Thursday the 6th of June 2024, marks Day Four of The Child Accident Prevention Trust’s Child Safety Week event. We’ve been trying to make their message of preventing death and serious injury to children from avoidable accidents reach as many people as possible with a series of blogs recommending different safety measures you can put in place inexpensively.

If you’re only just joining us, where have you been?! Not to worry; go back and read our previous blogs on car seat safety, sleep safety measures, and babyproofing your home, then come right back here for today’s safety topic: the importance of using a highchair safely when feeding a baby or toddler.  

 

The Importance of Highchair Safety

Highchairs are great for promoting healthy eating and providing a secure and comfortable space for mealtimes, but it's crucial to ensure they’re used correctly to prevent accidents, falls, and injuries.

That’s why following the safety guidelines and selecting high-quality, reliable highchair products is absolutely essential for your continued peace of mind.  

 

Safely Feeding with Highchairs

Let's explore the essential steps to check and double-check every time you use a highchair during feeding time.

 

1. Secure Straps and Harnesses

  • Always use the safety straps and harnesses provided with the highchair to secure your child in place during feeding.
  • Ensure the straps are adjusted snugly around your child's waist and shoulders to prevent them from slipping or standing up in the chair.

 

2. Stable and Sturdy Construction

 

3. Easy-to-Clean Design

  • Opt for a highchair with a smooth, seamless, design and removable, washable trays for easy cleaning.
  • Avoid highchairs with intricate crevices or fabric-covered surfaces that can trap food and bacteria, posing hygiene risks.
  • Here’s how to clean your highchairand to know when it’s time to do a deep clean.

 

4. Adjustable Features

  • Select a highchair with adjustable height and recline settings to accommodate your child's feeding needs. This will also save you a lot of money by not buying new equipment as your little one gradually grows out of it.  
  • Adjustable footrests and trays allow for proper positioning and support, ensuring your child is comfortable and secure during mealtime.

 

5. Safety Features from Puggle

  • Puggle highchairs offer innovative safety features, such as a 5-point safety harness and a removable tray for easy cleaning.
  • The Puggle Munch Crunch 3-in-1 High/Low Chair and Booster Seat boasts a sturdy frame with a wide base for stability and can be used either as a highchair, booster seat, or a child seat that can be strapped to an existing dining chair for the ultimate in mealtime safety.

 

What You Need to Know About Highchair Safety

It’s easy to overlook highchair safety when you use it every day, but complacency leads to unnecessary accidents. Always following safety guidelines and selecting high-quality products with stringently tested safety features means mealtimes can be stress-free (until your little one throws pasta sauce all over your cream carpet).  

If you’re struggling to choose a highchair, or want to know more about certain features, then our team of experts will be happy to help in any way they can.  

We’ll be back tomorrow with more essential safety tips, so we’ll see you then!