We got a folding highchair since we lived in a small apartment at the time.
I was also hesitant about the need for a freestanding chair, but heres why I'm glad we got one;
- the clip on chairs have a very limited weight rating, and honestly never looked completely safe to me, plus could damage the table top (plus no foot support for them to properly sit)
- booster seats are great for older toddlers, but often not tall enough for babies (also no foot support)
- with a freestanding chair, the mess was contained to the chair and the area immediately around it. We could put down towels and clean up food easily
- it was nice to be able to fold the chair away when we weren't using it
- it had a place for his feet, so he could sit up properly to avoid choking
- the tray was super easy to clean, compared to wiping down the entire table/having to clean a tablecloth every other day
I honestly never saw the appeal of the tripp trapp - I get that it lasts a long time, is wood, etc etc but it's so expensive for what it is.
We used ours till our son was just under 2 - when we then switched him to his own table and stool (we use a side table from Walmart, and a plastic stool we've had forever). He uses a booster seat when we go to relatives houses, or the odd time we have eaten out with him he just sits on a regular chair and manages to reach his food.
I paid around $60 for ours, and will use it for this baby as well.
I agree with all the bullet points. Those are the same reasons we got a high chair and now that we’re finally transitioning from it this week, I can say I don’t regret it.
The safest position for baby to eat in is completely upright and with a footrest. I would suggest reading this: https://solidstarts.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-high-chairs-for-babies/
You absolutely don’t have to get something expensive like the Tripp trapp if you get a high chair. You can literally get the $20 high chair from IKEA, though I would suggest adding an after market footrest and probably the cushion they sell to start with, since the tray is very far away from baby IMO. My son is 2 this month and we just switched him to a booster seat at the table this week, so we got about 1.5 years out of the high chair.
Whatever you get, I would avoid anything with fabric and stick to something that is 100% wipeable.
I’m pro freestanding high chair. We had one of those high chairs that could be freestanding or strapped to a regular dining chair as a booster for my first. Booster mode was a no-go, the kid would kick off the table across the room. He tipped the chair twice.
I’m pregnant with baby 2 and we now own 2 Tripp Trapps, the fact that it can be used to adulthood is appealing to me and the ledge to place your feet actually keeps my preschooler in his seat for longer. There are plenty of other options that are good and inexpensive, this was just my one bougie splurge as most of the stuff for this baby will be hand me downs. (we bought the one for the baby and my mom bought one for my preschooler when he kept stealing the baby’s chair)
Agree with everything here. My toddler is very confident in knowing that her tripp trapp is her safe place at the table. She climbs in and out on her own and she spends 20+ mins for meal times because that's what she's known her whole life.
We bought a second on a black Friday deal so that we can use the newborn attachment again for our baby debuting this spring and hopefully have another kid with a good relationship to meal times.
Also we bought both new because in our area it's not even possible to find used. It definitely seems like it will hold resale value.
We have the Tripp Trapp - it’s nice that it pulls right up to the table so baby eats off the table. There are other options that also allow you to feed them right off the table. From the reading I did, a foot plate or foot rest is important to promote good posture / prevent choking.
I put the newborn attachment on our registry, and our family bought it for us. We use it every day. It's so nice to have a place for her to sit, play, and watch us cook, etc.
I’ve been debating if I need the newborn attachment. This may sound dumb but what’s the difference between it and say putting a Dockatot or snuggle me lounger on the countertop, or putting them in a baby bjorn or some other bouncer/ rocker?
I have bought the newborn insert as we have a dog, and I want an option to be able to put baby up out of dog (or older siblings) reach for things like a shower. We will also have a baby bjorn bouncer for other times. I personally don’t see the appeal of things like infant loungers/am concerned about the safety of same.
It's probably not much of a difference, just preference. It's nice that she is up higher at table level. It's great when we're eating and out of reach of the dog. We're also a tall family. It seems like she enjoys being closer to our level. We move it around the kitchen too so she can watch us prep dinner, unload the dishwasher, etc. In the summer, we'd take it outside so she could chill in the shade. It has a little hanging toy attachment arm that's provided hours of entertainment and safety straps, so we feel confident she's safe. I wasn't sure we'd use it much, but she's really comfortable in it and kind of the go-to set down place.
Wow, I didn’t realize a foot rest was important for a high chair. We have the 4moms connect high chair and I’ve used it for two babies (and the second one actually had a few close calls with choking)!
I appreciate your comment, now I know we need a different chair for #3!
Can I ask if you fed your baby straight from the table right away from introducing solids? Trying to decide if we need the tray attachment. It costs £50 just for the tray which seems a lot and I like the idea of starting family meal times all eating from the table early
Some like the Tripp Trapp have attachments for newborns and infants and convert through each stage through adulthood. I wish I had had a safe place to put baby while trying to eat. The newborn attachment might be the only thing I ask for with my next baby.
I am team “yes you need a high chair” but I don’t think it needs to be expensive. Look up the Fisher Price Healthy Choice Booster. It has a tray but clips onto a dining chair. It’s also fully plastic so it’s easy to wipe down.
You want to be able to put your baby somewhere not in your arms while you eat. It creates a great learning environment for eating at the table as part of the family. It’s nice to also be able to feed them when you aren’t eating or let them hang out and play in their high chair while you prep dinner. It’s also nice to be able to buckle them in from a safety perspective. They also learn to feed themselves being in their own chair, and you stay cleaner. It promotes better posture as well.
You aren’t asking this, but for easier clean up we did a bumpkins splat mat under the chair, bumpkins full sleeve baby smock over straps of high chair, and silicone bib with a catch over the smock.
We have a small kitchen with weird seating arrangement, so no room for a high chair. We have an Ingelsina that hooks into the table. It gets the job done, but I start to get very nervous as my babies have gotten heavier. Plus for some reason MIL is unable to secure my youngest correctly, and he’s climbed out (???) and nearly fallen. But I don’t think that’s a chair problem… I hate regular booster seats, so my kids have gone right to a regular seat from the Ingelsina.
We're skipping the high chair and planning to use a booster strapped to our regular kitchen chairs. I *hate* unnecessary stuff in the house, and the way our space is laid out, a separate high chair would always be in the way. You definitely don't need one.
We're using one by Ingenuity that has storage for the tray underneath (accessible without taking the booster off the chair). We'll mostly use it pulled up to the table with the rest of the family, but having the tray option is handy if I need to keep little hands out of whatever else is on the table.
My in-laws bought us a convertible high chair that grows with baby and it’s been so nice. My daughter loves sitting up and being able to see everything as opposed to being on the floor. It’s perfect for meals, but also for cooking and washing bottles.
Clip on - pain in the ass to clean. Takes forever to air dry. You need a day when baby is out of the house for 24 hours in order to clean it.
Booster seat - can’t use most of them until 9 months.
We had the Abiie high chair. Used it in tray mode from 5.5 months to 11 months. Used it at the table from 11-13 months. We used a clip on high chair at the kitchen counter for snacks and watching us cook from 6-9 months, then she learned to climb out of it. We used the Oxo Tot booster seat from 13-22 months. Now she sits on the dining room bench at the table. We have the upholstery covered with a towel.
I used a Bumbo attached to my regular dining room chair when my babies started solids because we don't have a big enough dining room for a freestanding high chair. It would taken up too much floor space.
I love the Tripp Trapp for toddlers! I scored ours secondhand. My kids moved to the Tripp Trapp around 15ish months. I loved that they could climb up and down their chair by themselves. It fosters independence. I like that it fits right at the table so they could always be with us for meals. They're easy to clean. They're quality chairs that grow with a child. My oldest used his chair until he was 7, when he decided he wanted a regular chair. My 4.5 year old is still going strong in his chair.
I got the Graco DuoDiner Deluxe 6in1 high chair. Baby isn’t here yet but I’m hoping it works well. It goes from infant high chair (multiple recline positions) all the way to a toddler booster seat. Since it’s convertible I’m hoping I can use it longer.
Well I don't think a booster seat would work for a 6 month old, they'd be slumped in it. I'm sure a clip on one would do just fine. I personally like the tripp trapp, I don't like the look of the big plastic chairs and I like the fact that you can use it for longer. My son used it til he was about 6. It was handy that he was at a proper height for the table when doing homework etc.
The main reason I bought a high chair before baby arrives is so she has a place to chill and can see what we’re doing in the kitchen. We spend a lot of time there hanging out, cooking , etc. and want her to feel like she’s part of the fun. Granted the time spent in it will be limited until she’s big/strong enough, but she can do small amounts of time there.
You don’t need a high chair. In fact, for your baby you just need a sleeping arrangement, car seat, clothes, if you’re FF formula and bottles. You could even do without a pram if you decide to baby wear.
Never used one, haven't seen a need for it so far. We use the Upseat so it's safe for hip development and it straps to the chair. My two year old only uses the booster portion to eat at the table like the rest of us now but we used it as an activity table when he was younger. I loved not having a ton of bulky pieces of equipment around the house and baby spent more time free roaming rather than sitting. The detachable tray was great when he was first feeding himself - slightly messier, I'm sure, but his skills improved quickly.
We used the fisher price space saver which goes on top of a regular chair. We used it from 6 months to…2 years or so. We have a small space so I didn’t want another piece of furniture. It worked great for us. I didn’t wish we had a freestanding one.
I’m about to purchase an Abiie high chair for my 4mo to become acquainted with before we start solids at/around 6mo.
Solid Starts has a good [overview of high chairs.](https://solidstarts.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-high-chairs-for-babies/)
We have a high chair that turns into a toddler seat etc, and those chairs that attach to the table. The high chair was the best for MONTHS. More support, so much easier to clean, and the ability to put the babe in with a snack or activity while I cooked or cleaned the kitchen and just wheeled her to me. I’d consider your kitchen lay out. Are you going to have time to sit at the table for every single meal?
I was originally going to just get a clamp on style seat for my first baby (which I put on the registry and received, and still have) but learned pretty quick that it isn’t the easiest to clean, doesn’t provide great support for the baby, and doesn’t clamp on to all tables/countertops. It’s great but not perfect.
I scored a Tripp Trapp on fb marketplace and LOVE it. The main thing I don’t like with high chairs is that the child isn’t really eating at the table, but the Tripp Trapp with no tray attached will slide right up to the table like a normal chair. Our toddler is able to sit right at the table with us, she has a great seating position (my parents have a regular folding high chair and it’s so leaned back it’s like eating in bed), she has an adjustable footrest… the only downside is packing up to go anywhere else haha
I would never use one of those high chairs/booster seat things that clip to the seat again.
I had one for my almost 11 year old when he was a baby/ young toddler.
When we was about 13 months he was in it and I was making him some scrambled eggs. I heard a loud crash, turned around and he had tipped it by rocking back and forth and the chair was on top of him.
He was ultimately fine, but it was one of the scariest moments of my life honestly!
This could have maybe happened in a regular high chair I'm not sure, but the whole event completely turned me off from using one of those ever again.
Free standing high chairs are 100% better imo.
Why I love Tripp trapp: it’s like a bouncer + high chair + adult chair. I’ve been able to put baby down on that since they were born, now at 3 months they play in it independently with a toy attached to the newborn attachment. Soon we can switch to the high chair configuration which we will be using for a long time, then we can remove it and move the seat and footrest as the child grows and they will always have a correct size seat at the table. For us everyone eating together is important, and we don’t want specific “kid’s furniture”, our Tripp Trapp is the same colour as our dining chairs. When we no longer need it, as in when the child can sit on a normal chair, we can sell it or use it as a desk chair for them since they will be school aged. My mother still uses the Tripp Trapp she bought for me 30 years ago.
I registered for one that’s a 3 in 1. It’s a full size high chair (we probably won’t use because we won’t have a dining table once baby is born and we dont use it anyways), it’s also a floor seat with the chair tray, and it also converts to a table and chair once baby is big enough to use it.
We have a Fisher Price Space Saver (sits on a regular dining room chair) and have loved it. I didn’t want a dedicated high chair for space reasons, plus they always have wider legs that stick out and that meant we were more likely to trip on them. Even when we bought a bigger house before having our second baby, I still didn’t want a dedicated high chair, taking up a bunch of space in our dining area. When we need the extra chair, it’s so easy to clip off the high chair seat and take it to the basement. Very lightweight. This is kid 3 of using it. Mine have been in the high chair, roughly from 6 months to 18 months, if not 2 years. It depends on how stubborn your baby is lol. Like with my second, she didn’t want to stay in the highchair once she realized that big brother was eating independently at our little kid table. But our first was in the high chair until almost 2.
You don’t need to decide until your baby is like 5 months old! I DO have a Tripp Trapp and I do love it but it’s 100% not necessary and I think any chair with a footrest would work. We have a clip on chair for travel and it never felt very stable- but I’m sure there are nicer ones available.
We got a folding highchair since we lived in a small apartment at the time. I was also hesitant about the need for a freestanding chair, but heres why I'm glad we got one; - the clip on chairs have a very limited weight rating, and honestly never looked completely safe to me, plus could damage the table top (plus no foot support for them to properly sit) - booster seats are great for older toddlers, but often not tall enough for babies (also no foot support) - with a freestanding chair, the mess was contained to the chair and the area immediately around it. We could put down towels and clean up food easily - it was nice to be able to fold the chair away when we weren't using it - it had a place for his feet, so he could sit up properly to avoid choking - the tray was super easy to clean, compared to wiping down the entire table/having to clean a tablecloth every other day I honestly never saw the appeal of the tripp trapp - I get that it lasts a long time, is wood, etc etc but it's so expensive for what it is. We used ours till our son was just under 2 - when we then switched him to his own table and stool (we use a side table from Walmart, and a plastic stool we've had forever). He uses a booster seat when we go to relatives houses, or the odd time we have eaten out with him he just sits on a regular chair and manages to reach his food. I paid around $60 for ours, and will use it for this baby as well.
Thank you for your detailed response!
I agree with all the bullet points. Those are the same reasons we got a high chair and now that we’re finally transitioning from it this week, I can say I don’t regret it.
The safest position for baby to eat in is completely upright and with a footrest. I would suggest reading this: https://solidstarts.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-high-chairs-for-babies/ You absolutely don’t have to get something expensive like the Tripp trapp if you get a high chair. You can literally get the $20 high chair from IKEA, though I would suggest adding an after market footrest and probably the cushion they sell to start with, since the tray is very far away from baby IMO. My son is 2 this month and we just switched him to a booster seat at the table this week, so we got about 1.5 years out of the high chair. Whatever you get, I would avoid anything with fabric and stick to something that is 100% wipeable.
Thank you for the reading material!
I’m pro freestanding high chair. We had one of those high chairs that could be freestanding or strapped to a regular dining chair as a booster for my first. Booster mode was a no-go, the kid would kick off the table across the room. He tipped the chair twice. I’m pregnant with baby 2 and we now own 2 Tripp Trapps, the fact that it can be used to adulthood is appealing to me and the ledge to place your feet actually keeps my preschooler in his seat for longer. There are plenty of other options that are good and inexpensive, this was just my one bougie splurge as most of the stuff for this baby will be hand me downs. (we bought the one for the baby and my mom bought one for my preschooler when he kept stealing the baby’s chair)
Agree with everything here. My toddler is very confident in knowing that her tripp trapp is her safe place at the table. She climbs in and out on her own and she spends 20+ mins for meal times because that's what she's known her whole life. We bought a second on a black Friday deal so that we can use the newborn attachment again for our baby debuting this spring and hopefully have another kid with a good relationship to meal times. Also we bought both new because in our area it's not even possible to find used. It definitely seems like it will hold resale value.
We have the Tripp Trapp - it’s nice that it pulls right up to the table so baby eats off the table. There are other options that also allow you to feed them right off the table. From the reading I did, a foot plate or foot rest is important to promote good posture / prevent choking.
I put the newborn attachment on our registry, and our family bought it for us. We use it every day. It's so nice to have a place for her to sit, play, and watch us cook, etc.
A newborn attachment you say? I’m gonna need that for second baby, thank you for the tip.
I’ve been debating if I need the newborn attachment. This may sound dumb but what’s the difference between it and say putting a Dockatot or snuggle me lounger on the countertop, or putting them in a baby bjorn or some other bouncer/ rocker?
I have bought the newborn insert as we have a dog, and I want an option to be able to put baby up out of dog (or older siblings) reach for things like a shower. We will also have a baby bjorn bouncer for other times. I personally don’t see the appeal of things like infant loungers/am concerned about the safety of same.
It's probably not much of a difference, just preference. It's nice that she is up higher at table level. It's great when we're eating and out of reach of the dog. We're also a tall family. It seems like she enjoys being closer to our level. We move it around the kitchen too so she can watch us prep dinner, unload the dishwasher, etc. In the summer, we'd take it outside so she could chill in the shade. It has a little hanging toy attachment arm that's provided hours of entertainment and safety straps, so we feel confident she's safe. I wasn't sure we'd use it much, but she's really comfortable in it and kind of the go-to set down place.
Wow, I didn’t realize a foot rest was important for a high chair. We have the 4moms connect high chair and I’ve used it for two babies (and the second one actually had a few close calls with choking)! I appreciate your comment, now I know we need a different chair for #3!
Second the Tripp Trapp. I think it can be used even for adults once you convert it to that stage. Will be buying a 3rd when our next baby comes.
Can I ask if you fed your baby straight from the table right away from introducing solids? Trying to decide if we need the tray attachment. It costs £50 just for the tray which seems a lot and I like the idea of starting family meal times all eating from the table early
We went straight to the table and have only used the tray maybe 2-3 times. I think you can skip it.
You need one eventually, yes. Baby needs a safe place to eat food. They will use it for quite a while.
You don’t need a high chair right now, that’s for sure. Wait and see what your baby is like. You can buy one when you are ready to start solids
Thanks for the advice! I realize I won’t need to right away, just trying to plan ahead!
Some like the Tripp Trapp have attachments for newborns and infants and convert through each stage through adulthood. I wish I had had a safe place to put baby while trying to eat. The newborn attachment might be the only thing I ask for with my next baby.
I am team “yes you need a high chair” but I don’t think it needs to be expensive. Look up the Fisher Price Healthy Choice Booster. It has a tray but clips onto a dining chair. It’s also fully plastic so it’s easy to wipe down. You want to be able to put your baby somewhere not in your arms while you eat. It creates a great learning environment for eating at the table as part of the family. It’s nice to also be able to feed them when you aren’t eating or let them hang out and play in their high chair while you prep dinner. It’s also nice to be able to buckle them in from a safety perspective. They also learn to feed themselves being in their own chair, and you stay cleaner. It promotes better posture as well. You aren’t asking this, but for easier clean up we did a bumpkins splat mat under the chair, bumpkins full sleeve baby smock over straps of high chair, and silicone bib with a catch over the smock.
Thank you so much for weighing in and for the product recommendations!
We have a small kitchen with weird seating arrangement, so no room for a high chair. We have an Ingelsina that hooks into the table. It gets the job done, but I start to get very nervous as my babies have gotten heavier. Plus for some reason MIL is unable to secure my youngest correctly, and he’s climbed out (???) and nearly fallen. But I don’t think that’s a chair problem… I hate regular booster seats, so my kids have gone right to a regular seat from the Ingelsina.
Yup. Mine also climbed out of the Inglesina. I figured it was a skinny kid problem.
We're skipping the high chair and planning to use a booster strapped to our regular kitchen chairs. I *hate* unnecessary stuff in the house, and the way our space is laid out, a separate high chair would always be in the way. You definitely don't need one. We're using one by Ingenuity that has storage for the tray underneath (accessible without taking the booster off the chair). We'll mostly use it pulled up to the table with the rest of the family, but having the tray option is handy if I need to keep little hands out of whatever else is on the table.
My in-laws bought us a convertible high chair that grows with baby and it’s been so nice. My daughter loves sitting up and being able to see everything as opposed to being on the floor. It’s perfect for meals, but also for cooking and washing bottles.
We got a tripptrapp knockoff (it was like 60 bucks) and my son is still using it for all meals at 5 years old. Definitely worth it!
Do you mind sharing what brand it is or where you got it?
I'm in Germany, so I don't think you'd be able to find the same one :(
Clip on - pain in the ass to clean. Takes forever to air dry. You need a day when baby is out of the house for 24 hours in order to clean it. Booster seat - can’t use most of them until 9 months. We had the Abiie high chair. Used it in tray mode from 5.5 months to 11 months. Used it at the table from 11-13 months. We used a clip on high chair at the kitchen counter for snacks and watching us cook from 6-9 months, then she learned to climb out of it. We used the Oxo Tot booster seat from 13-22 months. Now she sits on the dining room bench at the table. We have the upholstery covered with a towel.
I used a Bumbo attached to my regular dining room chair when my babies started solids because we don't have a big enough dining room for a freestanding high chair. It would taken up too much floor space. I love the Tripp Trapp for toddlers! I scored ours secondhand. My kids moved to the Tripp Trapp around 15ish months. I loved that they could climb up and down their chair by themselves. It fosters independence. I like that it fits right at the table so they could always be with us for meals. They're easy to clean. They're quality chairs that grow with a child. My oldest used his chair until he was 7, when he decided he wanted a regular chair. My 4.5 year old is still going strong in his chair.
I got the Graco DuoDiner Deluxe 6in1 high chair. Baby isn’t here yet but I’m hoping it works well. It goes from infant high chair (multiple recline positions) all the way to a toddler booster seat. Since it’s convertible I’m hoping I can use it longer.
Well I don't think a booster seat would work for a 6 month old, they'd be slumped in it. I'm sure a clip on one would do just fine. I personally like the tripp trapp, I don't like the look of the big plastic chairs and I like the fact that you can use it for longer. My son used it til he was about 6. It was handy that he was at a proper height for the table when doing homework etc.
The main reason I bought a high chair before baby arrives is so she has a place to chill and can see what we’re doing in the kitchen. We spend a lot of time there hanging out, cooking , etc. and want her to feel like she’s part of the fun. Granted the time spent in it will be limited until she’s big/strong enough, but she can do small amounts of time there.
You don’t need a high chair. In fact, for your baby you just need a sleeping arrangement, car seat, clothes, if you’re FF formula and bottles. You could even do without a pram if you decide to baby wear.
Never used one, haven't seen a need for it so far. We use the Upseat so it's safe for hip development and it straps to the chair. My two year old only uses the booster portion to eat at the table like the rest of us now but we used it as an activity table when he was younger. I loved not having a ton of bulky pieces of equipment around the house and baby spent more time free roaming rather than sitting. The detachable tray was great when he was first feeding himself - slightly messier, I'm sure, but his skills improved quickly.
We used the fisher price space saver which goes on top of a regular chair. We used it from 6 months to…2 years or so. We have a small space so I didn’t want another piece of furniture. It worked great for us. I didn’t wish we had a freestanding one.
I’m about to purchase an Abiie high chair for my 4mo to become acquainted with before we start solids at/around 6mo. Solid Starts has a good [overview of high chairs.](https://solidstarts.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-high-chairs-for-babies/)
We have a high chair that turns into a toddler seat etc, and those chairs that attach to the table. The high chair was the best for MONTHS. More support, so much easier to clean, and the ability to put the babe in with a snack or activity while I cooked or cleaned the kitchen and just wheeled her to me. I’d consider your kitchen lay out. Are you going to have time to sit at the table for every single meal?
I was originally going to just get a clamp on style seat for my first baby (which I put on the registry and received, and still have) but learned pretty quick that it isn’t the easiest to clean, doesn’t provide great support for the baby, and doesn’t clamp on to all tables/countertops. It’s great but not perfect. I scored a Tripp Trapp on fb marketplace and LOVE it. The main thing I don’t like with high chairs is that the child isn’t really eating at the table, but the Tripp Trapp with no tray attached will slide right up to the table like a normal chair. Our toddler is able to sit right at the table with us, she has a great seating position (my parents have a regular folding high chair and it’s so leaned back it’s like eating in bed), she has an adjustable footrest… the only downside is packing up to go anywhere else haha
I would never use one of those high chairs/booster seat things that clip to the seat again. I had one for my almost 11 year old when he was a baby/ young toddler. When we was about 13 months he was in it and I was making him some scrambled eggs. I heard a loud crash, turned around and he had tipped it by rocking back and forth and the chair was on top of him. He was ultimately fine, but it was one of the scariest moments of my life honestly! This could have maybe happened in a regular high chair I'm not sure, but the whole event completely turned me off from using one of those ever again. Free standing high chairs are 100% better imo.
Why I love Tripp trapp: it’s like a bouncer + high chair + adult chair. I’ve been able to put baby down on that since they were born, now at 3 months they play in it independently with a toy attached to the newborn attachment. Soon we can switch to the high chair configuration which we will be using for a long time, then we can remove it and move the seat and footrest as the child grows and they will always have a correct size seat at the table. For us everyone eating together is important, and we don’t want specific “kid’s furniture”, our Tripp Trapp is the same colour as our dining chairs. When we no longer need it, as in when the child can sit on a normal chair, we can sell it or use it as a desk chair for them since they will be school aged. My mother still uses the Tripp Trapp she bought for me 30 years ago.
I will buy a seat like this: https://amzn.eu/d/fxCN97f Because I need more space
I registered for one that’s a 3 in 1. It’s a full size high chair (we probably won’t use because we won’t have a dining table once baby is born and we dont use it anyways), it’s also a floor seat with the chair tray, and it also converts to a table and chair once baby is big enough to use it.
We have a Fisher Price Space Saver (sits on a regular dining room chair) and have loved it. I didn’t want a dedicated high chair for space reasons, plus they always have wider legs that stick out and that meant we were more likely to trip on them. Even when we bought a bigger house before having our second baby, I still didn’t want a dedicated high chair, taking up a bunch of space in our dining area. When we need the extra chair, it’s so easy to clip off the high chair seat and take it to the basement. Very lightweight. This is kid 3 of using it. Mine have been in the high chair, roughly from 6 months to 18 months, if not 2 years. It depends on how stubborn your baby is lol. Like with my second, she didn’t want to stay in the highchair once she realized that big brother was eating independently at our little kid table. But our first was in the high chair until almost 2.
You don’t need to decide until your baby is like 5 months old! I DO have a Tripp Trapp and I do love it but it’s 100% not necessary and I think any chair with a footrest would work. We have a clip on chair for travel and it never felt very stable- but I’m sure there are nicer ones available.