High chair question

kandr10

Hi all
I just started looking into highchairs. I'm looking to spend up to €50 for a standard stand alone fold up type and I've seen a graco one in smyths for €30 that seems to do the job. It has a 3 position tray but other than that nothing special. If we spend €75 we could get a graco that has a reclining seat and adjustable height.

Basically my question is, is it worth spending the extra? What's the benefit of a reclining seat? I can't imagine you'd let a baby sleep in a highchair for example.

These are the two I'm looking at.
http://www.toys.ie/Graco-Contempo-Lake-Highchair-!133684-prd.aspx

http://www.toys.ie/Graco-Teatime-Highchair-Pop-Art-!117011-prd.aspx

Gee_G

kandr10 wrote: »

Hi all
I just started looking into highchairs. I'm looking to spend up to €50 for a standard stand alone fold up type and I've seen a graco one in smyths for €30 that seems to do the job. It has a 3 position tray but other than that nothing special. If we spend €75 we could get a graco that has a reclining seat and adjustable height.

Basically my question is, is it worth spending the extra? What's the benefit of a reclining seat? I can't imagine you'd let a baby sleep in a highchair for example.

These are the two I'm looking at.
http://www.toys.ie/Graco-Contempo-Lake-Highchair-!133684-prd.aspx

http://www.toys.ie/Graco-Teatime-Highchair-Pop-Art-!117011-prd.aspx

I didn't even know mine reclined until I read another thread on here about highchairs I think I've reclined it maybe twice since that!! I wouldn't see it as a necessity!
The one thing I live about mine is the wheels. I never would've thought about getting one with/without wheels but I love it!! I've a chicco one.

FunkSoulSista

The only benefit of a reclining chair I can imagine is when your baby is having their bottle?

One thing to watch out for is the legs on some chairs spread wide so you can trip over them. I have a Chico one and IKEA one, IKEA one got great reviews here, simple to use and clean.

nikpmup

I have an Ikea leopard and I love it, and so does my little man. Small, neat, easy to clean. I had a reclining, foldable cossatto one; it was a nightmare - he vomited in it twice, I think I spent about four hours in total cleaning it each time.
Pain in the behind, and way too bulky. Having said that, I know a lot of people really like the reclining chairs. Maybe when he's older I'll go back to the cossatto but for now the ikea one suits.

foodaholic

I got the ikea one as it was so cheap until I could figure out which fancy one I wanted. I bought 3 of them in the end ( grandparents houses) as I loved it so much. Sooo easy to clean

cyning

I spent over a €100 on a lovely high chair with padding that reclined and was pretty. Biggest waste of money ever. Seriously. Food went down the side of it under it: babies have small hands. My mil got a €30 chair in mothercare then, the myhi (I live in Kerry wasn't going to ikea!). I bought it then and she's still using it now (she's 2in July). Honestly get the plainest simplest one you can get. The other ones in the attic taking up space

Mimikyu

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evolving_doors

Stokke Tripp trapp the biz... I'm using it now!!

Just pull em into the table and feed away at your own level (so technically maybe not a 'high chair').. some food will end up on floor though if you don't have the tray attachment, but hey, the more you try and stop it the more uptight you get about it.
Usually Second hand for 100quid

nikpmup

A few years ago I bought something from a catering supply company and they've been sending me brochures ever since. They have wooden highchairs like the type you get in Dunnes restaurant reasonably cheaply. Might interest some of you!

kandr10

nikpmup wrote: »

I have an Ikea leopard and I love it, and so does my little man. Small, neat, easy to clean. I had a reclining, foldable cossatto one; it was a nightmare - he vomited in it twice, I think I spent about four hours in total cleaning it each time.
Pain in the behind, and way too bulky. Having said that, I know a lot of people really like the reclining chairs. Maybe when he's older I'll go back to the cossatto but for now the ikea one suits.

I really like the look of that. My mam has an ikea one for my nephew and it seems grand. Would you agree that this is usable from four months?

kandr10

Thanks for all the replies. It's great to get feedback, especially feedback that helps justify saving money :-)

monflat

kandr10 wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies. It's great to get feedback, especially feedback that helps justify saving money :-)

To be honest you wont find a baby/toddler that wants to stay long enuf in high chair for you to recline it.

sillysocks

I'd recommend one that has a 'post' or whatever you'd call it for in between their legs, rather than one with a narrow strap. Much better for holding them in it and relatively straight in the earlier stages of using it. Also better if the post is attached to the chair rather than the tray as I've seen on some, in case you ever want them in the chair without the tray.

Sligo1

monflat wrote: »

To be honest you wont find a baby/toddler that wants to stay long enuf in high chair for you to recline it.

That's great to know... I thought my lad was the only one!! Screams to get out AS SOON as food or drink is gone...

lmullen

I've a fisher price one that reclines and found it handy in the mornings when I was getting readyto go to work she could drink her bottles easy enough. She has slept in it several times. Always naps straight after lunch and on some occasions the need for sleep has won out over the need for food!!!!

lazygal

We have the Antilop. Brilliant purchase and is now being used on a second child. I got it with the attitude that it was no great loss if we didn't like it but its been one of the best buys. I hate the padded ones and they are so hard to clean, also some are slightly reclined even in upright mode and not suitable for a baby to feed themselves. I don't think a recline is necessary, I'd just put them to sleep in a cot rather than a high chair.

nikpmup

kandr10 wrote: »

I really like the look of that. My mam has an ikea one for my nephew and it seems grand. Would you agree that this is usable from four months?

It's usable from whenever they can sit up unaided; ikea do an inflatable insert for the antilop chair that I sometimes use with mine. Bear in mind though that it only has a three point harness; I was going to buy one for my mam's house but she wanted one with a five point harness (so she got the cossatto, win-win!)

kandr10

nikpmup wrote: »

It's usable from whenever they can sit up unaided; ikea do an inflatable insert for the antilop chair that I sometimes use with mine. Bear in mind though that it only has a three point harness; I was going to buy one for my mam's house but she wanted one with a five point harness (so she got the cossatto, win-win!)

Nicely done! Sure you might as well get the use out of them.

My daughter's nearly 6 months but a while off sitting unaided so I'd say she'll be feeding in her swing for a good while yet! The insert is a great idea. Think it might be the antlop for €20. Even cheaper than the graco! Many thanks again everyone for your advice.

lazygal

Neither of mine sat unaided at six months, but the nice thing about the Antilop is that they are kept quite upright in it, especially with the insert. My inlaws have a fancy Cosetto one or similar brand, can't remember exactly, and it has all the bells and whistles, but its a pain to clean and the five point harness is too bulky really when children are trying to eat. I would not leave a child unattended at all in the Antilop, but you won't be leaving them alone when they're eating anyway.

nikpmup

kandr10 wrote: »

Nicely done! Sure you might as well get the use out of them.

My daughter's nearly 6 months but a while off sitting unaided so I'd say she'll be feeding in her swing for a good while yet! The insert is a great idea. Think it might be the antlop for €20. Even cheaper than the graco! Many thanks again everyone for your advice.

The restaurant in ikea have the antilop chairs there for babies to use, you could go have a coffee and see how you get on with it before you buy it

kandr10

nikpmup wrote: »

The restaurant in ikea have the antilop chairs there for babies to use, you could go have a coffee and see how you get on with it before you buy it

Wow great idea! Be lost without ikea! Now to try not leave there with a bag full of random gadgets...

nikpmup

This is the insert for the antilop: http://www.ikea.com/ie/en/catalog/products/90251824/

Cunning Stunt

We bought the IKEA one aswell, but it doesnt recline and we needed that because our little lad was too young to sit so straight but he loved being at the table on our knee.

So we ended up buying the Mimsy chair and we think it's great! He is very happy in it. It's really comfy - it can be adjusted height-wise and it reclines.

http://www.kiddicare.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/productdisplay0_10751_-1_207417_10001

Cherrycola

You can't go wrong with the ikea one, it's brilliant for the price! Cleaning it is so easy. It's also the perfect height for a standard dining table, and the tray comes off, so baby can sit at the table with you.
The only issue with it is the legs do stick out, and I've tripped over them and cursed on many an occasion, but i still wouldn't buy anything different if I was doing it again.

Now other than that, if you wanted to save yourself a few quid down the line, you could always forget about a highchair and go for a booster seat with a tray, so it attaches to your normal dining chair, but has a tray just like a highchair does, but you can remove it as baby gets to toddler age and use as a normal booster seat.
I've seen those types in smyths.

But even buying an ikea highchair and then smyths bog standard booster seat in the future would still be cheaper than most other highchairs alone!

kandr10

I ended up getting the leopard one from ikea. Had the antipop in the trolley but they had no trays left :-S the leopard was a shop model so had a few quid off. Save us going back for a tray. They seem to both have the same kind of seat just the base is different. Delighted with it! Got the inflatable insert too so she was able to sit up in it for her first feed :-)

Chattastrophe!

I'll be going to ikea within the next couple of days. Leopard or antelop? Other? And does the newborn insert work with either/both ... he's four months old, definitely not able to hold his head up, we're not planning on starting weaning for another few weeks.

nikpmup

I have the leopard and the insert for the antilop - while it doesn't fit perfectly, it does the job. They have them out in the baby section so you can have a look. I sat Hugo in one of the display chairs to see if he liked it!

kandr10

I also tried out the models. They were both as good for our almost 6 month old. Would have gone for the cheaper one had they had the trays. Ring ahead if you're interested in that to make sure they have them in stock.

rovoagho

I recommend a Karcher K3 or higher power washer. The high chair is irrelevant.

(Ok, I have a Chicco Polly and I can't fault it: height adjustable, arms can be raised to bring smalls into the table when they want to be Big, handy net in the back for bibs (until they start chucking them out), comfy removable liner (that you can power wash, or replace), and the wheels are great for toting complaining baby to Peppa for hypnotism (health and safety violation). Anyone with a baby that falls asleep mid-dinner (the ugliest you'll ever see your baby) will be laughing at those saying recline isn't required.)

Chattastrophe!

I got the Antilop today, as mentioned they're all out of trays! Still at €10 I reckoned I might as well buy it, will get a tray when they're back in stock. I got the insert at €8, it was the second last one they had in stock!

kandr10

Chattastrophe! wrote: »

I got the Antilop today, as mentioned they're all out of trays! Still at €10 I reckoned I might as well buy it, will get a tray when they're back in stock. I got the insert at €8, it was the second last one they had in stock!

Nice one! It's a grand yoke not even just for the price. You got a bargain there! I was using the antilop in my mams it was perfect. Would have gotten the same had I not seen the leopard in the bargain bit.