Having a baby is expensive. There are many different big purchases that we need to buy, and one of them is no doubt baby high chair. Baby high chair is something that you will be using for years, so you should make the right choice. We learnt it the hard way and changed 3 different high chairs so you don’t have to. Read on to know more in depth.
But basically, what you are looking for in a high chair :
- Proper design that supports your child and promotes good posture
- Easily washable / wipe for cleaning
- Safety & sturdiness
- Accessories are easily available for purchase in case of damage
First mistake was Aprica Coco-Chino Auto Swing.
- Oh YES points: It serves as both a high chair and high/low bed that comes with an automated swing function with lullabies. It reclines to several different angles. It has an additional extra padded infant seat . It comes with a tray and 5 point harness which is a plus point. The covers are easily removable and you can machine wash them.
- Oh NO points: Infant padding of the infant insert made it very warm to be in it for an extended time. My baby is constantly sweating in it. Hence, he could never take a nap on this swing comfortably despite being in an air conditioned room. Apart from that, the auto swing function will turn off automatically after 15 minutes, it gets annoying to keep pressing again to turn it on.
- Verdict after using them: It was a mistake. The reclining function at multiple was pretty good for between 0-6 months old. After that, the reclining angle just isn’t right for a baby who is eating solid food. It doesn’t have a proper back support, it makes my little one very uncomfortable and affects overall feeding. This chair currently retails at 530 USD so it’s not cheap. It’s just way too bulky, expensive and my baby didn’t even enjoy spending time on it.
Moving on to Ikea Antilop high chair…
- Oh YES points: Very affordable at only USD19.99 for the chair inclusive of tray and safety belt. For the price you’re paying, it is strong and sturdy enough. The surface is extremely easy to clean. The trays are big with raised edges. It’s easy to assemble and disassemble, you can easily transport it to grandparent’s place.
- Oh NO points: The chair depth is too deep and hence doesn’t provide enough back support for your child. However to fix this, Ikea offers an additional support pillow which is inflatable (USD6) and cover for the pillow(USD4). Missing footrest. The seat belt is not the most well built one out there, the material gets stained easily and the buckle itself doesn’t seem very sturdy. Little one can easily loosen it by pulling at it hard enough.
- Verdict after using them: It was a mistake. Without the footrest, it seemed like my little one is not comfortable in it. I mean, it bothers me as an adult when my feet can’t touch the ground on those high bar stools. The safety belt just isn’t sturdy enough for a strong wriggly baby like mine.
Finally…. we got it right with Stokke Tripp Trapp.
So, this brings us to the chair that we are currently using, and this is a keeper. This is the world famous Stokke Tripp Trapp. It is so good that it deserved an article on its own. Read all about Stokke Tripp Trapp and their accessories here.
The greatest pain of buying a high chair : Unfortunately you will have to spend a big sum of money first, without any way of knowing in advance if your child will like the chair or not.
Featured image photo credit by Lisa Fotios on Pexels.com (2020)