Do you use your glider as much as you thought you would?

[swan01]

We ordered our baby furniture last night, but just did not have the energy to look at the gliders. They seem rather expensive to me, and I just don't know if I will use one enough to justify that expense. Opinions?

Do I need one that reclines?
Will I really nurse that much in the baby's room? Rather than elsewhere in the house (I will be at home for 3 months and then back to work full time)?

Another other less-expensive options? We went to Lay-Z-Boy thinking that we could get a small rather cute looking upholstered chair for the room, but they did not have anything even close to what I had in mind.

Thanks!

[Momof3Labs]

The glider has honestly been a waste for us. I preferred to nurse in bed or on the couch, and have a big chair-and-a-half and ottoman set in Colin's room (leftover from my last house, it didn't fit here) that we looooove to snuggle in and nursed a lot in, too. It's also perfect if we have to snooze in there for any reason.

I think that we would have used the glider a lot more if it had a recline function, but I didn't know better when I bought it!

[houseof3boys]

You know as much as I don't love the look of the gliders, I really use mine a lot. We nurse in it, read books in it and I hang out in it when Ryan plays in his room. Early on, DH used it when he would go in to hold Ryan and rock/glide him and he enjoys it too.

That being said, there are tons of comfy chairs out there that would probably be great for you. :)

[icunurse]

I originally wasn't even going to buy a glider....figured that I wouldn't use it much. And I definitely wasn't going to buy an ottoman....what do you need that for? Upon DH's urging that the suggestion of friends we bought both and it was one of the best moves we made. Everyone who comes over loves to sit in it, as it is very comfy. And it was a great help to have a nearby seat for those midnight feedings. DS loves the gliding motion. As for price, we looked around at all the stores, found a style we liked, and then bought it off the internet (free shipping at the time, too!).
Traci

[babymama]

I bought a cheap Target glider and I've been very happy with it.

On the recline feature, I didn't even know that gliders came with a recline feature until waaay after I had already bought mine. I guess it would have been nice to have, but we've done fine without it.

We moved the glider into baby's room like 2 weeks ago. Before, we just had it in the living room and used it as regular seating for us/guests. I didn't nurse in it ever - the glider's arms would have been too narrow for that. We use it for rocking DS to sleep and for reading books and now we feed him bottles while gliding. I use the glider more now that its in baby's room.

The Target glider is probably not as well-padded as the high-end gliders. If I sit in in too long (an hour) my bum starts to hurt. I would say, get the glider if you've got room in the budget. You'll really like having the option to glide at 3 am when you're too tired to stand and sway/bounce baby to sleep.

Mama to Santiago, born 11/16/03

[Second time parents]

We got ours on a suggestion from a friend and I thank God we did. We use it allll of the time, both of us. It's well worth the investment! I know that you did not ask where we got it, but these people were so great to us and I just love to mention them whenever possible. Maybe it's a habit I should stop, but hey, when you're pregnant and someone makes your life easier, I'm their's forever! www.rockingchairstore.com lynn

[hovegator]

Keep your eyes peeled for seconds. I found a $350 Dutalier at a consignment shop for $100!The mother's clubs and web forums are always selling them around here.

i orinally wsn't going to get one, but after i sat in it (and it was only $100) i had to have it. My baby in dues in 6 weeks, so i'll let you know how i like it.

[indigo]

If you have Craig's List (http://www.craigslist.org/about/cities.html) in your area, definitely check the "For Sale" section on a regular - i.e. daily - basis.

I got my glider used ($260) from a parents' listserv posting, but then I saw one on Craig's List for a glider AND ottoman, at the same price! (So now we have two gliders - one for upstairs, one for down - and an ottoman. The plan is to sell the second one in a few months.)

eBay often has gliders for local pickup only, it's hit or miss whether you will find one in your area.

Our baby is due in about two weeks, but already I have used the glider a lot for reading in - much more supportive and soothing than reading in bed. We don't have any comfy chairs upstairs that one could use for nursing, so I guess we needed one anyway. Much to my surprise I highly recommend getting one, even though originally I didn't like the look of gliders! Good luck!

[murpheyblue]

I wasn't sure about the glider. I'd had friends who loved them and friends who never used theirs but decided to go for it and am very happy we did. During her first few months, DD didn't like it and would fuss if we sat in it.

I work FT but I sit in it every night with her in her room, read her a bedtime story, nurse and put her to sleep. I love it and have definitely used it more than I thought I would after the first few months.

I bought our in a neutral tan denim-like fabric. It's pretty durable and I figured I could move it to the guest room or other room when it's done in the nursery.

Mine reclines and I have an ottoman. I highly recommend both. I don't think I'd use it as much without both.

[HallsofVA]

Someone asked a similar question not too long ago, and got lots of responses, including lots of advice on the recline feature. May be worth doing a search on, once you get your energy back!

I can't live without my glider. We purchased it and an ottoman from BRU/TRU when I was 5 months pregnant. By then, my Lay-z-boy reclining chair was causing my back troubles, because it was too deep, and was putting lots of pressure on my back. The glider was really the only chair I could sit on for the rest of the pregnancy, because it wasn't too deep, and was more upright and supportive than our couch. We kept it downstairs initially after our son was born, then finally moved it up to the nursery. It's been a lifesaver for my back, and was wonderful during those early sleepless nights and during the fussy days. We nurse, glide, read, sleep and take picture in the glider. When our son was in a fussy stage, or had gas early on, we'd put him on the ottoman and rock him forward and back by holding his legs. Sometimes he'd even rock himself! The reclining feature is wonderful for burping after feeding, and for sleeping during those late night shifts.

I tend to nurse him a lot in the nursery. The glider's the most comfortable seat for nursing. If I'm watching TV downstairs, I will nurse him in the Lay-z-boy, but I don't think he's very comfortable when I do so. Also, whenever we have company, I tend to nurse even more in the baby's room rather than in front of the guests (depending on who it is.)

[dr mom]

I wasn't planning to get a glider, I was going to use a traditional wood rocking chair, but a friend offered me her Dutalier glider and ottoman and of course I didn't turn them down. Now, I love my glider and can't imagine not having it. (And that traditional rocker sits in a corner of my living room and never gets used)

Mine is in the baby's room, and although I usually nurse somewhere else in the daytime, I do use it quite a bit at night. DS falls asleep nursing, and it's nice to have a quiet place to soothe him to sleep - in the daytime we nurse on the couch, but at night DH is usually watching TV and the activity and noise keeps DS awake.

When DS was a newborn and I was a sleep-deprived new mom, we often both fell asleep in the glider. At the time I really wished that it reclined, but after the first few weeks I haven't missed it. I think I could have done without the ottoman, too - I use a Medela nursing stool, and it works almost as well and was only $25 at BRU. If you're looking to save some money, skip the ottoman.

-Cindy

[Sharon]

I use my glider all the time. It has the recline feature and the ottoman. It's in our living room, where I nursed and I use it to relax, read to my son. My DH loved it too.

[swan01]

Thanks to everyone for the responses! We decided it was worth it and ordered one of the Relax-R gliders from babycenter.com (had a coupon, etc. so it was $350 w/shipping - it reclines, has an ottoman, etc.), so I will let everyone know what we think when it arrives. Thanks!