Are changing tables and rocking chairs nursery essentials?

[dal21]

Hi there - I am 24+1 weeks along with my first and starting to kit the nursery out. The nursery is not huge and I dont want to kit it out with stuff I wont actually use. So my question is this. How essential are a rocking chair/ changing table in the nursery? Did you have them? If so did you use them? Were they a must have?

Let me know your thoughts as I keep going round in circles! Much appreciated!

thanks

Yes to both!!!

My DS is nearly 3 and we still change him on the table in the bathroom and the glider/rocking chair meant I had somewhere comfy to snuggle up to feed when he was small so we didn't disturb DH too much (and vice versa when it was DHs turn ). still use that too for bedtime stories, v v relaxing for both. Number 2 is on the way now and both will get full use again.

My changing table fits on top of the chest of drawers (from John Lewis). I've got limited space too and so I like that it's dual function.

You don't need a rocking chair - I've got one but I never feed the baby in it

love my rocking chair. It was sometimes the only way to sooth her. wish I had had it for no 1. they both still love to play on it, it was £80 so worth the money imo, they do take up space but babies don't need much floor room before they crawl.

Neither are essential, and I agree with quattrocento. If you have the money and the space, fine, but otherwise...

Rocking chairs especially are ridiculously expensive and completely unnecessary - any old comfy, supportive chair will do. It's also far safer to change your baby on a mat placed on the floor - or on the bed if you are post-cs.

Don't get sucked in

Change table atop a chest may be a good idea if you get back ache

Rocking chairs are lovely but not a must have
I looked at the Dutailer ones and was disappointed to find that the covers are not washable - I can't imagine what they end up like!

Changing baby at waist height much better for backs, esp if you have a section - but you don't need an actual changing table to do this

Rocking nursing chairs are VERY COMFY for feeding young babies but hardly essential

Didn't get a changing table - just used changing mat on chest of drawers. Didn't buy a rocking chair - had one of those Ikea bouncy ones and it was a godsend for getting the LO asleep during the early days.

nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

and remember tha mothercare WILL STILL BE THERE after this db is born! if you need them then, you can buy them!

You don't need either of them.
However some sort of standing-up changing arrangement is good. We didn't for ages and then I got a cot-top changer and the difference was amazing. And I used it until ds was about a year, just had a hand on him and everything nearby to stop him rolling. So, yes, you can use the floor or the bed... but you can sit on the floor as well, why have chairs at all? It's a comfort thing. PLUS (and this is important for me) it gets clutter off the floor.
We never got a feeding chair as we had zero room for it but MIL has an antique nursing chair - v low so brings knees up, good back support. I can't vouch for whether or not it is good to feed in. She says it was. Something like this . Aesthetically a lot nicer than glider chairs, which I'm sure are comfrotable but look tragic imo.

we got this and we now use it for ds's toys (he's 2) we also inherited MILs rocking chair, which looked lovely, but in reality i dont think we ever used it.

cot top changers are great for small rooms. Didn't have a chair but this time will get a nice upholstered one for our bedroom that I can feed baby in but also use for reading etc.

I always changed DD on the floor but I love my chair and use it everyday - from story time to last feed before bed. I curl up on it and DD snuggles in...bliss.

thanks everyone!

think i will go for a chest of drawers and change on top of that - will see how i get on. Re. the chair - I think that I will see how i get on with the ikea bouncy one - i have one of those and i love it - and as fillyjonk says - if it isnt working without one once the little one is here, can always go out and get one.

cannot believe the duatelier chair covers are not machine washable??? they were the ones i was looking at too!! unbelievable.

thanks once again - you've all been a great help.

I've got one of the dutalier ones (least ugly flouncy looking one in a neutral colour) and I have to say we have used it every day for the past 2.5 years. Ds has his bedtime story on it now. It was great for night feeds and dp used it for bottle feeds. I would say some sort of chair in the room would be a good help (later to put clothes over etc as well). I have never tried washing the covers as any stains I have just hoovered / sponged off and I have to say it still looks good as new. I don't see why you couldn't hand wash them or delicates cycle if you needed to though. They are not essential but damn comfy if you have the room. Same with a changing table - they are really useful to keep all the nappies/bum cream etc all in one place - you will be amazed at how much stuff you accumulate. You don't need a fancy one, we have the cheapo ikea one which I varnished and it is fine. even tho ds is now out of nappies I still use it every day for storage, clothes, toileteries etc.

I really don't think it hurts for mothers/pregnant ladies to go out and buy things that they want or think are nice. Im certainly not rich but will be having a nursery set as I know we will get the use out of it. If we don't use something very much then no big deal, we'll cut our losses and sell it or something. As a first time mum sometimes I get fed up hearing ''oh that's a waste of money...you won't use that...so and so are for ponces'' etc. I will buy what I like for my baby whether it's deemed as a waste of money or not. Only I can decide that. I am buying a nursery set for £380. And im proud of it!!

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Don't get me wrong, I will probably be thinking the same in a year's time. It's just that I really enjoy buying things for my baby (not expensive stuff-bought a lovely hat for her in Tesco sale for 75p) and other people want to spoil her/us too which I think is great!!

Save your money for later on...... all the stuff they use as newborns or very young babies is very soon outgrown. A dress for 0-3 months costs the same as the same dress for age 2-3 years - yet the bigger age lasts 4 times as long.
This would be "my essentials list":
A cot (don't bother with a moses basket or a rocking crib or whatever)
A bouncy chair
Cotton sheets (2 x fitted 2 x flat) White
Cotton Blankets White
Baby vests cotton 10 (Good Qual White(M&S or John Lewis)
Babygrows cotton (Good Qual White (M&S or John Lewis))
2 changing mats (one for upstairs one for downstairs)
2 dozen Harringtons (White Muslin squares)
A really good travel system with integrated car seat
If winter, a car seat cover (mine is elasticated and padded and slips over the car seat - it is brilliant for winter)
If winter a buggy snuggle or suitable weatherproofing for your travel system
Nappies
Pampers sensitive baby wipes
baby nail scissors
2 large plain white towels
suitable toiletries (shampoo baby bath etc)
A bumbo (brilliantly useful from about 3 months)

I specify white because if you have another baby you will be able to reuse it all over again. If you have a girl people always buy you girls' things and if you have a boy people will always buy you boys' things. You will not be able to reuse the cute pink all in one that aunty mavis bought you if your next baby is a boy!
Plus a white babygrow looks great with a lovely new cardi, hat, booties or whatever (which you will get as presents).

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I forgot - sudocrem - essential
The toiletries are down to personal choice and probably the condition of the skin of the baby - some babies have cradle cap, eczema etc and you would need to buy accordingly.

we hasd a changing table for the dt's and found it so useful that i bought a new one for dd (obv needed it to be pink!)

The dt's one is still in their bedroom and gets used as one is still in nappies (sn) so stores his nappies, wipes, wraps etc plus all their spare sheets and provides a handy dressing place- it is wedged betwwn the wall and a wardrobe though so they can't roll off.

If you do get one make sure you put it the right way (sounds stupid!) but when we first got ours i put it against the wall in the traditional manner and then couldn't use it as i needed to stand at the short edge!

Rocking chairs certainly aren't essential, loved mine but then i was feeding twins so spent a heck of a lot of time sitting in it!

I never had a nappy changing table - used the floor and a mat when newborn and when a few months old used to do it on my lap - did this till quite big (so able to stand to have nappy changed)

I had a rocking chair - not a special feeding on - just a normal old fashioned one with wings, which were very useful when I dozed off...

Never had a changing table, but they might be quite nice...we changed on the floor usually, sometimes on bed, Oh and when DS was little, I had an old enamel oil-changing tray (for putting under my motorbike!) which held his changing mat and fitted over the bath. It had sides too. Weird but useful!

Rocking chair - had a second hand one but it was awful, couldn't get it to move without much effort on feet, I think it was more of a pain than anything...sold it on very fast!

Gliders might be much better but never tried one. As long as you can move your arms around with DC and get comfy, (agree on the cushion thing as if you rest baby on your knee it won't reach your boobs!!) you should be fine. (bending over will do your back in)

Why didn't nature make our boobs nearer our laps...actually I wish I hadn't said that, nature is trying very hard to do so with mine as we speak!!!