Bouncers often come with different recline settings for babies to rest, relax, play, and interact with an older sibling. It can be used as a bouncer up to 9kg, which is somewhere between eight and 10 months of age, after which it converts to a toddler chair to be used until your child is around two years old. We have the Mountain Buggy one for use away from home - it’s brilliant. A little big for our 8 month old still but it works fine." Recommended by Mumsnetter BerthaYoung Our verdict

It seems like only yesterday you were shopping around for the best breast pump or baby bottles for feeding your little one, now they're ready to graduate to sitting at the table and eating solid foods. But there's more to weaning than just making sure there's an Ella's pouch in your changing bag at all times, and thankfully Mumsnetters are on hand to help you navigate this messy time.At the inexpensive end of the spectrum are the budget chairs. These tend to be standalone highchairs (intended to be used by themselves using a plastic tray, instead of being pulled up to a table), short on adjustability features and elaborate design – favouring instead a functional simplicity that often, incidentally, means they’re much easier to clean.

Most travel highchairs either attach to an adult dining chair as a chair-mounted booster or clip onto the table edge (sometimes called a hook-on or clip-on highchair) like a vice. In both cases, you need suitable furniture to make it work – though, anecdotally, the chair-attaching kind fit more universally than the table-attaching kind. It can be used with the newborn set from birth, the baby set from six months (sitting unaided) and after three years or 15kg until adulthood and beyond, so it's great if you need a piece of furniture that will last and can be used by every member of the family. We also like that the tray is dishwasher-safe for particularly messy mealtimes! It's expensive but with a thriving second-hand market you should get a high resale value when you're finished with it. There are several styles of infant seats available, from basic bouncers to high-tech swings with toys, lights, and music. 1. Basic bouncer Make sure harness straps are always done up, even if you are only putting your baby in the seat for a couple of minutes.Type: Aluminium high chair which clips onto tables| Materials: Aluminium; rubber; fabric | Suitable from: 6 months+ | Harness: Yes | Wheels?: No What we love These types of toy are great sensory toys for babies, which is why they were such a hit, however they are quite high up so may not be easy for younger babies to reach.

Type: Freestanding, fold-away highchair | Materials: Not stated | Suitable from: 6 months+ | Harness: Yes | Wheels?: No What we love The BabyBjörn Bouncer Bliss comes pre-assembled, and it’s exceptionally simple to fold down and transport. While it's impressively lightweight at just 2kg, the Bliss feels sturdy, supportive and well-made, which is why we think it's the best baby bouncer to buy right now. We tested it on carpet and tiled floors in four different rooms. As reliable as it is ubiquitous, in our extensive tests the IKEA Antilop excelled, living up to its reputation as the king of all highchairs. While it may not look like anything special, our Mumsnet users rave about this highchair for being budget-friendly, functional and easy to clean up after mealtimes. We had the Oribel Cocoon. It was brilliant, so sturdy, height adjustable and it will recline if you need to keep your baby out of the way of the dogs while you cook and they nap or something." hubbletelescope Our verdict The chair is suitable from newborn with a clip on baby bouncer, which allows them to be at the table when you're eating. Then when your child is weaning, you can use it as a high chair with a comfortable baby seat insert and removable tray, before turning into a chair when your toddler is more independent. All the accessories need to be bought separately so the costs do run high, but we love the Scandi design which comes in three neutral colourways for blending nicely into your home. And as it can be used up to the age of ten, it'll be a worthy investment if you can afford the hefty price tag.

She looked at the aesthetics, whether it was a stylish baby product that would blend in with her home or a vibrant, more child-friendly design. Portability: If you travel away from home a lot or want to move the seat easily around the house, you may need a lighter model that can be folded down or one that has a handle or wheels. The 2-in-1 Chicco Hoopla converts seamlessly from a baby bouncer once your child reaches 9kg to a toddler chair that will last until around three years of age.