The Best Highchairs for Baby Led Weaning
Stop scrolling Amazon… we’ve tried all of the top rated highchairs, so you don’t have to!*
If you’re a new parent trying to decide on the best highchair for starting solids to follow baby-led weaning, you’re in the right place!
The right highchair can make a huge difference in how safe, comfortable, and focused your baby is during meals. When babies are properly positioned in a supportive highchair, they can focus on the most important things during meals:
• learning how to chewing safely
• swallowing with proper posture in mind
• exploring new foods
Many of our favorite highchairs* also grow with your baby into toddlerhood, which makes the investment worth it. Let’s talk about what to look for in the ideal highchair and our Top 3 picks, and we’ll even share our personal experience with each of them.
*This blog includes affiliate links, and will help support our continued research at no extra cost to you! Thank you!
Why Highchair Positioning Matters for Baby Led Weaning
Safety is the top concern when introducing solid foods.
Proper seating helps babies chew and swallow safely while also allowing them to stay comfortable and engaged during meals.
When babies are seated correctly, we want them in what feeding therapists call the 90 90 90 position.
This means:
• hips at a 90 degree angle
• knees at a 90 degree angle
• feet supported at a 90 degree angle
This upright posture helps babies stabilize their core and focus on eating.
If babies are slouched, wiggling side to side, or constantly repositioning themselves, they are likely spending more energy trying to stay balanced than actually learning how to eat.
If your baby is swaying or unstable in their highchair, it may mean:
• they are not quite ready for solids yet
• their highchair does not provide enough support
That said, if your baby is already eating well and seems comfortable in their chair, there is no need to rush out and buy a new one.
My Experience Choosing a Highchair as a First Time Mom
When I was a first time mom, I did what most parents do.I added a highchair to my baby registry.
It sat in the box for six months, and when it was finally time to start solids we put it together and got ready for our first meals.
Within a few days, I realized I had made a mistake.
The highchair had fabric padding, which quickly became a mess once food started flying. I also noticed that my baby was not sitting upright very well, so I started rolling up towels and placing them around her just to help her sit properly.
And her feet were dangling in the air with no support at all. Realistically, they were never going to reach the footrest that came with that chair.
“After a few frustrating meals, I went on a hunt for the best highchair for baby led feeding…
That search led me to the Abiie Beyond Junior Highchair, and it completely changed our feeding experience.
WHAT WE LOVED MOST:
✔ the clear tray removed easily for cleaning
✔ there was NO fabric - just leather that I could easily wipe down down after a messy meal
✔ the footrest could be adjusted so my baby's legs actually had support they needed for safe swallowing
It felt like the chair was finally designed for how babies actually eat.
Trying the Stokke Tripp Trapp Highchair with Our Second Baby
When our second baby arrived, I was curious to try the Stokke Tripp Trapp Highchair, since it is one of the most well known highchairs for baby led weaning.
We ended up finding one at a resale store and decided to give it a try.
We did not purchase the tray because I had heard from many parents that suction plates do not stick well to it.
Instead, we simply pulled the chair right up to the family table, which we loved. It made meals feel very natural and included.
One thing I really appreciate about both the Abiie Beyond and the Tripp Trapp is that they convert into toddler chairs.
That meant our wiggly toddlers could continue sitting comfortably at the table and stay focused during meals.
Get the Stokke Tripp Trapp Highchair →
Our Honest Experience with the Mockingbird Highchair
More recently we tried the Mockingbird Highchair, which is one of the newer options on the market.
We were genuinely impressed because it checks so many of the boxes parents are looking for.
WHAT WE LOVED THE MOST:
✔ easy to clean surfaces (No fabric at all)
✔ removable tray that is dishwasher safe
✔ removable seat for deeper cleaning (it actually fits in your sink!)
✔ adjustable footrest for babies and toddlers
✔ silicone magnetic straps that wipe clean easily (these are the first silicone straps I have ever seen and it’s hard to go back to anything else after that)
✔ converts into a toddler chair; my 3 year old loves to be able to climb up for meal time on her own
It really checks all of our boxes as a team of starting solids specialists!
Get the Mockingbird Highchair →
What to Look for in a Highchair for Baby Led Weaning
This is easily our number one question in DMs, so here are the three most important things to look for.
1. The 90 90 90 Position
Your baby's hips, knees, and feet should all form 90 degree angles while sitting. This posture supports safe chewing and swallowing and helps babies stay comfortable during meals.
2. An Adjustable Footrest
An adjustable foot plate is essential for baby led feeding.
Try this simple test: While sitting in your chair, lift your feet off the floor and hold them in the air. Now imagine chewing and swallowing food. Most people immediately realize they are focusing more on holding their body steady than eating. Babies have far less core strength than adults. When their feet are supported, they gain stability and can focus on learning how to eat.
3. Easy to Clean Materials
Baby led weaning is messy and that is completely normal. Because of this, we recommend avoiding highchairs with cloth padding or fabric. Brands like Graco make high-back highchairs that use fabric and are really hard to clean. These were designed for spoon-feeding, not self-feeding!
Instead choose materials like:
• sealed wood (like the Stokke Tripp Trapp)
• plastic or composite (Like the Mockingbird)
• wipeable surfaces (like faux leather and silicone similar to the Abiie Beyond)
These make cleanup much easier after messy meals, especially if you are trying to clean up 3 times a day. (Trust us, we’ve been there).
Our Top Highchairs for Baby Led Weaning
Abiie Beyond Junior Highchair
This is a great investment highchair because it will grow from starting solids into toddlerhood with ease. We loved it mostly because the clear plastic tray easily removes after meal time. Bring it over to the sink, rinse it off, and you’re done! The 3 and 5 point harness is unique to the Abiie chair which we found helpful as our baby got older she didn’t need the 5 point harness over her shoulders anymore, but still needed strapped in. It is also compatible with the Catchy (Thanks to 101 before one for making that happen!) so it’s a win-win all around.
WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT IT
• adjustable footrest with simple click button adjustments (love how easy it is to adjust everything without taking the high apart or using tools)
• removable dishwasher safe tray (We ran ours through the dishwasher daily for months and it was still in great shape!)
• suction plates stick well to the tray (since it is a smooth plastic surface)
• converts to a toddler chair - you can use with or without the tray. Bring the highchair right up to the table if you want!
• includes both 3 point and 5 point harness options
Get the Abiie High Chair →
Stokke Tripp Trapp Highchair
The best seller for baby-led feeding, and we know why! The position that this chair puts your baby in for self-feeding is the chefs kiss! Your baby will be sitting up straight and easily be able to pick up food and self-feed.
WHAT WE LOVE THE MOST:
• adjustable seat and footrest (but you have to use tools to loosen the chair to be able to do this, so it takes time)
• beautiful minimalist design with meant to last a lifetime sealed wood
• will last from 6 months old all the way to 6+ years and beyond (truly worth the investment to us)
THINGS TO NOTE:
• tray sold separately (we recommend skipping it!)
• we also recommend skipping the fabric pillow for baby insert - again its hard to clean and not necessary
• suction plates often struggle to stick to the tray, unless you purchase a stick-on mat (we like this one!)
Get the Stokke Tripp Trapp Highchair →
Mockingbird Highchair
This is brand new on the market and we absolutely love the well throughout details of this highchair. It is pretty much everything we asked for as starting solids specialists, all in one chair.
WHY WE LOVE IT
• adjustable footrest, with no special tools required (takes a few minutes)
• removable tray that you can wash in the sink or put in the dishwasher
• magnetic silicone harness - which makes getting baby in and out so easy (and the straps wipe clean - something we’ve never seen on any other highchair)
• removable seat for cleaning (where was this when we had babies!?)
• converts to a toddler chair (both my 6 year old and 3 year old love it)
Get the Mockingbird Highchair →
Best Budget Friendly Highchair
IKEA Antilop Highchair
If you want a very affordable option, the IKEA Antilop is a great choice. Head to your local IKEA and go to the kid section - you’ll see it there.
However, it does not include a footrest, and often times babies need to have a pillow in the back to fill the space (otherwise they don’t sit up straight).
Many parents add an aftermarket footrest to improve positioning and make baby more comfortable (look on Yeah Baby Goods or Amazon).
Get the footrest for the IKEA chair →
The One Accessory We Recommend for Every Highchair
If you are following baby led weaning, there is one accessory we highly recommend adding to your setup.
✨ The Catchy. ✨
The Catchy attaches to the bottom of your highchair and catches food before it hits the floor. And honestly, it can save your sanity during this stage.
WE LOVE IT BECAUSE:
• catches dropped food (if you’re doing BLW this happens at every meal)
• protects your floors (and means you don't have to mop every meal)
• reduces cleanup time to minutes
• keeps your dog from eating every meal scrap
It also helps save food that babies drop so you can simply place it back on the tray instead of throwing it away.
The Catchy is compatible with the Abiie Beyond, Stokke Tripp Trapp, and Mockingbird Highchair, which makes it a great addition to any of these setups.
For families following baby led weaning, it is easily one of our MUST HAVE feeding tools.
Get the Catchy → (Use code ‘101beforeone’ at checkout for 10% OFF!)
What a Panel of Pediatric Experts Think about the Best Highchairs on the Market
The best highchair for baby led weaning is the one where your baby can sit:
• upright at 90 degrees at the hip and feet
• comfortable and not be leaning over to one side
• with their feet supported so they can swallow food safely (yes, the footrest is really important)
When babies are positioned well at mealtime, they can focus on learning how to eat and exploring new foods with confidence.
If your baby is already eating happily in the chair you have, there is no need to stress about upgrading. But if you want to grab a new one, all three of these are great options!
If you need help deciding on the perfect highchair for your baby, send us a DM on Instagram @101beforeone so we can help!
If you’re a member of the 101 before one app, send the 101beforeone Admin a message with a photo of your baby and we will review their positioning so you feel confident feeding them.
