a proper nursing chair, I have seen some good value ones on Kiddicare and though I don't love the look of them I would be kicking myself if I bought something for the 'look' and then got neck-ache...

I fed mine in bed with a v-pillow for comfort and a shawl for warmth. To me part of the beauty of breastfeeding was that I could do the night feeds with minimum fuss.
I wouldn't want to be getting out of bed, walking down to the nursery sitting in the cold for a feed then I'd need a wee and then it would take me ages to get back to sleep, and during the day I wanted to be feeding downstairs with the rest of the family not upstairs in the nursery.
We used to have an ikea poang (?) chair downstairs, that coincidently was very comfy for feeding in plus it had the bonus of washable covers which were handy for vomatron DS1.

I have a dutalier glider chair from John Lewis. It's so lovely and I wouldn't be without it. Used it for months feeding DS and then used it for story time until he was in a single bed and we could do stories in bed. I'd say if you do use one make sure it comes with a glider foot stool too. I spent a massive amount of time with DS stuck to the breast so was worth its weight in gold to me, despite co-sleeping.
If you have room and pick up a decent second hand one then go for it.

I had one cos it came with the cot and wardrobe. I wouldn't say a nursing chair is essential. But a comfy chair is! If I hadn't got the one with the rest of the furniture I'd've just got a really comfy arm chair. I did notice though that when my baby got bigger the chair got a bit uncomfy cos the arms got in the way when bf

We have an Eames RAR rocking chair in our bedroom that I will be using for nursing, we'll see how it works out!
The gliding chairs you're asking about seem go for so little on eBay (I've been watching a few locally) they can be had for £20 or so, I was tempted to try one in the living room as at the price and just resell if I hate it!

We bought a 2nd hand nursing chair off eBay and it was fab. It was £100 as it had been hardly used, and was collection only, but was far cheaper than getting one new.

We still have it in Ds's room, and he's 3 - he can climb onto it easily as it's lower seat level makes it easier for him to climb on, and he enjoys hiding in the "hole" between his bed and the seat of the chair, which is kind of triangular.

It was well worth the money.

Ikea Poang rocking chair works fine for me. A normal Poang has a fair bit of bounce in it too. The gliding chairs are very expensive so I didn't bother as I didn't like the look of them either.

direct.asda.com/Relaxer-Chair---Cream/001757533,default,pd.html this is what I have upstairs for bedtime feeds and it was a bargain - it has a great bounce for rocking the baby to sleep, it is easily portable and it fits nicely in his room now his cot isn't in ours any more. I use a great big cushion behind my neck for added comfort.

i never used a special chair.

when I was in bed with DD, I used a couple of pillows (mainly to prop up my own elbows), but at home, I sit in the middle of the settee

your main consideration will be back support - you'll get used to holding the baby to you.

I love mine, it's a glider with matching footstool and I got it for 30 quid on eBay! It's really comfortable and supports your back beautifully. If you could get one at a good price you can always spend some time/money painting it or changing the fabric to suit your decor if you don't like the look

DH bought me a nice slightly springy style chair as a nursing chair when DS was born - it was very sweet of him and I really liked it !
However I probably fed DS more often on the sofa watching the telly
My Father got my Mum a special chair too when we were born - it's definitely a lovely idea, but how practical or necessary it really is I'm not so sure.
My V shaped pillow was handy especially for sitting up in bed when DD was very little
Hope it goes well, and you get a nice chair to celebrate the occasion !

We moved our not-Poang into the nursery and I just use that if feeding DS upstairs and we're not in bed. Also works well for gently bouncing to soothe him.

But when I have back issues what helps the most is doing as many lying-down feeds as I can always taking DS upstairs into the big bed and feeding laid side by side. Its much easier on my back because I'm not having to support a heffalump his weight.

i have a fireside chair in the shop, and when I tried it out with DD, I found it rather uncomfortable to hold her with my arms resting on the arms o the chair.
the settee was much better because I could dictate where my arms went.

ooh, having somewhere to prop your legs is good, though, so definitely get one of those rocking pouffes.

We were given a second hand rocking nursing chair & matching footstool that also rocks. I love it & we still use it for bedtime stories (my son is 3). I would say I'd have preferred a non rocking footstool,& have never used the recline on the chair,but all told I would highly recommend. My son has now discovered chair 'surfing' hmmmm!

I bought a Pello Armchair from Ikea for £35. You can get various models with different cushions, matching footstalls etc at various prices. I have found it perfectly comfortable to use with a throw to wrap over me and baby to keep warm during night feeds and a breastfeeding cushion, to hold baby up without straining my neck or shoulders. I also bought a couple of their £5 roll type cushions and a cheap V shaped cushion, which I have used in bed during pregnancy, to get comfortable.

Hello, on DD3 and just bought one from eBay. I have never been able to breastfeeding in bed/lying down and was v uncomfy scrunched up on side of bed especially after episiotomy. New bed is too high to sit on and have feet flat and now have more room, hence the new purchase. Am actually sitting in it now - v comfy!
Dutailier seem to be the top of the range/most popular, but they have gone into administration, so can only buy second hand. The cheapest new ones I found were £120 for chair and stool, but there were mixed reviews of these (have done a fair bit of research)!

I bought a rocking chair like this - worked a treat.