HowTo Choose the right high chair

By Mari-JaneWilliams, TheWashington Post

Feeding a baby is a messy business. Liquefied rice, vegetables and fruit are just begging to be smeared around. Once your child discovers how to blow raspberries with her tongue, you are likely to be sprayed, repeatedly, with carrots, followed promptly with a huge grin.

A high chair isn’t going to make your child a more civilized diner. It can, however, safely contain her during mealtime. Feeding seats, whether traditional high chairs or portable boosters, have come a long way since we were kids, says PaulaMotte, senior editor at Babycenter.com.

Buying tips

“Designers are getting really great at intuitive, smart design,” Motte said. Chair patterns now go beyond ponies and giraffes, she said, to fit more seamlessly into the design of your home, with sleek styling and modern fabrics in solid bold or neutral colors. Some models have a simple foot pedal to raise or lower the seat height, depending on who is feeding the baby, Motte said.

“People are looking for versatility,” Motte said. “Anything that makes life easier.”

Babycenter.com has an illustrated guide to shop- ping for high chairs on its website.

• Be space thrifty. Consider a folding model if your home or dining area is small. High chairs are bulky and take up valuable real estate, whereas folding chairs can be stored in a closet or corner. Some collapse with a click of a button and can be stowed without being propped up.

• A booster seat that straps to a chair can take the place of a full-size high chair. They’re great options for traveling with baby, but you can also use them as your high chair at home, Motte said. Many have removable trays and three-or five-point har- nesses and are safe for young babies.

• Think long term. Your baby will move quickly from gumming soupy rice cereal to eating mashed peas to dumping a bowl of spaghetti on his tray (or head). Shop for a high chair or booster that can grow with your child, Motte said. Some convertible models go from a reclining high chair suitable for infants to a seat you can pull up to the table to a booster seat for older children.

Safety tips

• Always use all of the restraining straps and locking devices. Make sure the harness is fastened as soon as you put your child in the chair; don’t unfasten the straps until you take her out, the Consumer Product Safety Commission says. Secure any wheel locks. If you have a folding model, be sure it is locked in the open position each time you set up the chair.

• Never leave your child unattended in the high chair, particularly if he is able to unbuckle the straps, according to commission.

• Placement matters. Place the high chair far enough away from tables, counters, walls and other surfaces that a child could use to push off and tip the chair or scoot it across the floor.

Care tips

• Clean it after each use. You’re likely to find crumbs and sticky residue everywhere from the tray down to the footrest. After each use, wipe the high chair or booster with a damp cloth, Motte said. If necessary, use a mild soap or dish detergent to remove stubborn dirt.

• Sanitize the tray in the dishwasher. If your high chair comes with a removable tray or tray liner, run it through the dishwasher daily to keep it clean and germ-free.