Choosing a high chair for your little one?

A high chair is an invaluable and indispensable tool in the armamentarium of the harried mother. There are many models and ones that come at a wide range of budgets. From the simple no-frills plastic chair to the ones with all the bells and whistles attached like padded cushions, wheels, five-point fixation etc.

So how does the parent choose one?

To try and put things in perspective from the myriad of choices that you have. Some choices you will have to make depending on your budget and specific needs.

• Sturdy -You need a high chair when your child is ready to sit up with support and begin to eat (roughly six months of age – range of 4-8 months. Some children continue to use it, till they are between two and three years of age. It has to last a few years.
• Comfortable – Your baby will be using the chair for a few hours in a day – if the chair is padded, it is easier on the child.
• Easy to clean – Too many nooks and crannies will hide all that much more spilled food and believe me, there will be plenty of spills on the journey!
• Safe – Above all – must have a safety harness – at least three point and maybe five point. If not restrained, your child may try out his newly acquired skills of getting up from sitting to standing position with potentially disastrous consequences.
• Convenience – If it has rollers, then can be pushed to various places round the house (the parents has a thousand things to do in a day). Do make sure, that there is a lock on the wheels that keeps it in position, when it is stationary.
• Easy to operate – Suppose it has all the bells and whistles and you have to spend a lot of time, buckling your child in and out. Remember, you may be doing this one-handed or with a squirming baby.
• More Convenience
  • Does it have detachable, machine-safe food trays? Every second saved in baby care, pays for itself. Some even have two trays.
  • Does it have a foot-rest? – make it easier for your baby.
  • Can it double up as a car-seat? – will make your investment so much better.
• For space starved metropolises – hook-on chairs (they hook on to your dining table) can free up space in tight quarters, are transportable, and can cost less than standard highchairs. There are also portable high chairs available  that can attach to a regular chair’s seat and back with straps.

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