Chair-ee-oh!
- Kim
- Jun 1, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 29
The chair your child eats in is as important as the food they eat. One of the things I learned from my son’s feeding therapy is the importance of the seating position – posture – in a high chair.
Experts recommend a 90-degree angle at the hips, knees, and ankles, with foot support. This posture encourages several things, such as helping your child engage with the food on their plate, keeping your child at eye level to engage with the family at mealtime, and supporting upper respiratory and digestive functions. It also helps prevent choking, and the footrest gives your child a feeling of security and stability while eating.
The 90-90-90 sitting posture
Of course, I did not know this before my son was born and I was searching for “the best” high chair to buy! I also had another constraint to my search: SPACE. The layout of my kitchen is not ideal, and I have my late mother’s verrrrry long dining table taking up a lot of floor space, which meant that I didn't have a lot of room for a high chair. I also did not have a wall or corner where I could park the chair out of the way when not in use. And because of my son’s low tone and weak core, I needed a 5-point harness to help support his posture.
My solution was to find a FOLDING HIGH CHAIR. Yes, they do exist! But I still had a challenge finding a quality folding high chair that was sturdy but compact, lightweight, and easy to store, and had a 5-point harness. I finally discovered the Joovy Nook® Compact Folding High Chair, and I cannot even describe just how much I LOVED it!!
UPDATE: The Joovy Nook model that I bought is currently not available, but Joovy has a newer version that does the trick!
The Joovy Nook NB High Chair has all the same features I loved with the Compact version, plus a few awesome improvements!
And it’s easy to order on Amazon!
I loved this high chair so much, for so many reasons!
The chair wipes down quickly and is easy to clean.
The leatherette material is BPA/ BPS/ Phthalate/ lead-free.
The tray is regular size, and has a clear top that disconnects for easy cleanup (even in the dishwasher!)
The tray can be removed from the front, or can swing open on one side – super easy to open with one hand!
The chair has a 5-point harness for security.
The chair is easy to fold up or down with one hand.
The chair is lightweight, weighing just 15.4 pounds.
The chair is easy to put in the car and travel with.
This high chair was perfect for my kitchen and space limitations, where I could easily fold it up when company came over or I needed to clean my house, and it went on several road trips to visit family and friends!
This NEW version also has:
3-position seat recline for bottle feeding to upright eating.
Front wheels for easy moving and positioning.
4-depth seat positioning to accommodate your child as she grows.
I loved the ease-of-use of the Joovy high chair, and it works for so many different spaces and kiddos! (Plus, Joovy is an awesome brand for so many other kids products!)
Two other affordable folding and multi-functional high chairs are the babimoni 4-in-1 High Chair for Babies and Toddlers, and...
Both high chairs offer:
Multi-positioning and seat reclining.
5-point safety harness.
Easy-clean trays.
Wipe-down seats.
Adjustable height levels.
90 Degree Posture Highchairs
After my son finished feeding therapy, and he was outgrowing his Joovy Nook® high chair, I searched for the recommended 90 degree posture chair. My concerns were:
All the chairs I found had a very modern look – not my style.
The chairs did not fold and appeared to take up a lot of space.
The chairs are expensive, some in the $300 range. Gulp!
These concerns were my own personal hang-ups and limitations. These chairs might be just perfect for you! They are designed to grow with the child and convert from an infant high chair to a toddler chair to a youth/teenage chair. They are wood and come in different finishes. Even adults can sit in them! So while the price is high, you are getting a chair that will last for years.
I finally found the Abiie Beyond Wooden High Chair with Tray, and have been very pleased with it. It’s available on Amazon in a variety of colors.
It doesn’t fold, but takes less floor space than I thought, so I can scoot it under my kitchen table and still get around the chair with plenty of room. By the time I bought it, my son did not need the tray, so I use it as a table chair. It has a removable crotch restraint and 5-point/3-point harness which allows it to convert to a regular chair when your child is older, and an adjustable footrest.
The price is under $250 USD (at the time of this post), so it was a big purchase but not as expensive as other similar chairs. I bought the blue version, which coordinates nicely with my kitchen décor.
Other popular and recommended brands are Stokke Tripp Trapp®, Keekaroo® Height Right, and the Hauk Alpha+ High Chair.
Purchasing options include:
Stokke: Amazon
Keekaroo (made in the USA): Amazon
Hauk: Walmart
Whichever high chair you choose, make sure that it’s the right fit for the most important customer – your child!
Affiliate links are included in this post, from which we may receive a small commission from purchases.
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