Last updated: August 23, 2026
The nursery chair is one of the few pregnancy purchases people make on looks and then live with for a thousand hours. It photographs well, it matches the rug, and three weeks in they discover the arms are too low to rest an elbow on and their feet do not reach the floor.
Chairs are measured in inches, not in style, and four measurements decide whether you will still like it at four in the morning. This page covers those four, what a footstool actually changes, and where the money is better spent on a cushion than on the chair itself.
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Quick Answer
What should you look for in a nursing chair and footstool?
- Arm height first: your elbow should rest without your shoulder lifting.
- Seat depth that lets your back reach the backrest with feet supported.
- A footstool or glider ottoman that levels your lap, so the nursing pillow stays put.
- Quiet motion and a washable or wipeable cover, because both get tested nightly.
Bottom line: measure the arms and the seat depth against your own body, then worry about the fabric.
The Four Measurements That Matter
Arm height, seat depth, seat height and back height decide whether you can feed comfortably in a chair. Everything else is preference. Arm height is the one people notice too late, because a low arm means holding the baby’s weight with your shoulder for the whole feed instead of resting it.
Seat depth is the second trap. A deep, soft seat looks luxurious and pushes your lower back forward so you cannot reach the backrest without your feet leaving the floor. Shorter torsos want a shallower seat or a firm cushion behind the back.
How to Check Without a Showroom
Sit in a dining chair with a folded blanket on your lap and a book where the baby would be, then measure from that surface to the top of a chair arm you already own. Compare that number to the listed arm height in the product specifications. It is unglamorous and it prevents the most expensive mistake in the nursery.
What the Footstool Actually Does
It levels your thighs. With your feet dangling, your lap slopes away from you and the nursing pillow slides forward all feed long, which pulls the baby away from you and your shoulders after them. A stool of the right height puts your knees at roughly hip level and stops the whole chain.
Height matters more than style here, and lower is usually safer than higher. A stool that lifts your knees above your hips tips your pelvis backward and undoes the point of the exercise.
Glider Ottoman or Plain Stool
A matching glider ottoman rocks with the chair and feels seamless, but it is bulky and usually taller. A small fixed footstool is cheaper, easier to move between rooms and easier to get the exact height right. If you already have a chair you like, the stool is the upgrade to buy first.
Glider, Recliner or Ordinary Armchair
A glider moves smoothly on a fixed track and is the default nursery chair for a reason: the motion soothes, and it does not walk across the floor the way a rocker can. A recliner adds a reclined position that people mostly use for holding a sleeping baby awake, and it adds bulk and cost.
An ordinary armchair with the right arm height and a footstool works perfectly well, and is often the better choice in a small room or when the chair needs to belong to the living room afterward. Owners report using the chair long after feeding stops, so a piece you like outside the nursery is not a wasted consideration.
The Noise Point
The single most common complaint about budget gliders in owner reviews is that they develop a squeak, and a squeak matters enormously when a baby is nearly asleep. Metal track mechanisms and solid frames tend to hold up better than all wood rocking joints under nightly use.
Comparing the Options
| Option | Motion | Footprint | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glider with ottoman | Smooth front to back | Large | A dedicated nursery with room to spare |
| Swivel glider recliner | Glide plus recline and swivel | Largest | People who feed and hold for long stretches |
| Armchair plus stool | None | Small to medium | Small rooms and reuse after the nursery |
| Existing chair plus cushions | None | None added | Fixing arm height and back support cheaply |
The last row is worth taking seriously. A firm lumbar cushion and an arm support pillow turn a chair that is almost right into one that works, for a fraction of what a glider costs.
The Cushions That Fix an Almost Right Chair
Two additions do most of the work. A firm lumbar cushion reduces the effective seat depth so a shorter torso can reach the backrest, and an arm support cushion raises a low chair arm to elbow height. Both cost a small fraction of a chair and both can move with you between rooms.
Add a nursing pillow on top and you have the same geometry a purpose built chair provides. Our guide to nursing pillows covers the shapes, and how to use one covers the height adjustments that pair with a footstool.
Setting the Chair Up for Night Feeds
Put a small table within reach on your dominant side, a dim rechargeable light where it will not shine at the baby, and a basket underneath with burp cloths and nursing pads. Reaching sideways mid feed is how a good position collapses, and standing up to find something wakes everyone.
Keep the crib or bassinet within a couple of steps of the chair. When a feed ends with a sleeping baby, the transfer needs to be short, because a sleeping baby does not stay on the chair, on the pillow or in your arms while you doze. Our safety page covers why a chair or couch is the specific place to be careful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I really need a special chair? No. You need arm height, back support and a place for your feet, and plenty of ordinary chairs deliver that with two cushions. The purpose built chair buys convenience and motion, not a different outcome.
How tall should the footstool be? High enough that your knees sit at about hip level with your feet flat on it, and no higher. That varies with your height and the chair, which is why adjustable stools are popular.
Is a rocking chair as good as a glider? The motion is similar and the noise is usually the difference. Wooden rockers can creak, mark floors and travel across a room, while gliders stay put on a track.
Can I skip the ottoman and use a storage box? Yes, if the height is right and it is stable enough to push against. A box that slides or wobbles will annoy you more than it helps.
What about using it for bottle feeding? The same measurements apply, since the position is about your arms and back rather than how the milk arrives. Our page on bottle feeding support covers the small differences.
Will I use it after feeding ends? Most people do, for stories and settling, which is a reasonable argument for buying a chair that suits the room rather than only the nursery.
If sitting to feed is uncomfortable in a way that no chair setup fixes, or if back or hip discomfort is getting worse rather than better, raise it with your doctor or a pelvic floor physical therapist rather than buying more cushions.
The Bottom Line
Measure arm height and seat depth against your own body, add a footstool that levels your lap, and only then choose a fabric. A cushion or two can rescue a chair that is close, and the stool is the cheapest upgrade in the room. Read next: which nursing pillow to pair with it and the small gear that makes night feeds easier.