Baby Life Topic

If you are prepared with suitable food, easy-clean clothing and a comfortable and safe seat for you and your baby, meal times will feel a lot more relaxed.
One great way to get your toddler interested in eating and food, is to involve them in the kitchen. There are great products to help support their learning in the kitchen including a learning tower (such as the Mocka Learning Tower) and kid safe knives (such as the Kiddikutter knives)

There are many ways to set your baby up for their meal:

• highchair with a tray
• highchair which pushes up or attaches to the family table
• on the floor with a messy mat
• picnic outside on a picnic rug or messy mat
• on your lap supported in a safe upright position 

It's up to you where you set up your baby for their meal, using a variety of the above set-ups can make mealtimes more fun and interesting for your baby and yourself. The easier the clean up the better and the less you're likely to worry when your baby makes a mess.

If you are looking for a highchair, make sure the height will be suitable to pull up to any table you use for eating. Also check you are happy with the footprint of the chair, they need to have a wide footprint for stability, but this can also mean the legs are easy to trip over. 

Nice to have features include: 

• Easy to clean tray and seat - because you will be spending a lot of time cleaning food off every surface on and around the highchair. Some trays can be put in the dishwasher, which is a bonus. If there is a padded seat cover, make sure it is easy to remove and to clean. Some highchairs have a lot of thick padding, which also means lots of crevices for food to get stuck. The seat backrest should provide some support, whilst allowing your baby to practice sitting unaided.
• Adjustable Footrest - having support under your baby's feet helps with developing their sitting balance and maintaining stability through their core muscles. The ideal position is for your baby to have their hips, knees and ankles at an approximate angle of 90 degrees. As they grow, this can only be achieved by adjusting the footrest and seat height down.
• Long-lasting - chairs with an adjustable height seat, removable tray or bumper bar and adjustable footrest will grow with your baby well into toddlerhood and perhaps into childhood. This could justify some extra expense initially since it will get years of use. 

Highchairs come with a range of features and price points. You need to decide on what are your most important features in the budget you can afford.

Mocka Designer Highchair

A popular budget option is a simple plastic moulded seat with a removable dishwasher safe tray. This type of chair is available at Mocka, Ikea and as an ADLI special buy. This design is easy to clean, and when the tray is removed, your baby can sit up to the table surface. You can buy a padded seat insert, footrest and placemat which is compatible with the Ikea version of this chair from Ikea and eBay. The main disadvantage to the design other than that the footrest is not included as standard, is that the legs are easy to trip over, so place it somewhere away from where you need to walk past.

Mocka Jenson Highchair

Stylish, removable tray, footrest and padded/washable cover. When your toddler outgrows the highchair, you can shorten the legs to convert it to a toddler seat.

Beaba Up & Down Highchair (available from The Stork Nest)

The Up & Down system allows the height to be adjusted in a few seconds on 6 levels making it suitable for any height table or bench or as a toddler seat. Has a footrest and a lower bar for your toddler to step up into the chair themselves. The optional seat cover is sold separately.

Mocka Original Highchair

A great all-rounder fully adjustable highchair suitable from when your baby can sit unaided, to when they are big. The tray is easy to wipe down and when not needed, can be flipped over behind the seat or removed completely. The supports under the tray become armrests for the older child - great for eating at the table and table-based art and craft activities. Start with the seat and footrest in the higher settings and gradually lower them (easily adjusted using an Allen key). 

Mocka Soho Highchair

All the benefits of the Mocka Original Highchair, but without the tray. Great for if you are buying for your older baby and want to have them up at the table with the family. When your toddler has grown out of needing the front bumper, the main difference between the Original and the Soho, is that there are no armrests. This makes it easier to get in and out of when pushed up to the table.

Bugaboo has also recently added a Highchair to their range with the Bugaboo Giraffe. This is an exciting option which will last the distance from Baby through to big kid with the use of their newborn set, baby set and tray accessories.

The Baby Bunting eBay Store also have a range of high chairs including the popular Stokke Tripp Trapp Highchair, the Joie Multiply High Chair and a range of budget Childcare, Steelcraft and 4Baby options.

Check out The Stork Nest for additional highchair options from brands such as Bebe Care, Skip Hop, & Childcare.

Feeding equipment

You will also need to have some feeding equipment for your baby to use safely. Such as:

• utensils including a few spoons that are safe for your baby to chew on and they can easily hold in their hand
• Some plates and bowls which won't break if dropped
• a bottle that is safe for your baby to chew on the spout, they can easily hold and won't break if dropped

First cutlery

Some utensil/cutlery options include: 

Skip Hop Easy Feed Spoons (The Stork Nest) - spatula style edge to wipe food off baby's face, integrated spoon rest, soft silicone tip.

OXO Tot Silicone Spoons (The Stork Nest) - made from flexible and soft food-safe silicone, deep spoon, curved handle with a flat base so it won't roll around

Beaba Silicone Spoons (The Stork Nest) - come in long-handled ergonomic design from 4 months and a shorter handle version for 2nd stage from 8 months.

Beaba 360 Training Spoon (The Stork Nest) - Innovative self-levelling spoon prevents spills by ensuring the spoon remains horizontal.

Skip Hop Easy Fold Travel Spoons (The Stork Nest) - Great for on the go, stay clean folding design (folds into built-in case), built-in spoon rest, soft silicone tip. 

Oxo Tot Silicone Fresh Food Feeder (The Stork Nest) - Great for giving babies a taste of soft, fresh foods such as strawberries that they would have difficulty holding onto and would otherwise be very messy.

Toddler cutlery

Once your baby is using the spoon more for eating and less for teething, usually after they are 12 months old, you can transition them to a stainless steel utensil. You can use your regular teaspoons and buy a set of small/cake forks (eBay), or go for a moulded handle and easy-grip option such as:

Oxo Tot Fork & Spoon set (The Stork Nest) - stainless steel fork and spoon with a moulded non-slip grip.

Beaba Stainless Steel training cutlery set (The Stork Nest) - Recommended from 12 + months with an ergonomic handle that keeps the fork/spoon/knife head off the table. Dishwasher safe.

Bowls and Plates

When looking for bowls to encourage self-feeding, you want something that will survive if (more like when) dropped and with some grip or suction so it won't slide around. You also want to look for quality materials such as food-grade silicone. If you do buy plastic, make sure it is BPA-free, PVC-free, and Phthalate-free, never microwave it and throw it out at the first signs of wear and tear.

The Stork Nest have a large range of silicone plates & bowls. 

Wishing you mealtime fun!

Please note: Above all, any information on this website aims to provide general ideas for informational and educational purposes only. We encourage users to investigate several information sources, including, where necessary, independent individualised medical advice before making any decisions that could affect you or your child’s health or wellbeing.

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