Ciaran is starting to drive me nuts with his feeding and I could do with some opinions/advice before I end up spending more money . Sorry this will be a bit long but want to explain it properly.

I month ago he point blank refused purees. Gave him a cheese sarnie (he was just under 6months) and we didn't look back - he just wanted to do it himself BLW style. Fine, wasn't a problem and he did very well until this week. Now every meal apart from breakfast turns into a crying fest. Sometimes he's tired (can understand that), sometimes he just wants feeding by me (not great as he generally wants to feed himself but if needs must...) and sometimes is just eating virtually nothing.

We were at an outdoor concert last night so ate on a picnic rug with mum and dad and he happily ate all his food for the first time in over a week. Today he kicked off again at lunch so I tried getting his chair as close to the table as I could (it's height adjustable but can't get it that far under as the arms and leg stop bang into a band that goes round about 10cms in from the edge of the under table. As soon as I put him to the table he grinned and started eating! I'm wondering if this is just a phase or whether he's likely to continue wanting to eat at the table.

I think he wants to be like Mummy and Daddy at the table, but if he wants to do that I need to consider what I do about the highchair. A new table the highchair goes under isn't cost effective so I'm wondering whether I need to invest in a tripp trapp or similar wooden chair that will go closer to the table. He has sat in them at restaurants in the past few weeks and been happy enough with them - just don't really want to jump to buying another highchair (even if it's 2nd hand) if he's likely to turn round and not like that either in a few weeks time. Have any of your children done this?

I don't think the weather's helped as he's been getting very clammy in the chair during the hot weather, but I don't think the heat is causing all of the issues.

Any ideas or suggestions?

i have a ikea highchair thats really good if you dont put the tray on it fits right up to the table and was cheap i think about a tener. i aslo have a boster seat from argos which goes on to one of the chairs and fits right up to the table as well. or mybe you could lay out a cloth in the frount room and have a indoors picnic

We've just bought cole a little table (£4.99) and chair (£2.99) from wilkos and he likes to sit and eat at them. Not sure how old your lo is to know if thats any good though. They are just plastic ones so easily washable Course this does mean he gets up and wanders round and then ends up in the high chair but I think he just likes to sit properly at the table like us.

We also have one of those booster seats (it mostly lives at my parents for when he goes there) - think it was about £20 from mothercare and its really good cause it has a removable tray and its sturdy enough to just balance on the floor if you want to use it that way.

I don't have any first hand experience as we haven't started weaning ds yet but my brother and SIL have a little seat that clamps to the table, its really cool as it takes up no room as has no legs so storage is not an issue, fits any table and is easily taken to other ppls houses ifu happen to be eating elsewhere. I will definitely be getting one when the time comes but I can't remember who makes them or if it has a particular name. I shall endeavour to find out tho

hth
xxx

found one, if u type in in ebay 'portable high chair' itvshld come up

here's a link for one that has 20mins left and is currently at 5.99

http://wap.ebay.co.uk/Pages/ViewItem.aspx?aid=250454395248&emvcc=0

Thanks for finding the portable one. Unfortunately we have a soft wood table so it would mark it really badly by leaving intentations in the wood. I'm also not convinced we could use it due to the barrier under the table.

We have a totseat for out and about and I've tried other boosters but at only 7 months old he's really not tall enough to use them well (he is a fidget bum too so tries to lean out the side and tips over if we're not careful) and I don't feel comfortable leaving him in it while I leave the room to bring through the next part of dinner etc.

Picnics are fine once in a while, but not for every meal as due to the BLW we are eating with him, and our cats won't be able to resist trying to nick the food every time. I also don't want that to become the norm - I really want him to eat in the dining room.

I will have a look at the ikea one as an option.

At the moment tripp trapp is what we're considering, or the baby dan which is similar. Tonight we put him straight at the main table and he ate a lot better than he has done in the past couple of weeks, so it looks like that is what he wants.

Just a thought - some friends of ours have for their kids the wooden high chair that mother care sells (its about £50) that comes in 2 and turns into a little table and chair - their kids are still using it at 3 & 5 years old and its great for colouring at and stuff too as a table/chair.

just thought it might be an option that would last you longer so you don't feel so bad about spending more money

Sounds like I'd better check out mothercare too - see if the seat with table would fit under the table.

Ours is a wooden one we got from Babies R Us - think it is called East Coast. We use it with the tray still but you can take the tray off and have it right up to the table. It has lots of holes to adjust the seat and you are meant to be able to use it till your child is 10. It is sturdy and looks good and was just £70, a lot cheaper that a tripp trapp.
Good luck,
Alison xx