Climbing out of high chair (long)

ktpaladino · May 2013

So this past week has presented a new challenge with LO. I've had so much trouble getting him to sit and eat in his high chair. Meals used to be my favorite time of the day because he would sit in there and eat for a long time. It was my time to just sit and relax with him, as he's always been a good eater for me.

Recently though, he started doing stiff legs and fussing when I try to put him in. I solved that problem by turning on the TV to distract him. Then he started standing up and climbing up onto the tray before he was done eating and I solved that problem by fastening him in with the 5 point harness. Now he has learned to wiggle his way out of the harness. And when we are eating out...forget it, he won't stay put.

I have been caving and letting him eat out of the chair which I feel is perpetuating the problem. (like eating on my lap, or him coming over to me to get bites while he is playing) He loves to eat on the go now, like he doesn't want to stop what he's doing when he's really busy playing and learning. Feeding him this way has been much harder, and I feel like he is not getting the same amount of food he used to get when he would sit and eat so nicely for me. However, yesterday I tried not letting him eat unless he sat in his chair, figuring he would eventually get so hungry that he would do it. Well, he pretty much went the entire day without food, except for sippy cups of milk I would let him carry around with him.

I don't really understand where this behavior came from, and why it was such an instantaneous switch. Is this just a phase that he will outgrow? I want to be tough and stick with the "no chair, no food" rule, but I just don't think I can do it. He is already a little guy and I don't want him to go all day hardly eating anything. Since he's become mobile he's been gaining weight VERY slowly, despite the fact that up until now he was ravenous and eating everything under the sun. I'm concerned that he won't grow and get enough nutrition if I don't make him stop to sit and eat the 4 meals a day that he is accustomed to eating.

Please help me...any advice/suggestions/experiences you can give or share would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

orangecurls · May 2013

I would get a booster seat so that he can eat at the table with you. You should try to eat at this time too. I try to feed my kiddos at the table only, and that is mostly what happens. sometimes I'll give then an apple slice on the go. They get milk and juice at the table. Water on the go.

errica720 · May 2013

I say try the booster seat too. I am sure it's just a phase! I think everything is

TiffanyBerry · May 2013

It wasn't too long past this age that DD wouldn't deal with the high chair any more, but was fine on a booster seat on a regular chair at the table.

dairygirl19 · May 2013

My kid did this too. I got a booster seat on a chair. She just wanted to be a kid too and sit like mom and dad and the bigger kids at daycare. I also noticed she didn't like the tray "restricting" the top of her legs. It was no where near touching her, but it bothered her apparently. She wanted to be free.

That was a little past 1. She's almost 2 and I haven't had an incident since.

Also, I agree with you. No meals on the go. She can snack all the she wants on the go, but mealtimes are at the table for sure.

All kids go through this at this age or at least have phases of eating less. Weight gain slows on every kid pretty much the second they get busy. So unless there's some underlying issue I woudn't worry about it.

ktpaladino · May 2013

Kimbus22:
Crash Into Me:
I must be mean because I was going to suggest strapping him in tightly and letting him cry about it if he wasn't happy.
I don't know that a booster seat is going to be any safer if he's trying to climb out of it.
Yeah I'm trying to figure out how a one year old can climb out of a 5 point harness if it's properly secured. I think it's just too loose.
The booster may help or it may be worse. In your shoes, I'd just tighten the harness and let the kid cry. If that means there are a few skipped meals while they're figuring out they're not getting their way, so be it. My kid went through this a few months ago and after a few days of putting him in the chair and leaving him there, he got over it. But it was a rough few days.

It's a cheap high chair. I have the straps as tight as they will go. Also the tray isn't adjustable which is why he can stand up and climb onto the tray. It's not close enough to his tummy. I think I'm going to buy one of those convertible boosters that has a removable tray. I think if I can get something he knows he can't get out of, it would no longer be an issue.

Want a personalized experience?

Climbing out of high chair (long)

Re: Climbing out of high chair (long)

Choose Another Board

Search Boards