7 tips for high chair safety

high chair safety

High Chair Safety | Many high chairs include features to keep your little safe and secure while eating. As parents you need to take care to ensure that you are using these features correctly. There is an alarming increase  of high chair and booster seat injuries due to improper use. Read our guide to ensure that you are keeping your precious bundle safe.

High Chair safety ensures that your little won’t topple over and experience a nasty bump to the head. Research shows that about 2/3’s of the injuries recorded occurred when the toddler tried to stand in the high chair. This is a 22% increase that may reflect the number of unsafe high chairs available, but also shows that parents are not using the restraints effectively.

7 tips for high chair safety:

  • Safety harness:

  •  The best way to practice high chair safety is to use the harness that is included with your high chair. Using either the 5-point or 3-point harness to buckle your little one in during meal times and when using the high chair. Ensure that your child is securely strapped in and cannot wiggle too much. Many high chairs include a crotch post so that your baby cannot slip through the high chair by trying to climb under the tray.
  • Routine:

  • Establish a routine and teach your little one boundaries. When they use the high chair they need to show different behaviour to when they play on a play mat. By only using the high chair at meal times your baby will start to pick up on the cues and follow the routine.
  • Stability:

  • Test your high chair and ensure that it is stable to the ground and can handle a few wriggles. The best high chairs have 4 feet touching the ground or a wide stable base. If your high chair has wheels make sure that they are firmly locked.
  • Safe Zone:

  • Ensure that there are no furniture items like counter tops and tables near the baby. They can easily push themselves against these items and topple. This is obviously not applicable when you are feeding your child. Many parents like to have baby near the table with the rest of the family while eating. Ensure that you stay within an arms length of your child at all times.
  • Supervise:

  • Never leave your child unattended while in their high chair.
  • Behaviour:

  • Never allow your inquisitive baby to stand in their high chairs. This encourages them to practice this behaviour later  and could lead to a fall.
  • Stow-away:

  • If your chair is a fold-away version, make sure that the fold is locked so that curious fingers can’t get caught. If your chair does not fold away, be sure to put it in a safe place so that your exploring babe doesn’t try to climb the chair like a ladder.

Standing or climbing any furniture is unsafe and could lead to serious injury. Teach your children safe behaviour around these items. Most times a cupboard can look like a jungle gym to a little one with a curious mind. Try and anchor any tall items to the wall so that should baby try and climb it won’t come toppling over. Overall, while your children are little they need to be supervised and taught boundaries of what is safe.

For more tips on baby furniture safety read this SheKnows post.

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