When a baby is able to sit up by himself that means it’s probably time that he starts eating solid foods. This is the time when you need a baby high chair for your little one. A high chair gives your baby the comfort to sit up by himself easily and experiment with different tastes and textures of the new food.
This way, you will be comfortable too, because you will spend a lot of time trying new foods together. This way you will not have to worry about making a huge mess every time he attempts to eat. It is also a great way to supervise meals and clean up later on.
Your baby can use a high chair until the age 2 or 3. You can find them in a bunch of different styles and price ranges, so go for the one that is highly durable and easy to clean as well.
Our tips for buying a baby high chair
There are a couple of characteristics that one needs to look at and consider when it comes to buying a baby high chair. Let’s discuss that in detail:
High Chair Type
This aspect usually depends on your personal taste and need. However, it is also important to keep in mind the size you want and the amount of space available in your home.
Easy to clean
Babies tend to make a lot of mess when they eat, which means that somehow the food they are eating will end up into every crack and corner on the high chair. Take a close look at the tray, seat, frame and harness to find areas that are hard to clean. If you come across too many of them, it would be best that you switch to another model.
The tray
As already mentioned before, high chairs come in many different styles and with different tray options. The most suitable one for a parent would be one which has a tray that can easily be detached for cleaning purposes. It should be relevant in size as to fit your sink or dishwasher. Another great thing about a baby high chair with detachable trays is that they are quite versatile for a growing child.
Versatility
Babies grow really fast, which means that it won’t be long when your little one grows out of the high chair you bought for him/her. When purchasing a baby high chair, look for versatile ones such as those that can be converted to a kid-sized chair or a booster so that your child can easily use it when he grows up.
Durability
Your baby will most likely be using the baby high chair on a regular basis, which is why it should be durable to withstand up to 2-3 years. If you are thinking about a convertible high chair it will be useful even at 5 – 6 years. So it is pretty important that the materials and the sturdiness of your new high chair to be appropriate.
The wheels
Not all high chairs have wheels but if you are looking for one to use exclusively indoors, it will help a lot when trying to move it around the house. The wheels should also have locks to prevent roll-away and accidents.
Comfort
If your baby isn’t comfortable while the baby eats, he will probably make a tantrum and not eat anything at all. The seats should be padded and there should be a footrest available. Also, make sure that there are no sharp edges anywhere on the high chair.
This characteristic is really important in a baby high chair so that your baby can enjoy comfort while eating. Chair height and tray should be adjustable and have a mechanism to lock it safely in place.
Safety
A good baby high chair should have either a 3-point harness or a 5-point harness including a crotch post. This will ensure that your baby doesn’t slip out or stand up. The buckle should not be too easy to operate as that easily gets undone by the pressure of your child’s tummy.
Picking the right high chair for your baby is very important and you don’t want to end up making the wrong decision. Keep these characteristics in mind and you will find a chair perfect for your little one!
Baby High Chair Types and Models
Wooden Baby High Chair
As compared to metal and plastic high chairs, wooden baby high chairs are for sure more expensive. Even if you go out to buy mid-priced or budget friendly ones, you will still find that they are more on the pricier side. The reason why these chairs are expensive is because they are much more durable than plastic and metal high chairs.
Another great thing about these chairs is that they are super easy to wipe down, so you don’t have to spend a lot of time and effort wiping the mess your baby made while eating. Babies tend to make a huge mess, and sometimes it gets all over the chair. Since the entire chair is made of wood (and not just the tray), you can easily clean it up in a matter of minutes.
The wooden high chair that you purchase should be made of solid wood. Don’t buy something that is veneer (has a fake wood coating on it) as it will most likely be made of metal or plastic in actual. Veneer can very easily get chipped off and won’t last much longer.
Wooden high chairs are also a great option for kitchen which is entirely made of wood. The high chair will fit perfectly in and compliment the look of your kitchen.
Portable High Chair
Portable high chairs are exactly what their name suggests; portable. They are great to use when on the go with your baby. There are 3 different types of portable high chairs; Hook-On, Wraps and Booster Seats.
Wraps and Hook on high chairs are perfect for babies who have just started sitting up on their own. This means that the baby would be somewhere around 6 months. Both these high chairs can only support weight up to 37 pounds. As for booster seats, they are suitable for babies that are 12 months or older. If your baby has developed solid core strength, booster seats would be a perfect fit for him/her. These seats support weight up to 50 pounds.
A big advantage of portable high chairs is that you can take them with you while traveling. There are different sizes to portable chairs, which mean that the amount of space each one will take is different. However, most portable high chairs can easily fit inside a diaper bag. Your baby can enjoy the meal on his/her own when at a restaurant or at some relatives or friends place. However, there are a few disadvantages of portable high chairs such as hook on chairs might not fit all tables and even damage them.
Folding High Chair
Folding high chairs are suitable for parents who love camping or traveling. This type of high chair can also be used at home so that your baby can have a place to eat his/her meal. A folding high chair can be folded small so that you can easily take it around with you wherever you go.
If you don’t have a folding high chair, it would mean that your baby would end up eating on your lap at a restaurant or while camping. That problem is easily solved when you have a folding high chair with you! It makes the job of feeding your baby easier and simpler no matter where you are. A folding high chair is also great if you live in a small house or apartment where there is not much space. The chair can be folded and put aside after use to that it doesn’t take any unnecessary space.
There are not many drawbacks of folding high chairs, except that they some high chairs do not have wheel locks to control the speed. Some folding chairs may weight quite a lot, which doesn’t make them a great option for portable purposes.
Booster Chairs
Booster chairs are also known as space saver high chairs. You can basically create a high chair for your baby using any old chair in your home. All you need to do is put the booster chair on top of a normal chair and your baby can enjoy a meal on his own.
Booster chairs are much better as compared to other high chairs because you can simply slip it on any chair at your home and you are good to go. Once the feeding time is complete, you can simply put the chair away in a cabinet or any other place until next time. You don’t have to worry about space as these chairs are highly portable and can be stored away without any hassle.
However, when using booster chairs with a regular chair, all the mess that your baby creates will most likely get all over the chair. This is why you should use a regular chair that can easily be cleaned and wiped down. Another thing you can do is put a towel underneath the booster chair so that the chair doesn’t catch the mess. Booster chairs also take time to set up and you will have to set it every time before use.
Convertible High Chair
High chairs do not last forever since babies grow quite quickly and they usually outgrow them. Once the baby outgrows, the high chair is no use to you. However, if you have a convertible high chair that problem is solved!
Convertible high chairs are designed in such a way that they grow along with your baby. You can actually use these chairs until your baby turns 3 years old. There are a bunch of different convertible high chairs out there and they can be converted into booster seat, high chair, activity tables, child sized chairs and even toddler friendly chairs with activity trays.
Convertible high chairs can be used for a long time. Since these chairs can be used in many different ways, it reduces the need for parents to buy additional furniture for their child. However, convertible chairs take up a lot of room in your house. Plus, the quality is not that good if you compare it to other individual child furniture. The functionality would also not be as good if each piece was bought individually. These chairs do not fold down as small as other high chairs, so they aren’t a good option if you are trying to save some space in your home.
Hook On Baby High chair
Hook on highchairs is also called as table chairs because you can literally hook them to a table so that your child enjoys a meal with you on the same table you are eating. You baby sits suspended in mid-air while his feet dangle in the air below him. These chairs can support babies having weight of 37 lbs since they are more suited for infants rather than big babies. Once your baby grows up, you will have to switch to another portable high chair.
Hook on high chairs don’t come with their own trays because the table you hook the chair from acts as a tray. In order to protect the table from the mess your baby creates, you will have to put some kind of protective layer on the table. Hook on high chairs can easily be attached to most tables, but there are also ones that they won’t attach to. While traveling, you don’t know what type of tables you would come across so that makes it a problem when it comes to portability. These chairs can easily be stored away. However, hook on high chairs can also cause damage to certain tables. They are also not suitable for older babies.
Travel High Chairs
Travel high chairs are also called as camping chairs that are great for your babies. These chairs are appropriate for outdoor use which makes them great to use while the parents and the baby are camping by the fire or simply enjoying a meal in the backyard or park.
Since travel high chairs are meant to be used outdoors, they are constructed from heavy duty canvas. There is no need for you to assemble this chair and it can also be folded into a narrow cylinder, making it another portable high chair. These chairs have a simple design and are highly durable, which means that a little rain won’t do any harm to it.
Travel high chairs are designed differently as compared to other high chairs. They have a wider base and legs are sticking out, making it a sturdy seat for your baby no matter how uneven the ground below is. Travel high chairs can also replace your normal daily use high chairs but they aren’t as good since the tray tends to sag when the baby leans on it. This will send all the food to the ground. The size of these chairs is good enough to easily store in the trunk of your car.
