Rock-a-bye Baby
May 7, 2006
Rocking is not only for antique collectors
My mother insisted that a rocking chair was a crucial item of baby equipment, but all I could imagine was the rocking chair she had when I was little, with turned spindles and a quilted seatpad, that looked like something you’d find in the Walton’s farmhouse.
So I didn’t buy a rocking chair. Then, when Finn was 7 months old, I was over at a Janie’s house for a neighborhood meeting. Finn became tired and fussy; there were 60 people all talking about how we need a trail along the river and she’s naturally curious, and social, and she couldn’t fall asleep. So I went into Janie’s daughter’s room, sat in her rocker, and in about ten seconds, Finn was asleep.
The most expensive baby item so far?
I went home and started scouring the internet for rocking chairs. And here is what I found: there are rocking chairs and gliders, and they are not the same (Janie had a glider). And there are rocker gliders, and I have no idea what that means. And some gliders swivel, and swiveling can make you sick to your stomach.
Here is another thing I found: rocking chairs (and gliders) are expensive if you don’t want something that looks like crap. Even if you’re ok with something that looks like crap, they’re still expensive.
So we bought a less-expensive model from Babies-R-Us (rocker? glider? I’m still not sure) and found out something else: an inexpensive rocking chair is still $319, which is a lot of money, particuarly if what it buys you is made out of particleboard and is stapled together rather than upholstered and rocks at a cockeyed angle while trying to pitch you forward onto the floor. We returned the rocker/glider/rocker-glider to Babies-R-Us. I had ignored the poor reviews. Do not ignore the poor reviews; do not buy this!
I feared that we’d have to buy the even-more-expensive Pottery Barn rocker (this, it turns out, is actually a rocker and not a glider) which is probably very nice if you have $650 lying around, and a month to wait while they custom build it. But while we were in the throes of rocking chair hell, we took a trip to IKEA.
Our solution
IKEA’s Lillberg rocking chair is not on the IKEA website (but matches the Lillberg sofa, so take a look); we bought it through catalog sales. For $99, it’s amazing – comfortable cushions, basic modern design, solid wood. Since I’m short, I have to lean against a pillow, which makes the rocking not quite as smooth, and the arms are wood, so I’ve draped a blanket over each one so that Finn doesn’t bump her head while she’s falling asleep. But for the money, and the styling, and the removable cushion covers – this rocking chair rules. (Add IKEA’s Pallbo footstool for $30 and you’ve got an entire system for helping your baby fall asleep).
If you don’t have style issues, buy a glider, but if you don’t have style issues, why are you reading this website?
