Trapp Trapp owning BLWers - what do you put on the table for your DC to eat from?

[DeJaVous]

I've just traded in our ponce-mobile highchair for a Tripp Trapp and I'm most impressed, I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to use as an eating surface/table protector though.

I've been using a piece of oilcloth but DD just pulls it off and waves it around. I can't let her eat directly from the table either, it's an old wooden one with little gaps between the planks, it just wouldn't be hygienic.

So, what do you do?

Oh, and I didn't get the fabulous Antilop because we're used to DD sitting right up at the table with us and didn't want to annex her!

[SoupDragon]

TBH, anything you put on will be pulled off and waved around unless you staple it on.

[DeJaVous]

I secretly suspected as much Oh well, it's still SO much better than The Monster.

What do you use yourself?

[Upwind]

a friend uses a large oil cloth for the whole table

[flowerybeanbag]

DS just eats either directly from the table or from a plastic plate now he's a bit more reliable at not chucking it on the floor.

Could you have a plastic tablecloth that covers the whole table so less easy or tempting for your DD to wave about?

[flowerybeanbag]

x posts upwind!

[TillyScoutsmum]

Not sure if you have a Dunelm near you ? You can get plastic table cloths cut to fit your table (and heat pads for underneath if you need) and then the silver clip things that keep them on. It does mean that our lovely oak table which was bought (pre dc's obviously) to match the rest of the furniture is constantly covered with bright coloured plastic but it does the job....

[hazeyjane]

We ended up buying the Antilop for dd2, and have only just now (dd2 is 16 months)started using the babydan that we had for dd1 (more of a purees girl!).

TBH we had it at the end of the table (with the tray pushed up to the edge of the table)and she was still very much a part of our mealtime, enough so that dd1 could feed her bits of her meal (toddler led weaning)

[SoupDragon]

Babydragon had a kind of plate/tray made by Tomy (have googled but can;t find it) It was tray sized but had a moulded plate in the mddle with a rim and a couple of smaller moulded bowls and it had a smiley face in the middle. I used to sit and eat one handed with one hand on the tray rim and she used to stare at the food in horror disgust and refuse to eat any of it.

I think a large cloth fastened on with clips is your best bet

[DeJaVous]

It sounds like a full sze plastic tablecloth is the way forward then! A plate often distracts DD from eating. She's only 10 months so there is time to get that sorted we are practicing though.

There isn't a Dunelm here but I think I know where I can one cut to size. Not sure about the clips though, I'll see if I can find some.

Thanks everyone!

[willthisdo]

How old is she? I gave DD all sorts of devices stuck to the table etc and she just saw them as a challenge

When she got to about 8 months I started giving her one of our plain white proper side plates (ceramic - but all seconds so cheap!) I don't know if it was because it was so boring or because it was relatively more heavy but she just wasn't interested.

Have suggested it to a few people since and it seems to work.

She's now 2.6, eats off them 3 times a day and we've had 5 broken since she was 8 months. Which I don't think is too bad! Plus it helps when you eat out or away from home.

[willthisdo]

sorry hadn't seen your last post - started my post before heading off to settle DD2. No good then!

[FeelingLucky]

We have a plastic tablecloth (from John Lewis) and one of these things which we stick the plastic plate on to. It's not completely DD-proof but buys us a second or two to rush over when we see she is about to yank the plate off the table.

[AlexanderPandasmum]

I have a hippomat which sticks really well. I don't use it anymore as DS is nearly 19 months, but it was good when we were out and the highchair was one of those wooden things with no tray. The scoop on the end is also useful to stop food from dropping on the floor.

[AlexanderPandasmum]

Sorry, here's a link:

www.amazon.com/TinyDiner%C2%AE-Portable-Placemat-Yellow-design/dp/B000067PRC?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[AlexanderPandasmum]

www.amazon.com/TinyDiner%C2%AE-Portable-Placemat-Yellow-design/dp/B000067PRC?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

If that's easier!

[DeJaVous]

Thanks everyone, we are now kitted out with a full size plastic table cloth and some good clips. It seems to work and it's a clear one so it even looks reasonably ok

AlexanderPandasmum - the hippo mat looks handy, but it doesn't seem to be available in the Netherlands (which is where I am). Sham, because I think it would be perfect with our clip on highchair for out and about.

[2point4kids]

hippo mat here too!

[bluejellybean]

Hippomats are great, works a treat!

[rockdoctor]

I bought a hippomat but unfortunately it didn't stick to my lovely rustic (pre-DD) wooden table - too many cracks and knots in the wood I think.

I have a large clear plastic mat underneath a tablecloth. I put the food on a plastic plate but having read earlier posts here might try a normal dinner plate instead - DD is 9 months now.

Lots of washing of tablecloths here - plastic has to be the way to go but I couldn't find anything big enough!

[babyOcho]

Another Hippomat vote.

Hippomat is excellent and sticks really well to our table.

We are just in the process of getting another one because we love it that much.

[scorpio1]

Stokke have just started doing a mat for the table

look at back in action website, under stokke tripp trapp

[scorpio1]

here

[Thomcat]

LOL! What are you all on about? I use a plate or chuck it straight onto the table she's sat in front of!!! Why do you need to use anything other than that??? Is it just me????????

[babyOcho]

Blimey, it's not cheap.

[Thomcat]

But why don't you just use the table???????????????????????????????