Do you really need a glider chair?

[Anonymous]

Just wondering if anyone has any advice on glider/rocking chairs...do you really need one? I'm expecting triplets this summer, so you can imagine that space is of a premium, but also since I probably won't have any more kids, the chairs seem pretty expensive for furniture that won't get more than a couple of years of use. Also, I'm not crazy about the style of a lot of the chairs, as far as being able to use them somewhere else in the house after they're no longer needed in a nursery.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

[Anonymous]

I got one for my first and switched to rocking recliners for subsequent children. They're ugly and take up a lot of space, but I find them much more comfortable both for rocking and nursing.

[Anonymous]

4 kids, never had one BUT I had the baby in bed with me and nursed on demand during the night which with triplets might not be possible. During the day, I nursed pretty much anywhere. Never had a "dedicated nursing space".

Congratulations on your triplets!!

[Anonymous]

I never got a glider or rocker for the same reasons you mentioned -- mostly ugly and space is at a real premium in our small condo. I can say I never missed it. A comfy couch or chair was just fine for nursing. You will want a foot stool though, OR do what I did and just stack a few pillows under your feet to raise your knees up enough to more easily support your baby on your lap with a Boppy pillow. Another thing we never got because of space and never missed -- a changing table. You can just put a changing pad on the bed, the floor, or your dresser -- whatever is most comfortable on your back for your height. Good luck, OP.

[Anonymous]

We splurged on a really cushy reclining glider, and it is hands-down the best baby-related money we have spent. And if I was going to be sitting in it three times as much for triplets, it would be triply worth it. You will spend a LOT of time sitting in that damn chair--you will thank yourself for buying something truly comfortable. I LOVE ours. Love it.

[Anonymous]

I really loved mine and still use it at least once a day 3 years later. It is in DD's room. I definitely nursed in other places when she was a newborn, but that was and is our spot for bedtime routine. Of course, she sits on my lap and I am not sure how you could do that with three...so maybe not as crucial for you since you will need to be creative!

[Anonymous]

Our glider is the one thing I wish I hadn't gotten. I bought one that matched our furniture (now-defunct Morigeau-Lepine). It was stylish, but super-uncomfortable, even with cushions. And my husband, who is 6'4", didn't really fit in it well. He hated it.

I also found that I didn't spend that much time in the baby's room at night. I would get up and head out to the living room. I know this differs among parents and how your house is set up, but our glider ended up being a waste of space and money.

[Anonymous]

FTM to an 11 month old singleton here. I think the answer might depend on how long (if at all) you plan to nurse. I didn't sit in our glider too often in the early months because i wanted to be in front of the TV or in bed when i was nursing. as my son got older and more easily distracted, i found that the only place i could nurse was in the glider in his nursery with the lights dimmed, so i've been in the chair five times a day since about six months. my son also likes to be rocked a little when we cuddle before he goes to sleep for a nap or at night. I don't know this for sure, but my impression is that the distraction problem isn't as great with bottle feeding, so you might not need to retreat to a distraction-free zone.

good luck to you!!!! triplets will be TONS of work, but so much fun once you get the hang of it. congrats!

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much for all of the great responses - very helpful!

[Anonymous]

recent relevant post:
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/106483.page

[Anonymous]

I love our glider. DS and I spend a lot of time in it. Super comfortable. I also don't like the style of most gliders, so we splurged on an all leather glider we could easily move to another part of the house when we no longer need it in the nursery.

[Anonymous]

For both of our sons, we bought a separate "glider" for each kid. We did not purchase the traditional nursing glider but splurged on a leather rocker/glider with a foot stool. We use each everyday. The older DS loves sitting in it for reading time for our pre-sleep routines. The younger DS is in it for his bottles and pre-sleep routine. If it's affordable for you, I would suggest buying a fabric that can be cleaned easily. Also, purchase a style that does not look "babyish" so that you can move it to another room once you are done with nursing.

[Anonymous]

I just want to add something that is more multiples-specific. I have twins and they were born on the bigger side (5.5 lbs and over 6 lbs). They both have colic and reflux and can be difficult to soothe. The glider works wonders. I can hold them in there and rock/glide and they will calm down pretty quickly. Let me tell you, when you have two shrieking infants, you want to do whatever you can to get them to calm down.
I only mention this because likely your triplets will be on the smaller side when they are born as well and may also need some time to develop their systems. The rocking option might really work for you, whether you're nursing or not.
And like the PP said, while the thing might be super ugly, it's really, really comfortable. Even my DH, who was super skeptical about the chair and really did not think we needd it, loves it. You can get used ones on Craigs List if you don't want to spend the $$ for it.

[Anonymous]

I bought one for $50 on craigslist. We live in a two story house and I wanted a place to be able to nurse besides my bed in the middle of the night and I didn't want to have to go up and down the steps to get to the couch.

[Anonymous]

My twins are 9mos and we still use it- one of them especially likes to be rocked, but it is the truly most comfortable place in my house to feed them. If you've got another spot that you think will work for you- nah, you probably don't need it. Teeny tiny guys do tend to like the rocking/swinging motion, makes them feel safe and cozy, so that might be a factor for you. If cost is the issue, you may be able to find one on freecycle, craigslist, or if you post a message to your local moms of multiples group cheap or free.