Highchairs..?

[belfie]

So I've got no idea really!

Looked on Choice and a couple of years back they recommended these:

CAM Campione $239
CHICCO Polly $300
JANE Activa $199
PEG PEREGO Prima Pappa Diner $379

But I don't know if there's better ones on the market now? Who has used what, and what would you recommend?

TIA,
Belfie

[feeb]

I bought steelcraft mealtime and love it.

It reclines 3 settings and was on special!!!!

[Ozstar]

We have the Ikea one, it was about $50 and I absolutely love it. It is super easy to clean and the legs come off so it is also easy to take anywhere.

[Ezz]

I have a proper one on wheels that reclines etc (a Bruin one) - but we actually use the Fisher Price healthy booster instead. It just clips onto a chair at table - takes up so much less space, it's hard plastic (so it's easy to clean), DS can sit at the table with us. If I had my time again, I wouldn't bother with the full high chair - just the booster.

[squidipa]

i have the prima pappa and im not happy i think its toooo big i wold rather a smaller design if i bought another one. structurally its great just a bit bulky maybe i need a bigger place

[Ginger]

the ikea one is fantastic. so cheap and practical, you can't go wrong.

[~Trish~]

I absolutely agree about the Ikea one! I've tried others that recline, etc, but they are soooo hard to clean. All the food gets in the crevices and it goes really yuck. The Ikea Antilop highchair is so easy to clean and it looks great

[Georgi]

I vouch for the Ikea one too. Not from personal experience, but my sister has 3, 1 for each daughter & she loves them

[mbear]

As nice as they are, they really are a PIA to clean (the highchairs you mentioned.....).HOnestly, save your money for something else....like yourself, and buy the ikea one. My mum bought it for our DD#3 and i chucked our peg pegero out....its the easiest thing in the world to clean, and when they are a little smaller (6-10mths) i recommend buying the blow up back support thingy that ikea sell too......

[belfie]

aaah so interesting - thank you ladies!

Couple more questions then - obviously the recline feature makes the a PITA to clean... but do you need/use the recline function?

Also, the older ikea chair (the Gulliver - it was a wooden one) was panned by choice for the following reasons:

• Only two-point harness.
• We found the legs need to be levelled during construction, which is not pointed out in the instructions.
• Seat is comparatively narrow.
• No tray supplied (available separately).

Now these comments actually refer to an older wooden style highchair, but for those who've used the Ikea one, were any of the bad points listed above an issue? When I look at the Antilop it looks very basic, and I wondered if an active child could wriggle out of it? (plus to be honest, I didn't love the look of it - but maybe I always had this image of bubba boy in a more traditional chair - silly me lol )

I was also keen to get one on wheels, as I've a couple of different places I might use it (and I do have room for a larger one)... but I guess they're lightweight so mebbe wheels don't matter and I could just carry it..?

And finally, if I decided I still wanted a recliney wheely one... given they're hard to clean would I be better getting new rather than second-hand? (from a value for money point of view, I'd get to use this with child #2 also, so that's not so much of an issue).

Thanks!!!

[Kazbah]

we bought a high-chair from babyco, it's a table & chair where the chair clips into the table to make it a highchair. the chair reclines and yes, it's a PITA to clean, but a hose and the sun is a wonderful thing.

We also got a clip-on chair for the table, and its so much better. The seat part just goes in the washing machine and it's so portable. and only about a $100

[Janie]

Go the Ikea highchair (the Antilop) it is the best! Easy to clean, for 50 bucks you can't go wrong!

[Ezz]

Couple more questions then - obviously the recline feature makes the a PITA to clean... but do you need/use the recline function?

not if you wait until they are sitting up independently before starting solids (which is what you are supposed to do - it's one of the signs of readiness for solids)

I was also keen to get one on wheels, as I've a couple of different places I might use it (and I do have room for a larger one)... but I guess they're lightweight so mebbe wheels don't matter and I could just carry it..?

I just carry the Fisher Price one around. The IKEA one would be the same. Wheels can actually be a problem if you don't want your highchair pushed around the house as a walker - DS actually pushes my friend's little girl around while she is eating - causes all sorts of dramas!

And finally, if I decided I still wanted a recliney wheely one... given they're hard to clean would I be better getting new rather than second-hand? (from a value for money point of view, I'd get to use this with child #2 also, so that's not so much of an issue).

Not sure about all brands, but I know that my one (the Bruin) has a removable padded cover & straps - so I can just pull everything off & chuck it in the wash. If you do decide to go with the full highchair, that would be something to look for - removable covers & straps that are machine washable.

[Janie]

I wouldn't bother with wheels. The Ikea one is very light, so easy to pick up and move around. The legs can come off too, if you want to take it anywhere, or store it away.

Ezz is right, you really should be waiting until your baby can sit before giving solids, so a reclining function is completely unnecessary.

[feeb]

I do use the recline on mine as in reality it doesnt recline to lying back.
Ours has no wheels but is ight enought toi move and fold and stores basiclly flat.

I wanted 5 point safety harness, recline and removable table. all which it has.

I have used the ikea ones in restaurants and i also wonder how kids stay in them when moving a bit more and trying to climb out.

[*star*]

I too have found that getting the "latest and greatest" highchair is really not that necessary. I have one with wheels, that reclines, has a cushy removable cover, separate tray tables, etc. The recline feature I've never used much, the wheels are a pain - DD loves to walk the big clunking thing around the house, bashing into walls as she goes! Being able to take off the tray table to wash it is handy, but I agree, trying to clean the whole thing is such a pain! And it's so big and bulky- can't wait to pack it up and put it away.

My mum has an ikea one for when DD is there. I find it absolutely fine! Have never had problems with DD wriggling out and is much easier to clean.

Only thing is that if you are thinking about using it for a little baby, it's not going to have enogh back support. I must admit that I occasionally put DD in the high chair from about 4 (possibly??) months, not to eat but to watch me doing things in the kitchen- cooking, washing up, etc. I had a u-cushion in there to support her. You wouldn't be able to do this with the ikea.

If going through it again, I would recommend choosing something more basic without all the bells and whistles you don't end up using anyway. Just look for something easy to clean (probably without inserts, would be my choice!)

[belfie]

thanks again... sooo my next question (so many questions lol). Given everyone says don't start solids till about 6 months, I can assume he'd probably be sitting independently by then?

*star* - The plan is to use it for DS from 6 months age... would the Ikea one be ok from that age? Sounds like mebbe not..?

Feeb - thanks for the info, that does sound a lot like what I think I want.

[Janie]

You can get a blow up insert (about $10?) to go inside the Ikea chair for the first few months, if you think your bub needs it. I used our Ikea highchair from 6 months with no problems, and I didn't have the insert (would have been nice though).

My DS is now a very active 21 month old, and he is yet to climb out of his highchair (TOUCH WOOD!). I don't think it will be very long before he sits on a booster at the table, so I'm not too worried about it.