Solid Starts is an independent organization that does not accept affiliate revenue or corporate kickbacks to review products. Any recommendations here are our own thoughts and opinions and free from conflict of interest.
Starting solids soon? Check out our guides on starting solids and our course video on infant rescue. Knowledge will bring confidence.
Starting solids is often synonymous with buying or researching high chairs. Like many baby products, there are hundreds of high chair options on the market. This page explains what our licensed professionals consider the most important components, including safety, development, and swallowing, as well tips to help you choose the right high chair for your family.
Not necessarily. There are alternative ways to establish a safe eating environment for babies; however, a high chair with a totally upright seat and adjustable footplate is often the easiest way to make sure baby is in the proper and safe position for eating. Continue reading for what to look for in a high chair, and how to check baby’s sitting posture.
A high chair is a luxury for many families and often out of reach for purchasing. Although the safest place for a baby to eat is a supportive high chair, here are some ways to ensure baby is as safe as possible when starting solids:
The easiest and free alternative to a high chair is having baby sit on an adult’s lap.
Position baby’s back snuggly against your body.
Always keep one arm around their waist.
Scoot your chair as close to the table as possible with baby facing the table.
Make sure baby is sitting high enough so that both of baby's forearms rest comfortably on the table in front of them.
If the table is in line with their armpits, baby is too low. Try sitting on a pillow to boost yourself (and subsequently the baby) a bit higher in the chair. Avoid placing a pillow in your lap for baby to sit atop.
In this position—with an adult arm around the baby’s waist and bottom planted firmly on the adult’s lap—the adult provides strong back support for upright sitting, as well as stability at the trunk and hips. Optionally, you can allow baby to straddle one thigh and let baby’s feet firmly plant on the chair.
Although this option can get messy for the adult, this ensures baby’s safety while exploring solid foods, no special chair needed. Keep in mind that babies are resilient. The photos below show how babies can be safe and successful in a variety of sitting positions.
Positioning baby on the floor with support is another option when a high chair is unavailable.
This position is only appropriate if baby has excellent sitting balance and is strong enough to reach and grasp items and bring them to their mouth while in a supported seating position. Check out the pictures of Kildah (6 months) and Maeve (7 months) below for examples of suitable seating posture.
Optionally, offer a makeshift table on the floor. If baby’s knees are bent (like Maeve’s knees in the picture below), try a shoe box or small, flat item about 6-10 inches tall. If baby’s legs are straight (like Kildah’s below), try a small stool, tray, or stand with legs.
Seating position is the most important thing to consider when baby is in a high chair. Proper positioning for feeding is crucial for swallowing safety. Additionally, seating position impacts a baby’s ability to use their arms and hands and chew.
Maya, 5 months, demonstrates proper positioning in her high chair.Proper positioning includes the following:
Shoulder and hip alignment: back should be completely straight, shoulders in line with hips
Bent knees with the ability to bear weight forward into the feet
Ability to reach with the arms/hands to easily reach food on the tray
Weight forward, pressing through the feet. This often creates about a 90-degree angle through the ankles, but rather than the angle, look for the postural position of the feet pressing into the footplate.
Maeve, 8 months, demonstrates proper positioning in her high chair.
Look from the side to best assess baby’s position in a high chair. Even in a high chair marketed with a “completely upright seat,” assess the alignment of baby’s shoulders and hips to ensure they are truly upright.
After you place baby in the high chair, walk to the side and look at where their shoulders are in relationship to their hips/pelvis.
Correct positioning: If the shoulders are in line with the hips or slightly forward, indicating baby's weight is centered over the hips or slightly forward.
Incorrect or reclined positioning: If the shoulders are behind the hips, baby’s weight is behind them, and baby is reclined.
Incorrect positioning: Baby is not developmentally strong enough to start solids if they frequently lose balance forward or are unable to lean forward and return to sitting without assistance. Check out the readiness page or our Starting Solids video course for more information.
Correct positioning is crucial for swallowing safety. When a baby is reclined—even slightly reclined—their weight is shifted backwards and gravity pulls in that direction. As such, when in a reclined position, food placed in the mouth is more likely to move backwards towards the throat as gravity pulls in that direction. The tongue is also impacted by this gravitational pull and can fall slightly backwards in the mouth and inhibit the tongue’s ability to control and manage the food.
When baby sits upright with shoulders directly above the hips or leaning slightly forward with weight bearing through the feet, gravity supports the tongue to move flexibly and better control the food in the mouth. In this position, food is more likely to move forward and out of the mouth.
Maeve, 8 months, demonstrates proper positioning with the shoulders directly above the hips.Maya, 5 months, leans backward and demonstrates poor positioning for feeding.Whatever high chair you choose should have a totally upright seat.
Many high chairs on the market have a recline feature for babies who can’t maintain upright sitting balance. If baby is unable to stay sitting tall when in an upright high chair, they are not ready for solid foods. (See Readiness for Solids.) Research in both typically developing and special needs populations shows that reclining a baby increases the risk for aspiration, liquid or food entering the lungs (causing respiratory infection), and middle ear infections.
Most of the reclinable high chairs have full back and head support. Although this seems helpful, this amount of support isn’t necessary. Baby should be able to hold their head and neck upright independently when you start solid food. If the child is unable to hold their head and neck upright without reclining the chair, they are not ready for solid foods. Reclining the chair is unsafe for swallowing.
If baby has special developmental needs or hypotonia, a slightly reclined position may be safe to use while eating. Before using, it’s important to determining how much recline and if any additional lateral supports are necessary. Assessing positional safety will require the trained eyes of a pediatric feeding therapist or developmental specialist like a physical therapist. Do not explore solid foods without professional support if the child is unable to maintain their head and neck upright when not reclined.
Rather than a reclined seat, a chair with complete head and neck support may be key to safely introducing solids to babies with developmental delays. If the child has special developmental needs, work with a pediatric therapist—occupational (OT), physical (PT), or speech-language (SLP)—to determine the appropriate upright positioning device for your baby.
Safe seating in a high chair includes four elements:
Ability for baby to sit upright
Ability for baby to reach the tray (i.e., butt high enough in the seat)
Ability for baby to sit straight and in the middle of the seat
Ability to safely reach the footrest
Assess baby’s position in the high chair like described above. If baby’s shoulders are behind their hips, you can help them shift their weight forward by placing a folded towel or blanket behind them in the chair—either near the pelvis or along baby’s entire back. You may need to adjust the tray to give them space to sit comfortably, but this small change in alignment puts them at a biomechanical advantage for eating safely.
Maya, 5 months, demonstrates proper positioning with a blanket roll supporting her back.Maya, 5 months, demonstrates proper positioning supported by a lower pelvic towel roll.If baby is losing their balance to one side or the other, check to make sure their butt is high enough in the chair. Many babies will gain upright stability with both forearms on the tray, and the tray aligned at belly height rather than nipple height. If the table or tray is in line with, or only slightly below baby’s armpits, they need a boost. Try placing a book underneath the butt to lift them up in the high chair. The tray or table should line up with their belly for the most biomechanical advantage for reaching and grasping.
Placing a book in the high chair seat can give baby just enough boost to appropriately reach the table or tray.If baby still struggles to hold themselves in the center despite this boost, consider waiting a week or so before starting solids while baby gets a bit stronger. Some parents use rolled towels or blankets next to baby’s hips in the chair to provide some lateral support to keep baby sitting in the center. However, if a ton of support is necessary, it’s best to wait for signs of readiness.
Juliana, 8 months, could use a few more adjustments to improve her positioning in this standard, high back, infant high chair.For baby to reach the footrest, they need to sit upright with their weight shifted forward, and the lower legs hanging, knees bent at 90 degrees. Before modifying the footrest, first assess baby’s upright sitting (see above). After making any modifications to encourage correct positioning, adjust the height of the footplate to meet baby’s feet. A pasta box, cardboard box, or book are often great options to raise the height. Keep in mind that the goal is for baby to weight bear into the footrest, so any addition to the footrest should be securely taped to the footrest/chair.
A book on the footplate helps Maya, 5 months, bear weight through her feet.When assessing baby’s posture in the high chair, also consider their position in relation to the table or tray, as well as their feet on the footplate.
If the table/tray is too high, you’ll notice that baby has a hard time reaching and grasping food items.
If the table/tray is in line with, or only slightly below baby’s armpits, baby needs a boost. Try placing a book underneath their butt to lift them up in the high chair.
The tray/table should be lined up with their belly for the most effective reaching and grasping.
Babies learn by watching and imitating what you do. They learn to eat the same way—babies need to watch you eat and participated in family mealtimes to learn how to eat. Using a high chair with a removable tray makes it easier to pull the chair up to the table and help develop the habit of family meals.
High chair systems are equipped with straps or harness systems to make sure a child is safe and secure. An estimated 5,100+ infants are evaluated every year in emergency departments in the United States after falling from a highchair. Always use high chairs as the manufacturer recommends, including properly securing safety straps or harnesses, to keep your child safe and secure in their chair.
High chair harness systems are often three- or five-point, with a waist strap and pommel or crotch strap, as well as additional straps over the shoulders.
For young babies and new eaters, high chair harness straps are critical to ensuring the child is safe. At this age, high chair harness straps also assist in postural control, helping the child remain totally upright, and preventing falls when tired or overly wiggly and playful.
For older babies and toddlers, harness straps are no longer needed for postural control, and instead help corral an active young toddler. As toddlers learn to stand and climb, the strapping system helps keep the toddler in the chair, but this is also the time to consider transitioning to a more developmentally appropriate seating system. (See our Toddler High Chair Transitions guide.)
The simple answer is no; however, a high chair with a footrest helps create the safest eating environment possible.
Baby should be sitting in a 90-90-90 position, which is therapy jargon referring to the ankles, knees, and hips at 90-degree angles. The child’s center of gravity or weight should be neutral or forward with feet firmly planted on the footplate.
A stable, adjustable footplate provides the best base for the rest of the body, allowing the chewing and swallowing muscles to do their job. The nerdy therapy phase is “what happens at the hips, happens at the lips.” This means, a stable core equals stable, thorough chewing. This 90-90-90 position provides the most stability for the head and neck while swallowing and enables the arms and hands to reach and grasp most effectively.
When a child’s feet have nothing beneath them for support or if they just lightly touch the footplate, the child’s weight centers back on the butt. In this position, the pelvis is tilted backwards, reducing postural stability, and impacting the position of the body, neck, and head. A rear-tilting pelvis position also limits a child’s ability to use smaller muscles, such as their hands, lips, tongue, and jaw. Combined, this all leads to less control of the chewing and swallowing muscles.
In all, it’s much easier for a baby to reach and grasp food when their body is supported—and this starts with feet planted on a stable surface. Keep in mind, some babies eat fine without a supportive footplate, but for others, the additional effort of using more tummy and back muscles makes eating a bit too challenging to enjoy.
Beau, 7 months, sits with perfect posture for eating: his shoulders are in line with his hips, his knees are bent at a 90-degree angle, and he can put weight through his feet. This table is slightly high for him to reach, but functional.Currently own a high chair without a footrest, or baby can’t reach the footrest? Consider these ways to adjust the chair or environment to provide baby with a stable footrest to bear weight through their feet.
When modifying a multi seat or floor seat chair, consider how much of baby’s thighs are supported by the chair and the position of the backrest. For example, in the photo above, both Max (left) and Adie (right) have most of their thighs and part of their calves supported by the chair. This sitting position, called long sit, tends to place a baby’s weight more backwards.
In this picture, Adie’s shoulders (right) are slightly behind her hips—sitting with her legs straight out in this position places most of her weight behind her.
In comparison, Max (left) is bringing his weight more forward, his shoulders are in front of his hips, and he is bearing weight through his arms on the tray. The upright, flat backrest of Max’s chair lends itself to better positioning for eating.
How to modify a multi seat or floor chair to gain a more ideal position for babies sitting similarly to Max and Adie in the photo above:
Try placing a textbook or other thick book on the floor below the feet.
Move the tray out and away from baby’s body.
Place a thick blanket or towel behind baby’s back, so the butt comes forward towards the edge of the seat and lets the knees come forward enough so the lower legs can hang and feet can bear weight on the book below.
Have a high chair with a low, non-adjustable footrest? Secure a cardboard box to the footrest.
Support baby from the back to allow the knees to bend at 90 degrees—this might include a rolled-up towel or blanket to help straighten the back,
Duct tape a sturdy cardboard box to the existing footplate to make it high enough that baby’s feet can bear weight on it. Err on the side of “too high” as opposed to “too low.” A textbook can work just as well, but make sure it is secured to the footplate so it doesn’t slip when baby puts weight into the feet.
Using a high chair that allows the legs to hang like the Inglesina chair pictured below?
Support baby’s feet with a stool or chair positioned below baby.
If the legs and thighs are mostly supported by the base of the chair, place a towel or blanket roll behind baby to scoot them forward, so they can firmly plant their feet on the stool.
The Ikea Antilop chair is a common favorite among parents as it’s easy to clean, inexpensive, and somewhat space saving. However, the Antilop lacks a footplate, features a 3-point harness, and the seat might be slightly large for younger or smaller babies.
Footplates for the Antilop are available for purchase by outside vendors. These additions attach to the legs and create a place for the feet to rest.
As with other chair modifications, ensure the child is sitting forward enough in the chair for their legs to bend and bear weight on the footplate. This is often accomplished with a rolled-up towel or blanket positioned behind the child.
There are some products on the market applicable to other high chairs not mentioned above or adjustable for any chair. These products often require posture adjustments to help move baby’s center of gravity forward and enable them to put weight through their feet.
Solid Starts is an independent organization and does not endorse any specific high chair brand or corporation, nor do we accept corporate kickbacks or affiliate revenue to review or push products. Any recommendations here are based on our professional opinion as occupational therapists. Any reviews here are our own thoughts and opinions and free from conflict of interest.
The best baby-led weaning high chair options include four main components:
Totally upright seat (safety)
Adjustable footrest (safety)
Removable tray
Easy to clean
Although many chairs meet the above qualifications, a few chairs are superb options for baby-led weaning and easily convert to a developmentally appropriate toddler chair. Here's our take on a few popular chairs.
This high chair is designed to grow with the child from infancy with an infant insert and into childhood. The Steps is a Scandinavian design with an effective adjustable footrest. This chair is light-weight, coming in around about 10lbs, making it easy to move around the home. The chair is completely upright for appropriate trunk, pelvic, and lower body alignment, and comes with a five-point harness system that accompanies the infant bucket seat. The Steps chair also positions baby quite forward with only the upper thigh on the seat, allowing the knees to appropriately bend, the lower legs to hang down, and the feet to weight bear on the footrest; however, the height and position of the footplate may pose difficulty for a taller baby—moving one step lower is too low, yet the footplate is a little too far back at the higher position and may cause baby’s feet to slide off the footrest. The tray is removable, and the chair easily pulls up to be flush with the family table. This chair looks more like a standard chair, and without the infant seat, can hold up to 187 lbs. Many vendors sell the tray and seat cushions separately.
Pros:
Excellent positioning
Easy to set up, adjust, and clean
Transitions into a fantastic toddler and older child chair
Cons:
Cost
Footprint is wide; you may trip over the legs at first
Footplate adjustment options are sometimes too high or too low
The Stokke Tripp Trapp is a wooden high chair and comes with a large, fully height-adjustable footplate. This chair is designed to grow with the child from infancy with an infant insert and into childhood. This chair is sturdy, weighs about 15lbs, and has a completely upright seat for appropriate trunk, pelvic, and lower body alignment. The Tripp Trapp also includes a five-point harness system that accompanies the infant bucket seat. The seat depth is fully adjustable and, by moving the seat, you can make sure baby is positioned with their back against the seatback while allowing the knees to bend at 90 degrees. The tray is removable, and the chair easily pulls up to the family table. This chair looks more like a standard chair. The chair without the infant insert can hold up to 242lbs. For some smaller babies, the infant bucket seat is still a bit big, and there is a lot of room for a baby to lean from side to side, especially with the tray removed. The harness is complicated to adjust and fit.
Pros:
Excellent positioning and sturdy
Transitions into a good toddler chair
Looks like a standard dining chair
Cons:
Set up and adjustments aren’t simple
Straps are difficult to adjust
Food gets stuck in many little corners and indentations
Cost
This high chair is made to grow with the child from infancy with an infant insert and into childhood. With a significantly smaller seat and a base that often must be tightened to keep stable, the Nomi is less sturdy than other chairs on the market. The chair itself weighs about 13lbs and has a fairly large footprint. What it lacks in sturdiness, Nomi makes up for in a fully height-adjustable footplate, which easily slides up and down to meet baby’s feet. The chair offers excellent positioning, with a completely upright seat for appropriate trunk, pelvic, and lower body alignment. The five-point harness system is complicated and takes some practice to learn how to clip. However, unlike the Stokke chairs, the harness is still usable when the infant bucket attachment is removed, which can be beneficial for toddlers slowly transitioning to sit without the safety supports. The tray is removable, and the chair easily pulls up to the family table. For some smaller babies, the infant bucket seat is still a bit big with room for a baby to lean from side to side, especially with the tray removed. This chair without the infant insert can hold up to 330lbs.
Pros:
Excellent positioning
Easy to clean (with the exception of fabric straps)
Transitions into a good toddler chair while continuing to use the straps.
Straps are easy to adjust
Cons:
Cost
Seat is a bit narrow and young toddlers may fall off when straps are not used
Screws on foot stand can come loose and the chair is sometimes wobbly
Harness clips somewhat difficult to close, but offer quick release
This chair has wooden legs and a stable plastic seatback with removable colorful seat covers. It weighs about 13lbs and includes a five-point safety harness. It features a smaller, four-position adjustable footrest, which works well for an older or taller infant and toddler but is often not high enough for many young infants. With a blanket roll for additional support along baby’s back, baby may be able to sit forward enough in the chair to allow the knees to bend adequately. The footplate is the right size for a lasagna or spaghetti box to sit on top and raise the height of the footplate until baby is able to reach it independently. The seat is completely upright, and slightly higher profile than the Stokke and Nomi chairs. Once turned into a toddler chair, the seat is very low profile, and looks more like a stool, which can hold up to 55lbs. The tray is removable, and the chair easily pulls up to the family table.
Pros:
Fairly good positioning, but requires some modifications for younger or smaller infants
Easy to wipe down
Transitions into a toddler stool
Cons:
Footplate is smaller and not fully adjustable
Shoulder pads are not removable and a little bulky for young babies
Toddler stool is less supportive than other transitional high chairs
Lalo the Chair has wooden legs and a plastic seatback with removable colorful seat covers. It’s very light-weight at roughly 10lbs and includes a five-point safety harness. The footrest is not fully height-adjustable, which may work fine for an older/taller infant and toddler, but it’s often not high enough for most infants.
The foot rest is small, so a pasta box may be just enough to bring up the footplate height for a smaller baby. The seat is upright, and slightly higher profile than the Stokke and Nomi chairs, with a machine washable cushion. There is a new infant insert for the seat that makes the chair better fitted for a small baby. Without the insert, baby may need a back support with a towel or blanket roll to sit completely upright in this chair. The tray is removable, and the chair easily pulls up to the family table. The chair converts to a low child play chair and can hold up to 200lbs.
Pros:
Removable tray and pulls up to the table
Transitions into a toddler chair and toddler play chair
Infant insert helps with posture in the chair
Multiple colors
Cons:
Footplate not fully adjustable and is small
Wide footprint/legs
Strapping material is difficult to clean
This chair has wooden legs and plastic seatback with removable five-point safety harness. This chair weighs about 12lbs. The footrest is adjustable, but only to two heights, which may work fine for an older or taller infant and toddler, but likely not high enough for many infants. The infant insert is slightly big for smaller babies. The seatback is slightly reclined—for many older infants and toddlers, this is unlikely affect pelvic alignment, but a young infant will likely need a blanket or towel roll to help baby sit completely upright with the shoulders in line with, or in front of the hips. The tray is removable. This chair also converts to a low child play chair, and rated to hold up to 80lbs.
Pros:
Easy to wipe down
Transitions into a booster seat and toddler chair
Straps can be used without the infant insert
Cons:
Seat is slightly reclined, and most babies will initially need postural support (blanket roll) behind them
Footplate not fully adjustable and smaller
May be too tall when pulled up to a standard-height dining table
Various chairs on the market are made for small spaces, some of which are suitable for the floor, on a regular dining chair like a booster seat, or on a countertop. Here we outline some of the most popular space saving high chairs. Keep in mind that these chairs lack some crucial safety components for starting finger foods. Please read the sections above for how to modify chairs for safety.
This low-cost high chair is another popular option for families with small spaces. It comes with a three-point safety harness, removable tray, machine washable seat cover, and transitions into a booster seat. The seatback is completely upright. A baby’s knees tend to lay straight, supported by the seat of the chair, and there is no footrest. The max weight for this chair is 33lbs. This chair also folds up and is completely portable.
Pros:
Upright seat
Inexpensive
Small
Portable
Cons:
No footrest; requires modifications to get baby to weight bear through the feet
Low seat; difficult for some babies to reach the tray, requiring a towel or blanket to boost height
This low-cost high chair is a popular option for families with small spaces. Unfortunately, the seatback is slightly reclined, even when adjusted to the most upright position. It comes with a five-point safety harness, removable tray, machine washable seat cover, and transitions into a booster seat. A baby’s knees tend to lay straight, supported by the seat of the chair, and there is no footrest. The max weight for this chair is 50lbs.
Pros:
Inexpensive
Small
Portable
Cons:
Seat not completely upright, baby’s position not ideal for efficient chewing and safe swallowing
No footrest and no easy way to position feet for weight-bearing, especially for small babies
May be too small to bring baby to the table on a dining chair (too low for the table)
These low-cost chairs are another popular option for families with small spaces. They come with a three-point safety harness, removable trays, and transition into booster seats. The Fisher Price seat has three trays. The seatbacks are completely upright. The Safety 1st seatback is smaller and less supportive. A baby’s knees tend to lay straight, supported by the seat of the chair, and there is no footrest. The max weight for these chairs is 50lbs. The Fisher Price chair folds up and can be carried like a bag. The Safety 1st seat has two levels of booster height.
Pros:
Inexpensive
Small
Portable
Upright seat
Cons:
No footrest, requires modifications to get baby to weight bear through the feet
Only three-point harness
These low-cost seats are popular chairs and commonly used as infant positioning devices. They come with a three-point safety harness, a removable tray, and transition into booster seats. The seatbacks are upright but curved. The seat is a bucket seat and baby’s bottom may sit lower than their thighs and knees, which is not ideal for sitting posture. There is no footrest. The max weight for the Ingenuity chair is 50lbs and Bumbo is 30lbs.
Pros:
Inexpensive
Small
Portable
Cons:
No footrest, requires modifications to get baby to weight bear through the feet (including back support)
Only three-point harness
Bucket seat can put baby in improper pelvic alignment which is not ideal for chewing and swallowing
This popular travel high chair hangs from a table or countertop, and is commonly used when eating out. It has a three-point harness, removable tray table, and firm plastic seat. It is fabric covered and hand-washable. The seat is large enough for a toddler but provides too much room to support good postural stability for many small babies. There is no footrest, but the Inglesina can hang over another chair to use for bearing weight through the feet. The max weight for this chair is 37lbs.
Pros:
Very portable, easy to use for travel
Great for small spaces, can be used with an existing table or countertop
Cons:
No footrest and poor postural support, especially for smaller babies
Difficult to clean
Should only be used on strong, reliable table or countertop
This portable booster seat is also popular and commonly used as an infant positioning device. It comes with a three-point safety harness, a removable tray, and can be strapped to the chair for increased safety. The seatback is completely upright. The seat is designed to rotate the pelvis forward, aligning the shoulders with the hips or slightly forward. There is no footrest. The max weight is 30 lbs.
Pros:
Upright seat
Small
Portable
Cons:
No footrest, requires modifications to get baby to bear weight through the feet
Only three-point harness
These standard high chairs all feature the ability to fold up and easily store in a small apartment or home when not in use. These chairs all lack the safety features for fully upright positioning and foot support and are not developmentally appropriate for toddlers.
This chair is a more traditional design with a high, padded reclining seatback. It comes with a five-point harness. There is a small footrest, which is not adjustable and not high enough for most babies and young toddlers to reach. The tray easily swings open, but is slightly more difficult to fully remove. The chair has front wheels for easy moving, but this does decrease the overall stability of the chair. The chair folds up into a thin rectangle shape, weighing 15lbs. The max weight for this chair is 50lbs.
Pros:
Easy to store when not in use
Five-point harness for safety
Wipeable seat cover
Cons:
Reclining seatback; although it adjusts to upright, it does not support proper alignment of baby’s pelvis and shoulders
Footrest is entirely too low and small, requires modification for baby to reach
Easy to rock and can be unsteady for older infants and toddlers
This chair is a favorite for families looking for an easy fold option. This traditional, high seatback chair comes with a five-point harness and washable seat cover, as well as four-level adjustable seat height. The footrest is very small and low, which makes it difficult for an infant or small toddler to reach the footplate. Baby sits in a slightly reclined position with most of the upper leg supported by the seat. The tray is removable. It is easily collapsible/foldable into a small rectangle to easily store in a very small space. Max weight for this chair is 40lbs.
Pros:
Quick, simple fold design
Adjustable seat height
Cons:
Seatback does not provide appropriate positioning for total upright posture and bent knees.
Footplate not usable without modification
Cloth seat cover is difficult to clean, with a lot of crevices to build up gunk
These chairs are similar to the Baby Jogger Bistro, and also have an easy fold option. These traditional, high seatback chair come with both three- and five-point harness options and washable seat covers. These chairs are on wheels and feature very small, low footrests which are difficult for an infant or small toddler to reach. The Graco chair has a leg rest that is designed to facilitate bending the knees at 90 degrees or more. These chairs are reclinable. With the Graco chair, the large tray is removable, but a small snack tray remains, so this chair cannot be pulled up to the table. The Evenflow tray is fully removable. These chairs are easily collapsible/foldable and can be stored in a very small space. Max weight for these chairs is 40lbs.
Pros:
Quick, simple fold design
Easy to move around the home
Cons:
Seatback does not provide appropriate positioning for total upright posture and despite leg rests, it is difficult for the knees to truly bend at 90 degrees
Footplate not usable without modification
Graco is not able to pull up to the table to join the family meal
Can be unstable with the wheels
These chairs are similar to the Graco Slim Spaces, and also have easy fold options. Both chairs are traditional, high seatback chair with washable seat covers. The Cosco Simple Fold has a three-point harness while the Grow and Go chair has a five-point harness. The footrests are very small and low, making it difficult for an infant or small toddler to reach. Baby sits in a slightly reclined position with most of the upper leg supported by the seat. The large tray is removable. Both chairs are easily collapsible/foldable, and can be stored in a very small space. Max weight for both chairs is 50lbs.
Pros:
Quick, simple fold design
Very affordable
Cons:
Seatback does not provide appropriate positioning for total upright posture and it is difficult for the knees to be bent at 90 degrees.
Footplate not usable without modification
Somewhat unsturdy, easy to rock for a bigger, stronger infant or toddler
Of the high chairs on the market, the following offer satisfactory positioning and are less expensive:
Used Stokke Tripp Trapp, Nomi Chair, Stokke Steps*
Ikea Antilop with added footrest
Fisher-Price Healthy Care Booster Seat positioned with feet flat on the floor or chair
Safety 1st Sit, Snack & Go Feeding Booster Seat positioned with feet flat on the floor or chair
*Check out used or preloved chairs at Hello Markid, Good Buy Gear, eBay, Facebook, Craigslist, and BuyBuy Baby.
Of the high chairs on the market, the following offer satisfactory positioning and grow with the baby:
Stokke Tripp Trapp
Stokke Stepps
Nomi
Dream on Me Nibble 2 in 1 Highchair
Lalo the chair
Skip Hop EON 4-In-1 High Chair
Of the portable/travel high chairs for babies, the following meet satisfactory positioning and can collapse or are small enough to travel:
Inglesina chair with feet planted on a stool or chair
Fisher-Price Healthy Care Booster Seat with feet planted on the floor or on chair
Of the chairs listed above, these five are the easiest to clean:
Nomi
Stokke Steps
Ikea Antilop
Lalo the Chair
Fisher-Price SpaceSaver
Old or vintage high chairs may be fine as is depending on the type, or may need some modifications to get baby in proper positioning. Here are some common adjustments often needed for old or vintage high chairs.
Maeve, 13 months, sits in an older high chair with a cushion behind her back and under her butt to support proper positioning. A box secured to the footrest would help provide support beneath her feet.Seat size: Many vintage chairs have a very large seat, without any strapping system or harness. A small baby or one who is still slightly unsteady in sitting will need additional support to sit upright and stay upright.
An older baby or toddler, like Maeve (13 months) above, can likely sit without much additional support. However, if baby is unable to sit strong, consider using towel or blanket rolls next to baby on each side to keep them sitting safely.
Additionally, old high chairs might require adjustments to height of the footplate. Use the footplate adjustments discussed above.
Ready to get started? Read our safety tips and view our guides on Starting Solids.
Solid Starts does not endorse or recommend the use of any particular high chair or similar product. The opinions expressed about high chairs or similar products are not intended to be an endorsement of any high chair or an instruction on how to use or maintain any high chair. Your use of any particular high chair, including but not limited to the positioning of your child in a high chair, is your responsibility. Solid Starts and its owners, members, and employees are not liable or responsible for any loss, injury, or damage arising from your or your family’s use of a high chair.
Do you find yourself googling what is the best high chair available in 2020? Or, what’s an easy to clean high chair? What’s the best foldable high chair? What is the best high chair for small spaces? These are all questions I’ve had myself as a mom! I know how overwhelming and confusing it can be with the abundance of high chair products that are out there on the market!
Especially as moms, sometimes we feel like we have to provide the latest and greatest for our children… and we do this out of love! But googling the “best baby high chair 2020” may not exactly do this for us when it comes to getting your kid a comfortable, easy to clean, and safe high chair. Fact of the matter is, the best high chairs out there aren’t necessarily the most expensive, or the “fanciest”!
In this blog post, I hope to simplify this search for you!
Seating position for a baby
Did you know that having your baby and toddler positioned correctly during feeding is crucial for safe and focused feeding success? And to get us started, it wouldn’t be a blog post about high chairs without first going over the proper seating position for feeding a baby!
Here is a list of things that your baby should be able to do in their high chair to achieve optimal feeding success!
*PS Babies should be able to sit upright unassisted without tiring easily before starting solids. Unassisted means without your help, or the help of a seating device or high chair. For these exact reasons, I never recommend using a Bumbo chair to feed your baby!
If you want to learn more about the proper seating position for feeding and check out the reasons behind this, check out my blog post on safe and effective seating positions!
Why is proper seating so important?
One of my biggest tips for how to help your toddler sit and stay at the table is to ensure proper and comfortable seating!
Proper seating is often skipped over, but is sooo important for feeding success!
If a toddler or baby isn’t seated comfortably and with good stability, you may start to see things like:
You’ll especially see these signs start when your baby isn’t held upright and has no footrest. Think about what it’s like when you eat off a really tall bar stool… do you struggle with your feet dangling with no support? How does this impact your chewing, coordination, maintaining your posture, and your comfort? It all becomes sooo much harder!! Notice often in these scenarios we try to find something to naturally rest our feet on, or we wrap our feet and ankles around the legs of the chair.
These are all reasons why you want to find a comfortable seating position for your toddler or baby! My Feeding Toddlers online course and Baby Led Feeding course both equip you with the knowledge you need to feel confident through this process (and to solve the above problems you may be having!).
What to look for in a high chair
A proper high chair is the most beloved and most important feeding gear to get! Remember that a proper or good high chair doesn’t mean it has to be the most expensive one! Though some add-ons can be helpful if you can spend the money on them, add-ons are not necessary.
Here are my top 5 necessities that you should be looking for in any high chair that you buy:
My personal fave high chairs:
Stokke Tripp Trapp
Price: $269 USD
Grows with baby? Yes! Your child can grow with this chair for years since it is highly adjustable!
Adjustable footrest? Yes!
Links: Amazon US, Amazon US tray, Amazon Canada, Amazon Canada tray
Other cool features: The weight for this high chair is up to 300lbs. They also have a version made for toddler! (Amazon US, Amazon Canada (white)). You can also buy an add-on tray from Stokke for this chair for ($49 USD, linked above).
Keekaroo Height Right
Price: $189.95-199.95 USD
Grows with baby? Yes, since it is highly adjustable it can grow with baby into toddlerhood!
Adjustable footrest? Yes! Both the seat and the footstool are adjustable
Links: Amazon US, Amazon Canada
Other cool features: Can hold up to 250lbs in weight
Costzon Wooden High Chair
Price: $129.99 USD
Grows with baby? Yes, since it is highly adjustable and has a removable tray which allows it to grow with your child into toddlerhood!
Adjustable footrest? Yes! The footstool is highly adjustable!
Links: Amazon US
Other cool features: Can hold up to 110lbs in weight
Nomi High Chair
Price: $380 – $460 USD (dependent on type of wood chosen)
Grows with baby? Yes! Highly adjustable, you can adjust both the footstool and the height of the chair, meaning you can bring this high chair to dine at the table with you and your family!
Adjustable footrest? Yes!
Links: Amazon US, Amazon Canada, Hudson’s Bay (will ship to Canada)
Other cool features: It can hold up to 330lbs
Stokke Steps Chair
Price: $388 – $427 USD (depending on color choice)
Grows with baby? Yes, this can be purchased as a high chair and can be used later in childhood as a chair that is child sized. Adjustable food support and trunk support.
Adjustable footrest? Yes!
Links: Amazon US (white/natural wood), Amazon Canada (white/grey)
OXO Tot Sprout
Price: $249.99 USD
Grows with baby? Yes! It adjusts in depth, height, and foot support height. The tray and safety harness can be removed for a toddler seat. It grows well into early childhood and can be a great investment.
Adjustable footrest? Yes, there is 4 adjustable heights for the footstool
Links: Amazon Canada (brown), Amazon Canada (grey or pink)
Other cool features: This chair can convert into a youth chair! And it can hold up to 60lbs.
Honourable Mention: Ikea Antilop
WITH FOOTREST ATTACHEDPrice: $19.99 USD
Grows with baby? No. For most babies, the seat is very big and can have a large gap between the baby’s chest and the tray, sometimes meaning that the baby will have to lean over to reach food or rest. I suggest buying the ANTILOP support pillow ($4 USD) that’s sold separately to help fix this issue.
Adjustable footrest? No, this high chair (while affordable) actually doesn’t have a footrest! So what I suggest is buying a footrest from Yeah Baby Goods ($25 USD) or Footsi ($25.39 – $49.97 USD depending on style chosen) to solve this problem!
Links: Ikea US, Ikea Canada
Links for footstool additions:
Footsi 3 color options
The Woodsi Footsi Bamboo Footrest
(Yeah Baby Goods ) Bamboo Adjustable Footrest
USE CODE MYLITTLEEATER FOR ALL FOOTSI PRODUCTS TO GET 10% OFF
Links for support pillow: ANTILOP support pillow (Ikea US), ANTILOP support pillow (Ikea Canada)
Other features I like: It’s super cheap!! A great option as a second high chair to keep at a family member/caregiver’s home where baby may often eat.
Travel options for you on-the-go moms:
Inglesina Fast Table
Price: $69.00 – $79.00 USD (depending on colour choice)
Grows with baby? No
Adjustable footrest? No, this one comes with no footrest. But, check out my three tips later in this blog post for how you can make foot support at home!
Links: Amazon US, Amazon Canada
Add on tray links: Amazon US, Amazon Canada
Other cool features: This can be a great option to take on the go, at restaurants, to clip onto a kitchen island, and more! It is easily collapsible for travel and you could purchase a separate dining tray to go with it, if desired.
Cozy Cover Easy Seat Portable
Price: $14.85 – $19.99 USD (depending on colour choice)
Grows with baby? Yes, to the extent that the straps can be adjusted if desired to use in toddlerhood.
Adjustable footrest? No footstool for this one. But, it can do the job in a pinch if you are visiting friends/family without young kids. Again, check out my three tips for making an at-home footstool below.
Links: Amazon US, Amazon Canada
Other cool features/things to note: This chair is definitely a hit for travel! Although note that your baby/toddler won’t be able to be pulled up to the a table so they can eat off of it/plate. They would need to eat on the chair, which is a downside, but this is a convenience option for special circumstances.
Booster Seat Recommendations
The purpose of the booster seat of course is to transition them from a highchair, to eating at the table. I highly recommend not transitioning your toddler to a booster seat any earlier than 18 months, ideally aiming to keep them in their high chair for 2+ years if possible! This is especially possible if you’ve purchased a highchair that grows with your baby into toddlerhood.
When it comes to the best seating position for toddlers, you’ll want to make sure that the table lands halfway between their belly button and breast. At this height, their elbows should be able to comfortably rest on the table. Smaller kid tables are fine from time to time, but most times it’s best to keep them at the family table in order to model eating behavior and family style meals. You’ll learn all about the importance of this for preventing and managing picky eating inside my Feeding Toddlers online course!
It’s also important to avoid dangling feet when possible! Like babies, toddlers need proper support and grounding of their body to provide them with core stability that helps them stay focused and eat well. Just a reminder, like babies, we want them sitting with their hips, knees, and ankles all at a 90-90-90 angles from one another.
Some suggestions for stand alone booster seats I recommend include:
OXO Tot Perch
Price: $39.99 USD
Grows with toddler into childhood? Yes
Adjustable footrest? No footrest
Links: Amazon US, Amazon Canada
Other features: This one has a weight capacity of 70lbs, and can accommodate kids over 3 years of age. The harness can also then be removed for young children.
Ingenuity SmartClean Toddler
Price: $34.99 USD
Grows with toddler into childhood? Yes, harness is removable.
Adjustable footrest? No footrest.
Links: Amazon US, Amazon Canada
Other features: Weight capacity is 50lbs.
Unilove Feed Me
Price: $69 USD
Grows with toddler into childhood? Yes, height can be adjusted.
Adjustable footrest? It does have a footrest (though it’s not adjustable).
Links for purchase: Amazon US
Other features: Can hold up to 30lbs in weight and has a feeding tray!
The Upseat
Price: $99.99 USD (Use code MYLITTLEEATER10 for 10% off your purchase!)
Grows with toddler into childhood? No, this specific seat is designed for babies and toddlers, ranging from 4 months to 2 years old.
Adjustable footrest? No.
Links for purchase: The Upseat
Other features: Includes a tray, safety straps, and straps to allow it to become a booster seat. This seat is also something that can be used as a seat for your baby on the floor, as a great alternative to the Bumbo chair because it allows for proper positioning for posture and healthy hip development.
How to set up your high chair for feeding time
So then you may ask, once your high chair has arrived at your home…what are some actionable steps for setting up your high chair for feeding time? Especially if you have a high chair with some adjustable options, like a recliner and an adjustable tray?
Troubleshooting Seating Issues
If you don’t have an adjustable high chair (or booster seat) with a footstool, three options that you can do to help your toddler’s foot support are:
Take a look at these creative at-home footstool accommodations that some graduates from my Baby Led Feeding and Feeding Toddlers online courses have done!
Pool noodle tied with zip ties for a place to rest his feet! A simple exercise band does the trick here! A form keyboard wrist rest was used here along with some cut up Amazon boxes to help this guy’s feet reach the footrest! These parents got crafty and used some extra siding material, O-rings, and electrical tape to hold this foot rest in place!And there you have it, my top tips, tricks and recommendations for your high chair shopping and feeding needs! I hope this helped!
If you want to learn more about feeding your baby and toddler to have more enjoyable meal times, check out my Baby Led Feeding online course and/or my Feeding Toddlers online course! And, if you are looking for even MORE of my recommended feeding tools, check out my full Amazon shops (MLE Amazon shop US, and for my Canadians… MLE Amazon shop Canada)
*Please note that I do receive a small commission from the products purchased from my Amazon shops and many of the chair links provided in this blog post. But, this comes to no additional cost to you, and I only add items to my Amazon shops that I FULLY support and stand behind! These small commissions help me keep my website alive and kicking so I can continue to provide you with valuable feeding info.