Parents always get very excited when their child reaches a new milestone such as the first step, first word, first solid meal, and so on. These are no easy tasks for a baby, they learn so much in their first year of life including how to feed themselves.
Of course, they need the parent’s help in this process, so today we’ll go over the introduction to self-feeding, including some helpful tips on picking the best high chair for blw.
A quick look at my favorite high chairs for blw
Main Points
- Blw stands for baby-led winding
- Baby-led wining is when your baby learns to eat on its’ own.
- A high chair gives your baby support to sit upright.
- Blw is important for bonding and good motor skills development.
- Self-feeding can be messy.
Тоp 5 Best High Chair for Baby-led Wedding
1. Graco Slim Snacker High Chair
- Dimensions: 24″D x 35.5″W x 40.8″H
- Maximum Weight: 40 pounds
Overview
This model of the high chair is perfect if you are someone who has limited kitchen space and doesn’t want your baby’s high chair getting in the way all the time. The Graco Slim is very easy to set up and you can even use it as a regular chair if you don’t attach the seating part to the tall stool legs.
Design
The chair has a 3-position incline and comes with a big tray to fit all your baby’s food and a built-in cup holder. The seat pad is very easy to clean up, and you can put the tray in the washing machine to make things easier on yourself.
The best part about his high chair is that it folds up in just a few seconds. There is a handle in the middle of the seat, and all you have to do is pull on in and the chair will fold up nicely. You can fit it in pretty much any storage place or closet, just make sure to detach the tray before folding it up.
It also comes with a handy storage basket and a footrest for your baby’s little feet, as well as a harness belt you can put on your baby to make sure it’s not trying to climb out of the high chair.
Cons
You can find that the stool legs may be a bit difficult to detach because you need to push a little button on the side. This is no big issue, just don’t be afraid to use a little force.
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2. Abiie Beyond Wooden High Chair
- Dimensions: 3″D x 34″W x 16″H
- Maximum weight: 250 Pounds
Overview
This model is made from natural wood and is one of the most adjustable high chairs on the market. Every piece undergoes pressure-assisted high-temperature sterilization at 248 °F to make sure that your baby is sitting in a safe environment.
Design
The chair can be adjusted without using any tools. You can put the tray on and bring the seat closer to the top to accommodate your baby, or remove the tray and adjust the seat lower to have yourself an extra dining room chair. The footrest is also adjustable and you can put it higher, lower, or even remove it according to your needs.
The materials covering the cushion are waterproof and very easy to clean, you just need a damp cloth and the stains will be gone with one easy wipe. The plastic tray cover is removable and dishwasher friendly.
The design is modern and there are a few colors you can choose from to make the high chair fit your kitchen decor.
Cons
The initial setup of the highchair can be confusing and the safety straps can loosen by themselves. If you have your toddler in the chair, make sure you put the tray on to further prevent it from climbing out.
3. Ingenuity SmartClean Trio Elite 3-in-1
- Dimensions: 21.5″D x 34.5″W x 43.5″H
- Maximum weight: 50 Pounds
Overview
This wonderful model can be used by kids from 6 mounts to 5 years old. It can be converted into a high chair, a buster seat, and a toddler seat, so you can rest assured that you will have it in your home for a long time.
Design
It is very easy to go from a high chair to a toddler seat, you just detach the sitting part with a simple push of a button, pull it off and there you have it. To go to booster chair mode, simply take your detached seating part and put it on any kitchen chair.
There are little compartments on the sides that have straps you can use to secure it to the chair. You can use the booster seat with or without the tray. If you remove the tray, just push your chair close to the table and enjoy having dinner with your family.
The removable tray is made out of two trays stacked one on top of the other and both can be easily washed in the dishwasher. The leg stools have a wheel on them so you can easily maneuver the chair around your kitchen.
The best thing about this high chair is that you can use it for two kids at the same time. You can have your toddler in the toddler seat and your baby in the booster chair.
It also has a 5-point harness for the booster seat and a 3-point harness for the toddler seat so you can strap your kids in for extra safety.
Cons
You need to make sure to strap in your toddler because the back of the toddler chair is pretty low. This can sometimes cause the toddler to throw a fit and misbehave.
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4. Infantino 4-in-1 Highchair
- Dimensions: 14.96″D x 16.14″W x 18.9″H
- Maximum weight: 45 pounds
Overview
This foxy model is the definition of adjustability and convenience. It has 4 different chair settings and they all are very easy to set up. It is a high chair that can be converted into a booster chair for infants, a booster chair for a toddler, and a toddler chair.
Design
The baby high chair can easily be made into an infant booster just by simply removing the sitting part and attaching it to any chair in the house. Just by simply removing the tray you have yourself a toddler booster or you can attach the adjustable leg stools to make a toddler chair. As I said, the definition of convenience, plus it has a footrest as well.
The tray has a removable meal mat that is easy to clean and washing machine friendly. There is also a 2 stage recline you can use depending on whether you have an infant sitting in the chair or your toddler.
Cons
This model doesn’t fold up and I can’t be easily transported.
5. Baby Delight Go with Me Venture Portable Chair
- Dimension 22.75″D x 23″W x 24.5″H
- Maximum weight 75 pounds
Overview
This model is for parents who love to go camping but, still want the best for their baby’s development. This chair is versatile and it can accommodate children from 3 mounts to 8 years old. Not to mention that it can fit in a small bag when it’s folded up so you can easily put it in your trunk without it having to take up a lot of space.
Design
The chair can be used as a semi-baby bed for children from 3 to 6 mounts old. After this milestone, you can remove a flap that is on the seat that reveals two leg holes. This way your baby can stand with assistance and feed itself using the detachable tray in front.
After your baby gets bigger you can remove the 5-point harness and use it as a toddler char. There is also a detachable canopy you can put up to protect your kid from the weather. You can detach or attach the tray and the canopy in every position you set up the chair whether it is for your infant or your toddler.
Cons
Some parents report that they have difficulty with the chair folding up after a few uses, and also it tends to be unstable so you need to push it into the ground similar to how you’d set a tent up.
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What does blw stand for?
Blw stands for baby-led weaning which is the process by which babies learn how to feed themselves. This process is lengthy, and you can’t expect your baby to go from only feeding on breastmilk to eating full meals. Usually, there is a transition period where babies eat baby food or any kind of mushy food they can swallow.
Parents will spoon-feed their babies at first until they are strong enough to do it themselves, and this in-between period is what baby-lead weaning is. This is the time when your baby learns to be in charge and starts figuring out how to eat on its own.
The basic idea behind this process is to let the baby lead the way and have the parent follow along. This will help the baby with its development and it will start to get some independence.
When should you start baby-led weaning?
The time when you should start baby-led weaning will depend on your baby’s development. More often than not it is recommended you start somewhere after your baby turns 6 months old. This is also around the time you want to start spoon-feeding.
How to start baby-led weaning?
The easiest way to introduce your baby to self-feeding is by sitting them in a high chair. This will allow you to face your baby and see exactly what are they doing. If you sit your baby on your lap facing away from you, it might be difficult to keep track of its actions.
You can start by placing soft foods in front of them. Something like small pieces of cooked veggies, bananas, or avocado will do the trick.
Baby-led weaning will also help you understand what foods your baby prefers.
Things to look out for in a high chair
The best way to prep for the start of the baby-led weaning process is by purchasing a good-quality high chair. However, there are a few things to keep in mind before purchasing the best high chair for blw.
Height
You want to make sure that the feeding chair and the kitchen table are the same sizes. In the beginning, you’ll probably put the high chair in a place that’s convenient for you to keep an eye on your baby while it’s learning how to eat on its own. But later, you will want the baby to eat with you at the dining table so make sure the high chair is not too short or too tall.
Comfort
Your baby will probably spend a lot of time in its high chair. You need to make sure that it is comfortable and can sit upright to prevent choking. Also if your baby feels uncomfortable it will not want to sit in the chair and will probably throw a fit every time you try to sit it in.
Durability
A baby will probably be using a high chair from the age of 6 months to around 2 or 3 years old. You want to make sure that the high chair you got will be the same one you will be using throughout the years.
Make sure to get a high-quality chair that is easy to clean and also easy to put away in storage if needed. Who knows maybe baby number 2 will be on the way soon and there is no better way to save money that to reuse your old baby things.
Benefits of baby-led weaning
Baby-led weaning has a lot of benefits, for starters it allows your baby to be independent in their food choice. It also exposes your baby to different foods and textures which leads to having a more diverse diet and getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals in their body.
Some studies suggest that babies that feed themselves have better control and understanding of their appetite. This will make it less likely for your baby to struggle with overeating in the future.
Not to mention that if your baby feeds itself there is a lesser chance that it will be a fussy eater since in its mind they are the one picking its own food.
Another beneficial factor is bonding time. Dinner time is a time for family bonding and your baby can feel that. Having social interactions will help with your baby’s development.
Remember that your baby learns by example, and by seeing the way others eat at the table it will be encouraged to start using its motor skills to maneuver with the spoon.
By having your baby eat the same food as the rest of your family, not only are you having to spend less time cooking, but you also save money. Baby food is expensive so it’s a good idea to start buying the same food for your entire family.
Disadvantages of baby-led weaning
Parents often have concerns about choking while self-feeding. And yes, when your baby feeds itself it will be more likely to gag more often or even possibly choke. This is why you need to keep a close eye on it during the first few mounts of baby-led winding.
Not to mention that this process is very messy. Your baby will probably throw and smear food all over the place and you will be cleaning all the time.
Conclusion
The most important thing to keep in mind when choosing the best high chair for blw is your baby’s comfort and safety. Also, make sure that the chair is convenient for you and your space.
There are a lot of different choices on the market and this list narrows it down to the best ones for your specific needs whether it is a high chair for camping or a 4-in-1 home chair that you can use for both your infant and toddler.
When it comes to raising children, there’s a lot to learn! I’m here to share everything i learnt along the way.