How to Set up your High Chair with Dr Kyla

Set your baby up for mealtime success with Dr Kyla from Baby Mealtimes by configuring your high chair to provide optimised posture for your child.

You can practice getting your baby ready to eat, before they’ve even started eating. This will give them time to get used to sitting in the high chair before they get started. Take a minute to set up your baby's posture in their high chair using this checklist (also known as the 90 90 90 rule for babies). As your child grows, you should regularly review the configuration to ensure it is the right fit for them.

1. BACK SUPPORT

• Ideally we want your child’s back to be resting on a firm support, without their body tilting back.
• If your child has too much room between the tray and their tummy, or is rocking in the chair, you might need to push them forward in the chair. Position their tummy against the tray and add back support with a rolled towel or the Tiny Timber Original High Chair Cushion behind their body.
• Your baby’s shoulders need to be in line with their hips- with a very slight tilt in their hips so they’re leaning forward towards the tray.

2. ELBOWS BELOW SHOULDERS

• The top seat on the chair needs to be at a height so your baby can rest their arms on the tray, without having their arms up like a flying Superman.
• If your baby’s elbows are not resting below their shoulders, you might need to put a small, folded towel underneath their bottom to position them higher in the chair.

3. KNEES AT 90 DEGREES

• Ideally your baby’s knees will bend naturally at a 90 degree angle over the edge of the seat. For very young babies, there might need to be a few weeks of growing before this happens.
• If your baby’s legs are sticking out straight, try moving them closer to the tray and adding a cushion being them.

4. FOOT SUPPORT

• For your baby to feel comfortable, they need rest flat on a stable platform, without dangling.
• Ideally your baby’s feet are sitting directly under their knees.
• You will need to adjust the footrest position as your baby grows.

These four considerations make it easy for your baby to sit comfortably in their high chair and join you at mealtimes. The Original Wooden High Chair is fully adjustable, so you have the flexibility to configure the heights to ensure that your child is always in the optimal posture, even as they grow from baby to toddler and beyond. View the chair now!

About the author

Dr Kyla Smith is a paediatric dietitian with over a decade of experience, a Mum of 2 and founder of Baby Mealtimes, an online subscription backed by science and filled with balanced meal inspiration, recipes, finger food ideas and a step-by-step guide to starting solids, all designed to help parents experience an enjoyable, nutritious, and delicious start to feeding their baby.