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Keep Your Baby Safe While She Eats And Plays

High chair safety is an important aspect of baby protection in the kitchen. Your precious little one will spend hours of gurgling delight in her high chair. Safety should be a priority.

Unfortunately, high chairs result in the occurrence of many accidents, many of them due to improper use of the chair.

Some of the more common accidents include:

• Entrapment
  Babies are not properly strapped in and slip down between the tray and the seat becoming entrapped at the neck. This can result in strangulation.
• Falling
  Babies are allowed to stand in the chair and then fall out resulting in injury, often to the head.
• Tipping
  High chairs are placed too close to tables and walls and baby pushes and tips the high chair over, again resulting in injury, often to the head.

Following the high chair safety guidelines on this page can help to protect your baby from these and other high chair accidents in your kitchen. She finds delight in everything she sees and touches - she's relying on you to keep her safe...

High Chair Safety Product Guidelines

Follow these infant safety guidelines when you go high chair shopping. There are hundreds of different high chairs out there. Some of them are shockingly unsafe for your baby. Make sure you choose the right one...

• The high chair should be sturdy and stable. Look for components that feel rigid, not rickety.
• Make sure the chair has a wide base. This will minimize the risk of your little wiggler tipping the chair over.
• All metal parts should be smooth and free of sharp edges. You don't want any cuts or scrapes.
• There should be no small gaps that could pinch or trap baby's precious fingers.
• The high chair must have a waist and crotch safety strap at the very least. A five point shoulder, waist and crotch harness is the best choice for infant safety.
  
  • Check that the harness is securely attached to the frame of the chair. Note: It should not be attached to the tray.
  • The straps should be strong and durable.
  • The buckle should be easy to fasten and unfasten.
  • The waist strap should not be able to lock without the crotch strap. This prevents use of the waist strap only. Baby can wriggle and slip if he is only secured by the waist.



Consider buying a high chair with a post between the leg positions. This is an additional feature to protect your baby from slipping. However, remember that the post is not a substitute for straps, merely an additional precaution.


• Make sure that the high chair tray locks securely in place.
• Make sure that the adjustable recline and/or height positions lock securely in place.
• If the high chair has rolling casters, check that they are lockable.
• If you are buying a foldable high chair, make sure that the frame locks securely.
• If you are using a second hand high chair, check it for wear and tear. Pay particular attention to the straps and locking mechanisms. Also check the seat for tears and repair before use. Baby can choke on loose pieces of foam.
• Send in your product registration card so that you will be notified if your high chair is recalled. You should never use a recalled baby product.
• Check the Consumer Product Safety Commission website for high chair recalls.

Most high chair accidents result from incorrect usage. The worst kind of accident is one where you know you could have prevented it. Follow these infant safety guidelines every time you put your precious child in his chair to make sure he stays safe...

• Place the high chair away from tables and walls. Baby can push against these and tip the chair over.
• Use the high chair on a flat, level surface away from curious little finger hazards such as:
  • Electrical power points and cords.
  • Curtain and blind cords.
  • Heaters.
  • Stoves.
• Make sure that your baby is always in view, even if he is strapped in. Babies have wiggled out of their straps in the past resulting in entrapment and strangulation.
• Use the harness EVERY TIME you put baby in the chair and fasten it immediately.
• The harness should fit baby snugly. If it is too loose, adjust the straps.
• NEVER use the tray in place of the straps. The tray is not a restraint and the child can either slip or climb out of the chair.



Babies can wriggle and slip down if they are not strapped in. This has resulted in babies' heads becoming entrapped between the seat and the tray, causing strangulation. So at the risk of repeating myself - PLEASE protect your baby and always use your straps.


• Always check that baby's hands are free when you slide the tray in.
• If you are using a foldable high chair, make sure that the frame is locked securely in place during use.
• If the high chair has rolling casters, lock them whenever baby is in the chair. This minimizes the risk of baby pushing himself into a dangerous position.
• Don't adjust the recline or height position while baby is in the high chair. Again, take the time to remove baby first. Sneak in an extra snuggle while you're at it.
• NEVER allow your child to stand in the high chair.
• Don't let your child climb into the high chair unassisted.
• Don't let older children hang on the chair - it could tip, toppling baby out.

High chairs take a real pounding once your baby starts wiggling and rocking - eventually, things are bound to come loose and get torn - regularly check your chair for:

• Loose parts that baby could pull off and choke on, especially caps and plugs on tubing.
• Tears in the seat. Baby can choke on small pieces of foam torn from the padding.
• Secure locking devices on recline or height adjusters, folding mechanisms, trays and rolling casters.

Hook on chairs may be used in place of high chairs and are attached to the edge of a table. They're a great portable option, but accidents occur when children fall out of the chair or dislodge it from the table edge.

The following safety tips should be followed in addition to the high chair safety guidelines above.

• Do not place the chair close to anything that can be used to push against, thereby dislodging the chair from the table. Examples include, chairs, benches and table legs.
• Check the security of the chair after you have clamped it to the table. One way to do this is by pulling back on the chair.
• Never use hook-on-chairs on glass, single pedestal or unstable tables.

Follow these high chair safety guidelines and rest in the knowledge that your baby is safe and secure while you enjoy hours of fun in the kitchen together.

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