Don’t they grow too fast? A few months ago, they couldn’t get enough of breast milk. Today, not only are they ready for solid food, but they are eager to take on new kinds of tastes and smells. Once you observe the telltale signs (like being able to hold their head upright and mouthing their toys,) your baby is most likely ready to take lunchtime to an entirely new level.
Keep reading to find out what a folding high chair can do for you and your little one!
Why Should You Get a Folding High Chair for Baby Mealtime?
As you help your toddler get accustomed to being fed with cereal and fruits, a high chair will be your best friend. The right high chair provides your baby with a safe and stable place to sit while you’re feeding them. In addition, a high chair helps your baby get used to consuming food on a table surface. Not only is it practical, but it also helps your toddler learn the ropes of life.
Like any other piece of furniture, a high chair takes up space in your home. If you live in a home with very limited floor space, additional furniture will only make your home feel more cramped. Fortunately, you can compromise by getting the best folding high chair. With its ingenious design, you can take it out when it’s mealtime and then fold and tuck it away when you’re done.
How to Choose the Best Foldable High Chair for Your Toddler?
Nothing beats the love of a mother for her little one. As such, you should only buy the best foldable high chair that you can afford. Your toddler deserves only the best. But, how can you tell if a foldable high chair is the absolute best for your child? To help you decide, we share some things that you should check before taking a high chair home.
Can It Be Cleaned Easily and Quickly?
Mealtimes with your baby can be quite a mess. They can accidentally throw food off the table or find them amusing and play with them. So when mealtimes come, you must be prepared for any messy situation. Unfortunately, some high chairs have too many nooks and crannies where pieces of food can tuck themselves in, which is a big no-no.
That’s why when looking for a high chair, ensure that it has an easily wipeable surface and doesn’t have grooves where food can fall into. For instance, a baby high chair made of plastic materials typically has smooth surfaces that you can easily wipe and clean. While you’re at it, get them a baby bib as well. Mealtime doesn’t have to be a chore, mama!
What Materials Is It Made From?
Your toddler’s safety should be your utmost priority. That’s why you have to make sure that the materials the baby high chair is made out of are guaranteed safe. Your toddler is at their most delicate years, making them susceptible to all kinds of harm. So save yourself from anxiety and sleepless nights by ensuring that your baby high chair is safe.
What kinds of materials should you avoid, you ask?
Since most foldable high chairs and portable high chairs are made of plastic material, you must ask the sales representative or check the specifications on the box for the specific kind of plastic they are made out of. For instance, avoid plastics containing Bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates chemicals, and Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), all of which are toxic even in small amounts.
Is It Dishwasher-Safe?
As a mother, your responsibilities at home seem endless. Aside from taking care of your baby, you may also be occupied with other tasks around the house, like daily housekeeping. With a seemingly impossible number of tasks and responsibilities, not only do you have to work hard, but you have to work smart.
If your home has a dishwasher, you already have your dishwashing chore cut out for you. That’s why aside from buying dishwasher-safe bottles and baby mealtime utensils, you also have to check if the high chair tray is dishwasher-safe. If so, cleaning it up is only a matter of chucking the tray into your dishwasher, along with your dishes.
Does It Recline?
Do you know that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for the first six months? It is so because breast milk has the essential nutrients to set your newborn on the path of healthy growth and development. When your baby reaches six months, expect them to start wanting to eat soft foods like cereals and fruits.
However, you mustn’t wait for your baby to start sitting upright to get them a highchair. If you wish to help them get used to sitting in a chair sooner, you can buy them a highchair that can be reclined. A reclining baby highchair will give your baby’s back the support it needs while they take their time to learn sitting upright.
How Comfortable Is Its Seat?
In addition to safe materials and ease of cleaning, you should also consider how the seat pad feels when your baby sits on it. Unfortunately, some parents unknowingly buy a booster chair with easy-to-clean surfaces that are too hard and uncomfortable. Don’t sacrifice your convenience for your baby’s comfort!
Enjoy the best of both worlds by ensuring that your baby’s booster chair is both safe and comfortable. Then, before making the purchase final, touch the seat pad and imagine if the little seat is soft enough for your toddler’s bum. Your child will thank you for it, that’s for sure!
Does It Come With Caster Wheels?
Despite being collapsible, you still might find it heavy to lift and transport your folding high chair. Baby mealtime is already a burdensome task, but cleaning up after shouldn’t be a dreading chore. We know that your post-mealtime tasks are already a handful, so how can you make storing the booster seat less of a burden?
Before adding a booster seat to your cart, check if it has caster wheels. Built-in wheels will make moving your booster seat around the house easier and faster. So whether your little one wants to eat in the living room or the dining room, you can easily push their favorite booster chair wherever.
Does It Have a Footrest and an Adjustable Tray?
Whether you believe it or not, your toddler will quickly grow out of their clothes and baby high chair. So while you have to buy newer and bigger clothes for them, you can still use their booster chair, as long as it comes with footrests. Footrests will help support the feet of your quickly growing toddler.
One more thing to look out for is an adjustable tray. Your toddler will have more room in their seat pad if you adjust their feeding tray according to their needs. As a result, your toddler will have a better and more enjoyable mealtime experience! In addition, you can use booster seats with a removable tray for other activities aside from mealtime.
Does It Have Seatbelts?
When your baby first experiences sitting on a booster seat, you can expect them to be uncomfortable and fussy, and try their best to get off it as a result. However, since the baby chair is high off the ground, this situation presents a very dangerous hazard. The best high chair you can get for your toddler has safety features that prevent such unfortunate situations.
That’s why you should check out a folding high chair (portable ones too!) that has built-in safety features like seat belts. Seat belts can firmly secure your little one in place. Some high chairs even have body harnesses that better secure your toddler than single or dual straps would.
Final Thoughts
Many parents would agree that mealtime should be a fun time for their little ones. However, as toddlers learn how to eat solid food and get used to sitting upright in front of the dining table, you must also ensure that they are safe and secure. Post-mealtime clean-up should also be less of a burden for you. The best portable high chair should help you with all of these concerns.
Look no further and get the Wooden High Chair for Babies and Toddlers from Ashtonbee! It ticks all the boxes from our list, ensuring you that it has all the features that will make mealtime for your baby fun and safe. So let the Ashtonbee high chair accompany you and your child in their most delicate years!
Navigate through the Ashtonbee website for the best products and other baby gear for your little one!
