Almost every family in which the child has reached the age of introducing complementary foods has a high chair. As soon as he approaches the cherished mark of 5-6 months, he begins to sit independently, they immediately buy him a high chair. Subsequently, he eats after him for up to two years, and maybe longer. Most mothers have no idea how to feed a baby without a special high chair, but it is possible.
Does a 6-8 month old baby need a high chair?
During complementary feeding, you need to start introducing your baby to solid foods. Do not feed him in order to satisfy his hunger, but only let him try a new type of food in very small portions - microdoses. The main food still remains breast milk or formula (for IV). The introductory stage of complementary feeding usually lasts 8-12 months (the period is determined individually for each child). At this time, the baby tries food from the parents' plate. That's why some people sit him on their lap during a communal meal.
When a child sits at the table on his mother's lap, he most naturally becomes familiar with the ritual of eating. Learns table manners and table manners. In this situation, no one pays attention to the child’s nutrition; he is only allowed to try food from an adult’s plate. Sitting in a separate high chair at this stage of complementary feeding is fraught with the desire to feed, that is, to give a large portion. And this, in turn, leads to reluctance to eat and aversion to food.
In addition, from the very beginning of complementary feeding, the baby is ready to get acquainted with the spoon. He can hold it and bring it to his mouth with his hands. Seating the child in a separate chair assumes that adults will feed him - the mother brings the spoon with food directly to her mouth. While knee feeding allows you to bring the spoon to the baby's hand in a natural way, and he himself brings it to his mouth.
Up to what age should a high chair be used? Expert opinion
First, let's look at the question - when will you need a feeding chair? The answer to this is as follows: from the time the baby begins to sit up on his own. During this period, the question arises - how and where is it better to feed the child? To make it convenient for him and his parents.
Important! Doctors warn that holding a child in your arms at this age is not at all safe. Alternative feeding methods are not safe.
You will not be able to provide your baby with a normal position; his spine will inevitably experience stress and sag. This does not mean that “taking by hand” is completely prohibited. The point is that you need to take the baby in your arms, following certain rules. And, of course, prolonged sitting is prohibited - no matter what - on your hands, on an adult chair, on soft pillows, a bed, a sofa, etc. Such a body position inevitably leads to incorrect posture, curvature of the spine and other pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.
You need to seat your child correctly! Doctors never tire of talking about this.
You should take care of purchasing the “right” chair, which provides all the parameters necessary for the general health and normal development of the baby, these are:
- seat and footrest height;
- footrest depth;
- back height.
Good manufacturers who care about their reputation offer high-quality certified products with a carefully thought-out set of settings.
The market leader is the Russian furniture factory “Drug Kuzya”, which produces Peacock high chairs
Classic baby high chairs with a traditional design are usually used from the time solid feeding begins. “Growing” chairs are also used from now on. This is usually around the age of five to six months. But the cardinal difference between “growing” models (I deservedly call them “smart”) is the possibility of use from about six months of age of the child and over the following years.
At 9 months of age
The baby grows up, and his interest in food turns from introductory to nutritional. He wants to eat no longer just out of interest, but in order to satisfy his hunger. The energy stage of complementary feeding begins. This usually occurs at 8 months. Children begin to eat faster; it is no longer convenient to do it on your knees.
The older the child gets, the more active he becomes at the table. I no longer want to just take a spoon from an adult’s hand, but to eat on my own and explore the food. Therefore, he can put his hands into the plate, smearing everything and everyone around him.
Some doctors recommend that from 9 months onwards, children should be given a separate place at the table - with their own plate and cutlery - so that they can learn to eat themselves. But then parents will have to, instead of eating their lunch, closely monitor the child so that he eats with a spoon and does not spill anything on the table. At this age, a high chair is already needed.
How to take the matter of feeding your baby into your own hands
Even for a one-year-old baby, you can start to establish the basic principles. Some begin to protest: “He is too small to teach him the rules.” Complete nonsense, my dears. It is now that we need to start, before this nightmare of two years of age, when everything can turn into a continuous struggle.
In all statements by parents describing their concern about the child's behavior, the result is that the child is in charge. Moms and dads start with the words “My baby refuses...”, “My son doesn’t want...”. You must take control.
Some sort of fidgeting while eating, refusing to sit in a high chair for feeding, wanting to stand up - all this is an integral part of the child's behavior, and many of these problems cannot be avoided. I noticed that those mothers who maintain contact with their babies and talk with them have fewer problems in this area. This helps to engage the child and keep him interested in food. Try asking “Where are the potatoes?” or say “Peas are green.” Smile, talk to your baby, praise him for what he does right. If he stops eating or at some point it seems to you that he wants to get up, take the initiative: immediately remove the child from the chair and say: “Very good, lunch is over. It's time to wash your hands."
Children should never be coaxed into eating. They will do this when they are hungry or when a plate of their favorite dish is placed in front of them. But they won't eat if we try to feed them with tricks or deception.
Which chair to choose
Before purchasing, you should look through all the options in stores, as there are several types. For example, a transformer. It consists of a children's table and a high chair, which are stacked on top of each other to form a high chair with a plate holder. This option is chosen by many parents because it can be used for a long time and for different purposes - first for feeding, and then as a set of furniture for creativity.
There are also hanging tables that are unsafe and require close attention from parents.
The solution for homes where space is limited is a folding chair. However, it also has a number of security-related disadvantages.
Interestingly, many people do not use the stand-table that all high chairs are equipped with. The child is often seated at a common dining table, with free access to food. Therefore, the chair must be able to remove this stand.
How to make it yourself
Before buying a special high chair, you can try to make a feeding place yourself. For example, put a sofa cushion on a chair with a back, and cover it with a diaper on top. Move it close to the table. The child can sit comfortably, and he will also be at table level and reach the foods he wants to try. So, many parents are quite happy with such a place, and they refuse to buy special furniture. For comfort, you can use not an ordinary pillow for sleeping, but one made of polystyrene foam and padding polyester. You can do it yourself. To do this, you need to take thick polystyrene foam, wrap it with padding polyester for softness, and put a pillowcase on top. This pillow (unlike a regular one) does not sag under weight and holds well on the chair.
Of course, a high chair is much more comfortable. It is covered with oilcloth, so you can easily wipe porridge and remove crumbs from it. You need to pay attention to the materials, they should be durable and soft to the touch. It would be better if the cover is removable so that it can be washed. But the diaper covering the pillow needs to be cleaned after almost every meal.
The main reasons why a special high chair is replaced are due to the fact that there is little space in the apartment for additional furniture, and they are all bulky and about the same size. Sometimes children sit comfortably in regular chairs, so there is no need to buy a special one. In addition, the older the child gets, the cleaner he eats, which means he does not need a separate place.
At the introductory stage of complementary feeding, it is advisable to feed the baby on the laps of adults. Therefore, at this age, a high chair is not needed.
How to choose a high chair?
Among the huge variety of chairs, the following popular types can be distinguished:
- a high chair for feeding from birth, which is adjustable according to the position of the backrest;
- a hanging chair that is attached to an adult table;
- booster (placed on top of an adult chair);
- growing chair (the footrest can be adjusted in height).
When choosing a high chair for feeding, consider its reliability, safety, and stability. The fabric upholstery of the seat should be easy to clean and dry quickly. If you will be moving the chair around your apartment, choose a model with wheels. It is also important that the footrest of the chair is adjustable in height: this will ensure the correct formation of the child’s posture.
Is it worth buying a high chair?
With the start of energy feeding, a special high chair for feeding will be very comfortable for both mother and baby. Therefore, if space and funds allow, it is better to purchase it. However, it is easy to do without it. The child can be seated on a regular chair with a backrest on a pillow so that it is at table level. Although this is less convenient, it is not critical. Every parent should remember that the chair is intended only for use during meals. You can’t put a child in it so that he won’t get out while his mother is busy or just sit and watch cartoons, for example.
Whether or not to buy a special high chair for feeding is up to the parents to decide; it all depends on the circumstances. It’s easy to do without it, but the main thing is that the child is comfortable.
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Tips for getting your baby used to a high chair
Be sure to choose a chair that will suit the age and height of the baby. Make sure that the seat is comfortable for the baby, moderately hard and moderately soft. Pay attention to the tabletop of the chair. It is desirable that it be spacious, because at a young age coordination is not yet well developed and the child needs to be given space to eat independently.
If you have eliminated these errors, but the child still cries and refuses the high chair, be patient and try to further look for the reasons.
Only put your baby in a high chair when he is hungry. If the baby screams, cries, squirms and does not allow himself to be placed in it, stop trying. Calm the baby and try again in 10-15 minutes.
Whenever you place your baby in a high chair, start eating immediately. Offer different food options, decorate the plate beautifully, and awaken the child's interest in feeding through a beautifully decorated plate. Buy bright dishes and offer to eat from them, order new feeding products, in general, do everything to make the baby want to sit down in a high chair as soon as possible.
Sometimes it happens that the mother interrupts the baby’s play too abruptly and immediately puts him in the high chair, of course, receiving a violent reaction in response. Tell your child that he needs to go wash his hands and sit down to eat, or warn him that it is time to eat. When putting the baby in a high chair, tell him that everything is fine, the baby is safe and he will now eat delicious food.
