portable / pocket highchair things

[AuroraB]

hello,

i've seen these in a couple of places (like this thisand i think they might be just the thing for us as we eat out a lot and visit childless friends who don;t have highchairs.

has anyone got an experience of them? do they actually work?

the jojo one goes over a back of a chair so what if you are somewhere with funny shaped chairs? perhaps something like this may be better?

anyone got any advice? thanks

I have the JoJo one and I'm thinking of selling it. My DD likes to feed herself so as she can't reach the table she doesn't like it. However we have used it a few times and the funny shaped chairs haven't really been a problem, the only time it was a pain was on a chair with a big hole at the back and she tended to slip backwards.

We bought an Ikea Antilop and tend to take that to friend's houses as you can pop the legs off and stick it in the car. No good if you're not driving though.

we have a grobag one - here

it does the job and packs down nice and small. I do find that occasionally DD is very low, this can fairly easily remedied with a cushion though (with a teatowel over it to protect from spillages...)

I've got a totseat which I've never ended up using (not sure why) and was impressed with how secure it seemed. I had one like the JoJo one and sold it as it wasn't safe enough and faffy to tie up etc. Totseat should avoid the problem Titchy encountered. Didn't think the ebay one looked nearly supportive enough.
I do think they're v.handy although tbh I kept forgetting it and tied my twins up with a scarf each several times whilst out and they needed to eat!
Although rereading your email, you might be better off with a portable highchair (folding one from mothercare etc) with a tray if you really need it for visiting friends. Far more useful and easier for them to eat, puts them at the right height. Plus can use on holiday etc. I got 2 from argos which are great, we use them in the garden for bbq's as well.

I have this Fisher price one here which is a lot bulkier than the cloth ones but does have a tray. We generally leave it in the car though, and use it in friends' houses or in a particular local cafe which has only one high chair but in that case the car is parked right outside so I can just nip out for it, rather than carrying it around all the time. if you want to have something you can just pop in the changing bag, the cloth ones look a lot handier.

I have one like the 2nd one you linked to OP, that I used with DS1; it is pretty secure, but did need a cushion under on some chairs. I never used it for DS2 for some reason...

I think it depends on how old the child is and how you are weaning them. For us they would never have worked as DD has sat with us up at the table since we weaned her at 6mths (BLW) So being down low from the table wouldnt of worked for us. We have had the Ikea Highchair that we just fling in the back of the car with the legs off when visiitng friends.

I can see they would be good if you were doing the more traditional weaning (jars ect).
I have looked at them many times wondering wether to get one or not. I think next for us with DD at 18mths would be a booster seat with a strap round to stop her falling off.

Friends have had them though and raved about them.

DS is 8 months and BLW, we do have the ikea antilop, and yes if we're travelling by car we take it. i was thinking more of the times when we end up at a pub or something during a walk which has no highchair or we decide to stay out for dinner unplanned etc.

thanks for all your suggestions, can see a cushion would help if he's a bit low, also i don't think he's necessarily have to be 'up' at the table, it's easy enough to hand him a bit of food to chew on, he doesn't need to reach the table.

accessorizequeen i do like that one you linked to, would appear more supportive yet still portable - thanks all

clearly your blw ds is a much tidier eater than either of my twins who are still throwing stuff all over the floor at 16 months (tray or not)!