As DD is going to be starting BLS soon, we are looking at high chairs at the moment. Ideally I'd like one that will last us a long time by converting into booster seat etc.
So, talk to me about high chairs. Which one do you have/love/hate.
we have a Steelcraft Messina high chair and I love it. It has wheels so can move it wherever (it's been lovely sitting outside having lunch enjoying the sunshine!), and two trays for the lazy mums like me..lol. Also has a basket underneath and while I've never used it, would be handy to keep bibs/burp cloths etc in. I'd recommend getting one that is height adjustable too. The seat on the Messina is also reclinable, I think there's about 3 different recline positions it can be in, so when we first started using it wasn't really upright but laid back a little bit. It's also handy to have a seat cover that can be removed and washed..and try not to get white (it's alright for the frame/trays but the seat cover is off white on mine and gets easily stained with watermelon/pasta sauces etc)
We have the Ikea Antilop (sp?) Its the white plastic one. Think the seat costs about $30-40 plus $10 for the tray. So easy for little ones to sit in, and oh so easy to clean! It doesnt have lots of nooks and crannies for food to get stuck in
We've got a Chicco Polly. It's on the expensive side but well built and converts to a toddler chair (take the inner layer of padding off). The tray comes off completely and has 2 layers. There are 5 height setting as well. The seat reclines a little as well but never used that. I like that it folds up pretty flat and isn't too heavy, we often take it with us when we go out JIC we need it. Although DS prefers to roam when he eats lol.
i have a peg perego one and it sucks! all the food gets trapped under the cover and such. takes ages to clean. I only use it because it was freeand i wasn't sure if dd would use it. she only used it for 3 months anyway.
My friend had a fisher price one that you strapped to the chair. it took her max 10mins to clean it post dinner but was usually only a few wipes. i guess because it just goes on a standard dining chair it could double as a booster seat.
Thanks guys. At the moment we eat at the breakfast bar - so want quite a high one, but we will eat at the dining table when missy is old enough to join us there too.
OMG, the Ikea Antilop (white plastic one, that's what Olive has too ) rocks!!! It is so easy to clean, which is imperative, especially with BLS LOL. It doesn't recline, or anything fancy, but you don't need that for BLS anyway. Cheap as chips, which means you can go and get a fancy booster later if you want
We just got the steelcraft messina II and we love it. I love the way it goes up and down, reclines and can be wheeled around. We got it pretty cheap for $160. DS is still not sitting up and tends to lean to one side when he's in it, but I like it cos the tray is not too high. We've put him is some others and the trays were too high. I just need to look for the removable cover now......
For the 10 months of DD's eating we have been using the Bumbo with play table. Fantastic! I sit her up (yep I know I shouldn't) on our bench on it and she is happy as she is part of everything.
A GF of mine has the Fisher Price Space Saver high chair and loves it.
We have just put DD now into our high chair we have had since DS1..the Fisher Price Healthy Care high chair..it's been great and lasted well with all three kids. I love the fact I can take the cover and straps off completely and throw in the washing machine.
And yep..the Ikea ones are great, they are used in Play Centres as they are easy to clean and safe to use.
I have two and both have had equal use. I have the elcheapo Ikea one which is great when they're a bit bigger cos it's pretty basic, but it goes in the shower if you need to hose it down (or outside under the hose in our case).
I also have the Fisher Price Portable Highchair. It basically has all the features of a huge high chair but it has no legs and it either sits on the floor or straps securely to a kitchen chair. It has three different recline settings, a removable tray, is super easy to keep clean and it converts to a booster seat when they don't need the highchair anymore. Plus it's only about $125.
I have used it with both my kids since birth. We bought it initially because we only had a tiny unit, so it was perfect, but even when we got our huge house, it is so versatile that I still wouldn't have gotten a different one.
A friend who is a speech pathologist starting to specialise in infant feding said that it's really important to get one with foot support and a high back - higher than baby's head. Apparently it's easier to stop yourself choking if your body is fully supported.
I second something easy to clean. I think there's one by ZuZu available at BigW (and on special this week) that fits the bill? Can't be sure though.
DS has the stokke tripp trapp. It's been fantastic. Cleaning is fine, wipe over the timber parts and the straps and cushions go in the wash in a delicates bag. The placemat that goes on the table is good too. I like that it pushes into the table so DS sits with us to eat. There are a few these days that push up to the table, my parents bought him the less expensive but very similar jolly kidz high chair.
We have a blue spotty love n care revolution one, it looks a bit spacey but suits us fine. (Bought it 1/2 price too so even bigger bonus!) We don't use the recline with BLS, but the appeal to me was that the height of it can be precisely adjusted. i.e. instead of say 3 height settings it can be set just where you want it. Our meals table has a weird lip on it and most chairs wouldn't let me put her right up to the table at the correct height for her legs to fit under, but with this one I can. I will be getting an antilop one when she's a bit older, we use them if we're out in a cafe etc that has them, but she's a wee bit too small for every meal in it at the moment. They are great though and I can't wait to get one.
I do find my bumbo with tray is really practical to chuck in the car and have on hand too.
I wish we had the Ikea one or the Zuzu one. Ours (no idea about brand, I bought it 4 years ago) has padded seat which catches all the food and is awful to clean, reclines (you should never feed your baby with the seat reclined as its a choking hazard), has a five point harness (I had to detach the shoulder straps so he could reach his food) and is height adjustable (never adjusted the height) and I've had to stick a book under the seat so he can reach the tray to feed himself. I suggested to DH we get the Zuzu one, but he doesn't think we can justify buying another highchair for the short time DS2 will use it, and I think he's right.
We have a First Years booster seat which is easy to clean and portable and we may move him to that soon - it only cost about $30
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Which high chair?
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