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BABY HIGH CHAIRS |
Baby will spend a lot of time in the high chair, so make sure it fits your needs. Manufacturers like Mamas & Papas and Chicco high chairs along with many others come with features that suit every environment and, more important, keep baby safe and secure. |
- High chairs are a perfect place for feeding from birth until your child is more comfortable in a booster seat.
- Look for a high chair that adjusts to multiple heights, so you can be sure it will fit at your dinner table.
- A reclining seat is an added plus for feeding an infant—but make sure you get one where the tray stays level!
- How easy is it to fold – so you have more room to move in the kitchen/ dining room when it’s not in use.
- Trays you can remove or adjust with one hand are good, as baby may be in the other!
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High chairs have come a long way from the wooden variety of yesteryear. Today's baby high chairs have a variety of features such as wheels, one-hand tray release, height adjustment and seat recline. Before you buy a high chair for your baby, take the following information into consideration. |
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| When Should I Buy a High Chair? |
| Babies don't really need baby high chairs for feeding purposes until they start eating solid foods, usually after 6 months of age. Some parents prefer to buy a high chair early on, though, because high chairs can be useful as a landing place for baby so they can still interact with you as you prepare food in the kitchen. Even parents who are delaying the introduction of solid foods due to extended breastfeeding may find use for a high chair, which allows baby to join the family at the dinner table and see all of the action. |
| Is the High Chair Safe? |
| The number of bells and whistles on your baby high chair is a matter of personal choice; however, you should be careful to choose a baby high chair that is safe. All highchairs should comply with the relevant British Standard if purchased in the UK. Beware of cheap imported models not from a reputable source as these may not comply both for stability or fire retardancy. |
| Check Wheels and Locking Mechanisms |
| A baby high chair with wheels is a great choice if you'll be moving baby from place to place for feeding, but wheeled high chairs should have strong locks on the wheels to prevent accidents and to keep you from having to chase the chair across the room at lunch. If you are looking at folding high chairs, make sure that the folding mechanism locks well and operates easily. Any folding model must have at least 2 locks to keep it in position, so accidental folding by an older sibling does not cause a problem. |
| Height Adjustment and Recline |
| A baby high chair with height adjustment is a good choice if you plan to use the baby high chair long-term. You can set the height to be easy on your arms for the first feedings, and remove the tray and adjust the high chair to booster seat height for toddlers later on. Reclining high chairs are best if you'll use the chair to hold an infant. The recline feature is also nice for toddlers, who often fall asleep after a long active day. |
| Buckle Up! |
| Check the baby high chair's belts to be sure the straps are strong, durable and washable. There should be a crotch strap along with the belts that go over baby's hips, though a five-point harness with shoulder straps is safest. Another safe choice is a seat with a moulded plastic post that fits between baby's legs to keep baby from slipping under the tray. If the highchair of your choice doesn’t come with an integral harness don’t worry, these are readily available for around £5 and can be attached to the D rings that are fitted to all chairs. |
| Cushy Cushions |
| Baby High chairs get very grimy, so choose a model that washes well. Vinyl cushions are easy to wipe down, but sometimes have sharp edges. Check the edges to be sure they won't cut your baby. Cloth cushions should be made of thick, durable fabric. Be sure to choose removable, machine-washable cushions. You should be able to easily remove the cushions for washing and replace them properly without any hassle. |
| A Tray That Works |
Aside from being easy to clean, the most important feature of a high chair tray is ease of use. Try operating the tray with one hand. Does the tray slide out easily? Would your baby be able to remove the tray on his / her own? Are there any hinges, holes or sharp spots that could hurt baby's fingers? Look for a tray with a high rim to keep more food on the tray and off of the floor. Highchairs with a double tray are handy when your baby finishes eating; the dirty top tray can be removed to wash whilst leaving a clean tray underneath for toys or playing.
When your baby is old enough to join you to eat, securely seating her in a high chair near the dining table can be a really pleasurable way to share mealtimes together. Once she can support her weight, and can sit confidently on her own, she will be able to sit comfortably in a high chair so you can eat your food or continue cooking while feeding baby at the same time.
The baby high chair is an essential part of your nursery furniture and there are many varieties and styles to choose from. The most important features are safety, functionality and the highchair's ability to be hard wearing in the longer term. When buying a baby high chair, make sure it will be easy to clean, and can be wiped down effectively. Bringing together baby and food often creates a bit of a mess, so the highchair should not only be a safe place for her to eat but a hygienic one as well.
It is a sad truth that many babies and children are actually injured while sitting in their high chairs, but these injuries are almost always to do with the fact that the baby had not been correctly restrained. In other words, the harness had not been used, or not been used properly, and baby has fallen out. If you get into the habit of strapping baby in every single time you put him in his highchair, then you shouldn't need to worry about the possibility of him sustaining an injury. It is only in the event that the baby high chair is not used correctly that injuries can occur.
Think about where you might want to store the highchair when it's not in use. How much spare space do you have in your house, and is the high chair easy to fold up and assemble again. Another useful feature to watch out for is whether the tray can be easily removed for washing. You never know when you might suddenly need to wipe the whole thing down, out of baby's reach. Don’t forget the double tray versions that overcome this problem.
It can't be stressed enough that using the safety seat strap is essential every time you put your little one in her high chair. Check that there is both a crotch and waist strap, and perhaps that the strap doesn't fasten unless the crotch strap is used, to encourage you to always use it. When time is at a premium and you're in a rush, it might be tempting to think you can give baby a quick little snack without doing up the straps, but this can lead to injury, and even death if baby's neck gets caught in the strapping after she's slipped down. Remember supervising your baby is your responsibility. Never depend solely upon the feeding tray to restrain or protect your baby, this is not enough to prevent her from falling out or slipping down underneath.
Whichever type of baby highchair you choose, whether it be a cost effective, compact highchair with only the essential features, or a more composite model with added extras such as padding, removable seat covers, many levels of adjust ability etc., make sure it is stable, the harness includes a crotch strap (or there's a dividing post) and that there are no sharp edges, tiny holes or protrusions that could cause injury or discomfort. If in doubt, visit or call us and we will try to help you choose the right one for you. Just as ergonomics have been taken into account with desk chairs and keyboards, so too have they influenced the design of high chairs. Look at the Tripp Trapp chair by Stokke. A multi adjustable chair for use from about 6 months to adult, this is truly the most versatile of chairs. An all wood model available in many colours from natural or cherry wood to black, orange, red or lime choose the colour that suits your decor. |
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