Is your baby struggling to transition to solids? It might be their posture.

Kate Watt
2023-04-15T17:52:57+10:00

The secret ingredient for successful solids? Posture and position. Here are 5 essential tips to get started.
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Is your baby constantly spitting up, restless in their highchair, or having trouble with eating? You may not have considered this… it might be their posture!

According to Nicole Pates, a paediatric physiotherapist, good postural support and control actually influence how our hands and mouths work.

Here are our 5 check points to perfect your baby's posture -

1. It's all about the hips! Everything we ever need at the mouth (feeding, swallowing, and speech) originates from the hips.

That's why the common phrase "If you want the lips, you have to first get the hips" highlights the importance of good posture when starting solids. If our hips are not in a good position, it can create changes in head, breathing, and mouth control.

2. Make sure your baby's hips and pelvis are at a 90-degree angle from their legs.

Your baby should be upright, sitting with shoulders over hips, knees in line with hips, and feet under knees. Studies show that distracted or irritable behaviour at the table can often be minimised with good postural support. Providing core support helps your baby focus on the new skills of picking up food, chewing, and swallowing.

3. Consider the height of the backrest.

Can your baby tilt their head back when they drink from a cup? Are your baby's elbows able to rest on the tray or table if the high chair is pushed up to the table? Their elbows should sit below their shoulders (90-degree angle) to allow free arm movement.

3. What about their elbows?

Are your baby's elbows able to rest on the tray or table if the high chair is pushed up to the table? Their elbows should sit below their shoulders (90-degree angle) to allow free arm movement.

5. Add a support cushion.

Our Little Puku support cushion (available here) is designed to provide support for your baby's back, head, and hips, and helps to bring them closer to the tray, so it is easier for them to grab food from anywhere on the tray.

With good postural support, your baby can enjoy mealtime and develop healthy eating habits.

A highchair footrest is another essential for perfecting your baby's posture — it supports their feet at the right height so they can focus on eating, not balancing.

Explore all the ways to optimise your baby's mealtime setup with our full range of IKEA highchair accessories.

For a step-by-step guide to introducing solids with the right setup, read our IKEA highchair baby-led weaning setup guide.