The 12 Very Best Glider Rockers for Nursing (2024)

From $1,495

Movement: Gliding base, with optional swivel | Accessories: Lumbar pillow, optional gliding ottoman | Style: Customizable/made to order | Safety: GREENGUARD Gold Certified

The glider rocker that I heard about the most in my conversations with parents and experts was the Luca by Canadian company Monte. It was recommended by Strategist senior editor Winnie Yang and four other experts I spoke to, so I had to go check it out for myself. Yang told me that she was drawn to how streamlined it look, and the first thing I noticed was its relatively compact size compared to other nursery chairs on the market. As Ashlee Neuman, content director at the Bump, points out, that’s what makes the Luca great for families with limited space. It also looks really nice, with its slightly upturned ergonomic armrests, high back, and contrast piping detail. Most importantly, the gliding motion felt super smooth and pleasant. My feet were planted on the floor and I was able to easily move the chair back and forth.

It’s expensive, but dad Daniel Gordon notes that buying from Monte means investing in a piece that’s built to last. Gordon told me that even after using the chair daily for over six years with two kids, “somehow the chair still looks brand-new.” Yang, who bought it secondhand, agrees. Not only has it helped her rock three babies to sleep, “it has been a comfortable spot for pumping milk, has gone through three moves, and has been beaten up by two dogs and a cat, but most importantly, it cleans up really well,” she says. As for its construction and mechanics, she says that the gliding action is still smooth, and the cushions are in great shape and aren’t sagging or worn anywhere. It’s made to order and comes with nearly three dozen fabric and piping options, and you can even choose from four different wood finishes for the base, some of which swivel. The optional ottoman also glides and costs $495, if you want to put your feet up. For its durability, comfort, looks, and the ability to customize just about every detail, it’s my choice for best glider overall. Plus, as Micaela Birmingham of parenting website Scary Mommy adds, “It looks cool enough to use elsewhere in your place once you’re done using it in the nursery.”

From $302

Movement: 360-degree swivel | Accessories: Ottoman and lumbar pillow | Style: Five colors | Safety: GREENGUARD Gold Certified

While I wouldn’t necessarily call it a dupe of the Monte Luca, this glider has a similar look in shape, piping detail, and general clean-line vibe as our overall pick. Neuman recommends it for its value: “You can’t beat it in terms of the most bang for your buck” — especially when you consider the fact that it comes with an ottoman. Like the Luca, it also has a high back and lumbar pillow, as well as a sturdy base that glides forward and backward and swivels 360 degrees. (You can customize the Luca with a base that swivels, but the basic model only glides.) Sandra Gordon, who reviews baby gear on her blog Baby Products Mom, adds that this chair — like the Luca and others on our list — benefits from having an upholstered glider mechanism, which not only makes the furniture nicer to look at but “safer if you have a toddler in the house, because there’s no way your toddler can get their fingers caught in the glider mechanism.”

From $1,695

Movement: Recliner, with optional swivel | Accesories: Lumbar pillow | Style: Customizable/made to order | Safety: GREENGUARD Gold Certified

While the Monte Luca rocker that leads this list doesn’t recline, the brand’s Grano glider does. Actor and dad Mike Colter told us it was the best thing he bought for himself during the pandemic. “My daughter was about 15 months old at the start of quarantine. Putting her down each night was tough,” Colter says. “This chair has been a game changer. From soothing, to rocking, to reclining, it really does it all.” David Jacobs, the owner of Brooklyn-based children’s store Mini Jake, told me the Grano is one of the most popular gliders among his parent clientele, too, thanks to thoughtful details like its hidden reclining mechanism, lumbar pillow, and high back that provides additional spine and neck support. Like the Monte Luca chair, it’s made to order and comes with dozens of fabric and piping options, as well as the option to add a swiveling metal base for $200 more (otherwise, it comes with a wooden base that is stationary).

$343

Movement: Recliner, 360-degree swivel | Accesories: Lumbar pillow | Style: Four colors | Safety: GREENGUARD Gold Certified

If you’re looking for a more affordable glider that reclines (and doesn’t include a bulky ottoman), consider DaVinci’s Piper chair, which I personally own and love. It has a similar silhouette to the DaVinci’s Olive chair above, is exceptionally sturdy, and swivels 360 degrees. It also reclines with a pull of a hidden lever and lies almost flat, although you have to push with your feet to get it all the way back. Closing the footrest does take a bit of effort, but you get used to it after a few tries. It’s one of the most comfortable chairs in the house, and I spent many sleepless nights nursing both of my kids in it. Now that they’re 5 and almost 2, respectively, it has become a reading chair — both for reading with the children and solo grown-up reading. After five years of constant use with both kids, it still looks new. The gray upholstery doesn’t hold on to stains, and I’ve never even had to spot clean it. There’s no sagging, either, and all the physical mechanisms are smooth. I will note is that it’s a pretty big chair, but for how durable and comfortable it is, you can’t beat its value.

From $643

Movement: Electric recliner, 270-degree swivel | Accessories: Lumbar pillow, USB charging port | Style: Six colors | Safety: GREENGUARD Gold Certified

Neuman’s favorite reclining glider is a bit higher-tech, with an electric recliner button that means you have even less of a chance of waking the baby if you decide to prop your feet up. (And will require less effort on your part.) “High tech meets high comfort in this state-of-the-art nursery chair,” she says, noting that the chair can swivel up to 270 degrees. “There’s even a built-in USB charging port, so you can recharge your mind, body, and electronics all at once,” she adds. The Kiwi is a favorite of the Tot Squad’s Jennifer Saxton, who appreciates its modern design (I happen to think its wingback style makes it among the prettiest of chairs on this list) and calls out the electric recline function that “silently and seamlessly leans back without a jolt.” Plus, she adds, “It beautifully rocks and rotates and is wide enough for me to do story time with both girls on my lap.” Vox Media senior engineer Kathryn Beatty agrees that the Kiwi is “so comfortable to nurse in and to sit in during middle-of-the-night wakings,” adding that it’s a chair that can grow with her daughter. “It looks really nice in her room and I can see us keeping it in there as she gets older for reading books,” she says.

$499

Movement: 360-degree swivel, Ottoman included | Accessories: Lumbar pillow and ottoman | Style: 3 colors | Safety: GREENGUARD Gold Certified; Water-repellant and stain-resistant

If you like the look of Babyletto’s Kiwi chair but don’t necessarily need the fancy electric recliner functionality, consider the brand’s Toco chair, which Babylist gear editor Jennifer LaBracio recommends. “It’s really stylish and it has a small footprint so it’s great for small spaces, but doesn’t sacrifice comfort,” she says. While it doesn’t recline, it includes a stationary ottoman, so you can still put your feet up. (Even with the included ottoman, it’s $300 cheaper than the Kiwi.) Plus, it’s made from water-repellant and stain-resistant fabric.

$499

Movement: 360-degree swivel | Accessories: Storage ottoman and lumbar pillow | Style: Four colors | Safety: GREENGUARD Gold Certified; Water-repellant and stain-resistant

LaBracio also recommends this swiveling glider from a collaboration that DaVinci did with children’s clothing brand Carter’s. It has a more rounded wingback style and armrests than Babyletto’s Toco that LaBracio says “works with any décor — modern, traditional, etc.” It’s water-repellent and stain-resistant (like the Toco), which she calls “two must-have features in a glider.” It comes with an ottoman that doubles as extra storage, so you can keep extra blankets, bibs, and snacks always within arm’s reach.

$639

Movement: 360-degree swivel | Accessories: Lumbar pillow; optional gliding and swiveling ottoman | Style: Two colors | ​​Safety: GREENGUARD Gold Certified

There’s nothing worse than sitting on a glider — or any chair — only to find that the seat is too snug. For those concerned about this, and who have the space, Karen Reardanz, editorial director of Babylist, suggests this glider with an extra-wide seat that should accommodate any body, no matter a person’s size. “It’s roomy enough for feeding or soothing twins, or if a toddler wants to climb up and join the party while you’re with the new baby,” she explains, adding that the glide is “smooth and very quiet.” It doesn’t recline, but Reardanz does note there is a matching gliding and swiveling ottoman you can buy separately. If you’re not the matchy-matchy type, she says you could simply get “a cute pouf that is less expensive but will be just as comfy.”

$1,599

Movement: Gliding base | Accessories: None | Style: Customizable slipcover and fill | Safety: Nontoxic

All of the gliders on this list are made specifically for nurseries, but there’s no rule that says you have to get one that’s just for use with infants. Sixpenny, maker of our favorite slipcover couch, recently released a glider version of its popular Esmé chair, and I’ve been using it in my younger son’s room for the past five months. Plush with rounded armrests, it’s got the soft look of something appropriate for a baby room but has a distinctly grown-up feel, thanks to its soft, textured slipcover and overstuffed cushions. It’s also extremely comfortable. I got it with feather down fill and a washed cotton-linen cover, and I love sinking into it each night for story time (the baby enjoys climbing into it as well). I haven’t had to fluff the seat or the back cushions since I’ve gotten it, and the gliding mechanism is also smooth and stable. And, perhaps most important, the chair looks really nice and, again, not like a “nursery” chair at all. I could imagine bringing it downstairs to use as an armchair in the living room when my son gets older.While I still love my DaVinci recliner for those early-infant days, the Sixpenny Esmé is my new favorite place to perch with my kids.

$150

Movement: Glider | Accessories: Gliding ottoman | Style: 20 colors

Traditional gliders look more like your standard rocking chairs and have more exposed wood parts, but they still offer the basic functionality of any of the options mentioned thus far. Sandra Gordon recommends this glider from Storkcraft that comes with an ottoman that also glides. The most affordable of the options on this list, it’s available in 20 different colors and includes storage pockets on both sides of the armrest.

$999

$270