Getting all your baby’s needs can be quite financially demanding. Nevertheless, as parents, we want to give our kids the best as much as we can.
There are some baby products parents can manage to do away with without any consequences. Are baby high chairs part of what you can do away with?
Well, baby chairs are as important as many other products we get for your babies. Nevertheless, the question remains, “why do babies need high chairs?”
In this article, we shall be covering the reason for having a baby high chair. You will also learn the best time to introduce your baby to it, and alternatives to traditional high chairs.
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Table of Contents
Why Do Babies Need High Chairs?
Buying a high chair for your baby makes feeding easy for you as a parent. Also, it is easy to make your baby concentrate on feeding when using a high chair.
Another good reason for needing a high chair is that it encourages babies to eat independently. With this, it would help your child to quickly master the art of eating.
So, are baby chairs solely for feeding? Not at all! If you are a mom or dad who spends time with your baby at home, getting a high chair can be handy.
If you want to keep an eye on your baby while working in the kitchen or any area in your home, placing your child on a high chair would help. You don’t want your child to be on his or her back all the time.
Finally, high chairs can be a good way to strengthen the spine of a baby. This would help your child learn how to sip up properly. However, you should not leave your baby on high chairs for too long.
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What Are The Benefits Of Using High Chairs?
The major benefit of using a high chair for kids is that it makes cleaning easier for you. No matter how hard you try to keep feeding clean, your baby will still mess up the place.
However, if feeding is done on a high seat with a tray, cleaning up can be easy for you. Attending to a child is a lot of work already and you want to try as much as possible not to add other tasks to it.
Also, it is a proven fact that kids tend to be excited when they are in high seats. I have experienced this first-hand with my babies whenever I placed them on a baby chair.
Therefore, having a baby seat for your little one is of great benefit to parents and babies. They make things easier for parents and at the same time make your baby comfortable and happy.
How Many Baby High Chairs Do You Need?
Typically, having just one baby high chair is enough for your baby. You don’t need to fill your home with baby things especially if space is of the essence to you.
However, if you have twins, having two high chairs may not be a bad one. This will make things easier for you, especially in terms of feeding.
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Do Newborns Need High Chairs?
When we say newborn, we are referring to babies that are between 0 to 2 months old. At this age, you don’t need a high chair for your baby.
High chairs are only suitable for babies who have the stamina to sit up. A newborn can’t sit up and hasn’t developed neck control. Hence, you don’t need a high seat for a newborn.
However, nothing stops you from having the chair beforehand. If you are having your first baby and space is an issue, you may want to wait until your baby needs the chair before buying it.
Don’t ever force your newborn of about 2 months to sit on a chair. Doing that would only mean hurting your little one. Wait for the right time to introduce your child to sit on a chair.
When Can You Introduce Your Child To A High Chair?
The recommended time to introduce your child to a high chair is around 6 months from birth. However, there are other things to consider before using high seats for babies.
Babies grow and develop differently. While some babies can start using a chair at 6 months, others may take longer. You want to be sure your child is ready before introducing him or her to a high chair.
For new moms, I understand the urge you get from introducing your baby to new things. But please take things easy and go with the flow.
If your baby is not ready for it at 6 months, you may want to wait a little more for the right time. Make sure your baby can seat up and the neck control is good enough for sitting up before using the high seat.
As for when to stop using the high chair for your baby, most brands have their specifications. You’d want to check the weight limit and height limit of the chair.
Nonetheless, most parents discontinue the use of high chairs when children clock between 2 and 3 years. At that stage, you may want to get a booster chair that attaches to dining chairs at home.
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Would There Be An Issue If I don’t Have A High Chair For My Baby?
Honestly, there is no safety concern if you don’t have a high seat for your baby. However, the stress that comes with not having one would be burdensome.
Without a high seat, feeding babies would be stressful. Also, you don’t want your baby to be lying down all the time. Spending a few hours per day on high seats could give parents some freedom.
Some moms have their babies on their backs while working in the kitchen. Others place their babies on bouncy chairs. Some even leave their babies crawling from room to room.
In terms of feeding, some moms feed their babies in their laps. However, self-feeding can be a mess and you can save yourself the stress by using a high chair with a tray.
Therefore, it depends on what you want. Is there an issue with not using a high seat for your baby? Not at all. But you can save yourself from unnecessary stress if you have one at home.
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Alternatives To A Traditional Baby High Chair
If you are concerned about space in your home and are looking for alternatives to baby high chairs, booster chairs that attach to chairs or baby chairs that attach to tables would be fine.
A baby seat with hook features makes it easy to have your baby with the family at the dining table. You can also easily fold and keep the seat after use.
If you are visiting a restaurant or going for an outdoor event with your baby, what you need is a seat that attaches to tables or chairs. You can also use them in a home with limited space.
However, you want to make sure the table or chair you are attaching the baby chair to is strong enough to bear the weight. Your little one’s safety should be your priority.
Final Thoughts
Baby chairs are meant to make parenting easy for parents. If you can afford it, there are enough reasons to have one.
However, if you are concerned about space in your home, you can get a booster chair that attaches to chairs or a baby seat that hooks to tables. This would definitely save you some stress.
In all, baby high chairs are very necessary but there are no implications for not having one. If you are comfortable feeding your baby in your lap, then do what is good for you.
