Booster Seat vs. High Chair?

[Jewels06]

I was just wondering what the pros and cons of each were - I was thinking about getting DS a booster seat but wasn't sure if a high chair had to be the first step or not. TIA!

[lili-chan]

You could get the booster seat and try it out. And if it turns out that DS needs something more then you could get the high chair or just keep holding him in your lap and then use the booster once he's ready.

[JordanKX]

We have this booster. And love it. My mother scoffs at the cheezy plastic. But I think it's great. Strapped to a light-weight chair, it's just as portable as a high chair - can be in the dining room or the kitchen. More portable even, considering you can take it with you. And it's not like a restaurant "booster" where there is no safety... this they are strapped in, and double-strapped to the chair. DS is a chunky 25lbs and I've never once felt he wasn't completely safe in it.
I suppose the only draw-back could be in the chair that you have it strapped to. Yes, food will fall and get between the booster and the chair. So if it's high quality upholstery, you probably don't want to do that.

[Beauchamp]

Originally Posted by JordanKX

We have this booster. And love it.

We have this exact chair (in red/khaki) and love it, too. After using this for a few months, I would never buy a full/regular high chair.

[colsxjack]

We have the same booster, in green and blue. We love it. The tray is easy to clean and it is light and portable.
We have it strapped to a chair which can go into any room. You can also have the tray off and pull it right up to the table so your LO can sit at the table with you when they are ready.

[dislocator3972]

Another vote for that exact booster (red/khaki). Love it. The only thing I might like about a regular high chair is wheels so I can wheel DD from dining room to kitchen but that's not needed very often, and it isn't hard to move the whole chair.

[Jewels06]

That's so funny b/c that's the same exact booster seat I was considering - I guess that answers that question. Thanks so much!

[mamadelbosque]

I have a standard booster chair for ds1, but for ds2 we're using an ancient sassy seat (it was mine & my brothers, which is like a little chair that hooks onto your table. I also have a travel one that lives in my car for when we're at other peoples' houses. We never did do the big bulky seperate high chair.

[texmati]

we like the high chair, because he can sit in the kitchen while I cook. and have a 5 point harness. It all depends on what you are intending to use it for, I guess. Just wanted to say that highchairs have their place.

[Beauchamp]

Originally Posted by texmati

we like the high chair, because he can sit in the kitchen while I cook. and have a 5 point harness. It all depends on what you are intending to use it for, I guess. Just wanted to say that highchairs have their place.

Yes, I agree. Although we have our Fisher Price booster strapped onto a (sturdy) wooden bar stool, which comes into the kitchen easily when I need to load the dishwasher or cook, and don't need DD's "help".

We have this hook on chair that lives in our car for eating out and travel. And we use it with this placemat, which for us, is essential. (Also goes by the brand Summer Infant, I believe.)

[ann_of_loxley]

I always say booster seat because I like how they can sit right up at the table and how the booster seat is compact and can be out of the way more.

But I have a few friends with high chairs and I can see the advantage to those too.
I really quite like the IKEA high chair.
But my friends with high chairs have a big house and big kitchens and big dining rooms and they use the highchair more as a safe place to put baby whilst they are cooking for example - cause then baby is more at face height and invovled and has a little tray to play with stuff on.

Whilst I only ever used the booster seat at the table for eating specifically and its strapped to a chair and thats pretty much where it stayed. ...if I had a big kitchen/dining room - I would actually probably buy an IKEA high chair AND one of those Stokke ones for the table as they grow well with your child and look nice!

[lovermont]

We have the same booster that is linked above (and every other pp has said they have ) and have used it for both kids. We had a highchair that we used in the beginning for both kids and got rid of it asap because it is so bulky!
The only thing I wish this seat had (and other boosters do have) is a recline feature. Both kids wanted to be at the table before they could eat (or sit up right) when the family was at the table. So if I was going to start all over I'd get a booster again but look in to a reclining one.

[staceychev]

Yep. We've got the same booster seat. Loved it for DD1 (as did my sis for her 2 boys... it's become the de-facto shower gift!). We lived in a small space and didn't get a high chair and didn't really miss it. Now that we're in a house--still a small one--with a new baby, we're still not planning on a high chair.

[Baby_Cakes]

Another vote for booster! It fits on a dining room chair so DD is always w/us for meals. We can take it to restaurants, IL's house, etc. Nothing to fold and put away, which is good b/c our house is teeny tiny.

[mambera]

We started with a booster but eventually switched to a high chair. I like the chair much better actually.

In the booster DD was always grabbing at the tablecloth and dropping food on the floor, and you couldn't turn your back for a second bc she could easily tip herself out of the booster.

In the chair she has a nice big tray, can't pull down the tablecloth and can easily entertain herself with Cheerios while I cook dinner. It's great.

The booster might be better when she is older.

ETA: I looked at the linked booster and I see it is sturdier than ours and has a separate tray. Maybe if we'd gotten that one we wouldn't have needed the chair.

[Katie T]

I have had both with 3 kiddos and I will never buy another high chair! They are harder to clean and are space hogs IMO. I started my youngest in a booster with a tray, at first she would sit and play with toys and then she would eat in it. Even when she couldn't sit up yet it worked just fine. Plus they are cheaper. One of ours was $15 and one was $20.

[DevaMajka]

Originally Posted by colsxjack

We have the same booster, in green and blue. We love it. The tray is easy to clean and it is light and portable.

Same here. The only con of it is that it's sometimes a pain to get the tray off. My SIL has a booster that seems a lot easier to remove the tray. But we like it well enough; no other complaints.

We used it from the beginning (6ish mos), and never wished we'd gotten a high chair.

[mum2row]

With dd we only used a booster and it worked great, with ds we are using a highchair. Boosters on chairs worry me because they can tip over, with dd we had her chair against the wall or had our foot on the bottom of the chair because as she got bigger when she wanted down she would push against the table.

[LindsC]

We have the Fisher Price Space Saver. It straps to a kitchen chair just like the booster that has been posted, but it has a 3 point harness and a higher back similiar to a high chair. We pull it up to the table, but we let DD use the tray since she is still learning how to not make a mess while she eats. DS has the same booster that everyone else has been posting and we will DD to one of those when she is a little older.

[odenata]

I didn't like giving up one of my regular chairs for a booster to be in, since we don't have many, but I wanted DS at the table with us, so we got the Kettler junior, which is similar to a Tripp Trapp.

We really like it. DS has used since about six months on (we used a hook-on high chair before that), and my five year old can use it to, if needed. She also uses it as a step stool to help me in the kitchen.

We also have a booster that I've kept around for company, but I like the Kettler chair better for everyday use. Also, for us, our chairs could tip back with the booster, but the Kettler doesn't do that, so it's safer. (That would depend on the kind of chairs you have, though.)