High Chairs and Boosters
For the first few months of your baby's life, she will need nothing but breast milk or formula to meet all of her dietary needs. But around the time she starts eating solid foods (usually four to six months), you will need to make sure she has her own safe, secure place at the table.
According to Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 7,000 children suffered injuries related to high chairs in 2005. The majority of these injuries occurred when children were not buckled properly into the high chair's safety harness. Make sure your baby is safely buckled up in her high chair, even if you will be sitting right next to her.
Greener Chairs
Most conventional high chairs are made from vinyl, PVC, and other harmful petroleum-based ingredients that will off-gas into your home. The typical high chair also tends to be awkward to store and transport, which is why it usually ends up in a landfill rather than stored once a baby has outgrown it. If possible, seek out a pre-loved high chair instead of a newer model and make sure it gets passed on to friends, family members, or to your local thrift store when your baby no longer needs it.
If second hand is not an option and you need to purchase a new chair, look for one made from sustainably harvested wood instead of plastic or PVC. Stokke (www.stokkeusa.com) and Safety 1st (www.safety1st.com) both make great green high chairs from sustainably sourced wood.
