All about highchairs

Highchairs are brilliant. Not only do they provide somewhere safe for your child to eat, they also let him sit at the same height as the rest of the family so he feels included at mealtimes. The other bonus, of course, is that they keep him in one place giving you, with any luck, a chance to enjoy your own meal.

You can also use a highchair as a play chair before your baby learns to crawl and afterwards as a means to keep them in one place, though of course, you should never leave a child alone in a highchair.

There are certain things you should look out for when buying a highchair. Here we tell you what features you really must have and which ones are good extras to go for.

The first item you must be happy with is the seat. This must be comfortable for your baby and safe. That means the highchair must be stable and not prone to falling over or folding up when baby wriggles. We understand no highchair that is made to the US Standard should suffer from this. You need suitable straps to stop them from falling out. Ideally this will be a five-point harness. A crotch strap on the highchair is important to stop your baby from sliding down under the tray.

The tray is the next most crucial thing and, generally, the bigger the better. Even the smallest infant can soon cover a large tray with food or toys. Plastic is the best since it can be easily wiped clean. Wood is more difficult to clean and you usually cannot use antibacterial cleaner on it. Look for a deep lip around the edge which stops spills covering the baby. Avoid trays with indentations for cups. They are nearly always the wrong size and they make cleaning more difficult.

Most highchairs fold up so you can put them away between meals, but 3-in-1 or cube chairs are usually smaller when in use. There are many different folding methods and some highchairs fold up more compactly than others, which may be useful for traveling.