The High Chair Scare

Our top 3 scares (in no particular order): the time she rolled off the couch, the time she had an allergic reaction and we had to rush to the ER, and the time she started choking on food and was stuck in her high chair. Turns out the Fisher Price Healthy Care high chair isn't so healthy when you can't get your kid out because they're strapped in so securely they'd be safe in a race car.

We're currently at my Mother-in-Law's for the holidays (Happy Holidays, by the way). The other night we were sitting at the table enjoying our dinner when the babe started choking. It quickly amplified into an emergency situation as she continued to choke and started turning red. My husband, Mother-in-Law and I all jumped out of our seats to try and get the babe out of the high chair. I threw the tray to the side as we attempted to unbuckle the many straps. I thought the straps over the shoulder as well as the waist was a great idea until I had to try and get her out of there in a hurry. It was next to impossible to do quickly enough. I did not keep my cool. I panicked.

With all the commotion and jostling, the babe managed to clear her throat and started crying before we even managed to get her out. I started crying once I had her in my arms. Then my Mother-in-Law started crying after having remained calm through the scare. My husband and I were stunned by the fear that had overtaken us so quickly.

I'm not happy with the high chair and would recommend against buying it. We've undone the shoulder straps and are now only using the waist belt. I've started to cut her food pieces even smaller and put less on her tray at a time. The babe stuffs so much in her mouth at once that I suppose this was bound to happen sooner or later. I'm just glad I wasn't alone for this episode and that it didn't get any worse than it did. Babies and toddlers do choke on things and it's best if they're in a chair that you can get them out of fast.

As much as I never want to experience that feeling of helplessness again, I know that part of being a Mother is accepting that you will always worry and you won't always be able to control everything. That can be a hard pill to swallow.