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Baby High Chair Safety: What To Look For To Protect Your Child

04.07.2009 · Posted in Home and Garden Articles

Once your child is old enough to sit up, they’ll need a baby highchair. While you can find highchairs which can recline for seating infants, it only becomes a necessity once your child is about six months old and able to sit on their own.nnHighchairs usually come with a lot of features, many of which are geared towards the parent rather than the child. Your baby really doesn’t need the chair to have wheels or be foldable for easy storage, but you’ll find these useful features. More important for your infant’s comfort are padded seat covers and adjustable height, as well as foot rests which are adjustable.nnMany highchairs can be converted to play tables by the use of an insert which goes over the tray to give your child a surface to play on. You can also choose from highchairs which have larger trays; this keeps the mess to a minimum ? and every parent knows how messy of an eater their infant or toddler can be. Inset cup holders are another common feature which adds convenience to highchairs.nnYour baby’s highchair needs to be stable so that it will not tip over if they lean over the side; something which babies will do from time to time. Your highchair should have a broad base to prevent tipping – and of course, you’ll want to teach your baby to sit up when they are in their high chair.nnYou can choose from a few different materials when looking for highchairs; there are wooden chairs (very durable, but generally not adjustable), plastic ones (easy to clean, but less sturdy than wood) and metal framed chairs with plastic trays (the most popular choice).nnAs a parent, you need to make sure that your child is safe in their highchair. Your baby only needs a second to have an accident, so never leave your child unattended while they are seated. nnYou?ll also need to make sure your baby is strapped into their highchair at all times. Otherwise, they can slip out of the chair and fall ? the feeding tray will not keep them in the chair and larger children can actually become stuck between the seat and the tray.nnIf you have a highchair which is foldable, always make sure that it is locked into the open position before you place your child in it. Test your highchair from time to time to make sure that it?s in good working order.nnDo not place the highchair near any place that the baby could push off from and possibly have an accident. Also do not place your baby?s chair near any wires that can be pulled on. All cords should be out of reach anyway.nnWhen putting the feeding tray in place be sure to watch your child?s fingers. They could be pinched or severely cut. Also be sure the lock catches by tugging on the tray gently. It will not hold your child in place but if it is loose or doesn?t catch, your child if not strapped in could fall and get hurt.nnWear of the high chair can be hazardous. If the vinyl cover over foam is torn the baby could ingest small pieces of foam. Worn locking mechanisms could prevent the tray from staying in place. All belts and clasps should be checked for fraying or tears. Check the clasps for missing pieces or cracks. Cracked or chipped trays could cause injury or harbor germs. This type of check should be done before purchasing a second hand chair as well.

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