The 90-90-90 Sitting Position Rule In Baby High Chairs & Why it Matters?
My daughter, Avery, had problems swallowing food when kept in the high chair. She used to sit in an infant reclining chair. Her pediatrician, Dr. George, told us to make her sit at a 90-90-90 sitting position. Who knew I found a gold mine for Avery!
We saw plenty of improvements in her food intake, torso development, and active mealtime. All thanks to this sitting position. So what is this position really?
It just means your baby should have an angle of 90 degrees between their knees, hips, and ankles while eating. It ensures your baby’s healthy posture, sitting safety, and comfort!
As a parent, you always want the best for your baby, right? That applies to its sitting position while eating, too. So, let’s not wait and move ahead to know more about what is the ’90-90-90 sitting position rule in a high chair’, its advantages, safety features, posture, etc., in detail.
Also Read: When Can Babies Sit In a High Chair?
What Is The 90-90-90 Sitting Position Rule in High Chair?
There are chances of choking hazards in a reclining seating position for younger babies (0-6 months). We can introduce solid food to babies above 6 months of age. This is when the 90-90–90-degree sitting position is helpful. Many baby gear manufacturers provide high chairs with this sitting adjustment. They are designed so that the angle between the knees, hips, and ankles becomes 90 degrees. This ideal posture helps the baby reach its hand to the food, swallow food without choking, and sit for longer without leaning too much.
Here’s What Exactly Is the 90-90-90 Sitting Position
This pediatrician-recommended rule includes key points such as:
- The child should have a 90-degree angle between the knees, hips, and ankles while sitting.
- The child’s shoulders should be over the hips at a 90-degree angle.
- The foot must be kept on the flat footrests for ankle support.
- The child must be able to rest his arm on the table in this sitting position.
Advantages Of the 90-90-90 Sitting Position In a High Chair For Babies:
1. Comfort:
Many kids feel discomfort while sitting in a reclined position; sometimes, their hands do not reach the food tray conveniently. Younger babies cannot talk. They express their inconvenience by crying or being fussy.
A 90-degree angle in the baby’s knees, hips, and ankles while sitting can reduce strain in muscles and joints. This comfy position reduces fuss and gives a sense of comfort. This helps the baby concentrate on the food more.
2. Safety During BLW:
Breastfeeding mothers start the ‘Baby Led Weaning- BLW’ process when their child turns 6 months old. This position offers upright sitting to promote control of the baby’s head, neck, spine, and swallowing muscles in the throat. The baby’s arms easily rest on the table. Hence, the child can pick up food bites and eat smoothly without any struggle. The more your child is involved in meal time, the faster it will leave breastfeeding!
3. Airway Protection:
Many younger children (below 2 years) may face choking hazards during mealtime. The solid food bites may get stuck in their airways. An upright sitting position assures better airway protection. The 90-90-90 degree sitting posture is the best option for babies to gulp liquids or swallow food. This ensures safety from choking on food in the esophagus while eating.
4. Enhanced Fine Motor Skills:
A baby can explore the food fully in this sitting position. It develops proper hand-to-mouth coordination for grabbing and putting food bites in the mouth.
Eventually, this develops strong fine motor skills in babies, which are required for activities like eating, holding toys, etc.
5. Improved Posture:
The 90-degree angle between the ankle, knee, and hip assures less slouching. The baby’s pelvic area gets more support and stability. It also develops a habit of sitting without leaning back.
A baby’s ankles have a 90-90-degree angle in this position after resting feet on the footrest. This ankle position offers proper support in the ankle and knee joints. As a result, the baby’s body muscles get engaged for strong development.
Parenting experts say: “Proximal STABILITY before distal MOBILITY” i.e. first, strengthen the core and trunk, then work on arm and leg movements.
It also means, ‘if a baby is sitting with a stable trunk, it can focus more on easy hand and mouth movement to eat’. The same principle is applicable for this sitting position.
Recommended Reading: When to Switch from High Chair to Booster Seat
Disadvantages of Using This Position:
Doctors recommend this posture for babies to enhance meal time. I have seen many babies getting cranky after making them sit in this position.
So, are there any disadvantages to using this position for your little one?
From my experience of raising 6 babies, I have seen topsy-turvy days of mealtimes. Some kids may get cranky, and some may enjoy meals in this position. So, why does this happen?
- Babies who have not gained proper neck control may face discomfort in this position. Their neck may slouch or bend forwards in jerks. It may cause pain, muscle spasm, or potential injury. Keeping your little ones in a reclined seat is better until they gain complete trunk control.
- Sometimes, babies sit in this position for too long. Scientifically, it is not advisable. It may cause poor torso development or improper alignment of hips and legs. You should also give your baby free time on floors or make them sit in a reclined position. This helps them to lose tension between leg joints, the hip area, and the spine.
DIY Hacks For 90-90-90 Sitting Position:
If you are a parent, taking help from various DIY Hacks may be a regular task for you! Sometimes, your baby may not fit in the chair for a perfect 90-90-90 seat position. Or sometimes, your baby’s hands may not reach towards the food tray even if it is sitting in this position.
Well, a mother knows such problems always have solutions, right?
I am sharing some SUPER USEFUL DIY HACKS for getting a perfect 90-90-90 sitting position for your baby’s high chair. These hacks are tried and tested (I used them for my babies for safe feeding! 😃). You can use these hacks on regular dining chairs or restaurant chairs (in case you go out, and they don’t have high chairs).
Let’s see how to do it:
DIY High Chair Inserts:
To avoid this slouching, I use small towels or hand towels. This is my go-to DIY hack for filling seat space in a high chair.
Grab 5–6 towels, roll them, and insert them into the gaps. You can put these rolled towels
- Between the baby’s lumbar area (back) and the seat rest (I also put a folded blanket or a pillow instead of a towel)
- Between the baby’s thighs and the side areas of the seat,
- between the baby’s foot and the footrest. I had the IKEA Antilop high chair. I bought it after seeing its popularity among parents. This chair is elegant and suitable for regular use. But it does not have a footrest. So, even if your child is ready to sit in a 90-90-90 position, how will you rest its ankles at 90 degrees?
I am sure many moms like me must have faced problems like this in chairs without footrests.
I tied a pool noodle to the chair’s legs. Here is how you do it: Take a pool noodle and make a vertical cut in its center. Insert it in the chair’s legs from the ends.
You can also replace the pool noodle with an elastic band, an exercise band, a stack of cardboard boxes, or a yoga block. The main idea behind doing this is that your baby’s feet get proper support.
The possibilities of footrest alternatives are NUMEROUS! You just need to be creative!
FAQs For 90-90-90 Sitting Position In High Chair
What Are The Benefits Of Using The 90-90-90 Sitting Position For Babies?
This sitting position assures safe food swallowing in smaller babies. The upright trunk posture in this sitting position avoids food choking, especially in 4- to 6-month-old babies.
What Is The Importance Of Positioning The Food For The 90-90-90 Sitting Position?
For a perfect 90-90-90 position, you must always position the food tray between the baby’s belly button and chest area (in the midway).
This helps the baby’s hand reach the table easily. This adjustment reduces the strain on your little ab muscles, shoulders, and elbow joints. Additionally, your baby can rest his elbows comfortably on the tray/ table when not eating.
What Safety Features Should We Look For In A High Chair For Perfect 90° 90° 90° Sitting?
The baby’s high chair must have a 5-point star harness for a perfect snug fit, a non-slip leg base, and a stable seat base. This avoids injurious falls and tipping from the chair. The baby should be buckled up in the chair using a 5-point harness. I’ve already covered my best high chair picks in my previous article.
Final Thoughts:
Bring joy to your little one by eating at the table with the help of the 90-90-90 sitting position. This position provides a sense of independence to babies and encourages proper postural growth. Along with a comfy sitting posture, this position offers safety from harmful choking hazards. As a result, your baby will focus more on meals. Eventually, your child will increase the food intake (as needed) and get exposure to different food textures, tastes, and colors.
As you know, a happy kid is equal to a happy parent! 😃 So, try the iconic 90-90-90 sitting position today for your baby and see the magic of a happy mealtime! If you face any difficulty while trying it, email me. I have created this blog to help new mommies and daddies for better parenting. I am happy to catch up with you and help you!
