Getting a high chair for your baby is one of the things new parents do once the child is able enough to sit up alone. The high chair is ideal for seating him at the dinner table when the rest of the family is having a meal. It makes the family picture complete. If the child is left in its room you’ll be worried about its well-being and won’t be able to enjoy the meal fully. The child too will benefit from attending the dinner table get-together, picking up little bits and pieces of behavior that will be the beginning of its education. The many options available in high chairs may confuse you a bit. We’ll try to remove that confusion here.
Stability is the most important criterion for selecting a high chair. The child’s weight at the top of the chair raises the chair’s center of gravity and makes it unstable. Your baby can easily upset the stability of the chair by sudden movements or by bending over to look at Rex. If this happens, down will come baby, high chair and all! Make sure that the base is wide enough to counter the elevated center of gravity, and prefer a high chair which uses heavy stock towards the base. As an aside, don’t leave your child sitting unsupervised in the high chair for more than a few minutes.
Standard high chairs depend on a front rest or tray to prevent baby from falling off the chair. You should avoid these and select a high chair which has proper safety straps to restrain the child. Prefer a high chair with a full five-strap harness. A crotch strap and a waist strap are a must, at the very least.
Hygiene is a big problem with babies and very small children. They are quite susceptible to various childhood infections. Dirt is the breeding place of these infections, and you have to work 24×7 to keep the baby’s environment and clothing clean. Don’t add to your cleaning chores, reduce them by buying a high chair with machine-washable cushions.
Attachable toys are very helpful in keeping the baby from getting bored and fretful. Make sure the toys are baby-safe, that is, they don’t have sharp edges or pointed corners, and they don’t break easily. Babies like to taste-test everything they can lay their little hands on. So make sure that the paint or finishing on the toy won’t make your little darling sick!
Get a high chair which has a convenient way to detach or release the front tray or bar. This will simplify getting the baby in and out of the chair. Choose a chair in which the back can be reclined. This way even infants can lie down and enjoy watching the family at meals. It will be a good idea to get high chair with a way to lower and raise the seat to adjust its height according to the situational requirement. A dinner tray which can be washed in the dishwasher is a welcome feature, as is an additional snack tray.
To summarize, don’t consider a chair which is lacking in safety features. After that look for features which will help you maintain hygiene. The other accessories and features depend on your particular requirement and your budget. If this is your first child, get a high chair which is durable enough to be used by the others when they follow in due course of time!
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