Which Highchair will You Choose for Your Baby?

A baby highchair is extremely useful once your baby starts eating solid food. It’s a great spot to experiment with new flavors and textures, and a safe and easy place for you to monitor meals, while working in kitchen or at the dining table. Highchairs are available in a tremendous variety. If you are planning to buy one, find perfect baby high chair for your kitchen or dining room that is sturdy and easy to clean. As your baby will possibly use it up to 2 to 3 years of age, the chair should be durable.

Types of Baby Highchairs

Basic Highchair with Metal or Plastic Frame: These are the simplest of all models. Some of them are just of molded plastic with attached seatbelts, while others have a little cushion on the seat. Some even have trays. Some are folding so are easy to store. Their advantage is they are cheap and light. Disadvantage is they offer less comfort to the baby.

Full-featured: These have many more extra features than the basic model, like well-cushioned seat, wheels to move to another place, detachable trays, dishwasher-safe covers for tray, seat recline and adjustable height. Some models even can be converted to a kid-sized chair or booster seat so that your child can use it even after getting older.

Portable and Hook-on: These can be hooked on to the dining table. They are useful when your kitchen or overall home is smaller. They can be moved easily to other places and are cheaper than freestanding highchairs. Portable highchairs are also available that can be attached to a standard chair’s back or seat with straps.

Wooden: These can be very attractive but they have some major minuses. Usually their seat and footrest are too low for an infant. Also wooden trays are more difficult to clean than plastic and are heavier.

How will You Choose a Perfect Highchair?

Type: While choosing the type, pay attention to yours and your baby’s needs first. Also consider size that should match your kitchen space. Price is also a factor to consider.

Tray: Rather than a highchair without a tray or a fixed tray, a chair with a detachable tray that can be easily washed in the kitchen sink is advisable.

Ease in Cleaning: As the child will spill food on the chair which can get into cracks and joints between parts of the chair and decay, it’s extremely necessary that a highchair should be easy to clean, as it is the matter of hygiene and health for your baby.

Versatility: A chair having the facility to be converted into a kid chair is anytime preferable.

Adjustability: Adjustments in height and tray are important points to look for. Ensure that your baby’s belly won’t be constrained during her/his growth. Also ensure well that all the adjustments can be securely locked.

Sturdiness: The highchair you choose for your baby should be super stable.

Comfort: Cushioned seats and a footrest are necessary for baby’s comfort. Make sure that the cushioned seat doesn’t have any seams or sharp edges that may scratch baby’s skin. All other parts which would come in contact with the baby should be smoothly finished.

Safety Standards: Look for the safety standard seals or marks of your area’s authoritative organization.

Wheels: Wheeled highchairs facilitate easy transfer from say kitchen to dining room or any other room. But ensure that the wheels have locks to prevent any accidental rollaway.

Safety Tips

• There are high chances of injury to the baby from falling out from a highchair; so, supervise your baby carefully. Better is to keep her/him in the kitchen while you are working.
• Keep the safety belt buckled.
• Follow the instructions of manufacturer carefully regarding age and weight limits.
• If you will be using a second-hand highchair, ensure that it is perfectly in condition.