Do you need two High Chairs for twins?

If you are those parents who have been gifted with a twin miracle, you can double up on all the joy that comes with having a baby. The flip-side of the coin is that you also have to double up on all the logistical challenges that come with parenthood.

Feeding time is one of those logistical recurring challenges that are coming your way. We all know that one High Chair takes up a lot of space in your kitchen, let alone having two. So, it comes as no surprise that twin parents wonder if it is necessary to have two High Chairs for their twins. The good news is:

You don’t need two High Chairs for twins. As an alternative you can use two Booster Seats that you mount on your existing dining chairs. Booster Seats take up less space, are lighter and less expensive than High Chairs, even though they serve the same purpose. Another option is to feed them separately.

That said, Booster Seats aren’t the only alternative that you can get instead of a High Chair. Depending a bit on your household situation and your way of living, there are other options on the market that can alleviate the challenges that come with parenting for twins. Below we will cover this more into detail.

Seating your twins during meal times, all you need to know!

Since most of us fresh parents don’t have an abundance of space at home, we will have to use our creativity to manage twin meal times without giving up on too much comfort. Here we will discuss all the different options with all the benefits and drawbacks.

1. Separated feeding

Although it sounds a bit harsh, feeding your twins separately can definitely work as an alternative solution. As my niece explained to me:

“Trying to feed my twins at the same time, especially when I was on my own, usually ended up in being a nightmare. In almost all of the cases one of my two sons was creating havoc as he refused to eat. Once I recognized this pattern, I decided to feed them separately and this worked great.”

“They both had a slightly different schedule when it came to being hungry, so one was still playing while the other ones was being fed. This allowed me to get rid of one High Chair and have some extra space in my already cozy home. Once they got a bit older, we bought two Booster Seats so that we could enjoy our meals together as a family.”

Pro’s:

• Less multitasking during meals.

• 1 High Chair does the trick.

• More space.

• Less costs.

• You only have to clean the High Chair once after meal times.

Cons:

• This doesn’t work for all twins, some will feel the need to eat together.

• You’re not really eating as a family.

• If both parents have time, you need to split them up because there is only one High Chair available.

2. Booster Seats

For those of you parents who feel that separate feeding is out of the question, you can use Booster Seats instead of High Chairs. Booster Seats have a number of advantages over High Chairs that make them much more suitable for twins.

Pro’s:

• They take up far less space than a High Chair.

• You mount them on your existing dining chairs, so no need to store your dining chairs in a separate room.

• Overall, Booster Seats are more affordable. This comes in handy when you need to buy two seats.

• They are much more transportable which makes them great for family visits.

• Some Booster Seats fit entirely in the dishwasher, which makes them easy to clean.

Cons:

• No recline function for bottle-feeding.

• Height settings are dependent on the height of your dining chairs.

• Dining chairs will get messy from time to time.

Don’t worry that Booster Seats are less safe than High Chairs. Once your babies are ready to eat solid foods in a High Chair, they are also ready to sit in a Booster Seat. For more info about the right timing to transition to a Booster Seat or a High Chair, please read this illustrated article we wrote here.

3.Space saver High Chairs

Luckily there are great alternatives that compensate for the downsides of working with Booster Seats, these are called space saver High Chairs.

In a nutshell, Space Saver High Chairs combine the best of High Chairs with the best of Booster Seats. They are almost as compact and lightweight as a Booster Seat, yet in combination with your dining chair, they offer about the same height as a regular High Chair.

This is good news for you, the parent, as overall ergonomics during feeding are much better. For your twins it is also a lot more pleasant to be at a higher level to join the rest of the family at the dining table.

Unlike Booster Seats, Space Saver High Chairs also have a recline function that allows you to bottle feed your twins. This means that you can start using one of these a bit sooner than the Booster Seats.

Pro’s:

• A tiny High Chair with the same height advantages as a large High Chair.

• A recline function for bottle-feeding.

• You can leave your dining chairs at the dining table.

• Smaller than a regular High Chair so easy to store and transport.

Cons:

• They are a bit pricier than a Booster Seat.

• You can’t compact them as much as a Booster Seat.

• Dining chairs might get messy.

4.Hook-on High Chairs

Hook-on High Chairs are a great alternative to regular High Chairs, especially for those who like to optimize for space. They can be folded flat and are even more compact than Booster Seats.

Pro’s:

• Hooked-on the table, your children will always be at the correct table height.

• Unlike a regular High Chair, your children can now sit directly at the table.

• Can be folded flat and very light weight making them ideal for travel.

• Very affordable compared to normal High Chairs.

• Your twins can have a food fight because cleaning underneath has never been this easy.

• The fabric is machine washable, so very little manual labor.

Cons:

• You need a table to use these High Chairs.

• They don’t fit on just any table, it needs to be the right setup

• Their stability depends on the stability of the table.

• Having a tray is not always an option.

If you are prone to skip this option because you are worried about the safety, we highly recommend you to check out this illustrated article we wrote about Hook-on High Chairs safety.

5.Foldable High Chairs

For those of you who are still not convinced and like to stick to the convenience of a regular, stand alone High Chair, there is one last alternative that offers just that while optimizing for space as much as possible: the foldable High Chair.

This type High Chair allows you to stay in the world of regular High Chairs but thanks to its folding capabilities allows you to minimize the used space when your children are not eating.

Pro’s:

• Just like a regular High Chair, but foldable for easy storage.

• Stand alone, so no messy dining chairs after a meal.

• Lighter than a regular High Chair.

• Suitable for travel.

Cons:

• The price is higher than a Booster Seat.

• Even though foldable, you will need about the same space to store one regular High Chair.

• During use, they take up the same amount of space as a regular High Chair.

As you can see, there are multiple options available for those of you who need to mindful about the space consumed at home or who just like to have an affordable solution for their logistic challenges that come with twin parenting.

In the end, it all boils down to your personal preferences but know that there are many alternatives that will do the trick just as well and even at a lower price.

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