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 Jump to: navigation, search A 1957 model high chair by Cosco. Baby in wooden high chair, about 1935 High chair - Open-air museum Cloppenburg, Germany A high chair is a piece of furniture used for feeding older babies and younger toddlers. The seat is raised a fair distance from the ground, so that a person of adult height may spoon-feed the child comfortably from a standing position (hence the name). It often has a wide base to increase stability.
There is a tray which is attached to the arms of the high chair, which allows the adult to place the food on it for either the child to pick up and eat or for the food to be spoon-fed to them. High chairs typically have seat belts to strap the child in. A booster chair is meant to be used with a regular chair to boost the height of a child sufficiently. Some boosters are a simple monolithic piece of plastic. Others are more complex and are designed to fold up and include a detachable tray. Rarely, a chair can be suspended from the edge of the table avoiding the need for an adult chair or a high chair. The EU standards EN 14988-1:2006 + A1 and EN 14988-2: 2006 + A1 on high chairs will be published by the member states during autumn 2012. Meanwhile, they are available at the online library of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). ^ CEN Catalogue Retrieved August 31, 2015The lowdown on highchairs Types of highchairs What to look for when buying Important safety notes
The lowdown on highchairsWhen you’re starting solid food (and once your baby can sit up by himself), a highchair gives your child a safe place to experiment with tastes and textures. It also makes it easy for you to supervise meals – and clean up afterward.Highchairs come in a wide variety of styles and prices. Choose one that's sturdy and easy to clean; it needs to be durable enough to withstand several years of daily use. Your child may use a highchair until age 2 or 3.Basic highchairs will do the job, but some high-end models hold up better to wear and tear, and can be more useful in the long run.See which highchairs parents like best in BabyCenter’s Moms' Picks awards, or browse dozens of highchairs.Types of highchairsBasic metal- or plastic-frame highchairsThese models are fairly simple. Some are just molded plastic with harnesses; others have a bit of padding on the seat. Some have trays, others don't. Pros: They're usually inexpensive and lightweight. Some fold, making them easy to move and store.
Cons: They typically offer less comfort for a baby than other kinds, can have tough-to-clean nooks.Full-feature highchairsThese have all the features of basic models plus extras like well-padded seats, wheels, detachable trays, dishwasher-safe tray covers, and adjustable height and seat recline. Some models grow with your child, converting to a booster seat or or kid-sized chair.Portable and hook-on highchairsInstead of a freestanding highchair, some families choose a seat that attaches to the table or that straps on to a regular kitchen or dining-room chair. These hook-on chairs can free up space in tight quarters and tend to cost less than standard highchairs. And since they’re portable they’re useful for restaurants, Grandma’s house, and travel. On the downside, many hook-on chairs don’t work on every table, particularly if yours is extra-thick or thin or has a lip.Wooden highchairsWooden highchairs can be very appealing but may have drawbacks. Often the seat is too deep and the footrest too low for an infant.
And wooden trays are heavier and harder to clean than plastic. Still, they may have fewer crevices that can trap crumbs and spills, and some models convert to regular chairs as your child grows.What to look for when buyingImportant safety notesChildren can be badly injured by falling out of a highchair, so always supervise your child and keep the safety harness buckled. Follow the manufacturer's recommended weight and age limits if given.Hundreds of thousands of highchairs have been recalled in recent years for a variety of safety problems, including pegs that stuck out and caused lacerations, safety belts that came unbuckled, and seats that came loose. Before buying a highchair or using a secondhand one, check our Product Recall Finder.Vintage wooden highchairs are best used for decorative purposes only. Safety standards have changed over the years and though pretty, your heirloom chair may not be safe.What it's going to cost youStandard highchairs start at around $40 and run to about $200, with top-of-the-line models reaching $400 or more.