The Definitive Guide to Buying a High Chair

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Shortly after your pediatrician gives you the go-ahead to introduce solid foods, your home will fill with the smell of warm rice cereal and pureed peaches. But deciding where to introduce your baby to these foods may not be an easy decision. Here are some tips to get you started.

High chairs are not what they used to be. Once the eyesore of the kitchen, high chairs now come in a wide variety of styles and options from natural woods and metals to plastics, from the most basic models to those full of gadgets like toy bars, drink holders, and shoulder straps. What you choose depends a lot on your sense of style, your baby's age and activity level—and your budget. Keep reading to find the perfect high chair for your little one.

The Basics

Katie Gulbransen of Canton, Michigan, begins feeding her children in their infant seat or on her lap instead of a high chair. "I find that it's easier when they're so little to give them food in a place that's familiar to them," says the mother of three. At about eight months she moves her children into a high chair for playtime and meals.

But high chairs these days are all about versatility. Many are designed to accommodate children from age 4 months to 2 years with only a few adjustments. Some high-end brands even convert to an adult chair.

At its heart, a high chair is just that—a chair that elevates your child to a comfortable height and supports her while she's eating. Most high chairs also come with a tray.

Here are some of the options you'll find when looking at high chairs:

• Waist and crotch straps
  
• Easy-to-operate trays
  
• Table base
  
• Casters (wheels)
  
• Adjustable heights and reclining positions