As your baby grows bigger and more and more people keep asking, 'Is he on solids yet?', your thoughts will undoubtedly turn to high chairs. The first thing to remember, however, is that you probably won't need one as soon as you start weaning. Even if you wait until the recommended six months to start solids, your baby may not be sitting upright unsupported, so a traditional high chair will be of little help. In those early days, a bouncy chair or buggy will work just as well.
And when he is sitting unaided, you need to ask yourself a few vital questions. Do you want a simple booster seat that you can position at the table? A freestanding high chair with its own tray? Or a chair you can position at the table so junior can enjoy sociable mealtimes with all the family? Do you need something that folds away neatly? Are good looks important?

Hey good looking…
The classic in the genre is undoubtedly the Stokke Tripp Trapp: it's been around for more than 30 years, it's made of wood, comes in 11 different colours, is hugely adjustable (you can use it right up to adulthood), and there's even one on show at the V&A Museum of Childhood. Beyond that, there are plenty of understated wooden numbers around, which are probably more likely to blend with most decors - the Svan is particularly good. That said, the Mozzee Nest is plastic but fantastic - it looks more akin to a bar stool and would grace any modern kitchen (but it won't fold up).

Tray bien
The bulk of high chairs offer detachable trays, making it easier to get junior in and out, easier to clean, and offering you the choice of having your baby at the table or not (you may wish to avoid the line of fire…). The obvious exception to this is the Tripp Trapp - the Scandinavian designers wanted to promote good family eating habits. Chicco, Mothercare, Mamas & Papas and Cosatto all offer high chairs with a removable tray insert that can be thrown in the dishwasher - a marvellous innovation. Otherwise, make sure the tray is easy to wipe clean and that there aren't too many crevices and cracks that can harbour nasty decaying food (you'd be surprised where a baby's food can end up…). A very few have non-removable trays, which may prove infuriating, be warned!

Does it fold up?
Generally speaking, the plastic end of the market tends to offer more in the way of compact, foldaway chairs, although Handley Küster offers a good-looking wooden number that folds flat. Some fold flatter than others, so do have a good play with them in store, and work out whether it will fit in that corner or whether you'll be constantly tripping over it.

Stay clean
Avoid nooks and crannies like the plague and look out for wipe-clean surfaces and washable fabrics, or you'll be forever cursing your choice as you pick bits of dried-on food out of little gaps with a cocktail stick (yes, I've been there, done that and wouldn't recommend it).

Built to last
Your child will probably use the high chair for about two years before either getting too big or learning to escape with monotonous regularity. So what do you do with the high chair? For many it's a case of wait until child number two needs it or pass it on to someone
else, but the Tripp Trapp and Svan, among others, can be adjusted to make an adult seat. The Mozzee can still be used up to about age six, and some brands (Jané, Mothercare) stack up to form a high chair then detach to form a child's table and chair.

Money matters
You can spend anything from £11.99 for the Ikea Antilop (the tray costs an extra £3.29) to more than £300 for the Artek 616 (another Scandinavian beauty) - most of the good ones fall around the £100 mark, so it's largely down to the features and look you want.

Booster seats
An excellent option for travelling, as some can be folded flat (eg HandySitt) and fit neatly in the boot with the rest of the baby paraphernalia. If you're using one as a permanent option at home, bear in mind that it will take up a dining chair (not very helpful if you're entertaining). You can also buy boosters that clip directly to the chair, but these only work if you have the right kind of table (ie, no extraneous struts underneath).
However, they are useful in the home as a second chair if your baby has a friend round, and great to keep at granny's. For the truly minimalist, there's even a fabric harness you can buy that will hold your baby upright in any chair - it's eminently portable but reeks slightly of bondage.

ThinkBaby faves

Stokke Tripp Trapp £108.99 (www.mothercare.com), plus about £19 each for cushion inserts and baby set (bar to position at front) - a versatile classic, perfect for parents who don't like plastic.
Svan from £165 complete (www.bibsandstuff.com) - curvy wooden number that offers endless adjustability, right up to adulthood.
Mozzee Nest £255.28 (www.mozzee.co.uk) - cute and curvy, perfect for modern minimalists.
Mothercare Atlanta £34.99 - a bargain price for a flat-folding chair, and the Fifties-style spot pattern will brighten up your kitchen.