Nursery chairs play an important role in creating a nurturing and comfortable environment for both parents and their little ones. These specially designed chairs provide a cosy and secure seating space for parents during feeding, bedtime stories, or bonding moments with their babies.
Whether it's a rocking chair, glider, or a stationary chair, these pieces of furniture are thoughtfully designed to offer the perfect blend of support, comfort, and style, making them an essential addition to any nursery. Scroll down to find out how Reviews Editor got on with the Obaby Madison Swivel Glider Recliner Chair.
www.very.co.uk
Pros
- Stylish design comes in a variety of colours
- Can swivel, glide and recline
- Easy to put together
Cons
- Requires a good kick to close the recline position
Testing the Madison Swivel Glider Recliner Chair
When discussing what we wanted in our baby's nursery, both my husband and I agreed that we really liked the idea of having a nursing chair in there. Not just because we knew how beneficial it would be to have for spending time with our son before putting him to bed but also because reading is something we're keen to encourage from a young age and we thought a nursing chair would lend itself well to the book corner we wanted to create.
After a visit to The Baby Show one weekend, we tested out a lot of potential nursing chairs and both unanimously agreed that the Obaby Madison Swivel Glider Recliner Chair was our favourite, and not just because it would match our Obaby Evie 3 Piece Room Set.
Assembly
As you'd expect, the Madison chair came in a pretty large box. But it was made up of just two parts, the base and the back of the chair. The base of the chair is pretty heavy so would benefit from two people lifting it into position. Then it's just a case of slotting in the chair back into the base with a hard push. And that's it!
Design and aesthetic
It goes without saying that the look of your nursing chair is pretty important to a lot of parents. While absolutely not a requirement when you have a baby, if you do decide you want one, it's likely that how the chair looks will sit pretty highly in priorities, alongside comfort of course. Thankfully, the Madison Swivel Glider Recliner Chair ticked a lot of boxes for us on that front. It's available in three different designs: Oatmeal, Boucle style and Pebble - which was our choice in the end. These are all neutral shades which will work in any home or nursery and can be customised with your choice of cushion or even blanket although we have personally found no need for either of these. The whole build of the chair is clearly high quality too, as you'd expect for the price.
Function and practicality
With comfort being the number one factor for any nursing chair, the supportive foam cushions of the Madison are a real dream, as confirmed by the numerous guests to our home who have taken a seat. We actually haven't even moved the nursing chair into our nursery yet (our baby is due in a couple of months) as we've been making use of it in our living room for the time being as it's just so comfortable.
As well as being able to swivel 360 degrees, the Obaby Madison has metal ball bearings that provide a smooth gliding motion which both my husband and I find really soothing so anticipate our baby (hopefully) will too.
To recline the chair, you simply pull the catch built into the side of the chair open. You obviously can't rock or glide when reclined but this isn't an issue as it's so comfy to have your feet up - something I've especially appreciated in the third trimester. We have found that to close the recline function, you need to give the footrest quite a forceful kick but this may be something that becomes easier with time.
You do need to get up out of the chair quite gently too as otherwise it rocks quite quickly and can be at risk of hitting the wall behind but naturally, you would be careful getting up with a baby in your arms anyway so this wouldn't prove much of a problem.
Final verdict
As already mentioned, a nursing chair isn't a necessity as a parent, especially if you're on a budget. But if it is something you'd like, the Obaby Madison Swivel Glider Recliner Chair is a worthy contender for your cash. Not only will it look great in any home but the fact it can glide, spin and recline makes it hugely valuable, especially when trying out different methods to soothe your baby. While some nursing chairs don't recline and may require a separate footstool for parents to be able to put their feet up, I really like that the Madison's built-in recline means you can save a bit of room on this front.
It's also a piece of furniture that will last, meaning you can make use of it once your little one no longer requires nursing, whether that's in a cosy nook, an extra seat in your living room or as my husband is hoping - a gaming chair.
FAQ
How do I care for the Obaby Madison Swivel Glider Recliner Chair?
You should endeavour to wipe away any spills made on the chair immediately before using a damp cloth to clean the material. You should not use any bleach or abrasive substances.
Do Obaby do other nursing chair?
They do! As well as the Madison and its various colours, Obaby offers a selection of other nursing chairs you may want to look at.
A journalist since 2015, Emily Gilbert is the Features & Reviews Editor for Mother&Baby and has written for the website and previously the magazine for seven years. Emily writes about everything from the top baby products to pregnancy, fertility and maternal mental health. Specialising in product reviews, Emily is the first to know about all the exciting new releases in the parenting industry.