How to Choose a Nursery Recliner for Pregnancy and Feeding

A nursery recliner has to work through several everyday moments: sitting down with a changing bump, reaching a drink, standing up, and later settling in for a feed. Start with those movements when choosing a chair. The seat’s fit and the position of its controls will matter each time you use it.

Try the upright position first

With the footrest closed, sit back against the cushion and rest your feet securely on the floor. Check that the front edge of the seat feels comfortable behind your knees. If you must perch at the edge to reach the floor, compare a shallower or lower seat. Our seat-height and usable-depth measuring guide shows the measurement points with the back cushions in place.

Rest your forearms on the armrests. Your shoulders should feel relaxed, and the arms should leave room for you to sit and stand. Try reaching the recline control from that supported position. A button that requires a deep sideways lean may be awkward as pregnancy progresses.

The NHS guidance on back pain in pregnancy recommends keeping the back well supported when sitting. A small support cushion may help you fill a gap; choose its thickness by how it fits between your back and the chair.

Choose the movement you will use

A recliner lowers the backrest and raises a footrest. A glider adds a back-and-forth motion, and a swivel base lets the chair turn. A lift recliner also raises and tilts the seat to assist with standing. These functions are sold in different combinations, so compare the controls and movement of the exact model. Compare rocking and gliding movements if you want to choose between a rocking arc and a back-and-forth glide.

Power adjustment is useful when closing a manual footrest takes more effort than you find comfortable. Try the full sequence: open the footrest, return upright, close it, then stand. A reachable control and a steady place for your feet can be more useful in daily use than an extra feature you rarely operate. Our comparison of power and manual recliner operation explains the different effort involved in opening and closing the footrest.

For a gliding or swiveling chair, allow space for that motion as well as reclining. Follow the model’s instructions for any locks or limits. Keep the path of the footrest clear of baskets, toys, and cords.

Separate daytime rest from sleep

Use a supported position for reading or taking a daytime break, and change position regularly. Discuss persistent back or pelvic pain with your maternity care team so they can advise on your symptoms and movement.

From 28 weeks of pregnancy, the NHS recommends going to sleep on your side, including for naps. If you wake on your back, turn onto your side. Plan your sleep in a setting that allows the position recommended for your pregnancy, and ask your maternity care team about sleep difficulties or individual restrictions.

For heartburn, sit upright while eating and just afterward. This follows the NHS pregnancy heartburn guidance. Reclining immediately after a meal is a poor fit for that routine.

Treat lift assistance, heat, and massage as separate choices

Lift assistance changes the seat position to help with standing. Heat and massage act through different features. Decide first whether getting in and out of the chair is comfortable, then discuss heat or massage use during pregnancy with your maternity care team before switching those functions on.

For a chair with a handheld controller, choose a resting place where you can reach it while seated. Keep its cable away from the mechanism and the route you use to stand. Ask us about the controls on the specific chair you are considering.

Prepare a place for awake feeding

After your baby arrives, a chair with comfortable forearm support can give you a useful place for awake feeds. Bring the baby toward you with suitable support rather than bending your body toward the baby for the whole feed. Leave space for a feeding pillow if you plan to use one, and keep water and a small light within reach. Our nursery glider guide for awake feeding covers arm support, foot support, and the route to the baby’s separate sleep space.

If you feel sleepy, put your baby in their own sleep space before you fall asleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics’ safe-sleep guidance calls for a firm, flat sleep surface and warns against sleeping with a baby on a couch or armchair. A recliner is for awake care; your baby’s crib or bassinet provides their sleep space.

Measure the chair through its full movement

Mark the upright footprint and the fully reclined footprint on the floor. Leave the chair’s required rear clearance, space for any swivel or glide, and a clear route to the door and the baby’s sleep space. Keep cords and blind pulls outside the baby’s reach, and position powered furniture so its cable stays clear of moving parts.

Our Tracee Power Swivel Nursery Glider Recliner combines a 270-degree swivel, gliding, power recline, and a fixed lumbar cushion. That combination suits a shopper who wants several ways to change position in one chair. Try its seat fit and allow room for all of those movements when comparing it with our other nursery gliders and recliners.

Frequently asked questions

Is a nursery recliner worth buying during pregnancy?

A nursery recliner can be worth buying if you want a supported place for daytime rest now and awake feeding later. Choose one you can enter, adjust, and leave comfortably. If an existing chair already meets those needs, the extra gliding or reclining functions are a matter of your routine and available space.

What sleeping position is recommended from 28 weeks of pregnancy?

Start sleep on your side from 28 weeks, including naps, as recommended by NHS guidance. If you wake on your back, turn onto your side. If pain or reflux is pushing you to sleep sitting up, discuss those symptoms and a suitable sleep setup with your maternity care team.

Is power reclining the same as lift assistance?

No. Power reclining moves the backrest and footrest with an electric control. Lift assistance raises and tilts the seat to help the user stand. Choose a model explicitly equipped with lift assistance when that is the function you need.

Can a baby sleep with me in the recliner?

No. Put your baby on their back in their own firm, flat crib or bassinet sleep space. Stay awake during feeds in a recliner, and move your baby to their sleep space if you feel drowsy.