High Chairs

High chairs & highchair safety

When your baby is old enough to join you for supper, securely seating her in a high chair near your own chairs at the dining table can be a really pleasurable way to share mealtimes together. Once she can support her weight, and can sit confidently on her own, she will be able to sit comfortably in a high chair so you can eat your food or continue cooking while feeding baby at the same time.

The high chair is an essential part of your nursery furniture and there are many varieties and styles to choose from. The most important features are safety, functionality and the highchair's ability to be hard wearing in the longer term. When buying a baby high chair, make sure it will be easy to clean, and can be wiped down effectively. Bringing together baby and food often creates a bit of a mess, so the highchair should not only be a safe place for her to eat but a hygienic one as well.

Safety

It is a sad truth that many babies and children are actually injured while sitting in their high chairs, but these injuries are almost always to do with the fact that the baby had not been correctly restrained. In other words, the seatbelt had not been used, or not been used properly, and baby has fallen out. If you get into the habit of strapping baby in every single time you put him in his highchair, then you shouldn't need to worry about the possibility of him sustaining an injury. It is only in the event that the baby high chair is not used correctly that injuries can occur.

There is a vast range of baby highchairs available in the shops to purchase. Before buying make sure the chair has a good wide base ensuring full stability to help reduce the risk of it tipping over. Also check that there's a secure harness or seat strap to keep your baby sitting firmly attached in his high chair. When time is at a premium and you're in a rush, it might be tempting to think you can give baby a quick little snack without doing up the straps, but this can lead to injury, and even death if baby's neck gets caught in the strapping after she's slipped down. Supervising your baby in her high chair is essential at all times.

Points to consider:

• Where will you store the highchair when not in use?
• Does the chair fold up easily if it needs to be stored away?
• Can the tray be easily removed for washing?

Whichever type of baby highchair you choose, whether it be a cost effective, compact highchair with only the essential features, or a more luxurious model with added extras such as:

• padding
• removable seat covers
• many levels of adjustability and more,

make sure it is stable, the harness includes a crotch strap (or there's a dividing post) and that there are no sharp edges, tiny holes or protrusions that could cause injury or discomfort. If in doubt, visit The Baby Shows and ask the experts on hand to give you advice about questions you might have to do with baby high chairs or nursery furniture.