When you first discover that your little bundle of joy is on the way, the excitement can soon give way to stress. There’s so much to plan, and so much to buy. What diapers will you use? Will you breastfeed or bottle-feed? And which are the best nursing chairs for newborns that will also last through to longer story-times as they grow?
Planning your nursery is a rite of passage for all new parents, and you can really let your creative juices run wild. So much of pregnancy feels like waiting, that it can be helpful to make those physical changes to your house in preparation.
Read on to find out why I think spending some time thinking about nursing chairs (once you’ve started your Pinterest board) is worth your while.
Getting the nursery ready
You’ll be spending a lot of time in your nursery, especially when you first bring your baby home, so it’s worthwhile dedicating time to think about what you want it to look and feel like. Log onto Pinterest, put together a mood board, or sketch your thoughts out old school-style with a pencil and some paper. Whatever will make you feel like you can envision the space you’ll need.
If you’re getting into the nesting period then take a look at my tips for the essential nursery setup. It will give you an idea of what you actually need to buy for your baby, rather than what the endless emails from baby companies tell you.
Why do you need a nursing chair?
Although babies are tiny, most of the paraphernalia they need is fairly large. So you might think that a nursing chair will be one too many pieces of furniture to fit into the nursery. What with the changing table, the cot, the wardrobe or dresser, and somewhere to stand when you need to change a diaper, it might be a squeeze!
But nursing chairs for newborns are so important. You are going to need somewhere to sit and feed your baby. Whether in the middle of the night or when you need a break from the prying eyes of visitors. As your baby gets older, you’ll also want somewhere you can relax for the bedtime story.
What to look for in a nursing chair for newborns
The features of a nursing chair I advocate aren’t just so your baby is rocked gently to sleep. A chair needs to work ergonomically for you as well.
A good nursing chair needs:
- to recline: sitting bolt upright while trying to nurse or calm a baby isn’t going to work. You need to be able to lean back and create a safe and relaxing space for you and your baby.
- to swivel: it might seem simple now, but when you’re trying not to disturb a feeding baby, being able to swivel to the side to pick up your water bottle, phone, or the muslin to wipe away drool, is pretty important for your comfort.
- ergonomic armrests: nursing a baby in a chair with no armrests is possible, but it’s much better for your posture and your wellbeing to have armrests that sit at a natural height.
What are the best nursing chairs for newborns?
Joya Rocker 
Como Glider
Monte Designs are the gold standard of nursing chairs for me. They’re iconic pieces of design all by themselves. And they have endless fabric options to choose from so your chair will slot right into your nursery color scheme.
But, aside from looking great, they’re also designed around what you actually need as a parent feeding and snuggling your newborn.
The Como Glider is perfect for nursing newborns, with its smooth gliding motion and upright back. It also has fully removable and washable covers, a must when you’re dealing with tiny babies!
The Joya Rocker has a smaller footprint than some other rockers and gliders, so if you’re planning more of a Bijou nursery, then this might work for you. It has a gentle rock, and a high supportive back to stop you from aching in the early hours.
So, happy shopping!
