A few weeks ago, I found myself in need of a portable highchair of sorts; we were traveling out of town for the day to visit my daughter's godparents, and they were excited about having dinner with us - especially shopping for baby food for our little girl. Then I was asked a question that I had no good answer for: "How will we feed her without a highchair?" Well, I thought, I could always hold her in my lap - but the idea of walking around for the remainder of the day covered in pureed squash really wasn't that appealing. We could feed her in her carseat or stroller, but that would mean a guaranteed load of laundry when we returned home as well.

Then I thought some more - my husband and I often visit our parents and stay through meals, go out to eat and attend church socials where there's usually food involved. For the first months of her life, a place for the baby to sit was a non-issue - but as she grows increasingly more interested in grown-up food, that would have to change. We needed some kind of baby seat that work for us on-the-go, and we needed one soon.

Being the Epinions addict that I am, I sat down and carefully researched the available seats, finally narrowing it down to two that I liked. Unfortunately, one wasn't available in our area, so I headed to Wal-Mart for my second choice. On impulse, though, I stopped at K-Mart on my way, hoping they would have my favorite of the two seats. Once inside, I found that they didn't carry either of them - but they did have two that I hadn't even considered. Oh no, and I knew nothing about them! What do I do? Why, what any Epinions addict would do, of course - I whipped out my mobile phone and called my husband, who I knew was at home with easy access to a computer.

As it turns out, one of those seats had a rating of four and a half stars. The other, the Fisher-Price Healthy Care Booster Seat, had not yet been rated. For some people, that would probably have made the decision a snap, but not for me. After scrutinizing the features of each, I finally decided on the better-known name brand, and the Fisher-Price seat became ours.

~* So Easy, Yet So Complex *~
As with all new baby gear, I had to remove the booster seat immediately after returning home, both to assemble and to learn how to use it before I actually need it. That, and it's a new toy for Mommy to play with. Ready for the description?

This booster seat comes in four parts, the main part being the chair. While colors may vary from those pictured on the box, ours was spot on - the chair being a silvery-white color with a lime green back. The seat itself is molded in one piece with a contoured bottom and raised arch in the center which should be positioned between the legs. Because there are no seams or crevices, there is no place in the seat to trap food or crumbs, making cleaning as simple as a quick wipe-down. Whoa, a feature I hadn't even considered - I was liking this seat already! I wonder, though, whether comfort has been sacrificed somewhat for ease of cleaning, as there is no cushioning at all on this seat.

A light blue three-point harness is securely fastened into the bottom of the seat, made of a thick, braided canvas-like material with white plastic 'buckles'. The center 'crotch strap' is positioned between the child's legs when placed in the seat, and the side straps fit around the child's waist and buckle into the center strap via three-pronged plastic clips. Releasing the straps is as simple as squeezing the sides of the plastic clip and tugging gently.

The back of the seat, while already attached upon opening, is removable for older children who simply need a boost to the table. Since my daughter is only six months old and not quite ready to join the adults, I left the seat back in place. It folds forward onto the seat bottom for storage by simply lifting on a plastic tab located at the lower back of the seat back. It too is slightly contoured so as to be more comfortable for the child, and has an oval carrying handle cut out near the top of the seat back.

Beneath the seat are two large blue plastic legs running the length of each side, which form a steady base for the seat. By pulling inward on generous-sized tabs attached to each leg beneath the seat, the legs may be raised or lowered into any of three height positions. I easily raised the seat to the highest position for my little girl, and was further pleased to find that the seat may be folded for storage without returning the legs to the lowest setting.

For those who need to use this the Fisher-Price Healthy Care Booster Seat as more of a highchair than a booster in the beginning, this seat comes with a plastic three-part tray. The main tray is rather large, rectangular-shaped, and the same purpley-blue color as the legs of the seat. Two arms extend from each side of this tray, each with a cutout that matches three green buttons located on the sides of the seat. By aligning the cutout with the notches, the tray snaps onto the seat sides in any of three positions, which allows the seat to grow with your child. The tray is released by pulling outward on the sides of the tray and lifting. The tray has a small half-circular cutout notch in the front center, with the red and white Fisher-Price logo appearing just beneath.

Once the main tray is in place, you're ready to add the "feeding tray", a thin white tray with a molded cupholder at the front left side. This tray fits easily inside the main tray and snaps into place effortlessly. While the seat may certainly be used without this additional tray, it makes cleanup after mealtime so much easier than normal - simply lift the feeding tray off (using the convenient notch in the front of the tray to grip the edge) and chunk it in the dishwasher. (Even if you don't have a dishwasher, washing the tray in the sink is still much easier than attempting to wipe down the whole unit, don't you think?)

NOTE: The feeding tray is not microwave safe. Heat all food in bowls prior to serving.

The fourth and final "part" to this booster is the lid. A lid for a booster chair? Well, yes - this lime green translucent lid snaps firmly on top of both trays, providing a barrier from dirt and grime during storage or travel. Like the feeding tray, it is dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.

~* Is This Seat Taken? *~
At first glance, it appears as though the Fisher-Price Healthy Care Booster Seat has too many straps hanging from the back and sides of the seat - but they all serve a purpose and, after the first use, it all makes quite good sense.

There are two pairs of straps attached to this seat - two in the back and one hanging from the bottom of each side. Like the three-point harness in the seat itself, they are constructed of a light blue braided canvas-like material and are very sturdy; at the ends of the straps are white plastic buckles with a three-prong closure. These straps allow the booster to be securely anchored to a chair - and most any type of chair at that.

After placing the booster in the center of the chair you wish to use, simply position the straps hanging from the sides of the seat underneath the bottom of the chair and buckle them closed; they are easily adjusted to fit even very large chairs, and the straps should always be pulled as tightly as possible in order to keep the booster from sliding.

Once those straps are in place, the set attached to the back of the seat should be wrapped around the back of the chair, again being buckled and pulled taut.

With both sets of straps correctly fastened, the booster seat will be unable to slide forward, backward, or side-to-side, keeping even the most wiggly toddler safe and still on the chair.

~* Let's Go OUT to Eat! *~
One of the features of this seat that majorly swayed my purchasing decision was it's ability to be folded "compactly" for storage and travel. Since we have a highchair at home that we use regularly, I didn't foresee using this booster much unless we were out and about, so being able to store it in a small space was rather important. (Not to mention that with the amount of 'stuff' you have to take on any outing with baby, any extras need to be easy to carry!)

In order to collapse this booster, the backrest should be folded forward into the seat. The largest plastic tray is then turned backward and snapped onto the seat in the most forward position; the feeding tray and lid may then be snapped on top of this tray. To secure the seat for carrying, the side straps - which usually hold the seat in place beneath the chair - are wrapped around the top of the booster and tightened on top of the trays. While the included instruction manual mentions that "carry strap (that) lets you take it anywhere", no additional strap is included - leaving only the buckles positioned at the back of the seat as a handle.

Now it sounds as though it all folds up pretty neatly, doesn't it? In actuality, it is still rather large and plenty bulky when collapsed - essentially, you have folded down the backrest, but the rest of the seat is in a rather normal position. There is nothing "compact" about it, but since the seat doesn't weigh more than three pounds or so in all, carrying it is still not an impossible chore.

~* That's NOT What It's For! *~
Whew, that's a lot of details about a simple booster seat, isn't it? So I'll keep my personal experience with it to a minimum - it works, and it works well. My squirmy daughter has sat in it for about an hour at a time (to let Mommy and Daddy eat, and then to eat her own dinner) without becoming fussy, which leads me to believe that the molded seat isn't as uncomfortable as it appears. The generously sized tray holds ample toys to keep her occupied while we eat, which I greatly appreciate. We've used our booster in other people's homes as well as in restaurants - just be sure to ask for a table, or a chair to pull up to your booth, as you need something to anchor the seat to.

Cleanup has always been amazingly easy - as promised, anything dropped in the seat wipes right up (I use baby wipes more often than not), and the trays fit easily in the dishwasher, not taking up much more room than a regular dinner plate. Even when smeared with carrots, they have not yet failed to come out perfectly clean. And because the lid covers the messiest part of the tray, you don't even have to fuss over the cleaning process before leaving wherever you happen to be - just fold it up and worry about it when you get home.

And now the obligatory alternate use - and you thought it just functioned as a booster seat, didn't you? Not half an hour after unpacking our new booster seat and learning how everything worked, my husband grabbed seat and baby and headed for parts unknown. Curious, I followed him, thinking that he was a) uncharacteristically offering to feed her dinner and b) eager to anchor the new seat to our kitchen chair to see how it worked. But there was no one to be found in the kitchen...instead, I found them outside on the front porch, where they often sit together on the porch swing. Only this time he wasn't holding her - no, he had anchored the booster seat onto the swing and she was swinging happily away in her very own seat. Mommy anxiety quickly surfaced, and I accused him of trying to kill our daughter - after all, this is not what the booster seat is made for! But, after checking the security of the anchor, of the harness and the trays, even I couldn't complain (much) about his alternate use. It was sturdy. And she was having fun. So heck, why not? It's a swing seat too, in our house. (However, you should NEVER leave your child unattended when in a booster seat - whether it's anchored in a swing or in a regular chair. Always stay within arm's reach!)

~* Can My Child Use This Seat? *~
I struggled somewhat with the decision to purchase this seat because the packaging does not include an age recommendation, only a maximum weight of 45 pounds. Since my daughter could sit very well with little support, I thought that she would do quite well in it, and as it turns out I was right. If your child can sit with assistance, he or she will be fine in this booster - the back offers plenty of support, and the molded seat and three-point harness hold the child securely in the seat. While the tray itself is not meant to provide restraint, it does offer further protection against sudden lurches forward and aids in keeping the child seated.

For older children, the backrest and trays may be completely removed, and the seat used only as a booster to help him or her reach the table.

~* Overall *~
If you frequently dine away from home and have a child who a) can sit with support and b) weighs less than 45 pounds, this seat is an absolute lifesaver. At $25, it's a small article of baby gear that you'll get more use out of than you think.

~* Contact Information *~
For more information, visit Fisher-Price online at www.fisher-price.com or call 1-800-432-KIDS (1-800-432-5437).

~* Also By Fisher-Price *~
Cradle Swing B0639 * Deluxe Take-Along Swing * Kick 'N Play Piano * Laugh & Learn Learning Table * Link-a-doos On-the-Go Goldfish * Link-a-doos Teething Ring * Ocean Wonders Aquarium * Ocean Wonders Aquarium Bouncer * Peek-a-Blocks Barnyard Friends Blocks * PowerTouch Baby Learning System * Sesame Street Light-Up Pet Pals: Ernie * Sparkling Symphony Twinkle Dancer * Swim 'n Spin Fish Rattle

Recommended: Yes