Highchair Safety Guide: What Every Parent Needs to Know

Elina @ Little Puku
2026-03-24T11:51:33+10:00

Highchair safety guide with the 90-90-90 rule, before-every-meal checklist, choking prevention tips and common mistakes. Expert-backed advice.
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Highchair safety is one of those things most parents assume they have covered until something goes wrong. A wobbly chair, a loose harness, feet dangling with no support. These small oversights can add up to real risk at mealtimes.

The good news is that improving your highchair safety is straightforward once you know what to look for. In this highchair safety guide, we will walk you through everything from proper positioning and harness use to choking prevention and the most common mistakes parents make. Whether you are setting up a brand new highchair or wondering if your current setup needs a safety refresh, you are in the right place.

Key points

Highchair safety essentials

The four things that matter most at every meal.

90-90-90 position

Hips, knees and ankles at 90 degrees for stability.

Harness every time

Always buckle the harness, even for quick meals.

Active supervision

Never leave your child unattended in a highchair.

Right setup

Stable base, flat surface, away from hazards.

Why Highchair Safety Matters

Highchair-related injuries are more common than most parents realise. In Australia, the ACCC reports that feeding aides including highchairs account for 25 per cent of nursery furniture injuries in New South Wales alone. Falls are the leading cause, usually because the harness was not used or was too loose.

In the United States, Safe Kids Worldwide reports that an average of 24 children per day are treated in emergency departments for highchair or booster seat injuries. The vast majority of these are preventable.

The numbers are confronting, but improving highchair safety comes down to a handful of avoidable mistakes: skipping the harness, placing the chair near a table edge the child can push off, or leaving your little one unattended. Get the basics right and you dramatically reduce the risk.

Beyond preventing falls, proper highchair safety practices also affect how well your child eats. A baby who feels unstable will fidget, lean on the tray for support, and have a harder time focusing on food. Safe positioning and comfortable positioning go hand in hand.

The 90-90-90 Positioning Rule

If there is one concept from paediatric occupational therapy that every parent should know, it is the 90-90-90 rule. It is the gold standard for safe, comfortable seating at mealtimes, and it is simpler than it sounds.

The idea is that your child sits with three joints at roughly 90 degrees:

Hips at 90 degrees, with their bottom pushed back against the seat

Knees at 90 degrees, with thighs supported by the seat

Ankles at 90 degrees, with feet flat on a stable surface

In brief

Why does 90-90-90 matter?

Paediatric feeding specialists recommend this position for three reasons.

Stability: Feet pressing against a surface gives the body a solid base. Less wobbling means less energy spent on balance and more focus on eating.

Airway safety: An upright trunk and head aligned over the shoulders keeps the airway open, which helps food travel down the oesophagus rather than the windpipe. This reduces choking risk.

Self-feeding development: A stable, supported child can use both hands freely for picking up food, developing fine motor skills and independence at mealtimes.

Most highchairs, including the popular IKEA Antilop, do not come with a footrest. That means your baby's feet dangle in mid-air with nothing to push against. Adding a highchair footrest is the single most effective way to achieve the 90-90-90 position. It is a change many parents say they notice within the first few meals. Read our full guide on why a footrest matters for your highchair.

Highchair Safety Checklist

Use this checklist before every meal. It takes less than 30 seconds and covers the essentials that prevent the most common highchair accidents.

Checklist

Before every meal

Highchair is on a flat, stable surface

All locking mechanisms are engaged and clicked into place

Harness straps are buckled and fit snugly (including crotch strap)

Feet have a stable surface to rest on (footrest or floor)

Tray is securely locked into position

Chair is away from walls, counters and table edges (prevents push-off)

No hanging cords, blinds or tablecloths within reach

Food is cut to appropriate size for your child's age and stage

An adult will be actively supervising for the entire meal

Chair has been checked for recalls (visit productsafety.gov.au)

If your highchair has wheels, make sure they are locked before placing your child in the seat. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends checking that you can hear and feel the locking mechanism click into place every time you set up the chair.

It is also worth periodically checking for loose screws, cracked plastic or worn straps. The ACCC has issued recalls on several highchair models in recent years, so a quick check at productsafety.gov.au is a sensible habit.

Common Highchair Safety Mistakes

Even attentive parents can fall into common highchair safety traps. Knowing what to watch for makes a real difference.

Do / Don't

Highchair safety dos and don'ts

Do

Use the harness at every single meal, no exceptions.

Add a footrest so feet have a stable surface.

Keep the highchair well away from walls and counters.

Supervise your child for the entire time they are in the chair.

Cut food to age-appropriate sizes and shapes.

Place the chair on a flat, non-slippery surface.

Don't

Skip the harness because it is "just a quick snack".

Leave your child's feet dangling with no support.

Place the chair where your child can push off a wall or table.

Walk away, even for a moment, while your child is seated.

Let older siblings climb on or play with the highchair.

Allow your child to stand up in the chair.

Mistake 1: Skipping the harness

This is the number one cause of highchair falls. It is tempting to skip the buckle for a quick meal, especially when your toddler protests. But children are quick, unpredictable, and stronger than they look. The Safe Kids Worldwide foundation found that the majority of highchair injuries result from falls where the harness was not used or was too loose. Always buckle up.

Mistake 2: No footrest

When feet dangle, your child has no base of support. They compensate by leaning on the tray, fidgeting, or bracing their legs against the chair frame. This is uncomfortable, makes self-feeding harder, and can contribute to poor posture during eating. A footrest solves this in minutes.

Mistake 3: Chair placed too close to a table or wall

Children push. It is what they do. If the highchair is close enough to a table, counter or wall, your child can push off with enough force to tip the chair backwards. Always leave a clear gap on all sides.

Mistake 4: Wrong tray position

The tray should sit at roughly chest height for your child. Too high and they strain to reach food. Too low and they hunch forward, which compresses the airway. Many highchairs have a fixed tray position, but you can adjust the effective height by using a cushion to raise your child slightly in the seat.

Mistake 5: Food sizes not matched to developmental stage

Offering food that is too small, too round, or too hard for your child's stage is a choking hazard. As a general rule, foods should be soft enough to squish between your fingers and cut into age-appropriate shapes. See our baby-led weaning guide for detailed food preparation advice.

Choking Prevention During Mealtimes

Good highchair safety and choking prevention go hand in hand. The position your child sits in directly affects their ability to manage food safely.

When a child is slouched, leaning to one side, or has their head tilted back, their airway is partially compressed. This makes it harder to chew thoroughly and increases the risk of food entering the windpipe. The 90-90-90 position we covered earlier keeps the airway open and aligned, which is the foundation of safe eating.

Beyond positioning, here are the key choking prevention strategies for mealtimes:

Always supervise. Be present and attentive for every bite. Choking can happen silently.

Sit upright. Your child should be sitting up straight in the highchair, not reclined.

Avoid high-risk foods. Whole grapes, cherry tomatoes, popcorn, whole nuts, raw carrot sticks and hard lollies are common choking hazards for young children.

Cut food appropriately. For babies starting solids, offer finger-length strips. For toddlers, cut round foods into quarters lengthways.

Do not rush. Let your child eat at their own pace. Hurrying increases the chance of swallowing large pieces.

Learn the difference between gagging and choking. Gagging is loud, normal and protective. Choking is silent and requires immediate action. Read our full gagging vs choking guide for a detailed breakdown.

Reassurance

Normal mealtime behaviour vs warning signs

General guidance only. Seek professional support if you are worried.

Often normal

Gagging, coughing or spitting food out (protective reflex).

Making a mess and dropping food off the tray.

Playing with food before eating it.

Short attention spans, especially under 12 months.

Eating very small amounts some meals.

Worth checking

Silent distress with no coughing (possible choking).

Lips or face turning blue during eating.

Refusing to sit in the highchair at every meal.

Gagging that does not resolve or causes vomiting every time.

No progress with textures after several weeks of trying.

As part of your overall highchair safety preparation, every parent should complete an infant first aid course that covers choking response. Knowing the difference between a back-blow sequence and when to call emergency services could save your child's life. Contact your local St John Ambulance or Red Cross for courses in your area.

When to Start Using a Highchair

Most babies are ready for a highchair around 6 months of age, which typically coincides with the start of solid foods. However, the right time depends on your child's development rather than a strict age cutoff.

Look for these readiness signs before moving your baby into a highchair:

1. Good head and neck control. Your baby can hold their head steady and upright without it flopping or wobbling.

2. Sitting with minimal support. They can maintain an upright posture for at least 60 seconds when placed on a flat surface, without using their hands to prop themselves up.

3. Interest in food. They watch you eat, reach for food, and open their mouth when food comes near.

4. Loss of tongue-thrust reflex. They no longer automatically push food out of their mouth with their tongue.

If your baby can sit in the highchair but still slumps to one side or needs a lot of support, they may not be quite ready. A highchair cushion can help with positioning for babies who are nearly there but need a little extra support, though it should not be used as a substitute for true sitting readiness.

Most families use their highchair from around 6 months through to age 2 or 3. During this window your child will go from first purees (or first finger foods if you are following a baby-led weaning approach) all the way to independent eating with utensils. Downloading our free first 100 foods tracker can help you keep track of what your baby has tried during this exciting stage.

Making Your IKEA Highchair Safer

The IKEA Antilop is one of the most popular highchairs in the world for good reason. It is affordable, easy to clean and meets safety standards. But like most budget highchairs, it has a few gaps that are worth addressing.

Here is how to improve your Antilop highchair safety and turn it into the best possible setup for your child:

Add a footrest for 90-90-90 positioning

The Antilop does not include a footrest, which means your child's feet dangle with no support. A bamboo highchair footrest clips onto the existing legs and immediately gives your child a stable base to push against. This is the single most impactful safety and comfort upgrade you can make. Paediatric occupational therapists consistently recommend foot support for safe eating posture.

Use a placemat for a safer feeding surface

A silicone placemat creates a non-slip surface on the Antilop tray. Bowls and plates stay put, food does not slide into your child's lap, and the raised edges help contain spills. It also makes cleanup faster, which means less time fussing and more time for your child to eat at their own pace.

Consider a cushion for secure positioning

For babies who are on the smaller side or who tend to slide forward in the smooth plastic seat, a highchair cushion adds grip and padding. It helps your child sit more securely without relying on the harness alone to hold them in place.

Protect your floors with leg wraps

While leg wraps are primarily about protecting your floors from scratches, they also add a small amount of grip to the chair legs, reducing the chance of the chair sliding on smooth surfaces like tiles or hardwood.

You can browse the full range of IKEA highchair upgrades on our accessories hub page, or grab a bundle to get started with everything at once.

Frequently Asked Questions