Me-too Hook-on chair vs. First Years Inflatable Booster?

[emmasmama]

I've read the old posts, but can't decide. Seems like people really love the Me-too, but it goes for ~$45 and I have to order it online. I'm thinking I could probably get the First Years ($20) at Target or Baby Depot or something?

They both weigh very little and are extremely portable, so here is the basic info based on what I've read:

Me-too - can't use on all kinds of tables, but might be able to use on some restaurant pedestal tables if they seem sturdy enough. DD is heavy and big (~23 lbs and wearing 24 mos/2T at 10 mos), so I'm a little worried about this. Con - she could probably also climb out of this seat? Pro is the 40 lb weight limit. Con - Price is higher.

First Years - have to hook it up to a chair, can't use on a booth? Pro - don't have to worry about table stability like with a hook-on chair. Some people said that it sits lower because it's a booster, but since DD is big, I'm thinking this won't be a problem? Am I wrong? Con - Not sure how tight the harness is - worried about her actually fitting in it for long. Pro - harness looks like it would probably hold a squirmy baby so she couldn't climb out. Didn't see a weight limit posted. Pro - price is lower.

Anyone else have any comments or thought about the above and overall ease of use?

[Marisa6826]

Laurie-

We have the First Years one. I thought it would be good to keep in the trunk for when we go to places that don't have a highchair available (inlaws, restaurants, etc.)

It does sit quite low. Sophie's on the small side, but even still, her shoulders (the bottom of them where her arms start) just clear the edge of the table.

You can't use it in a booth, nor on club-type chairs.

Sophie has been able to loosen the straps (and you can't really get them really tight anyway) by rocking side to side in the booster.

I think that the hook-on one is probably better overall. You can use them on the majority of tables. And usually if you're at a restaurant, you can ask for a booth instead and it would work fine.

I have a 20% coupon for Buy Buy Baby and I think I plan on the Chicco hippo one.

It sounds crazy, but I would actually keep both in the trunk. The booster one will probably be good as Sophie gets older and isn't so squirmy.

Hope this helps

-m

[egoldber]

I own the Me Too seat and breifly owned the FY inflatable before returning it. Honestly, I thought the inflatable one was pretty worthless. The harness does not get tight, the chair sits quite low and the weight of a heavier child makes the seat sink even more.

If you didn't want to spend the money for a Me Too seat, I would get a hard plastic booster by either the FY or Safety 1st.

HTH,

[emmasmama]

Marisa, In reading the back posts it seems like people aren't as keen on the Chicco one, so just thought I'd mention that. The consensus seems to be that the Me too and Inglesina one are the nicest.

HTH and thanks for your helpful response on the inflatable seat!

[emmasmama]

Thanks Beth, it sounds like from what you and Marisa have said, that the Me Too would make the most sense. I wanted something very compact so I could throw it in my tiny stroller basket even or diaper bag, and it sounds like the Me Too is more versatile. I'd rather pay more and have something that is really useful to me. DD is not really that squirmy (yet) so hopefully the climbing out of the seat won't be a problem ;).

Oh, just one more question, so I'm clear - you CAN use this seat inside a booth, right? This is attractive to me because we live in the city and there are a number of restaurants with tight space - it would be great not to have her sitting in a highchair in the walkway where waitresses are tripping over her and trays are going over her head. Does it make it unstable if the child can touch/kick the seat of the booth with their feet?

Thanks again,

[mharling]

I don't see why you wouldn't be able to use this inside a booth. Going front to back, it wouldn't take up any more room (and probably less) than an adult sitting.

If she is prone to climbing, you would just want to make sure that her feet would hang over empty space rather than the booth seat (they should). I only mention this because we used our Me Too and put the regular restaurant chair underneath ds because there was nowhere else to put it. He was able to reach the chair and push up a little bit.

Mary
Lane 4/6/03

[stillplayswithbarbies]

We have the Inglesina chair, which is similar to the Me Too.

You really can't use it in a booth because they can get their feet on the seat and push up and that makes the hook on chair unstable. This is also why you can't put regular a chair under it.

That said, we do use it at Bennigans in a booth, but I have to watch her closely so that she doesn't try to stand up, and catch her if she does.

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[egoldber]

We used it in booths all the time. But Sarah is not and has never been a climber, so I never worried about it.

HTH,

[gisele]

I have the First Years Inflatable Booster. My son is 11 months old and probably around 19 pounds. I used it recently on a trip and really liked it. We strapped it onto chairs, and didn't have a problem with the straps getting loose. I like how he is strapped in; he can be squirmy but doesn't fall out. It can sit a little low - this depends on the chair we're given. But it has always been high enough that DS still puts his hands on the table and plays with stuff. It is very compact - very good for airplane travel. I think as the baby gets heavier, you have to make sure you close the valve so the air doesn't get out, otherwise there shouldn't be a problem with weight. I don't have any experience with the Me-to chair. But I've been really happy with the inflatable one.

[suribear]

We use our Me Too everywhere (and get all sorts of comments and questions about it lol).

You can use it in a booth on the end of the table (Where the high chair would be). You can use it in other positions too, but then there is the pushing off problem. We've done it, and it didn't seem to be a big issue as long as the baby is eating. Once they get bored, they might try escaping :) Every baby is different, I suppose. ds associates the chair with eating, so that helps!

You do have to be careful that the table isn't too tippy. Broad pedestals are fine..
Kris

[boys2enough]

Hi, we just came back from a 2-week visit overseas and was so happy that we had our Me-Too chair with us everywhere we went. I spent a lot of time considering this purchase, like you I thought it was a little bit pricey, and Dh had given me a BIG NO for this item. But right before we left, I decided to go for it because I was totally stressed out by our trip and wanted to be prepared for every possible situation imaginable. It turned out to be one of the best things we brought with us. Even DH towards the end of the trip was delighted by what this little chair could do.


I have a Maclaren Vogue stroller with small basket, and the Me-Too chair fits in it just fine. I was also able to carry it in my backpack and didn't feel the extra weight at all.

For the booth situation: I found it depends on how much space there is between the seat and the table. Am I making sense to you at all? At one restaurant I was able to sit "behind and under" Gabriel while he sat in the Me-Too chair in a booth. He seemed to like that a lot since he is SUPER attached to me, esp. on this trip, guess he was a littlt bit traumatized by so many new things and people.

I actually brought a portable highchair with us on the trip also to use at my parents' house. Gabriel WOULD NOT sit in that chair at all. Sometimes he balked at highchairs at restaurants, but would gladly sit in his own Me-Too chair.

I bought ours at babycenter.com, and I went through the www.ebates.com site, so I also received 6% back, plus I bought some other things so I didn't have to pay shipping for that purchase.

Hope this helps you when making a decision.

Cheers, Lin

p.s. I wonder where you are at. I am in the Chicago sub. Thought I'd ask just in case you are nearby, then I can loan you our Me-Too chair to try out so you can see it IRL before you buy it.