About to do baby-led weaning? Then you might have been searching about baby high chairs and you ended up wondering – does a high chair need a footrest?
Not a lot of people (myself included) know about footrest for baby high chairs and how comfortable a kid might have been with having one.
As a new mom then, I never knew how important it was because well, popular high chairs like the Ikea Antilop didn’t have one!
If it was needed, it would have been included in it…right?
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So Does a High Chair Need a Footrest?
So far, the answer is no, a high chair doesn’t need a footrest.
If it was, it would have been mandated by the government or any other product safety agency, in all baby high chairs.
You would have already seen it in one of the cheapest, most popular baby high chairs. Like the Ikea Antilop.
I’m saying no for now, because laws can change.
Someone might do a scientific study on the importance of footrests on high chairs.
Which can trigger more research, clamor and can propel actions and regulations from the proper authorities to finally make footrest for baby high chairs a requirement.
Just like how car seats for kids eventually became a requirement in most countries.
So for now, not having a footrest for your baby’s high chair isn’t needed but, it does have its benefits.
Why Does a High Chair Need a Footrest?
Here are some benefits of having a footrest in your baby’s high chair:
- Provides support and core stability
- Encourages and maintain good posture
- Makes sitting more comfortable
- Lessens your child’s fidgeting while eating
The major benefit is the stability and comfort it will bring to your child.
As a new mom then, it never occurred to me that my kid might have needed one as well as she didn’t seem to be bothered with the lack of a footrest.
For my baby then, it’s just normal to have her feet dangling while eating.
Which kinda makes me feel bad now because come to think of it, I can’t imagine eating with my feet hanging, without any ground support.
That would have placed a lot of pressure on my thighs and can cause some back issues.
I would have been distracted, constantly fidgeting and trying to find a more comfortable position. I would be moving a lot in my chair too if I had to eat that way!
Maybe my kid would have fidgeted less and enjoyed her food more if she had one!
Types of Footrest You Can Buy or DIY
There are all kinds of footrests that you can purchase online or make yourself.
Here are some ideas for creating a makeshift chair footrest:
Cloth
Get a big cloth or any easy-to-clean fabric, put it under the chair, tie and secure it on the chair’s legs.
Pool Noodle
Apparently, you can use one. Just tie and secure on the chair’s legs.
Resistance Bands
You can also use resistance or training bands as a footrest. You can easily adjust this to go lower or higher, depending on how long your kid’s legs are.
Low chair or stool
Some parents also had a very simple idea of pushing a low chair or stool underneath their baby’s Ikea chair.
Or if your kid is still too short for their feet to touch the lower chair, place some box or some platform on top of it and secure it on the chair.
DIY wooden board
You can also try to create your own using a sanded, wooden board.
Here’s some high chair footrest you can purchase online:
Footsi
A height-adjustable footrest that attaches to a popular baby high chair – the Ikea Antilop.
Woodsi Footsi
Created also by the same company – Nibble and Rest – this one is also an adjustable highchair footrest that’s bamboo-made and eco-friendly.
Bamboo Adjustable Highchair Footrest
Similar to Woodsi Footsi, this super simple footrest is easy to install, clean, and remove.
Etsy Footrest
There are several footrests for a baby high chair in this global online marketplace. They are more or less the same, offering the same purpose of providing stability and comfort to your little one.
How to Attach a Footrest to a High Chair
For DIY fabric footrests for the popular Ikea Antilop, just measure it first then clip-on, or secure it with a clip or hair tie then tie it up on the chair’s legs.
You can check out a sample video here on how to use a piece of fabric and tie it on your baby’s high chair:
For DIY wooden high chairs, if you have the time and your handy with wood, you can try to do something like this:
For purchased footrests, they come with instructions and easy-to-use tools on attaching and adjusting the items.
Best High Chair With Footrests
Stokke Tripp Trapp
- Newborn Set: up to 20lbs
- Baby Set: for 6-36 months
- Weight limit: 300 lbs
- With 5-point safety harness
Graco Blossom 6 In 1 Convertible
- Highchair weight limit: 40 lbs
- Toddler Booster & Youth chair weight limit: 60 lbs
- 6 height positions and 3 recline levels
- With front locking wheels
Keekaroo Height Right High Chair
- Weight limit: 250 lbs
- 3-point safety belt
- Tray and Dishwasher Safe Tray Cover Included
- Cloth Cushion seating included
Abiie Beyond Wooden High Chair
- Weight limit: 250 lbs
- Adjustable seat harness
- With stain-resistant, water proof cushions
- With dishwasher-safe tray cover
How To Choose a High Chair
Consider these 4 features when choosing a baby high chair:
• Safety
Choose a stable and reliable baby high chair, one that’s been tested and approved by safety agencies.
Your kid will be eating from its table and probably licking things on it so a baby high chair that’s free from harmful substances is a must-have.
A safety belt or harness should also be included, to keep your kids from falling off or getting out of the chair.
• Easy to Clean
Your kids will be making a mess a lot on these chairs, so better get one that’s convenient to clean.
One where you can easily wipe or hose down the entire chair is ideal to have.
• Comfortable
A snug and comfortable high chair is also a must. You’d want your kid to have a secure and cozy place to eat so they’d enjoy their meals more.
You can buy a separate support pillow for the Ikea Antilop high chair, to make the back part softer.
You’d also want a high chair with a removable tray, so you can scoot your kids closer to the dining table, once they start asking to eat with the whole family.
• Price
There are tons of baby-high chairs that can be a strain on your wallet.
If you’re looking for something more affordable, that’s still safe, comfortable, and easy to clean, you can’t go wrong with an Ikea Antilop high chair.
It’s like a stable baby chair for baby-led weaning and it’s even used in restaurants.
I highly recommend it if your budget is tight.
• Extra
A foldable or portable chair can come in handy, especially if you’re tight on space.
A versatile baby high chair that grows with your baby is great to have, especially if your preschooler is still too small to sit on a regular dining chair.
Tips and Tricks on Using Baby High Chairs
• Use baby wipes
If you have baby wipes that you’re not particularly fond of using for your baby (too rough, too thin, causes allergies/ rashes, etc.), just use that to clean your baby’s high chair.
• Hose it down
If you have the Ikea Antilop chair and if you’re too tired to wipe it clean, bring it in the bathroom and hose it the hell down.
Of course, you’d want to wipe off big chunks of food first but for the most part, you can hose down the chair and clean it.
Hell, bring along your kid and bathe them while cleaning your chair!
I’m kidding of course but you must admit, that seemed like a good idea.
• Thorough cleaning
Every week or so, remove the legs of your Ikea chair and wash out all the gunk and dirt inside the hole under the chair, where you attach the legs.
God knows why but food can get caught inside those. I learned about it when I cleaned it inside out after using it for 2 plus years.
I was so mortified and felt so bad for my kid for sitting so disgustingly close to all those dirt.
So make sure to give the Ikea chair or any baby chair for that matter, a sort of general cleaning once in a while.
• Prop up your baby
If your baby is too short for the table or tray (hits them above mid-torso), prop them up with some towels or a padded cushion.
• Put hooks at the back
Tape a hook at the back of your baby’s high chair to hang and easily reach for bibs, small towels, etc. whenever you need it.
• Get a big bib
If your baby’s bib is too small to contain in the mess, get a big one, like the Grabease.
It can also cover the entire chair and keep the mess on the bib.
• Get an old t-shirt as a bib
For a makeshift large bib, get an old shirt and wrap it around your baby!
If it’s big enough, you can wrap it around the table as well to keep the mess in.
FAQ on Why do High Chairs Need a Footrest
Is a footrest important for a baby high chair?
Yes, mostly for comfort reasons.
It provides a stable footing for your child, making it more comfortable for them to eat.
It could lead to less fidgeting or whining, which can lead to them eating more and enjoying their meals better.
Why is the IKEA high chair so popular?
Because it’s affordable, safe, and easy to clean.
It meets all the requirements for safety and durability, you can customize it and add a lot of things to it to make it comfortable for your little one.
And best of all, it’s so darn cheap.
Do you need an adjustable footrest on a high chair?
No, you don’t. But having one will make eating a more comfortable and pleasant experience for your child.
And when your kids are older and bigger, you can adjust the footrest to accommodate their growing legs.
Takeaway on Does a High Chair Need a Footrest
I still feel a little bit bad that I didn’t even consider a footrest for my kid then.
But I did upgrade her chair eventually when she got older. And that included a footrest.
If you’re on the lookout for one, make sure they’re adjustable, easy to clean, and of course, safe to step on for your little ones.
I hope this article has helped clarify things about your baby needing a footrest for their high chairs.
