Any plates and bowls that REALLY suction to a table?

[egoldber]

Sarah has decided that most of the time she would rather be AT the table, rather than in her high chair next to the table. Tonight at dinner she threw a screaming FIT until I realized she wanted to be at the table. And then she ate very happily at the table. Ah the daily adventure of life with a non-verbal toddler...

But my problem is that all the bowls/plates I have that suction will not stick to my table. If I just give her the food on a regular plate (plastic of course!) she dumps the food on the table.

I am going to work with her on not dumping the food off the plate, but in the meantime, I would really like to find a plate that suctions to the table.

I have a Gerber plate that suctions (worthless), a First Years bowls that suctions (the best of the lot) and Sassy bowls that suction (won't stay at all).

TIA!

[Momof3Labs]

Hmmm.... I can't wait for that round of fun. Colin's biggest thrill right now is rolling while nursing sidelying - he likes to nurse laying on his tummy. And if I try to roll him back to his side, he screams and turns red. So it gets worse, huh?

There's always duct tape!

[egoldber]

LOL! Yes, it gets worse. AND MUCH better too! Let's just say, I'm VERY happy I avoided the urge I had to get pregnant when Sarah was about 9 months old. The only thing I can think of that could be worse right now is if I ALSO had a newborn! I know lots of people do really well with closely spaced kids, but yikes, not on a day like today!

[atlbaby]

Aw Beth, now I'm really scared because soon I WILL have a toddler throwing food off plates *and* a newborn!! (Just joking, though I *am* scared!:) )

About your question: Arielle's not shown any interest in eating at the table yet, but that may also be because due to DH's wacky work schedule (and my nausea!) we don't eat before she goes to bed often. I'm always thinking I need to be better organized so we can eat as a family, because I worry she never gets to model us properly!

I recently got Arielle the Gerber Plates I think you're talking about. Do yours have plastic covers to store food? I think that's great because if she doesn't eat a lot for a meal I can save if for snack in the fridge. She hasn't been dumping the food off of the plate onto the floor, but does dump it onto her tray and then flip the plate over and place all the food back on top! We're working on it...and the fork too.

I also have the Sassy suction bowls, but they don't work at all! Arielle still likes to be fed from a spoon sometimes and I'd like to change that to her eating out of a bowl--but how can you do that if the bowl won't stay put??

So, unfortunately I have no answers for you, but I can say I'm right there with you--and probably will experience a fit to eat at the table shortly! I hope others can offer suggestions!

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01
#2:) EDD 10/24/03

[LisaS]

My Sarah has also figured out how to undo the suction from the bowls (we have First Years and Sassy and Tomee Tippee - none of which are great) and dump the contents on her tray before putting them into her hair - a source of great joy and pride to her.

I have found 1 thing that helps them stick for longer -- water. If I wet the suction rings before I stick them, they are much harder for her to pry off the tray. I don't know what kind of table you have and if it would cause damage, but it might be worth a try. I discovered this at a restaurant when she spilled water all around her suction bowl and I had to pull hard to get it off.

Good luck!

[cara1]

Beth, what were you using when she was in the high chair? Can you just put the food on the table? What about a placemat or tablecloth? I have no suggestions for suctioning plates/bowls/toys either...that's why DS's food is usually just loose on his tray.

[Sandy]

We have a bowl that we got at BRU by safety 1st that has really worked for us. I couldn't find a picture. Basically it is a suction bowl that has a knob coming out of the middle that you twist to air suction the bowl to the surface. It works on both the high chair tray and our wood dining table. It's kind of hard to describe. This has been the only bowl that we tried that has stayed in place and we have tried a ton. If I find a picture or a link I will add the link.

This was the only picture I could find so far.

http://www.toysrus.ca/Eng/catalogues/bru_02/p57.html

Under the playskool feeding accessories safety 1st picture it is the red bowl with the geen knob in the upper right.

Sandy
mom to Alexander Thor 3/16/02

[egoldber]

Thanks all. I didn't have any problem just putting her food directly on the high chair tray, but I really don't want to put her food directly on my table. Some things I don't mind (sandwiches) but some foods (strawberries, blueberries, sweet potatoes) can stain!

BUT our problem is now more complex. I discovered today that it wasn't being at the table that was the issue. She DOES NOT WANT TO BE IN THE HIGH CAHIR. Period. At all.

She would not eat today. Not at the table. I would ask her if she was hungry and she would crawl to her high chair. I tried to put her in the chair and she SCREAMED and arched her back. She did this all day. Finally, late this afternoon, in desperation since she had not eaten AT ALL today, I got my feeding seat from the car and tried that. She was very happy to be there.

So I am now wondering if she doesn't want the high chair anymore. OR is this some kind of toddler coup d'etat she's attempting? I guess we'll see what tomorrow brings...

[memedee]

Do you have a childs table and chairs?
She may want to sit at her own table to eat.
I am in real estate and I see a lot of little tables set up in the kitchen and family room for the children to eat although I have never seen them actually eating there but it might be worth a try.

[egoldber]

I've been looking at these, but unfortunately, she's not really ready for a straight back chair with no recline yet. She can sit in them, but falls out or has a hard time getting down.

[brubeck]

The Baby Bjorn bowl does not suction, but the way it is designed it is hard for the child tp pick up. This might give you a few days.

You could always try no plate at all. Use a plastic placemat, or one of those sticky disposeable ones. You could also put food directly on the table if you can clean if off easily.

For stuff like Cheerios, make a game out of putting the food into a bowl. I gave my daughter little plastic M&M guys to play with (the kind that come with holiday m&ms in them) and she used to LOVE filling them with Cheerios and then dumping them out and eating them.

[mama2]

SHE MIGHT BE READY FOR THE STOKKE KINDERZEAT. I BROUGHT MINE BACK FROM GERMANY WHEN MY SON WAS SAHRA'S AGE. AND HE ENJOYED SITTING AT THE TABLE. THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS CHAIR IS THAT THEY CAN GET UP AND DOWN BY THEMSELVES WHEN THEY ARE A LITTLE OLDER AND AT AGE 5 NOW IT IS STILL THE ONLY CHAIR THAT ALLOWS HIM TO SIT CORRECTLY WITH THE RIGHT BACK AND FOOT SUPPORT.

[MartiesMom2B]

Beth:

What about a booster chair? My nephews started to sit in theirs when they were about Sarah's age. There is a portable feeding seat in the One Step Ahead catalog that reclines.

Sonia
EDD 4/14/03

[megsmom]

Remember when we had high chair issues?! :) At that time, Meg behaved best when she ate directly off of the table sitting in her high chair. We weren't big fans of food all over the table either so I found some suction on hippo placemat at BRU that Meg couldn't get off. It was nice because it contained the mess and you could just take it over to the sink when done and wash it off. Now of course she was a lot younger then and really didn't have much interest in pulling it up or as much strength. Hopefully, this little issue will pass.

Jen
mom to Meghan 7/13/01

[nohomama]

Unfortunately, we've never found a bowl or plate whose sunction can match the tennacity of Lola. We've just gotten good about predicting when she'lll make the move to launch her plate of food accross the room. It's usually at the end of a meal when she's no longer hungry and starting to get bored.

I just wanted to post in case you might be interested in a Stokke-like chair but didn't want to pay $200 for an actually KinderZeat. A freind recently returned one of the knockoff Euro Highchairs from One Step Ahead when the one she received was both defective and unsafe (and the replacement parts sent by One Step Ahead were defective and unsafe too). Another less expensive option to the KinderZeat though is the Simo (maker of prams and strollers...I first read about it on the PP Stroller Board) Viking Booster Seat, http://www.mybabystroller.com/accessories/viking_high_chair.htm. I've read good reviews of it and it has the advantage of being able to be used like a traditional highchair OR at a regular dining table like the Stokke.

[egoldber]

Thanks all. I don't know what her issue was, but after a week, she decided that the high chair was OK again. I think it helped that we had some friends and their toddler over for dinner. I think watching the other baby use HER high chair made it OK again.

Hopefully by the time she does this again, she'll be ready for her own table and chair.

Thanks!