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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

... to be fussy about buying a highchair?

105 replies

MusicalMummyJules · 29/07/2010 21:45

Long story but will try to cut it short.

Basically it's DS's who is 6 mths, christening on Sunday and DP's mother has offered us to buy a highchair, which is really kind of her as she knows we work hard to break even every month let alone find the money for the big money things that a baby/child sometimes need.

Anyway, get a phone call from DP while I'm at work saying that she has offered to buy a highchair and she's found one that's really cheap on Kiddicare and can I have a look at it and let him know as the offer ends tomorrow.

So I look at it and my heart sinks, it's totally not the kind of highchair I wanted - I have been researching for a good couple of months about highchairs and had found one that I really wanted and was willing to save for (as it's about £70.00) The highchair that she has offered to buy us is a plastic, folding highchair with a unmovable plastic tray etc whereas as the one I was hoping to get was a wooden one, that lasts until they are 10 and has a removable tray so that they can, when convenient eat at the table with us. Quite a few of my family and DP knew that I wanted to get this specific highchair and we're going to give us some money towards it for the Christening.

I feel like I am being spoilt and totally selfish cow and we have had conversations to this effect in the past as I put my foot down and saved to get a Bugaboo Bee when DP and all his family we're trying to persuade me to get a cheaper pushchair.

Anyway I come back from work and I've given in and said it's not the one I want but it's very kind of her and if she would like to get it us and you're happy with it then phone her back and tell her we'd really appreciate it.

Now I'm sat here gutted that I'm getting this highchair but feeling childish at the same time....

OP posts:
Poppet45 · 29/07/2010 22:15

The antilop one rocks - you can turn the hosepipe on it, and if you get it in white it cleans nicely with industrial bleach after bolognaise 'incidents'. Why, why why would you spend anything more than £15??? You'll be hating picking food out of that £70 heirloom style jobbie long before your child hits 10.

willowk · 29/07/2010 22:16

I insisted I wanted a really nice wooden high chair for DD so spent £70 on the cream Valencia one from mothercare - really, really wish I'd bought the Ikea one instead

HaveToWearHeels · 29/07/2010 22:18

I was addiment I wanted a Bloom Fresco, so bought a 2nd hand one £170. It is now in the garage and we have an Antilop.

sunshiney · 29/07/2010 22:18

Get the ikea one, I beg you! I've had the wooden high chair, its not a patch on the sturdy sensible antilop.

If you get a costly one you would be pleased with it for maybe a week. Then the novelty will wear off and you'll be left with your pride and joy purchase splattered with food and dented where it was bashed with a spoon.

Save your money for all the vanish washing powder you'll need to get the mashed pumpkin/carrot/banana stains out the clothes!

BustleInYourHedgerow · 29/07/2010 22:19

YAB kind of U. She did ask you to look at it, so you can always explain, sorry, I really have my heart set on this one, if you think it's too expensive for you to afford could you contribute some of the money towards it?

We barely break even every month and I honestly don't feel that spending a lot of money on stuff like highchairs and branded pushchairs is something your child is going to care about in years to come. I bought a bright yellow gracco highchair because it was E20 in the January sale. Same as pushchair - sturdy, Gracco 3-in-1 travel system thingy reduced to E100 because it was last season's colours.
Wish I had bought the Ikea Antilop, my friend has it in her cafe and DS is always comfortable in it and its easy to clean. Unfortunatley no Ikea near us

smallorange · 29/07/2010 22:20

Was going to say Ikea Antilop too but everyone got there before me.

Wooden ones are a nightmare to clean

IsItMeOr · 29/07/2010 22:21

YABU - can't believe you are a MNer, claim to have researched extensively, have very limited funds and haven't twigged that the IKEA antilop is the obvious winner for a highchair.

The daftness with MIL is just irrelevant tbh.

Tell her you've seen the light, don't buy the kiddicare one (they are great on returns anyway iirc) and ask her to get you the IKEA one with tray.

drivingmisscrazy · 29/07/2010 22:22

buy the IKEA one. Better still, get 2 (there'll still be change) and have one at your house and one at GPs - it's absolutely fine. Get the little booster cushion if your baby is a tiddler. If you have a garden and a hose all you do is drag it outside, hose down and leave to dry. My SIL has some extraordinary thing with padding and straps and levers. Nightmare

PartialToACupOfMilo · 29/07/2010 22:23

Afraid I'm another Antilop-user.

We also planned to buy (and did actually buy) a lovely wooden East Coast highchair which I think was around £70. It's beautiful to look at, looks nice in the dining room and has a tray that you can flip back so that it can be pushed up to the table. Told my sister we were buying this one, feeling very proud and she told me to get the ikea one, but I didn't - didn't want to be told that my expensive chair was rubbish or to admit that she knew better than me.

Anyway dd slips down in the wooden one - and she can actually sit really well unsupported and has been doing for 10 weeks now... - she also gagged really badly in it as she isn't sitting up well enough and it turns out it is a pain to clean. We went out and bought the Ikea almost immediately and we haven't looked back.

YANU - No point her spending money on something that you don't like, when the perfect item is available for less than £15

MissBonpoint · 29/07/2010 22:23

If it's someone else's shout... get the Tripp Trapp. Just got one & bought this tray to fit onto it - works a treat: www.playtray.dk/language/2/playtray

monkeyfacegrace · 29/07/2010 22:24

Ive got an antilop! Had a chicco, ad the food got stuck everywhere and it was a nightmare (mouldy food in crevises I didnt even know existed!)
Lasteda few months then went for antilop. Oh. My. Days.
Simple and great!

"sorry for typos, too much Vino"

Aitch · 29/07/2010 22:25

lol at levers. re the long-term thing... ikea do a toddler chair with long legs for about twenty quid so you're still quids in if you buy both.

loopyloops · 29/07/2010 22:26

Another vote for the IKEA Antilop here. No point in any other - cheapest and best BY FAR!

(PS look up tripp trap on youtube, you'll go off that type)

Rockbird · 29/07/2010 22:30

Seriously, you cannot go wrong. This is absolutely all you need. Spent the other £60 on shoes/wine/anything other than a plastic monstrosity.

ChippingIn · 29/07/2010 22:39

loopyloops - what are they saying is wrong with the triptrap (can't youtube right now). We have 2 and I love them!!

LadyBiscuit · 29/07/2010 22:43

A tripptrapp is nice but anything you can put in the dishwasher like the Antilop is a clear winner in my book. And the blow up cushion is genius

runnybottom · 29/07/2010 22:46

I had a plastic tat one, an oh so tasteful wooden one, and for my 3rd and far more long lasting, easiest to clean, most comfy and rather stylish? Antilop!!!! (mines red)

The MN Jury has spoken. Get thee to Ikea lady,

ChippingIn · 29/07/2010 22:46

We don't use the cushions or the tray - just the actual seat pushed up to the table.... surely you can't put the legs of the Ikea on in the dishwasher either

I am amazed there are so many fans of the antilop - it doesn't seem very sturdy to me?! It seems like they'd be able to pull it over by grabbing the table?!

ChippingIn · 29/07/2010 22:49

Sorry MMJ - you should get Dh to ring her first thing in the morning and tell her that you are sorry, but you really would prefer the Ikea on for only £15/your original choice and if it's a little more than she wanted to spend could she please contribute to the one you would like and you will pay the rest

Please don't settle for one you don't like - you'll just get annoyed seeing it everyday!!

runnybottom · 29/07/2010 22:50

Not at all. And my middle son has spent plenty of time trying...if he can't do it, its not possible!

Why would you want to put the legs in the dishwasher?

LadyBiscuit · 29/07/2010 22:51

Nope, never pulled over in our house either. And never needed to put the legs in the dishwasher either

drivingmisscrazy · 29/07/2010 22:52

chippingin you underestimate Swedish genius! the legs are kind of splayed IYSWIM so that they can't tip in any direction. Only problem I've had with it is that I kept tripping over the legs because they are angled outwards - but I soon got used to it

loopyloops · 29/07/2010 22:52

Chipping - There are lots of videos of toddlers kicking against the table and falling backwards with the Tripp Trapp. Only dangerous if your kid works it out and wants to do it!

NotAnotherNewNappy · 29/07/2010 22:52

I have a tripp trapp (present from my MIL) it's great if you have a very small dining space. The BabyDan (see John Lewis) is practically the same chair for half the price.

I have always envied people with the ikea chair as (until v recently) it was the only one DD couldn't climb out of and MUCH easier to clean.

Don't worry too much about your DC growing out of it - DD is 23mo and already prefers to sit in (scruffy second hand) grown up chairs like mummy and daddy than her v expensive, ergonomically designed and aesthetically pleasing tripp trapp.

castleonthehill · 29/07/2010 22:52

I would get a ikea one and then the trip trap without the baby seat my two 4 and 8 still sit on thiers the eat really well and behave well for big family meals because of it save for the one you want you child will be happier if you are