Keeping 12month old in high chair

[amyr3003]

So my 12month old has always been a fantastic eater, will eat anything and everything and always has. For the last month he has been really difficult in his high chair. This is usually for one sometimes (rarely) two meals. He cries and whines when he's in his chair and point blank refuses food but if I take him out and he can play he will go to and from his plate, he will leave some also so it's not like he doesn't register when he's full. I try and sit and eat something with him at the table but when he refuses it makes no difference. I understand him crawling around and playing whilst eating isn't great and I don't want it to become a habit but I also want to make sure he's had enough to eat and is happy. I've tried lots of different thing to keep him entertained when eating but not a lot seems to work.

Crawling around while eating is a huge choking risk, no way I would allow that. If he doesn't want to eat in the highchair maybe get him a low chair and table that he can sit at, but reinforce the message that he has to sit to eat. No eating on the move, ever.

It's not really a big choking risk if you're watching him which of course you are! My DD hated the high chair at that age too, and it made eating a v stressful time. I'd just go with what works for now. Daughter will now happily go in her chair, in fact she demands to get in!! These things usually work themselves out. Only thing I would say is don't start putting the TV on in an attempt to get him to eat as that seems like a harder habit to break!

I'd just ride it out and keep him in his chair, he's only little and the alternative is too dangerous. Give him a toy to play with?

I'm sat with him and I completely understand the risks of him choking but imo the risk of him choking is far greater when he's crying and throwing himself around the chair. When he's fine eating he will happily eat and then will watch the tv if he has a snack or whilst I'm washing up etc. It's just the one meal of the day and I'm trying not to cause a great issue of it at the minute

It literally makes no difference, he just throws them on the floor. If it was every meal I'd ride it out and leave him in there but for the one meal I don't know if I'd be causing a greater issue with him getting worked up in there

I'd keep him in the chair while he's eating. It's something he has to learn, and no way would I have a carrot smeared baby lurching around the house.

@amyr3003 yes completely agree, that's what I was saying!

@miltonj thank you! He's my first and he's the most hyperactive little person! Trying to get it right!

Try a different high chair maybe. We recently switched from one with a back that goes all the way up as a headrest, to the IKEA Antilop, and the difference is insane. I think she felt really closed in and trapped in the old one whereas a bit more free in the IKEA one with nothing against her head. She's also 12 months old.

We had one of those chairs that clip to a table so the child is part of the family so to speak.

@Housenoob that's not a bad idea actually, we used that on holiday recently and he was always perfect in it so maybe occasionally he is feeling abit trapped or closed in. Worth a try for £17

My daughter refused a highchair, she was a little older than your DC. She chose to sit in a chair with a raised seat instead, the first meal sitting on it she fell off - so she was back in the high chair, but without the tray and pulled into the table. No arguments or strops beyond that, she’d point at the higher seat and say no!

Table manners are very important to me, my girls both know that if you leave the table then your meal is over, but they were both good eaters so I wasn’t worried about them not eating enough.