Should I care about high chair features?

[Judegirl]

It's almost time to start solids. I don't know what to look for in a high chair, and frankly, I'm too sleep-deprived to care. (Do we even need one at this age? Can't I just feed her on my lap for a few months?)

We have a TINY 2-room apt (the kitchen is along a wall in the living room), no dining room table, and no storage space. I don't know what I need, other than a place to put dd so I can feed her. (Will I want to be sitting to feed her? If so, the chair will have to be in the living room next to the couch... )

Something that folds up to roughly the size of a quarter would be great...

I'm hoping someone (or several someones!) might be able to tell me what I should care about in a high chair...

TIA!
Jude

[kaitlinsmommy]

JMO, but I would not have fed dd in my lap. The first month or two of solids was REALLY messy until she learned how to accept the spoon. I put her in the bouncy seat the first time I fed her but it was so messy I bought a high chair the next day.

I have the Healthy Care high chair and out of all the features, I like the vinyl cover that can be wiped clean. Have you considered just a booster seat? I think the reclining booster seat works well, it doesn't take up much space and she can use it for a long time. I'd go that route if you don't want a high chair.

[Judegirl]

I think you need a table with a booster seat, no? We don't have one of those. :)

I don't know that we don't want a high chair. I just don't know anything about them.

Thanks for the info about the HC high chair,

Jude

[sadie427]

You don't need a table with a booster seat, if it's the kind that straps to the chair and has a tray.

http://thefirstyears.com/products/product.asp?pValue=1099

http://thefirstyears.com/products/product.asp?pValue=3368

We have the older model of the reclining one, which was about $30 at the time, and have never missed a high chair. There have been a few posts about this in the past, if you do a search. I think there's a Fisher Price one that's popular as well. Some of them fold up, but even the ones that don't don't take much space. It's ideal for an apartment, and I think it's actually much easier to clean, store and deal with than a high chair. You can put it in the shower if it gets really dirty.

I wouldn't recommend feeding her on your lap to start with--better to delay solids a bit until you get a booster seat or high chair. You need to be able to see each other to really make it go well, plus as the PP said it would be messy to do it on your lap.

[Judegirl]

Okay, I'm sold on not feeding her on my lap or in her bouncy seat! LOL - the things first-time mommies don't know, huh?

I'll check into booster seats, too. Thanks!

[zen_bliss]

a booster seat strapped to a chair is all you need. they have snap on trays so you don't even need to pull her up to a table. i have the safety 1st fold n go booster in the car for outings, and honestly, it would have gotten the job done as a home highchair too. i thought we *had* to have a proper highchair. sold the prima pappa and got a kinderzeat. we did use that with a tray for a little while. it does not take up much space and slides right under the little prep island in the kitchen, and as a bonus it's strong enough for mama to stand on to reach the high shelves in a pinch :)

[quikeye]

Hi Jude :)

Just an opinion on the other side-- we're still feeding ds sitting in our laps/in a bouncy chair at 8 months. (Started @ 6 months sitting up in his swing, but we got rid of the swing since he was twisting in it).

It's messy :) but do-able. Our problem is hands in the mouth when we're eating (and then, hands on head/face/legs/mami y papi...) We're also in a small apt and have been holding off getting a chair for space concerns as well-- I'm slowly making room, and will eventually get a folding high chair (probably in a month or so when we really hope to step up solids; we'll be looking for a vinyl seat, mainly)... We also are only feeding solids once a day (ds isn't interested even though we started slowly), and he gets his nite-time bath afterwards.

He's pretty much eating only on our laps now, since the bouncy bounces, and I seem to get more on his forehead/etc when hes kicking up a storm :)

BTW, have you looked @ craigslist for baby stuff/high chairs? They just added a "baby & kids" section (you're in NY right?) Someone's selling a prima pappa highchair (vinyl, folding) for $15 (!!). I love CL ... http://newyork.craigslist.org/bab Finding a deal may spur you into buying one; I've been watching our local (SF Bay) CL for weeks for a highchair, but nothing's rocked me yet.

Good luck :) *Sending sleep vibes*

[stillplayswithbarbies]

I understand the space issue and agree that a booster may be the way to go. But here is something to consider for the future. Make sure that booster can safely hold a toddler. Once you have a mobile toddler, you will want something to safely corral her while she eats. Logan sits and eats fine in her high chair, but if we decide to eat in the living room and put a plate out for her, she doesn't "get" that it's mealtime and wants to just walk around and play.

The high chair is also a nice place to play with things like crayons and play doh and things like that.

...Karen
DS Jake Feb 91, DD Logan Mar 03
http://members.aol.com/khowe14494/superpower.gif http://members.aol.com/khowe14494/borntobebreastfed2.gif

[jno55]

Hi,

You have gotten some good responses so far. My suggestion would be to try feeding your baby solids and see what her reaction is. Both my kids were closer to 8 months before solids were something we did on a regular basis. Again, all kids are different, but with your space considerations there is no need to get it if she isn't ready.

The booster is a great option, it's easy to travel with, and the newer ones have a recline for infants. My 3 year old would still fit as well, so there is plenty of grow room. If you wanted a more tradional chair I just saw this high chair at Target. It folds completely flat, and is a very straightforward model: no recline or fancy features. But, it is sturdy and really does take up very little space when folded. Here's the link

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1_3/qid=1096398933/ref=sr_1_3/602-7665457-4239828?%5Fencoding=UTF8&asin=B0000CEJX1


Hope this helps a little!

[kaitlinsmommy]

Yes, the booster seats come with trays and there is definitely not a need for a high chair. Even though dd is almost 2, I prefer her booster have a tray so it catches what she drops. I like our high chair but could have lived without it.

[californiagirl]

We have a booster, but I still feed her in my lap pretty often. Then again, she's mostly a finger-food baby. Baby food carrots: messier in lap, easier to be faaar away and see what you're doing. Finger food she eats herself or feeds herself using my fingers as a utensil: neater in my lap, she eats more, and I can do other things at the same time (like eat my dinner with the other hand). She doesn't eat much baby food, anyway.

Somehow the times I put her in the booster with a bib always involve the most mess. It doesn't help that she regards the bib as a tool or evenly spreading food across her face, so it actually increases the amount of food in her hair.