Hello parents and parents to be,

I'm in the process of trying to find a nursery rocking chair/glider that is comfortable, beautiful, and budget friendly. So far, this has felt like an impossible mission.... All the beautiful comfy ones are really expensive. So I thought I will ask here if you have any suggestions or recommendations? Maybe good deals, grrat brands or stores you would recommend?

Thank you!

I'm struggling to find a rocking chair that is both comfortable and affordable. I didn't realize how expensive they could get until I started looking around, it seems like the price points are very polarized, either it is extremely cheap and low quality, or they work well but cost more than the hospital bill or first year of diapers...with little to no in between. I see a lot of posts with people saying you need one that:

• Swivels 360 and rocks

• Has good cushioning

• Is tall enough to rest your head back

• Doesn't make a ton of noise

• Can be cleaned easily

• Has a reclining feature that doesnt require a donkey kick to make the feet go up and down

....and so on and I'm...overwhelmed. It looks like anything close to that description is four figures in price, which I'm surprised anyone can afford. I started by looking at some classic wooden gliders, but for most of them the reviews say they aren't comfortable or break really easily. Has that been most people's experience? Is it worth it to splurge on something better? And if so, what features (either on that list above or not) are actually important/worth the money? And where is it ok to compromise/sacrifice if it means bringing the price down by a few hundred bucks? Any specific chair recommendations that people love, or just general recommendations of places to look?

Lastly, how much do you actually use the rocker? It seems like opinions vary, some folks say it rarely gets used while others say the practically lived in them 24/7. Parents who have been through this process....what are your thoughts? I know that's a ton of questions so thanks for bearing with me, I'm just in a mini panic mode over here <3

Edit: So many responses, thank you all for the wonderful advice! I'm going to look around and see what some nicer secondhand options are (and what cleaning services are available in our area), but based on how far away our couch is from the nursery, the layout of the room, and the fact that we have a place to put the chair if we decide to move it out, I think we will at least still plan to get one before baby arrives since you never know what baby will be like and I'd rather avoid the post-birth scramble. Odds are we'll probably end up getting either a nice one secondhand (I'm in love with the Babyletto Kiwi but new is out of our price range) or one of the Costco/Walmart/Amazon mid-range chairs folks suggested that have worked well. It is also very reassuring to hear that you can get by without one, so worst case we can throw it all to the wind. Thank you all so, so much!