It All Started with Improper Use of Furniture in A Workplace: The Baby Papasan

My History with Papasans

During college, I used to travel home on weekends to work at the Pier 1 Imports. Silly, silly manager put the world’s most comfortable rattan chairs directly next to the cash registers. So we oh so dedicated workers would stockpile them one on top of the other on the showroom floor, climb to the top, and lounge out. These chairs were called PAPASANS. And I loved them so.

Fast forward many, many years later. I’m having my second baby, I was looking online at baby gear, and out jumps the words: BABY PAPASAN. It was fate or destiny, or just an excuse for me to absolutely have this chair!

I have used this for my son, and now my infant daughter, and it has been a wonderful purchase. It has provided relief for mommy and sweet comfort for baby.

Clam on a Half Shell

I love to hold my babies. I find it difficult to put them down. But there comes a time when I really have to be baby free. The papasan provides a safe haven for the baby to comfortably observe the world, while mommy gets to shower.

The baby papasan is a softly textured infant seat that is a few inches above the floor. The colors are neutral with light beige, cream, and sage. A lightweight velour blanket is attached by use of two little Velcro.

The chair fans itself out in a circular shape, which for some reason reminds me of the top part of a clam. The baby nestles in the middle and dips in just a bit. A shaped head pad above and padding on the sides helps to centralize the baby. The chair has a three point adjustable harness to keep baby positioned at legs and hips. Hand grips on each side can be used to move the chair from room to room.

The seat rests on two separate metal frames that can be folded for storage. Both front and back base is wide, so the chair is extremely secure. The legs also have nonskid feet to keep the chair firmly in one place.

Baby’s Enlightenment

There are four setting for the chair: off, music only, vibration only, and both.

The vibration is very gentle, and makes a quiet continual sound. (I say this because, some chairs can really shake up baby, and the vibrator sounds more like a motor or an annoying buzz).

The music has a good sound quality and doesn’t sound too fake or robotic. Eight different lullaby melodies are played, all pleasant to the ear, but none that I can actually sing for you. The one problem I have with the music is that there is no volume control. At times, the music seems a bit too loud for such a chair.

This needs 3 C batteries. They last a few weeks and longer if you are careful to turn the seat to the off position when not in use. You’ll know it’s time for a battery change when the music gets a bit funky and draggy.

Serenity Now

I had an infant and a 17 month old when I first got this chair. I wanted my infant son to have that sweet calm serenity that can be difficult to achieve with a toddler on the loose. This chair really did the trick. He’d nuzzle in, so tiny, and be so peaceful with the vibrating motions. It made for really sweet baby pictures, too.

Now my daughter is in the chair. She is currently seven weeks old. I placed her in it at two weeks. She took to it right away. She loves the delicate vibrating motions. And she also seems to enjoy the view of action around her as she lounges. If she gets a little fussy, I set the music. It runs long enough that she gets enough time to settle, and not so short that it has to keep being reset.

Both my children are on the tinier side. This hasn’t posed a problem; they still fit in snug and sound.

This chair is for infants, and unfortunately is used only for a few months (depending on the baby). The manufacture says this is ok up to 25 lbs, but I would stop using it before then. My kids would be walking before they’d ever be out of this chair. ;)

But it is so durable that you can save it for subsequent children, or if you have someone who may be having a baby a little after you. It helps that the blanket and padding are washable. I’m going to be lending this to my aunt who is due just about the time I expect my peewee to be setting her sights on brighter and bouncier things.

And if you ever stop by a Pier 1, check to see if they still make those adult papasans. You won’t be sorry. ;)