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Rock, swivel, lean back, and even charge your phone while feeding and comforting your baby. Recliner Rocker Chair
Having a comfortable place to sit, feed your little one, and soothe them is essential, and rocking chairs and gliders are sometimes the coziest options for the job. A good one will last long past your baby’s first year and serve as a fun place to cuddle. It can even be repurposed as furniture in other areas of your home. To help you find the best rockers and gliders for nursery use and beyond, we had several of our editors test the latest models at home with their own babies.
Comfort is the ultimate consideration according to our experts and parents. “Positions that support the feeding person's back and arms are important for a comfortable and successful infant feeding session,” Tina McGeough, MPH, RDN, CDE, LCCE, CLC, the owner of Blooming Mom, tells Parents. “Whether feeding occurs in a chair that moves or is stationary really depends on the feeding person and the baby's preference.”
Attention, parents-to-be! If you’re hoping a loved one will buy one of these gliders for you, you can add it to your Amazon Baby Registry. It’s a convenient way to make sure you receive the baby gear you’ve researched and chosen for yourself. Plus, there are free returns on eligible purchases for a year!
Beyond comfort, you’ll also want something that fits in your space and the aesthetic of the nursery and fits in your budget (these chairs can run anywhere from $200-$1,400). These chairs can swivel, rock, recline—some with the push of a button—and even charge your phone. We put the top models in the market to the test with sleepy parents and hungry babies to find the best nursery gliders and rockers for your home.
This glider has a wider seat, spill-proof upholstery, and a durable construction that’s also comfy. Our tester loved that the recline function was smooth and easily deployed with a side lever. Additionally, the seat is wider, which allowed her to sit with her toddler for reading time and snuggles. We also love the spill-proof upholstery—which is clutch given that this recliner is only available in a light hue.
Our tester, who was heavily pregnant when she received the glider, noted that the only assembly needed was to insert the backrest into the recline base. “My husband easily snapped it in, but I could also have done it,” she said. It has a total overall height of 42.1 inches and reclines to a depth of 66 inches, for those times when parents really need a nap, too. The seat width is 22.4 inches, and it has a weight capacity of 330 pounds, which means that you can easily accommodate yourself plus a tot or two for feeding, storytime, and more. “When I get out of the glider, I feel relaxed,” our tester said.
At 90 pounds, this might be a little heavy to move around your home. Additionally, while it’s in the middle of glider and rocker price ranges, it does lack additional features like a cup holder or the ability to swivel.
If you’re looking for a simple rocker that isn’t super expensive but still provides the essentials—a chair that moves and supports you with your baby—then this is a solid option. You’ll appreciate the minimalist mid-century modern design combined with a classic rocking chair format. Meanwhile, a spill-proof and stain-proof upholstery, along with sustainable construction made from recycled plastic makes this a smart choice for the practical and eco-conscious parent. Because it doesn't recline and has a small footprint, this is a great option for smaller rooms, too.
There isn’t much padding throughout the armrest and seat, the seatback is low, and it doesn’t come with an ottoman. Our editor testing this said it wasn’t a chair she wanted to use unless she was feeding her baby. “Since this doesn’t recline and doesn’t come with a leg rest, there’s no way I can get myself super comfortable in this.” Be prepared to do a bit of work to get this rocker to move. As our tester shared, “I’m pretty much working out my calves from rocking this chair.” Note though that you can purchase the matching ottoman separately.
This glider is one of the most affordable options out there. The chair does not have a large footprint, so it can fit in smaller rooms, and its rocking motion is exceptionally smooth. It comes with deep pockets (for books and gadgets) that hang from the armrests and an ottoman that glides too. It’s easy to relax and feel supported in this wood-framed chair, thanks to the generous seat, arm, and ottoman padding, covered in easy-to-clean polyester and that comes in a variety of fun colors.
While the Storkcraft was not part of our real-world test, one of our editors used this very model with her child almost 11 years ago, and it’s clear this sturdy, inexpensive chair has staying power. She bought hers secondhand and resold it a year later in perfect condition. (Maybe it’s still being passed down to this day?)
It does not recline and is a touch on the narrow side, so it may not accommodate all feeding positions for all parents. It’s also not very stylish—possibly even stodgy.
This sophisticated chair comes fully assembled in a small size that’s ideal for apartment dwellers and petite homes. It pulls double duty as a glider and recliner that also swivels, and we like that the recline lever is hidden, making it more aesthetically pleasing. As our tester shared, the elevated design means that well after the nursery phase, they intend to move the chair into the living room to incorporate into their sitting area. We appreciate that the spill- and stain-proof fabric is made from recycled materials and that this chair is Greenguard Gold certified. Plus, it’s priced hundreds of dollars less than some other options on this list
Beyond the powered recline function, this is a basic chair that doesn’t come with premium features like a USB port or cup holders. Also, our 5-foot-1 tester noted that in the fully upright position, their feet were left dangling uncomfortably if they stayed with their back completely against the backrest. If you’re shorter and want to purchase this chair, you may want to add on a DaVinci Universal Ottoman.
This swivel glider with a powered recliner feels luxurious. With a tap of a button, the chair reclines backward while the footrest lifts to help you stretch out on the cozy faux shearling fabric. Our tester also loved using the built-in USB port, since she “quickly learned the importance of having some entertainment on hand while nursing.”
Our tester appreciated that the assembly took less than 15 minutes to complete. Although this is a hefty 113-pound chair, you only need to connect the backrest to the base. Thankfully the weight doesn’t mean it’s difficult to move. “Since assembling, we’ve moved it around the nursery a couple of times, and it’s fairly easy for me to push myself,” shared our tester.
The motorized recline mechanism is convenient but noisy. It often woke our tester’s baby if they were lying in a parent’s arms while the chair reclined. Additionally, the product page explicitly states that the USB port is connected to the motor, and it should not be used for devices larger than phones to avoid damaging the recline function. This is also one of the most expensive gliders on our list.
The extra wide 26-inch seat of the aptly named Tuba makes this glider ideal for sitting with twins, sharing with older children, and for parents of all sizes to comfortably feed their babies. The playfully shaped chair comes fully assembled and only weighs pounds. It swivels 360 degrees and glides back and forth. The Greenguard Gold-certified, partially recycled upholstery is also stain- and spill-resistant.
Wide chairs are a good choice for many parents of more than one child. Christine Sterling, M.D., a board-certified OB-GYN and founder of Sterling Parents, shares that the chair that she chose was also quite wide, and she enjoyed having her other kids sitting with her during nursing sessions.
While the wider seat is ideal for some, the full width of the chair is 35 inches, making it too wide for smaller homes or nurseries. The wider seat also means the armrests are positioned farther apart, which sometimes made nursing difficult for our tester. She also found the seat to be rather shallow, even after removing the included lumbar pillow, and this seat does not recline.
A velvety plush upholstery that’s stain and spill-resistant combined with an adjustable headrest, lumbar support, motorized recline, and built-in USB charging makes your next marathon nursing or feeding session much more comfortable. The seat glides and swivels (200 degrees), and when our tester activated the recline, the motor never woke her baby. She also shared that the velvet upholstery held up well against spills during marathon nursing sessions. “I have zero concerns about wear spots from many middle of the night feeding sessions, or bedtime story time," she shared.
Our tester, who had experienced neck and back pain in previous chairs, was also quite pleased with the comfort level of this glider. She also said the chair is “beautiful” in her home and “feels as good as it looks.”
That head and lumbar support is great, but if you want to feel like you’re sitting on a cloud, this chair isn’t for you. Our tester also noted that the armrests were on the low side. Plus, you can’t fail to notice that this is the most expensive chair on the list, though it is often on sale.
We researched and evaluated dozens of chairs from various retailers, as well as used our own experiences as parents to come up with the initial list of nursery gliders and rockers to test. The expertise from lactation consultants and other parents also informed how and why we selected these chairs. Specifically, we looked at assembly, comfort, durability, recline mechanisms, and additional parent-friendly features such as USB ports or pockets.
We asked parents to use the rockers and gliders like they would in normal circumstances—for feeding, rocking babies to sleep, reading bedtime stories, or simply lounging and relaxing. We asked them how easily they could activate the glide or rock function; how loud powered recliners were when activated; if rocking the chair created a strain on their legs; and whether the armrests were helpful in reducing arm, neck, and back strain while holding a baby.
Before and after testing gliders, we spoke to the following healthcare professionals and parents to find out what to look for in gliders and how to use them safely:
No matter how comfortable your glider or rocking chair may be, you should never fall asleep with your baby in your arms, according to the AAP. Babies always need to sleep flat on their backs, on a firm surface.
Here are some other safety guidelines to keep in mind:
Every expert we spoke to stressed that a rocking chair or nursery glider is a want and not a necessity. That doesn’t mean that they can’t be appreciated. “I think it’s a hugely personal preference and [the parent’s] comfort is the most important thing,” Phelps says. “I knew I needed something that reclined due to my particular nursing needs, but also wanted something I could use to just hold and rock the baby.”
Wherever you care for a baby, things will inevitably get messy. To clean a nursery glider, you can simply wipe down the fabric with a damp cloth to remove the initial mess, and if you need to take things one step further, you could treat it with a nontoxic cleaning product—just be sure to check the guidelines of your chair’s manufacturer first. Over time, you might want to get a vacuum into small crevices where snack crumbs may have fallen or even consider steam cleaning the cushions.
Dorian Smith-Garcia is a commerce, health, and parenting writer at Parents, and a mom of one daughter who is out of the baby stage. She nursed her daughter during the first year and was thankful for the Storkcraft glider-ottoman set that was gifted to her.
Casey Seiden, MS, RD, CDCES, is a prenatal and postpartum dietitian, as well as a mom of two. Her personal experience nursing and feeding her first daughter in many different environments, as well as conversations with lactation consultants and moms, helped inform her for this article.
Round Side Table Rachel Y. Moon, Rebecca F. Carlin, Ivan Hand, THE TASK FORCE ON SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME AND THE COMMITTEE ON FETUS AND NEWBORN; Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Updated 2022 Recommendations for Reducing Infant Deaths in the Sleep Environment. Pediatrics July 2022; 150 (1): e2022057990. doi:10.1542/peds.2022-057990