Choose a High Chair That is Easy! – Part 1

This a sponsored post on behalf of Nomi by Evomove. All opinions are my own.

So many of the high chairs on the market are designed with misplaced priorities. It’s no wonder parents are often overwhelmed when choosing one to purchase. In my starting solids courses, I tell parents that they want to use a high chair that is easy. Yes – you read that correctly. If it’s easy, mealtime is less stressful for both you and your baby. A lot of high chairs are confusing, require tools, are unsafe for babies, or only last a few months. As a pediatric feeding specialist who has fed thousands of babies, I want to share my tips for choosing an easy high chair. So, here are the first three tips for how I choose a high chair:

Easy to Adjust Footrest

Foot positioning is critical for establishing a safe swallow and can help decrease choking risk. You need a footrest that comes up to your baby’s feet AS SOON as they start solids (instead of one that your baby will eventually grow into). The choking risk with foods is highest from six months to three years of age, so we need a high chair with a stable footrest that is readily available and grows with your baby.

• AVOID a high chair that requires tools to adjust the footrest.
• AVOID a high chair that does not support your baby’s body and allows their feet to dangle.
• CHOOSE a high chair that has an easily adjustable footrest. I like the Nomi High Chair because it has a twist knob, which allows you to move the footrest quickly. This design feature is key when you have a “hangry” baby!

Easy to Clean

Parents frequently admit how much they dread cleaning their baby’s high chair. They explain that they find themselves feeding their baby on their lap to avoid cleaning it. Although lap feeding is convenient, it limits your baby’s ability to feed themselves independently (which is a feeding milestone), and it also places them in an unstable feeding position. Alternatively, having your baby seated in an upright and stable position in a high chair can decrease choking risk.

• AVOID a high chair with crevices or cushions where trapped food, milk, and saliva can become breeding grounds for bacteria.
• AVOID a high chair that is time-consuming to clean.
• CHOOSE a high chair with seamless construction that doesn’t trap food, making cleaning easy and quick! The Nomi High Chair has a sleek design that makes sanitizing the chair fast and straightforward. Score!

Easy to Move

Some high chairs weigh 30 pounds or more, making it difficult to move them. It’s essential to have a lightweight high chair that you can easily place on the patio during a nice summer day or quickly move into the kitchen while cooking. And you want a high chair that is light enough to take to grandma’s house if she is willing to babysit!

• AVOID heavy high chairs that are not conducive to a variety of mealtime opportunities.
• CHOOSE a high chair that you can quickly move around the house and lift effortlessly. Parents usually have to clean their high chair (and the floor around it) three times a day. That’s why the Nomi High Chair (only 10 pounds) was designed to hang from a tabletop so that you can easily clean the floor underneath – it’s a game-changer!

Easy to Attach + Remove Tray

I prefer a high chair with a tray you can easily attach with one hand (since you might be holding your baby in the other). I also like a tray that can be easily removed when you want baby to sit at the table with the rest of the family because babies tend to try new foods if they are at the table watching everyone else eating and enjoying various foods.

• AVOID high chairs that do not have a removable tray.
• AVOID high chair trays that are coated with harmful chemicals.
• CHOOSE a high chair with a tray that can be attached and removed easily. The tray for the Nomi easily attaches to the chair and can slide into place with one hand. It’s also made from food-grade plastic (no harmful substances) and is dishwasher safe too!

I hope these tips help you find a high chair that works for your little one and your family dynamics. Mealtime is always more enjoyable when the setup and clean-up are easy! Stay tuned for my last three tips coming soon!

Happy Feeding!