When your baby starts to eat solids it is a mix of excitement, adventure, joy and mess as you watch their eyes light up when they taste something they like or witness the funny faces they make when they taste something they don’t. You’ll discover how far they can fling a spoon of food and find that food in many strange places.

The highchair you choose as you start our foray into solid foods is actually really important. It can be the difference between being able to enjoy the experience of feeding your baby solids or finding it to be a stressful experience. Whether it is because it is difficult to fold, doesn’t fit at your dining table or is a nightmare to clean, the wrong highchair can cause all sorts of headaches. 

When you are choosing the best highchair for your family, there are four key things you need to consider which we’ve outlined below to help you in your search.

Cleaning

Feeding solid foods is messy. There is no doubt about it. And no avoiding it. Starting solids is about exploring tastes and textures and the mess is all part of that.

Ease of cleaning is going to be a big factor in which highchair you end up choosing. You need something that is easy to clean so you aren’t having to spend extra time scrubbing surfaces or washing cushions etc. You’ll still have to clean the floor - and maybe the walls and ceiling too - but the highchair doesn’t need to add extra angst to the process.

Ideally you will be looking for a highchair with wipe clean surfaces. A detachable tray table allows you to easily clean the entire tray, which is often where your baby will make the most mess.

Safety

No matter what baby equipment you are purchasing, whether it is a highchair or a stroller or a baby car seat, safety is always going to be one of your biggest considerations. As it should be.

For a highchair, one of the key things to look for is a five point harness that will keep your baby secured in the highchair. If the highchair is on wheels, it’s also important that the wheels can be locked in place to prevent the highchair from unintentional movement. 

Safety isn’t something you can ever skimp on. Sadly, many children are injured in highchair incidents every year. If your baby isn’t secured in the highchair with an appropriate harness they can fall out of the chair and cause a serious injury. It’s easy to think that it won’t happen to you but it can.

Functionality

The functionality you need will very much depend on your home and lifestyle. A few features you might want to look for include:

  • Recline positions to cater for different ages and stages.
  • Multiple height positions to make it easy for you to feed your baby no matter where you are sitting.
  • A removable tray so your baby can eat from the tray or so the highchair can be pushed up the dining table to share family meals.
  • A footrest to provide added support which can be beneficial for easily-distracted eaters.
  • Compact folding for easy storage in areas with limited space. 

A highchair with all the bells and whistles might be tempting, but if you don’t need those features you are likely paying a lot more than you need to. Often it’s a case of simple is best - simple, smart features that make your life easier.

Think about your home, the space you have and how you will feed your baby and ensure that the highchair you choose will be able to meet your needs. 

Longevity

There are two elements to the longevity of a highchair. The first is whether or not the highchair is of a high enough quality in order to stand the test of time. If you are buying the highchair for your first baby and you plan to expand your family, ideally you want the highchair to serve your family for many years to come.

The second part of longevity is about the weight limits for the chair. Your baby will likely still need a highchair until they are toddler, or until about the age of three. If the highchair weight limit is lower than that then you won’t get the longevity you need from the highchair. 

However long you need your highchair for, a quality highchair that will stand up to whatever your baby/toddler can throw at it will serve you well. You should also consider what you will do with the highchair when you have finished using it. One option might be to resell it so another family can enjoy it too. In that case, a high-quality used chair will be easier to sell as second hand than a low quality one.

The Munch Highchair

New to the Mother’s Choice family is the Munch Highchair, a versatile, value-packed highchair that is full of features for modern family living. 

The features of the Munch Highchair include:

  • 3 recline positions
  • 6 height positions for easy feeding (can be used as a low chair or highchair)
  • 5 point safety harness
  • Easy-clean padded seat cover
  • BPA free removable tray with separate tray covering (tray can be stored in the frame when not in use)
  • Lockable wheels for easy maneuverability
  • Footrest for added support
  • Easy fold for storage
  • Can be positioned at the dining table for family meals

Suitable for ages six months (approximately) to three years (maximum 22kgs) the Munch Highchair is available in two designs - Grey and Red Lines. Munch has all of the features you need in a highchair… and nothing you don’t. It is sturdy, high-quality and safe for your precious little people. 

Whatever baby essentials you are looking for, we’ve got you covered. At Mother’s Choice we are proud of our history in providing leading baby products for Australian parents. Developed with safety and value in mind, our products tick all the boxes for what modern parents are searching for.