Oh yes you will. Even if you aren't yet at the (blissful) stage of being able to give your baby food directly from your plate, it's a good idea to show willing by eating some of the food you are giving them. And, by the way, looking as if you are enjoying it.
This has its limits, of course. Thanks to my Aunt Eileen's tried-and-tested method of cooking carrots (an easy enough recipe, simply boil for three days and serve at a clammy temperature) I cannot stomach the things. Luckily, the baby doesn't know that I am eating raw carrot while she is tucking into some lightly steamed ones.

 ...doesn't really matter which one you get, so long as you can stand it in the shower or bath and hose it down when it gets unbelievably filthy. Because it will.
Oh, and try to make sure the tray has a lip on it round the edge. Seems terribly obvious to me but we were in a cafe today and the highchair tray was completely flat, so the baby just nonchalantly flicked everything onto the ground. It was an East Coast one, very stylish, like a tribute to (rip-off version of?) the Stokke Tripp-Trapp. We had considered buying it but am very, very glad that we went for el cheapo white plastic Ikea one now.

Please see Finger Food: Broccoli.

No really. Obviously it's a good idea to clean up after your baby has eaten, unless you fancy a wee visit from the Environmental Health, but try not to do it during their meal. Why? Well, how stressful do you find it when you're out for a meal and the waiter is too attentive?
So try to ignore the mess, in fact try to revel in it. It's hilarious. It's good for them - that mess is teaching them that dinner time isn't stressful, it's enjoyable. And once your baby is finished you can just dip their hands and feet in the bathroom sink for a wash and a face splash while their father gets busy at the highchair with a selection of anti-bacterial wipes. Well, maybe.

 I've seen people recommend putting a shower curtain down, which seems a bit of a faff to me but might work for some. You can also buy a plastic sheet for £3.95 on ebay. £3.95! For a plastic sheet, for god's sake. Plus postage, naturally.

I'd like to get a nice piece of lino, probably about a metre by a metre but I haven't got that  organised yet so at the moment I'm making do with some old washable wallpaper that I found lying about my gaff. It's working rather well, I must say. And when I say washable, I mean silk-backed, 80 quid a metre, la-di-dah. It's not mine... if only.

Anyway, something is better than nothing. We've got floorboards, it was a flippin' nightmare trying to get bits of cheese out of the cracks. As the actress said to the bishop...


PS A rather charming woman called Nell has just left a comment to suggest putting a  newspaper down on the floor so that when it gets splattered you can just wheech off the top layer. It's a good idea, and as soon as I work out how to show the comments under the posts you will all be able to see it without clicking anything. Any ideas as to how I do this? Anyone?