Now that our much awaited baby has arrived and her health is steadily improving, my thoughts are quickly turning to setting up a suitable nursery for her. One of the most important items you need for your baby’s nursery is a comfortable chair. Whether it is a standard wooden rocking chair or a fancier swivel glider recliner chair, it has to be comfortable. And in our house, it has to be environmentally responsible.
There are literally hundreds of choices available in the market place when it comes to a nursery chair. There are a couple of key points that you want to keep in mind before you make your big purchase. First of all, having low armrests will help with proper positioning for breastfeeding your new baby. Breastfeeding is the best nutrition that you can give your child and it is sometimes difficult to get going between milk coming in, positioning and attaining a proper latch. Having a chair that helps things get going in the right direction is definitely going to be a bonus. A low stool, not an ottoman that is chair height, can also help to get the optimal positioning for those first few crucial weeks of nursing.
Secondly, you’ll want to ensure that your chair rocks or glides. There’s a reason that parents have been using a rocking motion to soothe their babies for centuries — it works! Rocking a fussy baby is a natural reflex for new parents that can help to calm even the fussiest of newborns. And hey, if it doesn’t work for the new babe, it might just help you to reach your happy place!
Thirdly, the chair absolutely must be butt tested. This is not something to buy sight unseen. Different chairs will feel more or less comfortable depending on personal tastes and preferences. Remember that this is a chair that you could potentially spend hours on end in — it absolutely must be comfortable. Take a nursing pillow with you to see how your arms line up on the arm rests with the pillow. Do your feet touch the ground? Is it easy to rock? Does your back feel supported? These questions all become critical when choosing the right chair for your nursery.
Lastly, consider how you can make this purchase one that is responsible for the environment that your little one will be inheriting. There are many shades of green out there but make sure you choose at least a color of green in the spectrum. I’m not saying that you need to revamp a find from the Salvation Army used furniture store (although that would be great!) but at least consider a few simple things before making your decision. Where was the chair made? What kind of wood does the chair use? Is it a sustainably sourced wood? What kind of chemicals are in the fabrics and cushioning of the chair? Will the chair still be useful to your family beyond the life of the nursery? Asking yourself a few simple questions before buying whatever catches your eye can really make a big difference. Good luck making your decision and making it through all those long, sleepless nights falling in love with your new family member. Keep in mind that the time really does pass by too quickly — cherish your little one as you spend sleepy nights together in your new chair!
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