How to Buy a Good, Safe High Chair, Feeding Spoon, Bibs, etc - By: Casey Yew

When it comes to baby gear, especially food and safety related items, a spur of the moment decision should be avoided. Check reviews and always consider the safety aspects of feeding items as your child will be spending a great deal of time over the next years in the high chair - you want to be sure you have a safe one.

The High Chair

A high chair should be sturdy, well constructed and easy to clean. One of the hidden dangers of many high chairs is the amount of food that gets trapped under frills and flounces and encourages bacteria growth. Fashion should be a final consideration when it comes to a high chair with safety and ease of use coming in first and second respectively.

Safe High Chairs

The safest high chairs offer multiple levels of restraint. This means that your baby might be strapped with the safety straps around the legs, and then further prevented from movement by a t-shaped opening at the legs. When the tray is snapped on, she should be good and trapped. This seems outlandish when you first put your six month old in the high chair for a bite of carrots. But a toddler in a high chair can be a recipe for injury or at least disaster if he is able to get lose and climb or fall down when you turn to refill his plate.

A safe high chair also has a wide base which keeps the high chair from tipping. Again the active toddler can rock until he falls in a flimsy high chair or he might pull it on top of himself if he attempts to climb. A safe high chair also allows for easy cleaning to prevent trapped food and the growth of bacteria. Fluffy cloth covers and deep grooves make cleaning a high chair difficult.

The tray on a high chair is one of the most critical parts for keeping your baby in the right position and for properly displaying food. If possible, consider a high chair with a removable tray insert that you can wash in the dishwasher for sterilization after meals. This will also help with cleaning the chair. The tray should lock on strongly and not be knocked loose with an enthusiastic kick. A one-handed release is a nice feature as well when trying to handle multiple things at meal-time.

Longevity

A high chair is a large piece of baby gear, and ideally you can use it for a long time. To do so, however, you'll need to find a high-chair that is versatile. Look for a deep reclining feature. While your child should be able to sit up to eat, you can use the high chair well before this point to offer your baby a higher view of the world around her. As your baby grows, you should be able to tip the seat back up and adjust the straps and tray to fit his growing body. A portable high chair can help you when it comes time to travel or just eat away from home, but never trade portability for safety.

Other Meal Equipment

Other meal items such as utensils, bibs and dishes should be purchased with safety and cleanliness in mind. Buy dishes that are sturdy enough to be thrown on a tile floor time and time again and utensils should be suited for small hands and mouths. Metal utensils pose more risk than plastic, so you may opt to save metal utensils for the toddler years.

All baby food items should be microwave and dishwasher safe to give you increased options for cleaning and sterilizing the items after every meal. Bibs should be made of a material that can be easily washed. Wash bibs after each use and if you use a plastic bib, use a mild detergent and a piece of clean cloth to wipe it off - a dishrag can introduce germs and other forms of bacteria.

About the Author

Baby Food Chart - Your excellent and essential guide to nutrition, feeding and cooking for all babies and toddlers at http://www.BabyFoodChart.com

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Casey-Yew/3525

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