The design behind the Nuna rocker was inspired by a “carefree float of a leaf on a breeze,” hence the name. And the parenting brand hopes to offer the baby “similarly mesmerizing ride.”
Side-eye inducing tag line aside, the £160 baby chair is at the high end of the market as far as baby rockers and bouncers go.
Others that come close to that price range are the Bloom Coco Go (£140) and the 4Moms RockaRoo (£169.99.)
Where the Leaf differs is that unlike the Coco Go and RockaRoo it doesn’t need batteries and it is has a maximum weight limit that far exceeds its rivals.
And unlike many of the plastic fantastic offerings on the market this will actually fit in to any contemporary living room. We've also got a review of the Nuna Wind, which attaches to the Leaf chair.
So how does the Nuna Leaf work?
One of the biggest selling-point of the Leaf is that fact that it doesn’t need batteries. A gentle push will rock your baby for around two minutes.
It’s really easy to strap baby in using the Velcro fasteners. They are quite heavy duty too so you know baby will be safe.
The downside to this is that the chair needs repeated attention so even a quickish chore like putting on a wash can’t really be achieved while the chair is still moving.
And while it’s a relief that the Leaf doesn’t play those irritating nursery rhymes which will inevitably drive most parents close to the edge of insanity, babies seem to like the noise.
I found that my 12-week-old baby George actually preferred a considerably cheaper battery operated vibrating bouncer when he wanted to play while the Nuna was better for relaxation and sleep.
Does it have a recline function?
No, the Leaf only rocks from side-to-side, which is more than adequate when rocking your little one to sleep.
But I think it could benefit from having a tilt mechanism so it could be made more upright for feeding older babies.
Is it comfy for little ones?
It certainly is! My three-month-old son George seemed really comfortable and content relaxing in the Leaf.
The only problem was he sometimes found his chair had been stolen by his older sister!
It’s got a maximum weight limit of 60kg, can it really last that long?
Yes, it can! The rocker is suitable from birth to 140lbs which means that it will last long enough for your toddler to use it and even some adults.
My four-year old daughter loved lounging in it whilst watching episodes of my Little Pony on loop and could happily rock herself using her feet.
She was too big for the safety harness but the chair is perfectly safe without it. The angle of the chair means that little babies can sleep safely and the stationary lock means you can even change a nappy on there – if it’s not too explosive!
So is it easy to clean?
Yes, the chair is made from Oeko-Tex certified fabric, it’s easy to wash and also wipes down no problem at all. The skin friendly fabric and organic cotton insert also keeps your baby cool. And we tested the Almond colour from the range which doesn’t show the dirt anyway.
Is the rocker portable?
Not really. At 4.7 kg (10.5lbs) it is quite heavy to move around and the feet of the base tend to bash into door frames if you’re not careful when moving it from room to room.
But the sturdy nature of the device ensures peace of mind knowing it won’t topple over or baby won’t fall out. It’s also quite bulky in shape so maybe not ideal for smaller spaces.
Tell us about the toy bar.
The toy bar must be purchased separately at a price of £20. It has three toys hanging for baby to look at.
My friend let her seven-month-old sit in the chair and every time she managed to rip the bar off and start chewing it so I think the clasps need to be made stronger.
How do you assemble the Leaf?
The Leaf is incredibly easy to take apart and put back together it literally clicks in to place in a matter of seconds making it easy to transport and store.
What's in the box?
- Nuna Leaf seat unit
- Nuna Leaf stand
Any additional extras?
- Toy bar - £20
- Canopy - £20
- Insect net- £20
MadeForMums verdict?
Overall I would say that the design is sleek and stylish. The chair is easy to use but perhaps a bit on the expensive side.
That said it can be used by bigger kids so will last longer.
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