The exact weekend after we wrapped up our big bathroom makeover, we hightailed it out of town. It wasn’t that we were over staring at our new bathroom (we actually found ourselves going into the room just to ogle our newly spruced surroundings) but it was more like we needed a self-imposed “vacation” after such hard work. Especially my main tile man John. He really deserved a nice little weekend getaway. So we drove five hours up to the family beach house in scenic Rehoboth, Delaware (we know it’s weird to go to the beach in the dead of winter, but we love how quiet and sleepy the off-season is… and we always seize the opportunity to play a lot of board games, eat some great home cooked meals, and watch hours of Law & Order and rental movies that we’ve been meaning to see for months). We usually also make time to swing through the outlets ($9 shoes? yes please!) and this year we even got to grab some cute baby girl clothes on the cheap.
John also initiated the “nursery chair search” since he reasoned that we might find something comfy and perfect for the corner of our modestly sized nursery while at the beach since the area is pretty much brimming with home decor shops, thrift stores, and even salvage places like this one that we always drop in on. At first we didn’t have much luck when it came to finding something soft and cushy to stick in the corner of our nursery for late night feedings and general baby gazing, but we did find a pillow that looked just like Burger…
Not to be deterred, we found the strength to put down the funny little chihuahua accessory (although somehow we think our little girl is going to be obsessed with her furry big brother so a pillow in his likeness would always be welcome in her room) and continued our search. After dropping in on about six to eight places without any success (they either had inflated beach-front price tags or stiff uncomfortable chair options) we found ourselves walking into the All Saints’ Parish Thrift Shop. And that, my friends, is where we hit the motherlode.
But perhaps we should explain what it was that we were looking for in a nursery chair. You see, at first we had looked into gliders, and while many moms swear they’re the best thing about being a parent, we’re actually surrounded by people (John’s two sisters and one of my good friends) who have regular ol’ chairs in their nurseries- and they all love the cozy and inviting options they chose. No regrets among any of ’em. So after looking at a bunch of gliders that didn’t really do it for us from an aesthetic point of view (or boasted an $800 price tag when they did) we quickly moved on to the idea of a comfy chair and ottoman combo. I guess this is another one of those personal mom decisions that differs for everyone, but I knew as long as I could put my feet up and sink into something comfy I’d be a-ok.
Plus we’re pretty good at evaluating how we’ll use our house, and we knew that I would do the majority of my nursing on the sofa with the help of a Boppy. Since I work from a small desk in the den (which is also where our only TV lives and is strategically placed right off of the kitchen) we recognized that between checking the blog, watching some tube, and generally hanging out with the beanette in her first few weeks and months, beyond midnight feedings I probably wouldn’t be spending much time in the nursery chair (I definitely didn’t see myself walking back across the house into the nursery every three or four hours for feedings). So it really helped to realize that we’d use the chair in the nursery probably once or twice a day, but it wouldn’t be my primary nursing location (which made paying $800 for a chic little modern glider or even a big overstuffed chair seem like more of a waste the longer we thought about it).
And of course as paranoid and clueless first-time parents-to-be, we like to do our research to put our nervous minds at ease. So we made a few calls to all those sisters/friends who had babies in the last year and asked what they liked about their non-gliding nursery chairs. Everyone kept saying the same thing: just get something comfortable and add an ottoman. And don’t go armless (aka: be seduced by a sweet slipper chair) since it’s nice to have some “chair boundaries” to keep the Boppie or your grip on the bambino a bit more contained (so you’re not straining to hold your arms in a certain position while the chair provides no support whatsoever). Of course we realize that many of you out there might have a different “must have” chair criteria, but we felt good with the comfy and supportive shape/no-lack-of-arms advice that we got from our friends and family so that’s what we went with. I guess that’s one of the signs that we’re getting ready to be parents: we did some research and made a decision that seemed right for us. And with that knowledge, we confidently embarked on our chair hunt to end all chair hunts.
Which takes us back to the All Saints’ Parish Thrift Shop. We walked in and immediately saw the most cozy and enveloping egg chair. The bucket-like construction hugged us like no other chair we tried (and we must have sat in literally 30 chairs that day) and although it hardly looks plush and inviting (pictures don’t do it justice) this baby practically conforms to your body. So much so that although John wasn’t convinced by my blissed out expression while I sat in the chair, once he took it for a spin himself he declared that he never wanted to stand up again. Victory! Plus the small scale size is perfect for our smaller-than-average nursery and it’ll be even more heavenly when we give it a little love to get it looking brandy new again. Especially when we add a fresh coat of paint, a soft little lumbar pillow and a nice ottoman for even more bliss-inducing comfort (if that’s even possible). And the price tag? Twenty beans. Sold!
The only issue we had with the chair was that it was vintage. The shopkeeper assumed it was actually an original from the 60’s/70’s thanks to the shape and the construction, so naturally we had a major lead paint concern on our hands. Not to worry, we knew we could use a soy-based wet stripper to remove the paint if it did contain lead, and we actually had a strong suspicion that the chair was painted way after it was made (we thought it was probably left au-naturale for a while and then painted white within the last ten years with more modern lead-free paint). But when it comes to our baby bean, nothing but the cold hard facts can ease our nervous-new-parent minds… so we headed to Home Depot and grabbed a less-than-six-dollar lead test kit called Lead Check.
After carefully reading the directions we learned that all we had to do was snap the lead stick two times and shake it a bit (we heard some goo get released, almost like snapping a glow stick) and then rub it for about 30 seconds on an area of the chair with a bit of a paint chip (just so in case the paint was “sealed” with some sort of poly that didn’t have lead we could still access the paint beneath it and get a true read).
So I gently rubbed side to side on a few different chipped areas of the painted chair- and a small dribble of yellow goo came out which I massaged into the chair with the tip of the test stick for around 30 seconds a pop. We even checked the legs, which appeared to be unpainted but you never know (you can reuse the stick in a bunch of different places as long as it doesn’t indicate that there’s a lead reaction, at which point the test is dunzo).
The directions explained that varying amounts of lead could be detected by this method, so a soft pink hue on the chair or the tip of the lead stick would indicate trace amounts of lead while a brighter pink tip of the stick or mark on the chair would warn us of higher concentrations of lead. And lookie here- not even a smidge of pink. In fact the tip of the stick and the chair stayed soft yellow- the exact same color of the goo when it doesn’t have any reaction at all. Happy happy joy joy. No lead!
Of course we still plan to give our chair a nice fresh coat of no-VOC paint (along with those stark black legs while we’re at it) but for the time being we can’t bring ourselves to break out the paint because we enjoy sitting in the chair so much that the whole waiting-for-it-to-dry thing might kill us. Seriously, when the house is quiet and one of us is wondering where the other one is, we can always be found sitting in The Chair. Sometimes even in the dark with our feet up. It’s the most comfortable thing in the world, I’m telling you. Pictures just don’t do it justice.
And just to be sure that our $20 steal was up to the breast feeding challenge, we actually had John’s sister come over and nurse her three month old baby boy in our chair (of course we closed the door while she put the chair to work and we fed her lunch afterwards to show our true appreciation). The verdict: she proclaimed that it was very cozy and even mentioned that the arm support was perfect. And she’s a mom of three so her endorsement means everything to us.
So in the end we definitely could never have guessed that we wouldn’t end up with an overstuffed arm chair or a glider in our nursery but we’re so excited about our comfy and supportive $20 thrift store find.
And yes I was jealous of John while I snapped these pictures because he was the one enjoying the bliss that is our new nursery chair while I slaved away taking photos…
Stay tuned for updated pics of our new chair once we get the chance to paint it (and add a plush little lumbar pillow). Until then you can find me sitting in the nursery with the lights off and my feet up. Life is good when you’re pregnant.
But enough about our groovy vintage lead-free twenty dollar chair. Do you guys have a favorite place to sit in the house? Do you have any cheap-o thrift store scores that you’re dying to brag about? Does anyone else vacation in Rehoboth? Did anyone purchase that adorable chihuahua pillow that we sadly put back on the shelf? Spill the beans.
Psst- Wanna see our nursery progress from the very beginning? Here’s our painting post, our big shopping spree, our crib hunting rundown, and our curtain-making tutorial.
Lori says
Great find, it looks simply smashing in the nursery! Then again, you youngsters never get it wrong. Love it!
Amanda says
Who cares if it doesn’t work out? It’s 20 bucks and it will look cute anywhere else, should Sherry decide to cross to the dark side and get an ugly glider. And if you do Sherry, I hope you don’t tell anyone!!
laura says
My boyfriend and I are celebrating our two year anniversary on Rehoboth Beach next weekend. Everyone asks us, “Why Rehoboth in the winter…yous crazy!?” Let’s just say I totally agree with you…solitude and true awesomeness. Love your blog :)
Cozy Kitchen By the Sea says
I think the only way you will know is when Baby Bean is here.
I had the same glider for all 4 of our children, and can’t imagine not having one. It was so soothing, to rock and nurse…but I loved it even more they they were teething, or not feeling well….the rocking motion really helped us get through sooooo many nights.
** Another must have… THE SLEEP SHEEP !! * A M A Z I N G*
LULLED BABY TO SLEEP LIKE YOU HAVE NO IDEA !!http://www.sleepsheepandfriends.com/sheep.html
But with a newborn, I know the sofa will be the perfect spot.
I used the glider when they were a bit older.
Good Luck – and I do love the chair you picked up.
Perfect.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so funny! We already have a Sleep Sheep on our registry because we’ve heard so many friends and family members singing their praises!
xo,
s
Alie says
I third the exercise ball idea – best baby accessory EVER. Also…. “every 3 or 4 hours”…. I hate to tell you that most babies nurse far more often than that… But I think you made the right choice of not spending big bucks on a chair in the nursery since you will do most of your nursing else wear.
Melissa says
My childhood bed came from a thrift store in Rehobeth Beach :) I hope you and your little one have lots of happy years in your new favorite chair! My bed came out of my old house as my parents were starting to remodel and will go right back into the new one when it’s finished, 20+ years later!
Miss Lee says
I love the chair and I nursed for a total of 4 years so I think I have room to say… I think it will be a great chair.
This thought made me a little sad truth be told “of course we closed the door while she put the chair to work “. Breastfeeding is a beautiful thing and isn’t something that should have to be hidden under a blanket or shut behind a door. But that said, I know I didn’t feel that way before I breastfed my own children but it makes me feel bad we grow up in a culture where we aren’t used to seeing mothers nurse their babies (and I think it also makes it harder for us to learn to nurse when we have our own babies).
But that is a topic neither here nor there since, this is a design blog! LOL And I love the chair and love how you guys shop together. It really so adorable and sweet.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Miss Lee,
Well, truth be told, I’ve seen Emily nurse plenty of times but we closed the door because John, her little brother, didn’t want to catch a peek- and Emily didn’t want him to see anything either! It’s definitely a beautiful and natural thing but I think sisters and brothers don’t necessarily want to be together for it in all instances!
xo,
s
Sarah says
Aww, my husband and I honeymooned in Rehobeth last summer. It’s such a fun beach town and I imagine is quaint, still and perfect in the middle of the winter.
Mrs T says
You didn’t get the chihuahua cushion? I love it. Do you know what brand it is?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Mrs T,
Alas we didn’t because the $60 price tag was a bit of a deterrent. We unfortunately don’t know the brand but perhaps you can find something similar (and handmade!) on etsy.com? Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Katie says
I have the same exact chair in my living room (just not painted). Mine actually came from a local flea market for ten dollars! I absolutely love it and it is very comfy indeed. What I had to do though (because a piece of it was poking me in the rear) was put a chair cusion on it and an upright pillow which makes it even more cozy. Hope you enjoy, it looks great.
Lauren says
Glad you found something you like but that would be the last chair I would want to nurse in. You’ll see when the babe is here, I was a new mom once too. ;)
LindaS says
That will be perfect. We have a Poang from Ikea which worked well. What people dont tell you about the special nursing gliders (aside from the hideous price tag) is they often have a heap of ‘crush points’ for little fingers. So if you end up having more than one bub – its not safe to have them around when nursing their younger sister/brother as their curious little fingers risk being squashed under the rocking chair.
Katie says
On the Boppy front…I work as a breastfeeding educator and I really, strongly recommend checking out either a My Breast Friend or some other flat top pillow instead of the Boppy. Newborns tend to roll into the curve of the Boppy which, if you are having any trouble with breastfeeding, often aggravates the problem!
amanda says
Hey guys – I have been vacationing in Rehoboth since I was a wee little one. It’s my favorite vacation spot (we live near Baltimore). We go every year. Our baby girl turns 6 months on Valentine’s day and I’m super psyched to take her to Funland this summer.
You are very right about the nursing location. I spent the majority of my time nursing on the couch or in bed during the first 8 weeks. When we moved Ellie to her crib after the 8 week mark (which was when she started sleeping in longer chunks and we wanted to get her used to being in her own room) I started using the chair we put in there for night feedings. Now we just use it to put her down for nap time and at bed time (we are ridiculously lucky and have a baby who sleeps for 11 hours at night).
Hope your pregnancy is healthy and comfortable. Your nursery is looking great!
PS. We totally spent the past week painting a brick wall and the brick fireplace in our house a cream color, thanks to your inspiration. What else are you going to do during a record snowstorm?!
Katie says
Hi Guys, thanks for sharing the lead test. Our house was built in 58, and I think yours is about that old too. What did you do about the walls, which probably had lead paint at one point? We just moved in and painted over ours, but I’m not sure if there is anything else you have found in your safety search. Your nursery is great, btw!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Katie,
Good question! When we moved into our house all the walls and trim (except for in the wallpapered dining room) had recently been repainted professionally, and everything that we read on the lead paint subject says that as long as paint isn’t old and peeling or turning into ground dust (which can happen around old wood windows that open and close) then it’s perfectly safe since it’s “sealed” behind the new coat of fresh paint. So it sounds like you have nothing to worry about assuming that you painted the ceilings and the trim and everything else that might be old and cracked to keep it from flaking off or becoming airborne. Oh and remember not to sand anything first (which can release lead dust). So if you have places that need to be sanded you might want to hire a professional to do a formal lead test for you and possibly sand/remove it for you if it’s positive. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Lisa T says
The chair is super cute and definitely seems like your style. I have to agree with a few of the others though that your baby may need to be rocked to sleep. We were still rocking our baby to sleep every night even at 11 months old. We didn’t go with one of the ugly wooden gliders though…we found a fully upholstered version with a buttoned-tufted back. We can definitely re-purpose it another room when we’re done with it in the nursery b/c it looks that good. Our baby hated the swing and bouncer, so just keep that in mind down the road.
On the subject of the nursing pillows – I had both! I used the My Brest Friend for breast feeding the first 4 months or so, then transitioned to the Boppy which was more comfortable at that point. The Boppy is also extremely helpful for tummy time and using to prop your baby up when they start to sit. I know getting both seems a little indulgent, but it was a great decision for us. Best of luck with the beanette!
Shannon says
I love the chair. Simple, clean lines and very cool shape. Reminds me of a Moon Chair, only smaller. Very ergonomically shaped and comfortable, as anyone who’s been in a moon chair can attest too.
Cool thing about having your feet elevated higher is it promotes blood circulation and reduces pressure on your lower back. A lot of “sleep pods” for offices are designed this way for naps.
I can’t wait to see how it looks after you repaint it.
Erin C. says
I love Rehoboth Beach.. and of course, the outlets. I will need to check out the All Saints’ Parish Thrift Shop next time I’m there. :) So glad you found a chair you love! (and for such a great price!!)
Alison says
Hey guys!! I firmly believe that only you know what’s best for your own child, so take everyone’s advice with a grain of salt, and enjoy being the best parents you can be :)
On the BFing front: We loved Boppy, and new babies often feed for 45+ min every 2-3 hours. It can be very frustrating (especially at 2am when you’re soooo sleepy) but if you can get past those first few weeks, you’ll be fine and the bonding experience is so special (plus, you’ll save $$). And if you can’t get past those few weeks, you’ll give your baby formula and she’ll still be happy and healthy & you’ll still be excellent parents who want the best for their sweet daughter. Either way, enjoy it!!!
Lisa says
We have a beach house in Bethany – just north of Beach Plum. I run past it all the time on my runs into downtown Bethany. We love the beach in the winter as well. So beautiful and no waits for the many very good restaurants in Rehoboth. Unfortunately we never get to bring home any home goodies – with two kids we are always packed to the roof on our beach trips!
Lisa says
I nursed on the couch or in our bed most of the time and used a plain old bed pillow to prop my son up. Yes, we did have a glider and my kids loved being rocked to sleep but not all babies want or need to be rocked to sleep. You know what will work best for you. The only item I can recommend without question is The Miracle Blanket. At first I balked at the price but after a few days the makers of the blanket could have appeared at my door demanding $500 or the blanket and I would have gladly turned over the money. It was that good. My kids loved to be swaddled and this was the only blanket my little Houdinis could not get out of. By the way I went to the University of Richmond for undergrad and VCU for grad school. I love that town and think it is a wonderful place to raise a child. Can’t wait to read about your parenting adventures.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the recommendation Lisa! It’s already on our registry because we have heard the same thing from family and friends. Sounds like quite a miracle indeed!
xo,
s
Natalie says
We just moved up to West Chester, Pennsylvania in December and we are SO excited to check out Rehoboth {which is just a hop, skip, and a jump away}. Congrats on the thrifty find! :)
Shannon says
woooo, Delaware! I live in DE and have a beach house in South Bethany, which is right outside Rehoboth, so I loving this post. I’m going to check out the All Saints’ Parish Shop next time i’m done.
How lucky you guys went when you did! We now have almost 4 feet of snow here in DE
ais says
he.he..he.. nice dog..
but if your finger on his head…
your dog like a devil… ha..ha.ha…
mribaro says
“I definitely didn’t see myself walking back across the house into the nursery every three or four hours for feedings”. So true, Sherry.
The first two postpartum months I spent most of the time lying on our living room sofa (moving to bed during the night). Two reasons: 1) recovering from episiotomy meant I couldn’t sit on my bum, and had to breastfeed and eat lying sideways (like old Romans, haha). 2) my daughter was nursing every one to two hours during the day, and three times during the night. That is normal for breastfeeding, and in the following months the periods between two feedings stretch to 3-4 hours. This is just to warn you – don’t expect from yourself to do any serious work around the house (or your blog, unfortunately for us readers) for the first three after the birth. Just tending the baby (even with priceless help of our moms, who cooked and ironed for me during that time) left me very little time even for the bare necessities like eating my meal uninterrupted. If the baby was asleep for two hours during the day, I used that time to make up for the lost sleep during the night too.
Even though I must admit I’m addicted to reading your wonderful posts daily, I hope you enjoy your time with your precious baby when she comes to your home, and the rest can wait a bit.
Rose says
Hey guys..
My first baby Eric was nursed in a huge green velvet arm chair bought at auction for $25. We draped it in a throw and comfy pillow. When he was diagnosed with a brain malformation at 4 mths I spent many hours cuddling him and soaking tears into that big old friend..and I am not sure who owned it previously but I somehow felt soothed by that chair as if someone was cuddling the both of us….
Two years later when I was due with my second and Eric and preggie me couldn’t fit comfortably in the chair we sold our house and donated the chair……(I wanted a different experience for this baby) Still I wonder sometimes if big old friend is cuddling anyone today.
P.S. I have a mini-me version of your retro chair which my little one Marcus adores in his play room. picked up for $15.
mribaro says
Oops – just correcting the sentence where I dropped a word: “don’t expect from yourself to do any serious work around the house (…) for the first three MONTHS after the birth”
Lynn van Slyke says
I love the chair! Looks super comfy.
I can’t tell you how many times I fell asleep nursing my babies during those late night feedings. I preferred to nurse in my bed the first 5 weeks or so until my kids started to sleep through the night, I was scared to death I’d drop them otherwise. I had a wicker rocker that was not comfortable at all. It was pretty to look at though.
Congratulations on a super find!
allison says
You guys are awesome for (among other things) continuing to tactfully remind everyone that when it comes to nurseries and all things baby, one size does not fit everyone. All parents are different & all kids are different… we’re all obviously going to want & need different things. Me? HAD to have an armless chair (we nursed for a while and she outgrew the armed space very quickly). You? Psyched on the chair you have w/the recommendations of friends of family to back up your armed lifestyle. We all win!
Ann says
A family beach house at Rehoboth!? Now I am REALLY jealous.
Beth says
Like you, I wasn’t keen on the gliders either, but for years I’ve been wanting a chaise lounge to relax in ANY WHERE in the house. When we found out we were pregnant, I used it as an excuse to get the perfect chaise and plop it in the corner of the nursery. I don’t use it for nursing much, but it sure is comfy to relax and snuggle in!
Patti says
I think you made a great choice. We had a glider+ottoman that we used in our nursery for a while but it is long gone. It was way too ugly to move to another room when my daughter needed the floorspace for play!! This is a chair that you will easily be able to incorporate in any room of your house if you find that your daughter needs the space in her room. Honestly, a lot of babies begin to sleep through the night pretty quickly and don’t require a middle-of-the-night feeding. If you are like most moms I know, you will find your favorite nursing spot and that is where you will go most of the time.
Dusa says
Rehoboth Beach was my first trip to the ocean when I was 12 – I’ve been in love with it ever since. Unfortunately living here in Vermit (the West Coast of New England), my trips to Delaware are few and far between. However, I’m adding the Parish to my list of must-dos!
Anne says
Great chair! Next time you’re in Rehoboth area, be sure to stop by Lewes. It’s a cute little town with some amazing thrift and antique stores.
I do have to ask though, since you seem to have incorporated so many thrift store finds into your gorgeous home, aren’t you afraid of bedbugs? Ever since the epidemic hit NYC, I’ve completely avoided all second hand and thrift stores, and I miss those treasure troves!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Anne,
Ah bedbugs. John knows them well. Read all about his incredibly gross brush with them here (warning: this post will make you itchy): https://www.younghouselove.com/2009/02/dont-let-the-bed-bugs-bite/
Thankfully due to that nightmarish time in his life, he’s a pro at looking for them (or signs of them) which are actually quite easy to spot on most furniture items. We also have a Craigslist and Thrift Store rule where we leave whatever we snag in the sunroom for a few days (where it gets nice and cold overnight to freeze most potential pests) and do one more furniture check for signs of anything before bringing our latest thrifty purchase inside. After three years of this method we’re happy to say that it has kept our house 100% free of any gross critters. Thank goodness. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Emily says
Congrats on all of your nursery progress! I love seeing all of your room updates! We have been in the northern Virginia area for 2 years now – recently bought our first home in Burke and you have been a great inspiration – but have not made the 3 hr drive to Rehoboth. Many of our friends around here LOVE it, although I am from South Carolina and it’s hard for me to break away from those beaches. Will we get to see you “Sherry-and-John-ify” your beach house? Is that a giant project in waiting? Or will you leave that home as a relaxing place away from all of your renovations in Richmond?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Emily,
The beach house is actually John’s parent’s casa (we wish we were lucky enough to have a second residence!) and it’s a new construction that came move-in-ready. So it really didn’t need any help like our old dated ranch! In fact you can sneak a few peeks of it here in this post: https://www.younghouselove.com/2008/01/on-the-road-again-just-beachy/
We love it there!
xo,
s
Robin J says
This post left me thinking when I went to bed last night and when I got up to nurse my daughter at 6am. Though REALLY cute, one thing I didn’t consider but am so grateful for my rocker now is… how do you plan to quietly get up out of that chair in the middle of the night after your third early AM feeding (12am, 2am, 4am, etc)??? I found the rocking motion soothing to my daughter plus it kept me in a somewhat coma-like state so I could still get back to sleep. The chair looks great in the room, but it seems like it might cause disruption in the early morning feedings. Just a thought… for what it’s worth. Plus since it is curved, your support pillows for your arms will slide to the back of the chair when not sitting, so you’ll need to readjust those before sitting to nurse, etc. I tried to nurse without armrests or support pillows at first and ended up with a major kink in my neck for two months, so bad that nursing was painful for my shoulders and neck.
If you love it, that’s good. Sometimes I think that function and beauty are a delicate balance. In my case, we received a donated frame of a glider. My mother in law had new foam cut and we covered it in an easy-to-clean microsuede. I’m glad it’s easy to clean, because in the dark, nursing for the first few weeks can get messy.
Best of luck to you! I hope the chair works out.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Robin,
We’re happy to report that we’re super confident about our chair purchase! We’ve done a bunch of sitting-down-and-standing-up-while-holding-Burger test runs and we even had John’s sister nurse her three month old baby in it (and as a mother of three her endorsement really meant the world!). She had no issues sitting or standing back up while holding the baby (and it wasn’t a noisy process or anything). Of course time will tell what kind of baby we get and how things end up working out for us, but especially since this won’t be my primary “nursing station” we’re sure it’ll all work out and we promise to check back in after a few months of parenthood with an update! The great thing about our choice is that the chair was just $20 and can easily move to the sunroom or another space in our house in the rare event that it doesn’t work out but all signs point to our new seat providing everything that we’re looking for in the corner of our nursery!
xo,
s
JoDi says
Aaaah . . . memories! My grandparents had one of those chairs in their house, and we used to love sitting in it when we were growing up! It was very comfy, and I’m sure you and the beanette will enjoy it for years! What a great find!
Alison says
Love the chair! I’ve pretty much used our couch or bed for nursing and really have no regrets about skipping the glider.
I would also recommend the Brest Friend pillow for the newborn stage – learning to breastfeed was really a challenge for me and having this pillow was really really helpful since it propped my daughter up so well. We have since switched to the Boppy when my daughter was about 3 months old since it is a bit more cushy and since she has so much more control over her body.
Abbi says
This is a great idea. I would never guess that something like that would be so comfortable but it’s exciting because it has such a slim profile and is great for a small space. Also, your ottoman caught my eye. I’ve been in the market for a storage ottoman or two but haven’t seen one quite like yours. Where is it from??
YoungHouseLove says
It’s actually from Michael’s (the craft store) where we snagged it in the basket aisle for 50% off. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Barbie M. says
That has to be the most uncomfortable chair for nursing in the world. Go to a real store and get a glider. It is well worth it.
Jaimie says
Sherry and John, I’m with you. The only gliders I saw were either a) ugly or b) extremely expensive. We decided to go with a small-style armchair for our son’s room and I haven’t regretted it at all. You’re right that during the daytime I preferred to nurse the baby in the living room, not sequestered in a bedroom, so the nursery chair was really for bedtime and nighttime. Plus (and knowing you guys, you’ve already thought of this) I can easily see that armchair working in our living room or family room in the future.
You’ve already gotten many recommendations for it, but I’ll throw my vote in for the My Brest Friend as well (despite its horrible name). It’s made of firmer foam than the Boppy, so the baby is held at just the right position and doesn’t sink down. My son fell asleep on it many times, and the fact that it cinches around your waist meant that everything felt nice and secure.
Michele Daggar says
Love the Burger pillow!!!
We have vacationed in Rehoboth Beach with our kids twice (2002 & 2003). We rented a house with some family members about a block from the beach. It was also within walking district of the main shopping street. SO MUCH FUN!!!! The kids loved the boardwalk & “Fun Land.” I loved all the outlets!!!!
I think the chair you guys picked will be great. It’s such an exciting time, waiting for your first baby to arrive. My “babies” are 12 and 9 …. sigh…..the only thing I will say about raising babies and staying home with my kids is that it goes by so fast. Enjoy every snuggly minute with your “Beanette”
Erica says
When my mom had my little sister (I was 15 at the time so I helped take care of her alot), she got a glider for our living room to help nurse, etc… She had an old rocking chair, but it didn’t have any cushions or an ottoman or anything. My dad bought her the glider, and even I used it when I helped to feed her or whatever. I love that thing. It was so comfortable, and helped get the baby to sleep when she was fussy.
I love the Lead pen! I have a super old house (built in 1900) and I’m chipping off all the paint off of the baseboards and moldings and stuff, as well as some of the wainscoting in the kitchen. I’ll bet having one of those would be helpful to me because I’m not sure how long ago the baseboards and stuff were painted. I’ll definitely have to go get one!
I found an awesome slipper chair at a thrift store for $20. It was covered in this really tacky green and yellow flowered vinyl-type fabric, and smelled awful. It had so much potential, so I ripped everything off, including the stuffing, and redid it in this pretty black and white damask-type fabric. It had a skirt on the bottom, but I got rid of the skirt, painted the legs black, and just left it like that. I think it looks pretty awesome myself. :-)
Kara S says
Nice shirt John! I’m a fellow Richmonder and an avid runner…and I have the very same shirt, also in green. It’s one of my all-time faves.:)
Oh, and I love the chair too! Sorry for the tangent.;)
Elena says
I adore your blog! You’re doing such a great job on the nursery. I feel a little bad that you’re getting barraged by opinions on everything you’ve chosen, but it sounds like you are up for it! Just wanted to add one vote for the Boppy. It saw me through three babies, and I absolutely loved it.
We misguidedly picked a glider that we thought would fit in well with the rest of our house, post-baby. The sentiment might have been correct … but it had hard, cherry arms. UGH. And of course, we moved and developed different taste by the time we were ready to move the glider out of the nursery. It’s sitting awkwardly in our room now.
Dan says
I thought you said you wanted arms for the chair?
That chair def. doesn’t have arms.
YoungHouseLove says
We didn’t want an armless slipper chair, so we really wanted support so we weren’t holding a baby without “help”, but thanks to the cradling and enveloping design, the chair definitely provides all the arm support we’ll need (John’s sister Emily confirmed that it was a super comfy and supportive chair when she took it for a test run for us by nursing her three month old in it). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Nadia says
I agree… get a Boppy pillow. The best money spent on baby so far (mine is 8 weeks).
It is great because you can bring it everywhere with you-I doubt you will be feeding in that chair you got very much; it sucks to be all alone, especially in the beginning.
cody says
I have to admit that as a modern furniture lover I got kind of excited when I saw that you purchased this type of chair! Great style as always! Just as an fyi, this chair actually more closely resembles the Bertoia wire chair. The egg chair looks like this: http://vintageverity.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/arne_jacobsen_the_egg_chair.jpg
Another amazing choice would have been the womb chair! Despite some of the comments, as you have found, they are all very comfortable and ergonomic–great choices for parents and new little babers! I love your open mindedness and your willingness to try out what is right for you and your growing family!
YoungHouseLove says
Very true! We just describe it as a bucket or egg seat since it’s sort of like someone cut a sphere in half and gave it legs. We have always loved those Knoll Bertoia wire chairs- but they might not be the most cozy for nursing.
xo,
s
katy says
I have to agree with all the other comments for the Breast Friend….that was soo helpful to me in the early months of breastfeeding. I never did get the hang of the boppy. But as you know….to each her own. You’re going to be great parents!!
Deborah says
I also was NOT a fan of the glider / ottoman look. However, a “club chair / ottoman” was not in our budget, plus I imagined that it would be hard to get out of while holding the baby. In the end, I was tired of researching online, going to stores, etc., and we just went ahead and got the glider. BEST DECISION EVER. I did nurse for 7 1/2 months, and for the most part the only time I nursed in the chair was at night right before I’d put her down, once she was about 3 months old and sleeping in her crib. Now I rock her and give her a bottle before her afternoon nap and while giving her her “night-night” bottle and reading her a story at bedtime. It’s GREAT!
I don’t want to crush your hopes, but I think the rocking / gliding action is really crucial in soothing a baby (and helping a parent keep her sanity) sometimes. My child doesn’t let me completely rock her to sleep most nights, but I do think the gliding action really calms her down and gets her ready to go to sleep.
Yes, they’re ugly – I don’t ever intend to keep it and try to “work it in” to my living room decor (as the nice girl at Babies R Us suggested) — but I have to recommend the glider to all expectant parents out there.