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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

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Original poster

Can anyone recommend a good highchair for a 4 month old?

25 replies

Orbinator · 27/11/2011 21:19

I've seen the Graco Contempo is popular in Reviews but wasn't sure if that is still the last word on it? I can't find many for 4mths tbh! She does fit into 6-9 month old clothes but still slightly wobbly holding herself up for longer than 15 mins.

Thanks in advance!

OP posts:

Northernlurker · 27/11/2011 21:22

I wouldn't bother with a highchair at that age. You need a highchair when she can sit for longer periods and start to feed herself. For now if you're weaning I assume you are feeding her puree etc? Just sit her on your knee or in car seat/bouncy chair. She will be upright enough to feed but not to wobble. If you are worried about puree on chair etc just put a muslin behind her head. When she gets to 6 months and can sit well then get an Ikea antilop with blow up cushion insert. Cheap and all you'll need. We are still using ours at the table without the tray for 4 yr old dd3.

PacificDogwood · 27/11/2011 21:24

I'd second a bouncy chair thingmy.
Or a lap .
Too young to sit unaided any length of time.

Northernlurker · 27/11/2011 21:28

Also the highchair is the classic thing you think you need and then when you get it it is fact a massive pita and crud magnet. Takes up ACRES of space, gets grubby no matter what you do, traps your fingers and then breaks at a critical moment. It tokk me three children to discover the simple grace that is the antilop which does NONE of the above.

Original poster

Orbinator · 27/11/2011 21:34

Was going to try BLW from next weekend as she is gobbling half a rusk already and grabbing food from my plate when I eat with her (it doesn't stay in but thought her own seat with a tray would be easier - plus I was hoping to eat at the same time and think she would rather be on level with the table). Still BFing on demand but it's gone back to every hour or hour and a half so not much fun atm!

OP posts:

lilham · 27/11/2011 21:48

Do you have a ikea nearby? The antilop is great! Have a look at the reviews here or search the forums. It's the easiest to clean. Also they sell a inflatable insert for it so you can adjust the seat size. If your LO can sit but is wobbly then the insert is perfect. It makes the high chair snug like a bumbo.

lilham · 27/11/2011 21:51

northernlurker if your highchair looks grubby and is a crud magnet, you have got a rubbish one. The antilop is two pieces of plastic with no crevices. I do BLW and it's so easy to wipe clean. Its also what they use in my DD nursery and in the paediatric unit in the hospital where my DD just stayed. There's a reason why they all use it

FessaEst · 27/11/2011 21:52

Sorry to hijack - put a thread out yesterday but it sunk without a trace!!

If anyone has a spare/old insert for their Antilop, I'm desperate to buy one for my 4 month old. We have an Antilop already, live MILES from Ikea and DD2 is desperate to join us at the table but heads off to one side. DD1 didn't ever need the inner so we haven't got one.

Sorry to interrupt

lilham · 27/11/2011 21:53

Oh haha you did say the antilop. Is it hard to clean for you

lilham · 27/11/2011 21:55

fessa have a look on eBay. I see one with a starting bid of 99p and £1.50 postage.

Graciescotland · 27/11/2011 21:56

Ikea antilop, cheap, cheerful, easy to clean.

Original poster

Orbinator · 27/11/2011 22:00

Don't live nr Ikea...do they deliver them I wonder? Ebay is all collect only for the chair but inserts do seem cheap :) Thanks guys.

OP posts:

RitaMorgan · 27/11/2011 22:00

Not sure if a bouncy chair is a good idea - they need to be sat upright, not reclined at all as it's a choking risk.

Do you have a Bumbo seat? I put ds in that at first - you can get a tray for it and set it on the table if you want to eat together.

Northernlurker · 27/11/2011 22:05

Lilham - if you read my post properly you will see I said it took me three children to discover the antilop who 'does none of the above' - ie. is easy to clean etc.

OP - tbh if your dd can't sit up then she is too young for a highchair and too young for blw. She is old enough to be weaned on very soft foods like puree of fruit and veg or baby rice if you want to start anything.

lilham · 27/11/2011 22:08

Sorry northernlurker. Agree with you too about the BLW. You do need to sit up pretty well to make it safe, or the baby won't be able to cough the food back up. 4mo is better to have soft purees.

FessaEst · 27/11/2011 22:09

Thanks Lilham, looked yesterday and couldn't find one - will look again!

Northernlurker · 27/11/2011 22:12

lilham.

Original poster

Orbinator · 27/11/2011 22:21

She can sit for a bit but really just want to get her used to eating with me, but not on me and able to see what I am doing as in the bouncer she can't see and crys to be picked up. Then she grabs things from my plate and sucks at them. She only has half a rusk a day atm as I said, but was going to try with mashed banana and baby rice first. She really is very hungry and I don't think I can maintain BFing every hour now she is over 17Ibs. I don't want to stop it altogether but cutting out just a couple would be nice . Thanks guys, will look into the Antilop even if she just uses it as an extra viewing platform for now.

OP posts:

RitaMorgan · 27/11/2011 22:30

I wouldn't give rusks to such a young baby - they shouldn't have gluten before 6 months and rusks are packed full of sugar. If you wean early you should stick to fruit, veg and rice until 6 months.

vj32 · 28/11/2011 16:50

I tried the antilop in Ikea, nearly! I picked it up and loads of water poured out of it. So it does have holes somewhere. We have a Chicco polly which suits us really well. It can be put at different heights, can be reclined, and folds. It has 2 layers of padding so you can remove one as baby gets bigger. DS was sitting in it from about 4 months, although he was sitting unaided by 5 months.

We just went round all the shops and tried all the options.

Yawner247 · 29/11/2011 21:25

Ikea antilop all the way by a mile the best investment you can make! Soooo easy to clean

BettyBum · 06/12/2011 13:32

I also have the chicco polly and loved the fact that DS could lie in it as a baby when we had our meals it's very comfy.

1Catherine1 · 14/12/2011 22:42

bumbo with play tray if your child likes it that is. Bumbo's are a little like marmite. My DD loves them but a few of her "friends" hate them.

Was absolutely perfect for my DD until she learnt to get out of it at 7 months and then we started to use the high chair.

RillaBlythe · 14/12/2011 22:56

What's the significance of being over 17lbs?

thebigkahuna · 14/12/2011 23:00

We bought DD1 an Antilop at about 4 months so she could sit up at the table at mealtimes with us. She sat very comfortably in it.

I didn't wean her til 6 months though, with BLW it's best to wait til around then.

Sorry, I know you didn't ask for weaning advice but the no gluten before 6 months advice is good and should be followed if at all possible.

BertieBotts · 14/12/2011 23:02

I liked the Tommee Tippee healthy care booster seat - we had the rainforest one which came with a play tray. Works as a high chair and then later you can use it as a booster to sit up at the table. Useful for travel too and easy to clean. DS was tiny but sat up in it at 4 months.

It is your decision, but I'd be wary of doing BLW if she can't sit up for longer than 15 minutes without being wobbly, because they should really be able to sit with support, it's about choking risks, if they gag it needs to come straight back out onto the tray which if they are upright it will, but if reclined, slumped back or to the side, it's much more likely it could get lodged in the throat somewhere.

If you are going to feed puree then they can be reclined, although personally I wouldn't feed purees before 6 months, only BLW. So in your case I would wait a bit longer, even though the feeds are frequent, it's likely to be a growth spurt, or even her getting your supply up for a growth spurt, it will pass soon and your supply is well equipped to deal with this milestone :)

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