The Best High Chairs for Baby-Led Weaning
If you’re moving into self-feeding for your baby, be sure to check out the best high chairs for baby-led weaning to start off right.
When starting baby-led weaning, one of the first decisions you’ll need to make is what type of high chair to get. There are a lot of different options on the market, and it can be difficult to decide which one is right for your family. In this blog post, we will discuss the pros and cons of some of the most popular high chairs on the market, and help you choose the best one for your needs!
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Table of Contents
What is baby-led weaning?
Baby-led weaning is a method of feeding your baby where you give them solid foods instead of relying on formula or breast milk. This can be done in a high chair, or even at the dinner table with the rest of the family!
One of the biggest benefits of baby-led weaning is that it allows your child to develop their own natural eating habits. They will learn how to chew and swallow food, learn a variety of food textures, learn to use their hands to eat, and will eventually start to eat like an adult. This can also help reduce picky eating later on in life.
What features should I look for in a high chair for baby-led weaning?
When choosing a high chair for baby-led weaning, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
Make sure your high chair is sturdy and safe for your baby.
First, the high chair should be sturdy and safe. It’s important to make sure that it can hold your child’s weight without tipping over. Think about where your baby will be sitting in their high chair around your house. Consider the space you have, as well as their surroundings.
Make sure your high chair is easy to clean.
The high chair should also be easy to clean. All of the nooks and crannies where food can get stuck need to be easily accessible so that they can be cleaned quickly and effectively. If you’re going to choose a high chair with a cloth seat cover, make sure the seat cover is easily removable, machine-washable, and can be put back on easily. Also, check to see how easily the straps are to remove for washing.
Make sure your infant’s high chair is comfortable.
Check to make sure the high chair should be comfortable for your child. They will likely be spending a lot of time in it, so it’s important that they feel snug and secure. Check out the leg hole spaces and make sure your baby’s legs will fit in there. This was something I looked for because my babies had chunky little baby legs.
Make sure your high chair can be at the family table.
One of the great things about baby-led weaning is that you can do it anywhere! If you want your high chair to be at the family table, make sure to choose one that is adjustable and can fit comfortably around all of the chairs. Many of these chairs I am going to share can convert from what you have in your mind as a traditional high chair to a chair that can be used around the family table without a tray.
Get a high chair that can be used for several years.
Many high chairs come with a harness system that can be used for children up to a certain weight or age. Make sure the high chair you choose has this feature, so you can continue using it as your child grows. There will be instructions telling you when you can move on from certain features, as well as how to adjust the chair to meet the needs of your growing toddler.
Find a high chair that matches your decor.
The great thing is that high chairs come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and patterns. I am sure that you can find one that matches the decor of your home. If you’re looking for a more traditional high chair, there are plenty of options available. Or, if you’re looking for something a little funkier, there are also some cool high chairs on the market that will fit your style.
Check to see if a tray is included with the high chair.
One of the most common features of high chairs is a tray. This can be helpful for catching any food that might fall, and it also makes it easy to take your child’s food to the table. But, keep in mind that not all high chairs include a tray, so check just in case.
The Best High Chairs for Baby-Led Weaning
The Best Traditional High Chairs for BLW
The Graco 6-n-1 Convertible High Chair
The Graco Blossom Convertible High Chair is a popular choice among parents. It’s adjustable so it can grow with your child. This high chair can be used as both a high chair and a toddler chair, which makes it perfect if you’re expecting more than one child.
It has six different height adjustments to ensure that it will fit your child as they grow, and it also comes with a reversible seat pad so that you can choose between two different colors. There are a variety of colors and patterns for you to choose from to help you choose one to match your current decor.
The tray is removable and dishwasher-safe, which is always a win! There is a removable tray insert that can be easily removed for cleaning as well. If you’re like me, this is nice when you forget to clean the top tray and the next meal is ready. Slip off the insert, and voila, a clean eating surface on the tray base.
This does have a cloth seat that is removable and machine-washable. You’ll be able to choose between a 3-point and 5-point harness depending on the age and stage of your child. The straps are easily removable for cleaning.
The high chair is designed for children up to 40 pounds. When you transition the seat to a toddler booster and youth chair, the maximum weight recommendation is no more than 60 pounds. The unit itself comes in at 32 pounds in weight if you’re looking for a lightweight high chair.
When you want the high chair to stay in one place, you can easily lock the front wheels and rear castors to help keep your baby safe.
One last feature to point out on this chair is that there is a footrest that is adjustable to 3 different levels as your child grows.
Ingenuity SmartClean Trio Elite 3-in-1 Convertible High Chair
The Ingenuity Smart Clean Convertible High Chair is a high chair that doesn’t have a cloth seat pad and is designed to be easy to clean. The seat pad does come in a variety of colors and patterns for you to choose from.
You’ll begin using the chair as a full-size high chair for your baby-led weaning, beginning at 6 months. The 5-point harness will ensure that your baby sits safely in the seat while enjoying their food. The tray has 4 locking positions, and is removable for easy clean-up and to get your child in and out of the chair, and the tray itself is dishwasher safe.
The seat wipes clean after every feeding, but can also be cleaned in the dishwasher as needed.
Next, you’ll want to convert the chair to a booster seat. This can be attached to a regular dining room chair and can either use the tray or be pulled up to the dining room table.
The last setting for this chair is a toddler chair. Your child will sit up at the table with everyone else.
One unique feature about this chair is that when using the toddler chair, you can also use the booster chair separately for another child! The weight limit for any seat is 50 pounds. The high chair weighs only 10.25 pounds.
INFANS Folding High Chair with Storage Basket
The INFANS Folding High Chair is one of the best high chairs for baby-led weaning and storage!
This high chair stands out because it has a lot of great features, including its large storage basket. The storage basket is a great feature for things like bibs, towels, wipes, or even washable toys.
This high chair features a 5-point harness safety system, as well as a fixed baffle in between your child’s legs to help keep them safely in the high chair.
The chair itself has a detachable and breathable cushion and the seat adjusts to 4 different recline positions. You can adjust the chair itself to 7 different height levels. The footrest can be adjusted to 3 different height levels. Your child can safely use this seat until they reach 50 pounds. The seat cushion is waterproof which is another awesome feature for easy clean-up. It’s not recommended that you place the seat cover in the washing machine.
The tray is easily removable for cleaning, and also features a tray insert, essentially giving you a double tray. The tray insert is dishwasher safe.
When you’re done using the high chair, it folds up for easy storage. The chair weighs 16.6 pounds.
Chicco Polly High Chair
The Chicco Polly High Chair is perfect for parents who want a high chair that can be folded down easily for storing.
As a mom, one thing I always look for when I buy things is how easily can it be cleaned. This high chair seat cover can wipe clean, and it can easily be thrown in the washing machine when needed. The straps can also be removed and tossed in the washing machine as well. There are two height levels for the 5-point harness straps.
The tray is easily removable and can be cleaned easily or run through the dishwasher. There is also a tray insert that makes for super easy clean-up. When you don’t need the tray, it can easily attach to the rear legs for storage when you fold up the chair.
One feature I love about this high chair for baby-led weaning is that there is a piece that fits in between your baby’s legs so they can’t slip out of the bottom if you accidentally forget to strap them in.
This versatile high chair for baby-led weaning has 3 recline positions and 7 height positions. The maximum weight recommendation is 40 pounds. The unit itself weighs 23.3 pounds.
Modern High Chairs for Baby-Led Weaning
Evenflo 4-in-1 Eat & Grow Convertible High Chair
Another popular high chair choice for baby-led weaning is the Evenflo 4-in-1 Eat & Grow Convertible High Chair. This high chair is adjustable to fit babies of different sizes, and it has a five-point harness system to keep your child safe. It also has a large tray that can be easily removed for cleaning, and it folds up for easy storage when not in use.
For the stage 1 position, this chair is in the proper feeding position to be seated next to an adult. With baby-led weaning, the idea is that the baby feeds themselves, with the supervision of an adult. This high chair is perfect for that. You can use this stage until your baby reaches 40 pounds.
Stage 2 of this convertible high chair allows your baby to be seated on the floor where his or her feet can reach. You can use this stage until your baby reaches 50 pounds.
When you place this chair in stage 3, you’ll remove the tray, and your baby can use the chair as a regular seat. You can use this stage until your baby reaches 50 pounds.
And lastly, if you place the chair in stage 4, your child can use the seat and the height-appropriate table for baby-led weaning. You can use this stage until your baby reaches 50 pounds.
The weight of the chair itself is just 11.6 pounds. The seat is recommended for babies who are at least 4 months old, up through age 5. This high chair for BLW is a great option because there are so many choices.
Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chair
The Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chair is a high chair that has been designed with ergonomics in mind. It can be used from the time your child starts sitting up all the way until they are ready to start eating solid foods on their own, and it comes with a five-point harness system to keep them safe.
One of the biggest features that make this high chair unique is that it can be used for the entire duration of your child’s life, beginning at birth. When using the newborn set, your child will be able to safely use this seat until they reach 20 pounds.
Next, you’ll transition your child to the Tripp Trapp high chair. For this stage, you’ll need the Tripp Trapp Chair, as well as the Tripp Trapp Baby Set. You can use this chair design beginning at 6 months until your baby is 3 years old.
When your child no longer needs to use the chair as a high chair, the tray can be removed and your child can sit in the chair at the dinner table with everyone else. The chair is ergonomically designed to help your child grow by supporting their little body in all the right places. The maximum weight for the chair is 242 pounds! The unit itself weighs only 15.4 pounds.
One thing to note is that when purchasing this chair, you’ll get the chair, harness, baby set, and extended gliders. You’ll want to also purchase the tray. Please make sure you fully understand what you get before you purchase.
The seat of this high chair can also be adjusted to make sure that your child is always in a comfortable position. This high chair can be used as both a highchair and a toddler chair, which makes it perfect if you’re expecting more than one child.
Abiie Beyond High Chair
The Abiie Beyond High Chair is a high chair that can be used from 6 months until your child weighs 250 pounds! Talk about versatility!
Let’s start with the cushion of this chair. The chair cushion is comfortable for your child, but it’s also able to be easily cleaned when messes happen. The tray can be thrown in the dishwasher for easy cleaning.
In less than 20 seconds, you can convert this seat to any design you need. There is a footrest for when your child is small and it can be easily removed as your child grows. When you don’t need the tray any longer you can move your child right up to the dining table to be seated with everyone else.
It comes with a five-point harness system to keep your child safe, and when you’re ready, you can transition down to a 3-point harness system. The footrest, as well as the seat, are ergonomically designed to help keep your child seated in a safe position. If you have a child with special needs, this chair may be a great fit for you, as the company claims that many occupational therapists recommended this for its sturdiness.
The unit weighs 22 pounds, which includes the tray, and makes it a great option for parents who need a lightweight high chair.
Primo Cozy Tot Deluxe ConvertibleHigh Chair
The Primo Cozy High Chair is a good high chair for parents who want a high chair with easy cleanup.
To start, you’ll want to use the chair as a table-height high chair with a 3-point harness system. The feeding tray folds down for you to be able to place your child in the high chair and get them out. The feeding tray does have 3 distance levels to ensure that your child fits comfortably in the high chair without being too snug. The tray is top-rack dishwasher safe.
I love anything that can make my life easier, and this chair can do that. In less than one minute, you can convert this high chair to a toddler chair, which is great for playtime. You can also easily fold the chair down for quick storage- it goes down to only 10 inches.
This high chair is designed for children ages 6 months – 3 years, and up to a maximum of 30 pounds.
Floor Seats for Baby-Led Weaning
Fisher-Price Sit-Me-Up Chair
If you’re looking for a small high chair that is easy to clean and doesn’t take up a lot of space, the Fisher-Price Sit-Me-Up Chair might be a good option for you. This is a great option if you live a minimalistic lifestyle with a baby.
This high chair is designed to be used from the time your baby starts sitting up all the way until they are ready to start eating solid foods on their own. It has a small footprint, so it won’t take up too much room in your kitchen, and it can be easily wiped down with a damp cloth. If the need arises, and it will, you simply slip off the seat cover and throw it in the washing machine.
This small high chair is great because it can be used as an entertainment space, as well as a place to begin your baby’s journey into baby-led weaning. It is super convenient for small spaces because it folds away easily. This high chair is great for traveling because it is a spot your baby will be used to sitting to eat food.
Your baby can enjoy this seat until they reach the maximum weight recommendation of 25 pounds. The seat itself weighs only 4.41 pounds!
Bumbo Floor Seat with Tray
The Bumbo Floor Seat is a budget-friendly high chair and it’s perfect for parents who want to save space.
This chair is designed for babies who can sit up independently. It can be used as a floor seat or can be attached to a regular chair at the dinner table in place of a traditional high chair.
The tray is easily removable when you need to place your child in the chair, or when it needs to be cleaned. When you don’t need the feeding tray, it can be placed in the storage slot behind the chair.
Once your baby is a little bit bigger, you can remove the soft foam pad. The bottom of the chair has non-slip pads which will also help aid in not scratching any furniture you may attach the chair to.
The chair weighs only 4 pounds. The maximum weight for your child to safely use the Bumbo seat is 33 pounds.
At the end of the day, the best high chair for baby-led weaning is the one that fits your needs and your budget. I highly recommend that you go to a store and check out the chairs if you’re able to do that.
No matter what high chair you choose, be sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully and follow all safety precautions. Baby-led weaning can be a fun and rewarding experience for both you and your child, but it is important to make sure that you are taking the necessary steps to keep your child safe during mealtimes. Happy eating!
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