apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

From what I understand from my momma friends, having a high back is key so that both baby and parent can comfortably doze off together (see picture #1 in your entry, with exhausted dad.) Which unfortunately puts most modern rockers (picture #2, etc.) out of the picture.

Hmmm... this comments engine doesn't seem to allow URLs. What's up with that? Anyway, the Walmart glider is at Walmart.com and it item number 2580368.

Sorry for the multiple posting... the Walmart glider is actually $79.

My vote has to go to Hans Wegner's (www.sparkability.com) J16 Rocker - the Modern/Scandinavian look should work in just about any home (Yes, IÂ’m biased but there is a reason that we carry the chair). If you need something a little less expensive and are willing to expand your horizons a bit, I think that Shaker WorkshopsÂ’ (www.shakerworkshops.com) NO. 7 SHAWL BACK ROCKER could also work in almost any home with the right combination of finish and tape colors. If youÂ’re will to expand your horizons even further, the (www.carolinarockingchair.com) Kennedy Rocker is an extremely comfortable rocker that can move to the porch of your summer place when you are done with it in the nursery.

Here is a completely functional, non-offensive glider for $89. When our daughter was about to be born we realized that a glider was an extremely practical solution, but the idea of spending $700 and up for a hideous piece of furniture that we might only use for a few months seemed crazy. So we bought this glider from Walmart and have used it every single day for the last thirteen months.

One of the things about kid paraphenalia is that pieces may have a short life (they don't work out, or the kid grows out of them), and may get trashed. The criteria are different than when buying other furniture and accessories for your home.

Do NOT buy a dining room table at Walmart! But DO buy this glider if you are not independently wealthy and can't find a glider that you really like.

Lolah has a really great rocker, TOC (www.lolah.com/product_seating_toc.htm), it comes in two sizes and you can get it upholstered in almost any fabric.

They also have a glider, Glide (www.lolah.com/product_seating_glide.htm), that is made out of fiberglass that is suprisingly comfortable too. It comes in three colors, although they could probably make it for you in any color you want.

Both chairs are substantial and stable but because they are both based on fiberglass shells, both are easy to move around.

My parents just picked up two Beidermeier gliders from Maurice Villency. Very, very nice.

Hmm. We couldn't stand the idea of a glider, and we found the Shaker rocker too uncomfortable; the straight back was tough.

We went with an Eames rocker--a vintage shell on a solid repro base--and we love it. You don't go to sleep in it, but the kid does. It's very comfortable, the arms are in just the right place, and the old shell's patina looks great. I know it's a modernist cliche, but Eames rocks (no pun intended).

The Brigger Baby rocker is one of the best I have seen at doing all
> the things parents need to do along without being hideously ugly.
>
> It's also super-customizable as per your height, etc. and comes with a
> nursing pillow.
>
www.kleindesign.com/babyrockers
>
> christy

Here's the thing about rockers -- they have those nice long rails that could really hurt a crawling baby. That's why we never bought a rocker. The gliders we looked at had the ability to shield a baby's hand or foot from the gliding mechanism. One ought to take that into accout when shopping around.

Agreed - but does anyone make a nice, clean lined glider that doesn't look like it would be at home in gradma's house? That's the tough part.

So, I can't get a rocker, but there are more attractive rockers out there. Stymied by function over form again!

I'm hoping that by the time I'm ready to have a baby I can afford a Gary Weeks rocking chair. (garyweeks.com)

On his site he's got a nice essay on "Rocking Chairs and Nursing/Nurturing" and also a page with links to other rocking-chair craftsmen.

We got a Pali 6 years ago and use it to this day. Beautiful? Not living room quality furniture, but certainly with an attractive fabric, coordinated to the rug or bedding perhaps, its okay. Functionality here is key. Our glider is so comfortable. There is a huge difference between a rocking chair and a glider folks. The Dutalier style glider moves effortlessly. There is no momentum effect. It is smooth sailing. No rough motions, no arcs. Forward and back with a slight foot pressure.

Two kids climbed and crawled around it and we never had an issue with them getting fingers caught in the mechanisms. Pencils and toy parts? Yes. Fingers, no. The issue with little fingers is really the same with a glider or with a rocker.

Found another fun one, and it says it works well for nursing, although it does look like it lacks head support. It's the Tom Rock chair at giggle.com.

i meant egiggle.com

Don't forget the Verner Panton Relaxer II... Ergonomic, unbelievably comfortable. Getting in and out with a child in your arms might need some negotiation, but it's gorgeous, modern, and compact for a small NYC apartment. Check out the pics on the 12timer website.

Dutalier. It was comfortable and we all loved it, but it was big and ugly too. I shipped it to my mother in Wisconsin when my son was two and replaced it with an Eames rocker, but I miss the big old comfortable, denim covered glider sometimes and if I have another child I will definately petition to get it back. As much as I've loved my Eames rocker it would not have been something I'd have wanted to sit in for hours with a newborn. Get the comfortable one and then sell it or pass it on when you come out of your new mother haze and care about things like furniture, style, and how your apartment looks again.

Don't forget to get the Dutalier gliding ottoman too. The chair wouldn't feel half as good without it.

So we have established that there is a huge market for modern-contemporary stylish yet comfortable-function rocker/glider chair that just hasn't been taped into. Ah haaaa... Well lets face it everyone loves to rock it's just not a nessesary evil until you have children. I found a great chair Neo by ligne roset. It comes in a bizilion colors & arm options, but it starts @ $1550 without options. Hard to justify for something that seams so simply architechturally and mechanically. We have a nice side chair that we never use because it is just a chair. I want to recover it & now I'm thinking about tring to convert it into a rocker somehow. Who knows maybe it will turn out awsome & I'll get rich.

The photo does NOT do this chair justice, but EQ3's Go Glider is fantastic... simple, stylish and comfortable...

www.eq3.com/cat-eq3/30030-71.html

There are dozens of upholstery options, and we selected the "Irresistable" fabric (an easy-to-clean super-soft ultrasuede) in "nugget" (a lovely shade of gold that I wouldn't be embarrassed to use outside the nursery).

You might think the fact that the chair has no arms would be a problem, but it isn't. A nursing pillow provides all the support I need, and because this chair swivels as well as glides, I feel like I have a lot more mobility to reach around the room for needed items. Also, the chair is generously sized (which the photo doesn't indicate), so I don't feel like I'm going to tip over the sides.

Max -- I am having a baby girl in October and as I was searching for a glider - your site came up!!! Pretty cool -

Hope all is well w/ you and your business.

All the best -

Rob
SEG

I've been looking at the Demare Glider model 7873L, which has an enclosed gliding mechanism to spare little fingers. They look stylish, modern, almost Scandinavian. Does anyone have experience with this chair?

Has anyone tried out the Moderno Rocker (carried at Babygeared and Sparkability)? It looks very comfortable -- high back, upholstered arms (!), tilted back, very cushiony. It also has the modernist pedigree, and comes in loads of options, from the fabric, to the wood for the rockers, and even a choice between shiny chrome or matte aluminum legs. The only catch is the price , ($1800 for wool, $2300 for microsuede) which is why I am wondering if it is as comfy as it looks.

We had high hopes that David Netto would come out with a glider (in 2003 he said he was working on one for January 2004), so we held off buying one. Instead, we borrowed a $60 grocery store glider from friends. However, no Netto Collection glider (or rocker) ever materialized...

The loaner we had impressed upon me that flat wood arms are another feature to avoid, as my arms would keep going to sleep when the weight of the baby pressed down in any significant way.

What about a good, ol' La-Z-Boy? Sure, they're hideous, but so are the gliders... and a gliding/reclining La-Z-Boy is a heck of a lot more comfortable when baby wants to be held all night long.

I am pregnant for the first time and I am really wanted an upholstered glider/rocker/ottoman combo. I also don't want to spend much money. Has anyone out there bought one of these from walmart.com? They are only 129.00 come in pink, blue, and yellow. Are they the least bit comfortable or a waste of money?

Bought a Panton relaxer lounge a month before our son was born. By far the best purchase we made !! An invaluable piece of furniture for those late night feeding sessions. The only problem has been getting house guests to stay out of the chair !!