What kind of chair for feeding?

[minibmw2010]

Hi there, we are in the process of furnishing our DS1's nursery (due in June) and I realised I could do with a chair for feeding. A friend of mine has a spare bed in the nursery but space wise we can't run to that. So what kind of chair should I be looking at? Rocking, normal? Any advice most welcome. Thanks.

I'm curious as well.

Haven't got much further than asking my mum who recommends soft but supportive - not too odd an angle. She bought a wooden rocking chair with soft cushions but couldn't use it because the birth knocked her cocyx (sp?) out and sitting/lounging was uncomfortable. She ended up feeding sitting upright on the sofa.

I mostly sat upright on chairs, never got on with a rocker at all either time. Fairly low to the ground is good I found so that both legs can sit comfortably on the floor.

A cushion to take some of the weight of the baby was essential, more important than the chair for me as feeds can go on forever. The widgey pillow was the best I tried www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000NCAFOQ/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=103612307&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000MS2UCQ&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=0HN6SRVDFEMJZQM7VA9J

I've bought a rocking chair (not easy to come by nice comfy ones!) for nursing. Not one of those expensive gliding chairs mind, just one I found on e-bay.

My mum nursed both my brother and I in one and swears by it. Also have a friend who worked in an orphinage and said they always used rocking chairs. Something about the movement is very good for the baby's inner ear so they find them soothing.

I'm not due for another two weeks, so success is yet to be proven.

I never had anything fancy for my first two DD'S, but I once stopped off to feed in Mothercare, tried out one of their rocking chairs, and swore I'd buy one if I ever had another baby. Well I am, but being a third timer, am not put off by second hand stuff, so am holding out for a 'Dutailier' rocking chair on Ebay. They are rediculously expensive new, but if you can get one at a reasonable price, new covers can be easily made. My sister has just bought Ikea's rocking chair and stool which, with some supporting back cushions, is lovely and comfy.

if you are BFing I would strongly recommend the best place for feeds is bed [lazy]

I bf on this loads because a friend has it www.johnlewis.com/230674908/Product.aspx?source=63258 and it wasn't really any better than my sofa and always thought she had wasted £300!

I spent ages looking for the ideal rocking chair to feed DD in.

Turns out that the sofa or bed were actually easier.

Bed or sofa surrounded by lots of cushions, biscuits, drinks, TV remote, books, laptop/iPad...

This time I went on eBay and bought a second-hand old-style "nursing chair" (without arms) on there for £20. I'm planning to get it re-upholstered in a bright fabric before DC2 is born. It doesn't rock. I've always found the nursing chairs too upright for my liking.

A footstool or foot support of some kind is essential. And a side table to hold all of the stuff I mentioned above.

For bf I wouldn't bother with a special chair but I found a foot stool useful as I am short and it got my knees at the right angle and took pressure off my stitches.

Bed, bed, bed!

At least, that's what works for me.

I'm getting a Poang rocking chair. My mum's got them in her conservatory and they're reallly comfy. You can buy a foot stool with them too.

There's loads of shades of fabric and different wood colours.

www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S39860961#

I fed anywhere, sofa (but only with cushions behind me - see below), dining chairs etc, but eventually treated myself to a proper glider with footstool (Kiddicare sometimes have good discounts on them) and loved it. It was an unnecessary luxury though, and I think rocking is more useful when you are trying to get them to sleep than actually for feeding - when I was more often struggling to keep them awake long enough to finish a feed!

Before getting that, I also liked feeding in our Ikea Poang chair, but you do need a big cushion(s) to put behind your back, otherwise it was too reclined to be really comfy - my back ached when feeding if I wasn't reasonably upright and supported.

If you have a chair with arms it needs to be wide enough so you can hold baby comfortably, and (unless it's really wide) ideally have padded arms so they don't bang their heads if they start thrashing around when a bit older!

I had a second hand glider with footstool and it's perfect

Is this for night feeds? I vote bed too! :) I would seriously wait and see whether you miss not having a chair to sit up in in the small hours and then get one if you still want one, otherwise not sure there's a need.

Do recommend a Dave laptop table from Ikea for daytime feeds though!

The expensive gliding nursing chairs are really nice and comfy, but expensive.

We had an Ikea Poang (not-rocking) chair for daytime feeds. It has a slight "give" in it so you can gently bounce a bit, and is really comfy. And dead cheap. And comes in loads of colours. Although I also had lots of cushions, and a BF widgy cushion. Still use it for DD's bedtime stories now she is a toddler.

Nightime feeds = bed bed bed.

My DH's family clubbed together to get me a rocking chair which I thought was very sweet. Now I hate it and its getting hidden right out of site for DC2. I spent almost a year tripping over or banging my ankles on the long curved wooden feet and DS bumped his head on the wooden arms all the time. I think the idea of rocking is lovely (and was great for sleep time) but I will be looking for something soft and padded this time.

Also just wanted to say that if it's for night feeds then it's safer for you to fall asleep in bed than on a chair or sofa (and you probably will fall asleep!).

Loved the baby weavers glider with foot stool. Cost us £100 from kiddicare so it was a bit of an investment but so comfy, padded, pockets on the side to hold all your stuff, rocking motion great for getting baby to sleep, v supportive for your back and I lived in it last 3/4 weeks of pregnancy. And the rocking helped with the contractions.

DS is 6 months and still using the chair everyday so money well spent in my opinion!!

we got this one from kiddicare (was on sale for £99 at the time) - is comfy, although I do have a pillow wedged in the back of it to give some extra support. I fed DD in it every day for a year, so I think I got my money's worth!

Agree with everyone about night-time feeds in bed.

If you get a chair, then defo get a footstool. The rocking action isn't as important as it being comfy. Kiddicare was great for having loads of different ones out on display to try out

yep, the poang is great. Saw some expensive gliders with suede covers at the baby show and couldn't believe how many people seemed to think it was a great idea - baby spew and milk and suede are not a good combo. We have used the Poang for 18m and its great.

I bought my daughter a lovely glider chair with a foot stool,she has never fed the baby in it,tbh she has her washing on it,so ive told her i will have it to rock myself in lol.I personally found either in bed or on the couch was just fine,otherwise you end up in a nursery on your own,while the rest of the family are downstiars.

PS worth mentioning with gliders as well, that you need to be careful when the baby gets a bit older and more mobile, as some of them have potential to squash fingers if they are crawling round and stick them into the base while the chair is being used...

Some sorts I believe can be locked, ours couldn't and when DS was that age we immobilised it ourselves with bits of rope. Though with DD we didn't bother as it was in a different place and it was mostly only used when actually feeding her.