If the thought of having to have a high chair in your home fills you with dread, don't despair! Not all high chairs are plastic with cartoon character seat pads. There are now many aesthetically pleasing high chairs available which will fit in with a contemporary home's decor. Take a look at the new Jigsaw highchair from Zoobie, available in four striking colour combinations. Most highchairs are suitable from around six months of age, for feeding a sitting child at weaning, but some like the Fresco from Bloom Baby are available with a snug to cradle a newborn safely when used as a baby resting chair.

For those on a budget, a stylish wooden chair might fit your brief. Considerations when choosing your high chair might include your available space. Some high chairs are foldable for easy storage between meals, while others are static and might have feet which will take up valuable floorspace in your kitchen diner. Your lifestyle will influence the decision, if you prefer to tidy away after every meal a portable folding chair will be a better option but if you dont have the luxury of time, a static chair which is treated like a dining chair and simply tucked under the table might suit you better. Removable trays are useful if you intend to use the chair in this way. Folding options include the compact and portable Concord Spin, and the Bloom Urban Nano, both available in zingy modern colours

Cleaning your chair will be a consideration. Is the seat removable for washing? Can the chair be easily wiped down? Are there lots of joints and pieces to trap food? Many parents like a high chair which can be taken outside and hosed down on occasion to freshen it up. Can you purchase new seat pads separately to prolong the usage of the chair?

If you have an island unit or breakfast bar, you can even get a high chair which can be raised to use at this higher surface. The Loft from Bloom Baby fulfills this brief, having 15cm extra available height in the shaft. The pod shape of this high chair means that it can also be used as a baby lounger for your little one to nap in.

You may decide that you don't need a high chair for your home. You can simply use one of the many strap-on boosters or fabric sling type restraints attached to your standard dining chair. This type of solution is not suitable for very young children, it can only be used when baby can sit unaided, typically at around 6-9 months old. However it is a very much cheaper alternative to a specially designated high chair, and it has the advantage of being portable so that you can use it on visits to friends and relatives as well as on trips out to cafes etc. If you have a baby lounger type chair for when baby is very young, you may find that you can make do without a purpose made high chair.