Highchairs - any advice?

[muppet73]

Which one and how long do they use it? When do they give up using a highchair and ude a regular chair?

Any recommendations/ advice welcome

dd still using Tripp Trapp at 4, ds moved to a Tomy booster seat on proper chair at 18 months from plastic, cheapish, food-trapping high chair and has used a regular chair since around 4 1/2-5.

Thanks Lizs - I guess I should just get one with bits that can all be wiped clean?

It depends what age you want to start using it from - how old is your little one?

Buy a cheap one from Argos. Ds used his from when he could sit reliably to eat to around 18 months I think - not bad for £20. Was plastic, easy to clean. Not the most attractive piece of furniture ever but not worth shelling out another £80 or more just for 'style' points. We were vaguely thinking about a posh one but bought the £20 job as a stop gap until we could get somewhere that sold them. And never bothered to replace it as it did the job so well! Used a spare cushion at first (one I was happy to sacrifice) to make it more comfortable.

5 and a bit months - getting reading for weaning in a couple of weeks.

Edam - I am doing the same looking at plastic or wood. Thing is my kitchen floor is like concrete so for my own oiece of mind ~I'd like something sturdy.

We used a second hand mamas & papas Prima Pappa (I never buy new) - it was £25 and you can use it when they are really young, as it is padded, reclines, and is easy to clean. It is also quite sturdy, so lasted well.

got a great really cheap one from ikea - has lasted 2 large sprogs well thus far. cost about £6

Thanks all - off to toysrus to try a few out for size!! should be fun

Expensive but you can't beat the Tripp Trapp.
However, very cheap but brilliantly practical (just take off the legs and chuck it in the dishwasher) is the Ikea Antilop £11.50.

get a big tray

it stops them being able to reach over the edge and drop food on the floor

removable washable reins/harness would be good

mine doesn't have one and they get filthy

who has one that screws onto a table top? dh wants that kind.

not for him, for dd

First years booster 3 stage - brilliant, ds climbs in it himself and straps himself in and he's 2.5 So that's been 2 years of use for about 30 quid. And he can sit at the table with us.

We have just been away and it was stressful having him kneeling on a chair - but he didn't get down until he'd asked.

We bought a mothercare high chair for DS ... one of those pine cube ones that the top half comes off and you have a table and a chair.
That was 5 and half years ago. DS used it as a high chair ... then we took the tray off and he used it at the proper table (perfect height for him) and took it apart for him to sit at the little table to do stuff like play dough.
Then, when he was well over 4 and a half and DD was ready for a high chair he generously donated it to her. She is now at the stage where we are about to take the tray off and she will eat at the table properly. We use the little table for play dough and drawing.
Single best item that I bought when DS was a baby ... and it looks nice too, fits in with our furniture. It was 50 quid.

Simple, cheap, without creases and washable straps.

I bought a Chicco happy snacker and will soon be gettting rid of it. IT is far too difficult to clean.

Don't worry about getting one suitable for the early months - go for somthing that will last across the years.

Dophus - Arhhhhhhh saw this too late and have bought a Happy Snack - Looks ok for cleaning though - Just take the whole cover off and wipe down?

I had a Mammas and Papps one for ds1 and dd which I hated, when you folded it it fell open, loads of nooks and crannies to secrete food and it didn't sit up to the table.
Many people raev about the Tripp Trapp.
Personally I would recommend the Ikea one, £18 and so easy to clean, sits right up to the table if you take the tray off. We got one for ds2 and it was so much better.
Yes, it doesn't fold up, but so what. Live with it in yr dining room for a year!
DS2 btw was in it from about 5 months till about 16mths. Then he started tipping his food on the floor unless he was on the big boy's chair. We also have a little tabel and chairs from ELC which is great.

Oh dear - maybe it's me that's the muppet .

I just find it fiddly to get the cover off and it's not machine washable. The basket underneath is great for storage - particularly of all the food that has dropped down. DS1 (8 month) chews the straps with the food in his mouth. IT's minging.

Good luck!

i had a second hand one (think it was a mothercare) for dd, shes now 11mth and still in it. have got a cheap booster seat/travel high chair for when she bigger prob about 17/18 month (and when we in our own house so have a dining table she can sit up to) wouldnt put her into a normal chair until about 2/3 (but she does have a little table and chair which i might let her use from 2 for breakfast and lunch!

oh forgot to say, when dd was very small (between4-7mth) i put her in her walker to feed her as she wasnt all that good at sitting up, so i could pad her out with blankets!!!