High Chair | When faced with a huge layette list of things that you need to buy, is a high chair an essential essential? High chairs create a safe and secure place for baby to eat and many new innovations allow these products to grow with your child. It is important that baby has a comfortable place to experiment with new tastes and textures, we outline some affordable solutions.

High chairs are great inventions, not only for baby, but for parents too. The raised height means that you do not have to bend to feed your little one, saving your back. This can also make clean-up much easier afterwards. There are many different factors to consider when choosing the perfect high chair for your family.

Factors to consider:

• Value for money:

How long do you plan on using the high chair? Many options today can be used for many years, some even convert to a table and chairs that can be used as a desk.

• Space:

Consider how much space this new piece of furniture is going to take up in your house or flat. You may need to consider the folded up size of the product rather than the actual size of the chair in use. Innovation in technology has allowed designers to create some very compact options that store conveniently and can stand on their own.

• Wheels:

Do you need a high chair that you are going to be moving from room to room? If so then you may need to find an option with wheels. Some moms have baby sit in their high chair while they are cooking dinner and then move baby through to the dining room to be with the rest of the family. Will you need to wheel away the high chair to store. You need to consider how you plan on using your high chair to buy the perfect one to suit your lifestyle.

• Cleaning:

Many high chairs today are made with covers that can be removed in order to be washed. Think about how you are going to be cleaning the high chair. Some of the trays are dishwasher-safe. This can be a huge help to quickly and easily clean. Choose a high chair that has a patterned fabric, that way if it does stain this will not show as badly as a plain colour.

• Comfort:

Baby will be spending a great deal of time in this seat, so check the padding to make sure that this is a good experience for your little one. A comfortable baby will be more willing to sit and eat all their food without too much drama.

• Safety harness:

A safety harness is used to prevent your child from standing or slipping out of his high chair seat. Many high chairs have a tray that clips in as an added measure of keeping baby secure. You will find 2 types of safety harnesses: 5- point and 3-point. If you plan on using the high chair from birth the 5-point harness is recommended

• Crotch post:

Despite the terrible name, this is just a safety tool. This prevents baby from slipping through the chair or from sticking their head between the chair and the tray.

• Trays:

Trays are wonderful for catching food that your baby will drop. The bigger the tray the bigger the catchment area. Some high chairs fit onto a table and use that instead of a tray, this means that your child can fit closer to the table. This will boil down to personal preference. High chairs without trays will be a lot more compact, but some parents prefer the option of being able to feed your child anywhere in the house. Some detachable trays are dishwasher safe which helps with cleaning. If you do go with the tray option, make sure that the lip of the tray is raised to prevent spills. Some trays even have raised areas to hold sippy cups, this may help to keep your little one from knocking it over.

• Foot rest:

While it may not be the first thing that you consider, a foot rest can be an important feature. While developing their muscles, babies may only be able to focus on one thing. You child’s development may be faster with the help of the foot rest. Imagine sitting on a bar stool with your feet dangling, it can be very distracting. It may also stop your child from kicking their feet during mealtime if they have a secure place to place them.

• Stability:

Being a few feet off the ground can be a a great deal of height for a baby so they need to feel stable and safe. Make sure that you have a few points touching the ground. The wider the base, the more stability the chair will give. The heavier the chair the more stability it will give, but this will be a trade-off on how heavy the chair is.

 

• Types of high chairs:

• Modern high chairs:

Modern high chairs come with all the bells and whistles you can think of. They are very often multifunctional and fully adjustable seats. This often means that they can be adjusted to grow with your child, ensuring that your child is always comfortable. Some of the things that you can adjust include:

• Height of the chair
• Recline of the seat
• Height of the tray
• Foot rest height

This versatility can play a major factor to ensure that no matter where you feed your little one you are both comfortable. Whether you are sitting on the couch and feeding your babe while watching TV or are eating as a family at the dinner table. This also means that the modern chairs can usually be used a lot longer than the traditional counterparts.

These type of chairs also easily fold very compactly and are free-standing for stow-away.

Advantages:

• Fully adjustable and versatile giving value for money
• Easy, compact fold for storage
• Removable trays are easy to clean

Disadvantages:

• More expensive than basic models.

To see our range of high chairs that are modern, view them here.

 

 

 

• Convertible High Chairs

This type of high chair extends the life of the product and can be used by children as a table and chair too. These tend to be a bit bulkier than a modern high chair and tend to not fold-away. Some of these types of high chairs are not as easy to clean, and include material covers for the ultimate comfort for your little one.

Advantages:

• Offers value for money
• Grows with your child until toddler stage
• Seat pads are very comfortable for your little one

Disadvantages:

• Very bulky and cannot be folded away
• Difficult to move from room to room
• Seat pads are difficult to clean