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We're off highchair shopping this weekend but as usual, there seem to be so many different types and at such a huge price range.

So what are the essentials for a highchair? And can anyone recommend one? I really don't want to spend more than £100 max.

Thanks

Hey,

We bought a wooden highchair from Ikea initially, for 40 quid. It didn't have a tray and I was wondering why by 8 months my ds wasn't using his cup himself or getting very good at finger food. I was also spending alot of time trying to pick food out of wood.

A friend then recommended this highchair www.kiddicare.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/productdisplayA_0_10751_-1__80848_10001_ (we bought it in yellow though) and I can honestly say it has been one of our best baby purchases. It won't help your kitchen win any design awards (garish, quite big and bright) but it has a nice big tray, is a doddle to clean and even has built in toys (ds doesn't tire of them). Once ds was used to this chair he absolutely loved it. He'll watch his baby dvds in his chair after his meals (he bounces about and tears around so we have to keep him still after he's eaten to avoid vomming!). He started using his cup himself and mastered finger foods very soon after we bought it (trays are essential here, so you can just pop some toast down or his cup and dc will play with them. It somehow isn't the same drawn up to the table). Oh and baby is quite tucked in, so food falls on the chair, not on the floor.

And all for only 30-odd quid. Bargain.

But I would say that whatever you go for, avoid wood and make sure you have a tray.

We spent ££ on a fancy highchair for DD1. We used it for DD1 and DD2 but I hated it - it was cumbersome, ugly and always food encrusted.

So for DS we got an Antilop from Ikea. It's plastic, and a doddle to clean as no nooks for food to get wedged into. A decent sized tray (sold separately).

The whole lot cost under 20 quid.

We've got the Ikea Antilop to and it's the best highchair I've ever used - and I've tried quite a few at friends houses, in pubs etc.

It's easy to clean, very light, and the legs come off for travelling.

The tray has a lip on it to stop food rolling off onto the floor.

Without the tray, the chair pulls right up to the table so that the baby can join in meals.

The baby sits properly upright in it. In so many others, especially the padded plasticky kind, babies, especially younger ones, seem to slump back in them, and I think this is a choking hazard.

Your baby won't ougrow it - my 3 year old still fits in mine - not that he uses it really but he likes to copy his brother every now and again.

The lap harness is effective but much simpler than other and no shoulder straps to get covered in food.

And all for less than £15 - what more could you want!

If you're thinking of doing BLW, the top issue is the ability to clean. I would steer away from the padded sort, as things get in every nook and cranny. We have the plain wooden folding one from John Lewis because we have a small house and needed to be able to tuck it away. £70, I think.

We have two
Ikea one - fab, easy to clean, looks fine in a kitchen etc.
Tripp Trapp - looks prettyin our front room where dining table is, good for kids to be able to put feet down.

I'd go for Ikea really, it even folds down to take it to Grandmas. Get it, you won't regret it - and if you decide to buy another, it's a fab spare for when people come round etc.

Thanks so much for those replies. The Ikea one seems great!

I have heard though that a reclining highchair is useful as kids have a tendency to fall asleep half way through a meal so you can just leave them there??? Does this seem a worthwhile consideration?

Dd never fell asleep when eating, ds did (so cute to watch eye lids droping as he chews and cant find his mouth to stuff more bread in as his eyes are shut) but then i would pick him up, wipe face and stick him in the cot as if he fell asleep in another awkward place-at least then he would have a proper 2hr nap after lunch i expect it would be a cat nap if he was strapped in a reclining chair as its much less careful

We have a Tripp Trapp which has been used almost daily since DD was 5 months old, she is now 7y.

My requirements were:

* DD sat at table with us, not seerately eating ff a tray
* wooden
* easy to clean
* hard wearing and long lasting
* fit under our table well
* looks nice in an open plan living area

The TT did all of the above. the fact that it turns into a normal seat to be used for as long as we like is just a binus. It does, however, mean that although it is expensive to buy £ for £ v how much use it gets means it has been a bargain.

I have a tripp trapp and had an Antilop.

DS is 3.5 and still sits in the TT (and uses it as a general purpose step in the kitchen) and I think it is worth the money.

But, the Antilop is blardy brilliant - even goes in the dishwasher, and dead easy to clean. You can use it with the tray or at the table too.

You don't need a recline function. If they fall asleep, you just take them out

Cosatto on the move highchair - easy to clean, folds away and portable for popping in boot of car or in footwells of back seats

antilop vote here. thats all you need. anything more complicated is a food trap...

oh - and none of my friends kids or mine have ever fallen asleep when eating!!

antilop or a tripp trapp

Agree with almost everyone else. Essentials for a highchair-
1. It comes from Ikea.
2. It is called Antilop.

That's all you need to know .

Easy to clean .... there are no other essential requirements.

The sensible thing to do is get an Antilop for 6-12months use, ie messiest period, then invest in a tripp trapp or similar for another 10 years.

Another vote for Antilop to start with then move on to Tripp Trapp.

My mum has just bought my sister the Cosatto Toast highchair, which does the same job as the Tripp Trapp, but comes complete with seat liner (you have to buy these separately with tripp trapp) & also has a removable tray so that you don't always have to use it at the table. It cost £80 from kiddicare & is said to last up until the child is around 10.

Definitely an Antilop -- we've got two as DS1 (2.9) still uses his

neither has ever fallen asleep while eating!

we wanted a high chair that
could sit up at the table
could grow with the children
was easy to clean.

we bought this one for DS1 and he still uses it as a chair at the table aged 5.5

and this one for DS2 we MUCH prefered the first one DS2 will not be able to use his for much longer and he is 3 years old

Essential features are highness and chairiness.

We don't have the Antilop, but I would get it if we were starting over again, absolutely.

Both of mine have fallen asleep while eating but I've just left them -- I don't think the reclining is a big help because they tend to slump forward so to take advantage of the reclining feature you'd need to recline the chair and then lean them backwards and by that point you may as well just take them out of the chair. That's assuming it's even safe to recline a child who may have half-chewed food in his or her mouth, which I'd be dubious about.

I hate ikea but i love my antilop

ds once fell asleep eating, so i picked him up and put him in his cot

yet another antilop vote. DD did fall asleep once in it, slumped forward but I just wiped her face and moved her. A highchair doesn't need to recline. I also had the inflatable booster for the antilop for when DD was little - again easy to wipe down. We did BLW so a lot of mess.
Friend has Tripp Trapp but no belt so her 19m just stands up all the time. I think a belt/harness is essential as I have a hard tile kitchen floor so don't want DD doing somersaults out of the highchair.

Wow!

Thanks so much everyone. I think the answer is pretty conclusive - Ikea here we come! :O

(Greyskull - I did like the look of your first highchair as well though. Will keep that and the TT in mind when DS grows).