![]() Assessing positional safety will require the trained eyes of a pediatric feeding therapist or developmental specialist like a physical therapist. Before using, it’s important to determining how much recline and if any additional lateral supports are necessary. If baby has special developmental needs or hypotonia, a slightly reclined position may be safe to use while eating. Reclining chairs for babies with special developmental needs or hypotonia Reclining the chair is unsafe for swallowing. If the child is unable to hold their head and neck upright without reclining the chair, they are not ready for solid foods. Baby should be able to hold their head and neck upright independently when you start solid food. Although this seems helpful, this amount of support isn’t necessary. Most of the reclinable high chairs have full back and head support. (See Readiness for Solids.) Research in both typically developing and special needs populations shows that reclining a baby increases the risk for aspiration, liquid or food entering the lungs (causing respiratory infection), and middle ear infections. If baby is unable to stay sitting tall when in an upright high chair, they are not ready for solid foods. Many high chairs on the market have a recline feature for babies who can’t maintain upright sitting balance. Whatever high chair you choose should have a totally upright seat. In this position, food is more likely to move forward and out of the mouth. When baby sits upright with shoulders directly above the hips or leaning slightly forward with weight bearing through the feet, gravity supports the tongue to move flexibly and better control the food in the mouth. The tongue is also impacted by this gravitational pull and can fall slightly backwards in the mouth and inhibit the tongue’s ability to control and manage the food. As such, when in a reclined position, food placed in the mouth is more likely to move backwards towards the throat as gravity pulls in that direction. ![]() When a baby is reclined-even slightly reclined-their weight is shifted backwards and gravity pulls in that direction. Check out the readiness page or our Starting Solids video course for more information.Ĭorrect positioning is crucial for swallowing safety. Incorrect positioning: Baby is not developmentally strong enough to start solids if they frequently lose balance forward or are unable to lean forward and return to sitting without assistance. Incorrect or reclined positioning: If the shoulders are behind the hips, baby’s weight is behind them, and baby is reclined. The easiest and free alternative to a high chair is having baby sit on an adult’s lap.Īfter you place baby in the high chair, walk to the side and look at where their shoulders are in relationship to their hips/pelvis.Ĭorrect positioning: If the shoulders are in line with the hips or slightly forward, indicating baby's weight is centered over the hips or slightly forward. Although the safest place for a baby to eat is a supportive high chair, here are some ways to ensure baby is as safe as possible when starting solids: Seated on a lap. High Chair AlternativesĪ high chair is a luxury for many families and often out of reach for purchasing. Continue reading for what to look for in a high chair, and how to check baby’s sitting posture. There are alternative ways to establish a safe eating environment for babies however, a high chair with a totally upright seat and adjustable footplate is often the easiest way to make sure baby is in the proper and safe position for eating. ![]() Do I need a high chair? Do babies really need high chairs? This page explains what our licensed professionals consider the most important components, including safety, development, and swallowing, as well tips to help you choose the right high chair for your family. Like many baby products, there are hundreds of high chair options on the market. ![]() Starting solids is often synonymous with buying or researching high chairs. Starting solids soon? Check out our guides on starting solids and our course video on infant rescue. Any recommendations here are our own thoughts and opinions and free from conflict of interest. Solid Starts is an independent organization that does not accept affiliate revenue or corporate kickbacks to review products.
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