1 1 Facebook PinterestAlexandra Rowley When Baby's Ready for a High ChairWhen Baby can sit up on his own and is eating solid food -- usually between 4 and 6 months -- it's time to add a high chair to your kitchen decor. Here are some questions to ask yourself before you buy.2 2 Facebook PinterestStockDisc Is It Easy to Use?Whether it's easy to get your baby in and out is the most important concern. Before you shop, ask your friends if they have a high chair they love. Once you're in a store, test the chairs to find one with a tray that you can operate with one hand. Look at the seat straps to see if they're simple to buckle and unbuckle. The majority of high-chair accidents occur because parents don't use the buckle feature. Remember, as soon as your baby figures out how to pull himself upright, he might try it in his high chair. Using a three- or five-point harness keeps him safe.3 3 Facebook PinterestJuice Images/Veer Is It JPMA Certified?Speaking of safety, manufacturers can opt to have high chairs tested and approved by the independent Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association.
If there's a JPMA seal on a high chair, it's one of the safest.4 4 Facebook PinterestKaysh Shinn Is It Comfortable?You'll want your baby to stay seated for a decent period of time. Consider how roomy the seat is, especially if you have a big baby. Is the seat well padded? Is there a footrest?5 5 Facebook PinterestFancy Photography/Veer Is It Easy to Clean?Babies are notoriously messy eaters, and that means you need to consider how easy it is to clean up the high chair after a messy meal. Most chairs come with a vinyl seat that can be wiped clean. Look at how the cushion and frame fit together and imagine a scenario involving applesauce and crumbs. The fewer seams and crevices, the better. A recent update in high chairs is a tray-within-a-tray feature, where the top tray pops out for cleaning in your sink or dishwasher. Some high chairs even come with an extra tray so that if one is being washed, you've got another.6 6 Facebook PinterestAlexandra Grablewski Does It Have the Features You Need?
Will you move your high chair around, maybe pushing it to the table for meals and then back against a wall for storage? If so, look for a model with wheels that lock to keep the chair stationary when in use. Some high chairs fold up for storage, making it a good choice for occasional use, such as grandma's house.Originally published in American Baby magazine. Updated 2010.Win Baby Gear! 7 The Must-Read High Chairs Buying Guide High chair shopping doesn't have to be a task. To find the perfect seat... more Begin Slideshow › View More Collections Recall & Safety Notifications Product Care & Maintenance Get Graco Articles & Updates Home > Highchairs > Grow with Me Highchairs > DuoDiner® Highchair Blossom LX 4-in-1 Seating System Blossom DLX 4-in-1 Seating System 3-in-1 highchair that grows with your baby from infant to toddlerStage 1: Infant highchair reclines to provide a comfortable space for babyStage 2: 5 height positions and adjustable footrest easily positions your little diner for mealtimeStage 3: Easily converts to booster when your child is readyEasy to clean: dishwasher safe tray insert and machine washable seat padOne hand tray removal makes getting your child in and out simpleFolds easily so it can be conveniently storedConvertible 3 & 5-point harness
keeps baby securedThe Graco® DuoDiner™ 3-in-1 highchair. The highchair that grows with your child from infant to toddler and converts to a space saving booster Introduce your little diner to family mealtimes with our Graco® DuoDiner® 3-in-1 highchair. The highchair that grows with your child from infant to toddler and converts to a space saving booster. It has a 5-position height adjustment that helps you position baby at the family table. Its 3-position, one-hand adjustable reclining seat and infant head and body support help ensure baby’s every meal is a comfortable one. And its the highchair frame is designed to easily stow away when you’re using booster mode. 24.5"W x 29.25"D x 43.5"H (Highchair, assembled with tray). Wipeable plastic tray, footrest, and frame. Note: Use only household soap or detergent and warm water. DuoDiner LX models - Do not machine wash. DuoDiner basic models - Machine wash seat pad separately in cold water – delicate cycle; no bleach and drip dry.
Maximum weight capacity: Highchair: 37 lbs, Feeding booster: 60 lbs which highchair is right for me? looking for replacement parts? Looking to report a product issue? Setting up a My Graco account has many Save links to your favorite product details for easy reference Store helpful tips, articles and parenting resources on your private Access registered Graco product information in one place (ifBaby led weaning was still emerging as a philosophy for feeding baby when Griffin was born (even though baby-led weaning was around much longer than Gerber purées!) And to be honest, I was scared and didn’t feel comfortable with the practice. With the birth of my second child, Paloma, I was much more confident and busy so the idea of mashing up foods and/or making purées didn’t appeal to me! Too much extra work! I decided to again experiment with babyled weaning and was amazed how much more natural it felt. I also discovered that baby led weaning is not a new concept, and many mothers have been introducing solids in finger food form instinctively.
Here’s an exclusive one-pager of the Top 25 Food Ideas for Baby-Led Weaning that we made just for readers of this post! Click here to get it!In fact, purées only became the norm at a time when doctors were advocating introducing solids at 4 months (which we now know is too early for proper digestion and can lead to allergies). I actually have experience with this. With both of my babies, I introduced a little egg yolk at 4 months and both of them developed hives! I stopped immediately and re-introduced at 6-7 months with no problems. I really believe that a baby’s digestive system is way too immature to introduce solid foods before 6 months. Therefore, baby led weaning is a natural choice for introducing solids.First coined by Gill Rapley and Tracey Murkett in their book Baby-Led Weaning: The Essential Guide to Introducing Solid Foods, Baby-led weaning is an approach to introducing solid food where baby is allowed and encouraged to self-feed solid finger foods instead of receiving purées via spoon.
For those of us in the US, baby led feeding may be a better term as BLW is not about weaning babies off breastmilk or formula, but is weaning them onto solids. (Although, anytime we introduce food, we are in a sense starting the weaning process, as baby will naturally start to decline her breast milk consumption. But with BLW, the baby is in charge.) BLW babies:We all know that breast milk is best for baby, but breastfeeding is also a natural start to BLW. Baby is introduced to the flavors from mother’s diet in her breast milk. This early introduction to food tastes often increases baby’s acceptance of those foods later on. Breastfeeding is also baby’s first lesson in self regulation, which is one benefit of BLW. However, this doesn’t mean that a formula fed baby won’t benefit from a BLW approach to introducing solids. BLW can work well for any family.Experts agree that solids should be delayed until the middle of the first year of life. This is when baby’s digestive system is mature.
Some babies may seem ready at 5 ½ months, while others may not be ready until 8 months of age. It’s important to take into account ALL readiness signs for each individual child. As always, consult your child’s pediatrician if you are unsure or have questions. Signs of readiness include:The great thing about baby led weaning is that you really don’t need much to get started. The first thing you need is a safe place for baby to sit. A highchair is a great choice, but a parents lap is just as good (remember, baby should be able to sit up unassisted at this point). The next thing you need is healthy, appropriate finger foods (covered below). A BLW baby is offered a variety of healthy whole finger foods (as well as a small amount of water) to choose from and explore. Follow your baby’s cues. Begin offering solids once a day, and gradually increase as the child shows he wants or needs more. Baby-led weaning families are encouraged to make family mealtime a habit. One reason is that baby learns best by observation and imitation.
When everyone eats together and eats the same food, baby feels included, and mealtime is a fun experience rather than a battle. If eating meals together doesn’t work for your family, consider eating a snack while baby has his meal.Baby’s first foods should be a selection of fresh fruits, soft cooked vegetables, healthy carbohydrates, and fats. Think soft and easy to gum and swallow. When given a variety to choose from, baby will naturally choose the foods that meet her nutritional needs.Some of these are common sense (popcorn for baby?!) but some good reminders when practicing baby led weaning.* Small amounts of high mineral sea salt can be added with the approval of physicianThere are obvious safety concerns with introducing solids to your baby. Assuming that baby has shown signs of readiness and can sit up unassisted, it’s then important for parents to be vigilant and never leave baby alone when eating. It’s equally important that only baby put food into her own mouth.Choking is a real concern with any supplemental feeding, which is why close supervision is necessary.
That said, there needs to be a distinction between gagging – which is a safety mechanism that safeguards against choking by bringing large pieces of food forward to be chewed – and real choking. As baby grows, the place in her mouth that triggers the gag reflex moves further back towards the throat. According to Rapley, this is one reason why baby led weaning is valuable, because baby learns to chew and swallow when this reflex is still very close to the front of the mouth. Of course, for all parents, understanding the signs of choking and knowing how to respond is very important. Here is online education… but better yet, contact your local hospital or community center to find classes.Breastmilk (or formula) will make up the majority of baby’s nutrition from 6-12 months of age. The main purpose of solids in the first year is to introduce baby to new tastes and textures while teaching her to chew and swallow food. If baby is gaining normally and thriving, then she is getting enough to eat.
Baby-led solid feeding trusts that baby knows when she is hungry, when she is full, and what she needs to meet her nutritional needs. If she is struggling with low weight, you can certainly add in some smoothies, purées, or extra fats like avocado and butter. That’s the beauty of baby led weaning. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Work with your physician to determine what is best.Yes, if she is breastfed. The iron in breastmilk is absorbed at a percentage of 50-70% while the iron in iron-fortified cereal is absorbed at a rate of 4-10%. , “Healthy, full-term infants who are breastfed exclusively for periods of 6-9 months have been shown to maintain normal hemoglobin values and normal iron stores.”Breast milk is actually a perfectly sufficient source of iron.”I would add letting your child’s umbilical cord pulse and wait to clamp for at least 3 minutes after birth helps tremendously since the baby gets 1/3 of his blood supply back! It also probably helps if a breastfeeding mama consumes her placenta and eats red meat a few times a week to replenish her stores.
Formula fed babies may also get enough iron from iron rich finger foods such as:If there is a concern about baby’s iron level, have it tested before supplementing.Keep in mind that you can always do a hybrid approach to feeding. Super soft foods like avocado and sweet potato might be better served with a spoon. Let your child play and try to feed herself using the utensil. You’d be surprised just how well she can imitate you! Some moms let baby gnaw on soft pear slices, but prefer to spoon feed foods like puréed meat or bone broth. I know some parents who make smoothies, which a baby can drink through a straw if the family is on the go. Just know that you can experiment with feeding approaches that work best for your family and lifestyle. (Although it’s best to probably stick with a few set routines so your baby doesn’t get confused.)Don’t forget to get my exclusive download for readers of this post: The Top 25 Food Ideas for Baby-led Weaning! Check it out below! Did or do you practice baby-led weaning?