Nursing chair versus comfy Armchair?

[gaydad79]

This may be a silly question, but what are the benefits of a nursing chair versus a comfy armchair?

We are looking for something for the nursery that is comfortable and practical, but also something that looks good. I am not a fan of the nursing chairs (rockers covered in padding), and feel that a bare rocking chair wouldn't be comfortable for longer night feeds, etc., which is why we've been considering a upholstered armchair.

Is the rocking feature essential?

This may or may not be worth mentioning, but as we are two gay dads, we'll be doing bottle feeding only. Does anyone have advice that relates more to bottle feeding?

Thanks for any help!

For me it would be a comfy armchair. Nursing chairs seem both huge and ugly. Bottlefeeding is relevant as it's also both easier to find a comfortable position when baby doesn't have to be attached to your nipple and overall it's shorter feeding time (yes plenty of cuddling etc I don't mean ff babies don't get loved before anyone jumps in, but more freedom of movement to move and walk around. So would definitely go armchair in that situation , I breastfeed and am buying a beautiful armchair I will keep forever next baby.

The rocking is useful in the early days - some babies need to be rocked to sleep when young. I found it really hard to walk carrying the baby and rocking him for a long time after the birth, but you won't have those concerns about physical recovery.

So in your shoes I'd go for a comfy armchair that you can keep long term.

We never bothered with a nursing chair. I would definitely go with something that you like that can become just an ordinary nice chair, rather than eternally looking like a nursing chair.

DS is 6 months old and still in our room, the nursery isn't ready! I sit up in bed to feed him at the moment, and when we're downstairs I sit on the sofa. I've got an IKEA Poang chair for his room when he finally goe in there, probably a lot cheaper than a fancy nursing one.

Nursing chair without a doubt. Rocking was essential for my little one, she went through nursing strikes when she'd only feed when rocked, and hats pretty tough to do standing up! I still use it to rock her now at 2 years when she's woken up with bad teething. I also sometimes sit and just rock on it because it's fun

We got ours brand new for about £70 from kiddicare - wait for the sale and use a cash back site.

We swapped our ikea chair for a kub nursing chair. Love it. My back is so much better, the rocking feature is really handy for when she's throwing a wobbler and I couldn't be without the foot stool. I originally ordered the cheapest one but it was so ugly. Upgraded to the most expensive one and it's wider, reclines and suits my nursery much better.

I second the Ikea Poang- which you can also get as a rocker. Also agree that a footstool is very handy.

If your child has never been rocked while fed then they won't miss that feature!
Most child specific furniture is pointless and fugly IMO - go for a nice armchair with arm rests. If it's going to stay in the nursery long term then you need one which will withstand a toddler jumping/climbing on it too.

The depth of the seat/height of the arms is the main feature in a nursing chair, I think.
The position I used to breastfeed was "baby's lower arm touching my side, head in the crook of my arm" so if you have an armchair with high sides you can support their weight easily. And babies can get heavy after a while!

I just added a pillow to our armchair and it worked fine, but the low-armed sofa we have now would be a pain, I'm sure. Not a problem anyway because mine are 11 & 18!

I wouldn't be without my nursing chair, particularly for an older baby. My lightweight 6 week old is fine to feed on the sofa, but it won't be so easy in a few months, I'll need the higher arm rests. She's breastfed though, so may be different for a formula fed baby, I don't know.
I also find the rocking feature handy to calm a sleep refusing baby, although did come close to rocking myself to sleep a few times with DD1!