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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

highchair help

22 replies

nibbs · 11/08/2006 13:50

Can I call on your collective experience for advice on highchairs...?

I've got a 2nd hand prima pappa one, but the straps just get so dirty with food, it seems difficult to wash as there's little nooks and crannies where bits of food lurk, and the straps fall of DS's shoulders.
I'd tried someone else's East Coast chair, but the straps again were screwed to the chair and got filthy, the tray (which flips over the back of the chair) couldn't then flip back as DS's head was in the way.
At a friend's I tried a Stokke one, and couldn't get the bar in and out of the hole, but it was quite easy to clean. But v expensive!

Is there a perfect highchair that's easy to clean?!
Will this messy stage (9 months) get better, or does it just get worse?! Should I persevere with the Prima Pappa one - is it good for 1-2 year olds?
Is the ikea dead cheap chair the best thing to get, as then he can sit in a normal chair soon?

So many questions... and I can't afford to keep on buying even 2nd hand stuff that just isn't quite right.

OP posts:

Iklboo · 11/08/2006 13:52

The only other alternative is one of those travel ones where you tie your baby to a normal dining chair (kind of). No tray though but you can chuck it in the wash at the end of the day. Think high chairs were designed by men who had no idea of how much mess a tiny person can make - or else thay'd have made them with vinyl straps!

hairymclary · 11/08/2006 13:53

get a booster seat and have him up at the table, much easier

Nemo1977 · 11/08/2006 13:55

I got a tchibo highchair which was`£25. exactly like stokke tripptrapp but cheap. my dd loves it but only flaw is the no tray bit. dd mainly sits at table but sometimes if we are eating at different times will move chair intyo living room and she has nowhere to semi feed herself.

hotmama · 11/08/2006 13:58

Nibbs - I've got a Prima Pappa one - and I agree re the straps - but I suppose if you take them off so could a lo - I guess that is the thinking.

On the rare occasion that I give it a major clean - as opposed to a wipe over with dettox - I take out all the seat and wash and then wash and dettox the chair and straps - must admit I don't do this perhaps as much as I should!

TBH I just dettox the straps and scrub as best as I can. Look at it this way any bacteria that is left is no worse than the rubbish they probably pick up from toys etc.

My dd1 is 22 months old and the chair is fine, dd2 has just turned 6 months so will be using it soon. HTH

LaylaandSethsmum · 11/08/2006 14:03

I would give a vote for the Ikea one. We've got this for DS whos 9 months, its compact, dead easy to clean ( have even hosed it down with hosepipe before now!),no awkward corners, tray is removable so they can sit up to the table and it is so cheap!!

Tommy · 11/08/2006 14:07

this type of thing has served us extremely well through 2 DSs and several small visitors. You can take the whole thing to pieces and wash it or even put it in the dishwasher and take it off the chair to take with you when you go visiting.
We had a Tripp trapp for DS1 which we gave up with when he was in the mush eating stage as it was abugger to clean every time.

Original poster

nibbs · 11/08/2006 15:24

thanks for your thoughts! will investigate... I think you're right Iklboo that they were designed by men - or at least someone that wanted it to look impressive, but wasn't too worried about day to day use.
I'm not that fussy about cleaning, but DS did big vomit the other day [yum] so I had semi-digested strawberries and yoghurt and fish everywhere and couldn't believe how difficult it was to get it all clean.

I've got one of those travel things that you tie to a chair, and it's been one of my top purchases for going out and about. maybe I should use it at home too...
I'm sure if I was brave I'd invent something better and go on Dragon's Den!

OP posts:

lechatnoir · 11/08/2006 16:47

I've got a Chicco Happy Snack & am so pleased with it - the straps remove for washing/scrubbing, the table is easy to remove & has 4 positions, the back reclines, there's a basket for toys etc etc. As you can tell I'm quite a fan & for under £40 (kiddicare.com) I think it's ideal. Downside is it doesn't fold completely flat - it is stand-alone which is helpful but I'd prefer it to be flatter when folded.
HTH
LCN

aitch71ababe · 13/08/2006 00:21

ikea ikea ikea ikea ikea!
agree with laylaandsethsmum. you can stand it in the shower when it is filthy, removable tray for eating up close to the table, easy to store for next baby (!) as legs just pop out, you can wash the straps, they can't escape from it, it's the same as loads of restaurants so less arguments while out, it's £11.99 and i think it looks darling, all simple and i-poddy white. it's a flipping design classic of the future. and it's £11.99.

cye · 13/08/2006 00:29

another vote for ikea here for reasons already given. we also got a handy sit which also came highly recommended and is great when we're out at friends etc. got that second hand so also cheap option!

PigeonPie · 14/08/2006 14:42

We bought a Tripp Trapp (made by Stokke) for DS and think it is fantastic. He loves sitting in it - even when he's not eating, he'll sit there quite happily and watch me potter round the kitchen. Re the bar in and out of the hole, do you mean the centre leather bar? If so, that should stay put through the hole when you make it up, it doesn't need to come out.

We think it is worth the money, not only is it a lovely piece of furniture, it will grow with the child and can be used as an adult chair too.

Twinkie1 · 14/08/2006 14:45

We got one from JL which converts into a table and chair and took off the straps and use reins so we can shove them in the wash - I am anal about germs U C!! - DS actually sits in it for longer than any other high chair we have had and all his friends seem to like it - as well as 6 year old DD!!

TheLadyVanishes · 14/08/2006 15:33

another vote for the chicco happy snacker, it does get dirty but it can be cleaned tho it is abit finicky (sp?), every highchairs get dirty its part and parcel of babies learning to eat and mine is in some state at the moment as dd is trying to feed herself!

MrsDoolittle · 14/08/2006 15:36

Gotta be the Tripp Trapp.
Expensive but very well worth the investment. It's not just a highchair you see?

hunkermunker · 14/08/2006 15:37

Just bought our second Tripp Trapp for DS2.

Love 'em.

PigeonPie · 14/08/2006 18:39

Tripp Trapps rule OK!

hana · 14/08/2006 18:41

love the tripp trapp but ikea white one with tray comes a close second. we've got 2 tripp trapps but baby 3 will have ikea ( cost!)
both are easy to clean

SoupDragon · 14/08/2006 18:41

Have sat BabyDragon in both a Tripp Trapp and the cheap Tchibo copy that we have and I prefer the Tchibo one. It was £25 but not quite as long lastingly versatile as the Tripp Trapp but was a better fit for her.

The cheapy Ikea white one (Antelope?) is meant ot be pretty good too I've heard.

kiskidee · 15/08/2006 22:23

the tripp trapp looks cool but i have an antelop from ikea instead (all of 15 quid) and i smile everytime i think how lucky i didn't fork or loads of money for a big ugly thing. it just wipes clean and dd can push it from room to room now that she is 15 months old. she is already enjoying sitting at the table with us albiet in our laps so another reason why i am glad i didn't fork out a bundle for a highchair.

Olihan · 15/08/2006 22:33

We've got on of the safety first 3 stage reclining ones and it's great . The straps come off for washing and you can use it with or without the tray. It's also really easy to keep clean because the seat comes off too and there aren't too many places for bits to hide.

Moomin · 15/08/2006 22:54

we've got one of the first years ones for dd2 at the moment and it's very useful. It's off to nanny's next week as we've got this one coming. Dd2 had something similar and it's been brilliant. looks nice as it's wooden, has a tray for realy on but converts to chair to sit up to table for later which is what dd1 has hers for now.

Clary · 15/08/2006 23:06

nibbs we had the hideous Prima Pappa chair too (all the Mamas and Papas stuff I bought was in some way a PITA).
For ds2 we got the £17 Ikea one. Yes it doesn't fold down, but hey! you need it 3x a day anyway.
It's simple to clean, sits up nicely to the table if you take off the tray and the tray itself is nice and big. And it's cheap.
We used it with no probs till ds2 started to refuse the whole hich chair concept at 17 mo and we had to sit him on a big boy's chair. But that's another story...

Reading other posts I'm talking about the same chair as aitch and others.
I mean why do you need yr high chair to recline fgs? Do you want ds to go to sleep in the middle of his meal? What's that all about? . Simplicty is best.

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