Best first table food for baby

Best Finger Foods for Babies: The Ultimate Guide

How exciting that your baby is about to graduate from mushy foods to finger foods! This is a big step in your little one’s development. However, you may be wondering when’s the right time to start finger foods, and how to tell that your baby is ready. We’ll answer all these questions and more, plus give you a list of the best finger foods to introduce to your baby first.

Introducing Finger Foods to Your Baby

So, when can babies eat finger foods? You can start to give your baby finger foods around the time they’re able to sit up independently and can bring their hands to their mouth. This may happen between the ages of 8 months old and 9 months old, but your baby may be ready a little sooner or later than this time. Around this time, you may also notice that your baby is developing their pincer grasp and may be making chewing motions. These are both great indications that your baby’s ready for finger foods. Moreover, using their fingers to pick up foods will further develop your baby’s fine motor skills. Some parents who adopt the baby-led weaning approach may start offering finger foods to their infants as early as 6 months old. This method skips spoon-feeding with solid foods and instead lets your baby take the lead in self-feeding with finger foods. Some believe this approach can decrease fussiness when it comes to introducing new foods, including finger foods, to your baby. Speak to your child’s healthcare provider if this method is something you’d like to try. Giving your baby finger foods can help your little one learn to feed themself, just one step toward gaining independence. Self-feeding can be great fun for your baby. Even if much of the food doesn’t end up in your baby’s mouth, the fact that they’re exploring this new frontier is an accomplishment to be proud of.

First Finger Foods for Your Baby

As you begin choosing finger foods for your baby, check out the following ideas:

Steamed veggies like sweet potatoes, potatoes, carrots, green beans, peas
Soft, ripe fruits like bananas, berries, peaches (peeled), mangoes (peeled)
Whole-grain breakfast cereals (without nuts, clusters, or chunks)
Whole-grain pasta (cooked well)
Whole-wheat bread
Whole-grain crackers or wafers like teething biscuits
Soft meats like chicken
Cheese (mild)
Scrambled eggs.

Be sure that any of the above finger foods are cut into small pieces. You don’t want your baby eating a piece that’s too big to swallow. And, make sure to watch them while eating.

Finger Food Safety

During this time babies are more likely to swallow foods without chewing them, whether they have a few baby teeth coming in or they have no teeth. Avoid giving any finger foods that require a grinding action to chew (this type of chewing is typically mastered around the age of 4), as these may pose a choking risk. Offer finger foods that are soft, easy to swallow, and broken or cut into pieces that your baby cannot choke on. A good rule of thumb is that soft and mushy finger foods are safe for your baby. Small, round, coin-shaped, hard, chewy, crunchy, slippery, or sticky foods may lead to choking. Here are some foods to avoid offering your baby when they start on finger foods:

Peanut butter (in chunks)
Meat (in chunks)
Cheese (in chunks)
Raw veggies (in large chunks or round shapes), including celery sticks, carrot sticks, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, and peas
Raw hard fruit (in large chunks or round shapes), including apples, pears, and grapes
Nuts (whole)
Seeds
Popcorn
Chewing gum
Candies (hard, gooey, or sticky)
Hot dogs or meat sticks.

There are ways you can still give some of the above foods while making them easier to eat and less hazardous to swallow. For example:

Grapes or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Creamy peanut butter spread thinly on whole-grain bread that’s cut into small squares
Hot dog, cut lengthwise and then cut into small 1/2-inch pieces.

Note on Food Allergies

Medical experts once recommended that parents avoid feeding their babies eggs, fish, and peanut butter since babies may be allergic to these foods. However, it’s now recommended that you introduce these foods early—while keeping a close watch for any reactions—since this approach can help reduce your child’s chances of developing food allergies. Before introducing peanut butter or peanut products, consult with your baby’s healthcare provider. Your baby is more likely to be allergic to these foods if

food allergies run in your family
your baby is known to have an egg allergy
your baby has eczema.

The Bottom Line

It’s time to introduce finger foods to your baby when you see that they’re able to sit up on their own, start bringing their hands to their mouth, and can use a pincer grasp to hold onto small items, like finger foods. This development happens around the age of 8 or 9 months old, but you may see it sooner or later in your baby. In the beginning, you’ll want to introduce finger foods that are soft and easy to swallow, since babies at this age tend to swallow instead of chew even if they have a few baby teeth. Think steamed veggies and soft fresh fruits. You can also introduce whole-grain bread, crackers, cereal, or pasta if they’re cut into small pieces. Chicken, mild cheese, and scrambled eggs are also great options when served in small pieces. Avoid hard foods like raw veggies and fruits, as well as chunks of nut butter, cheese, and meat. Whole nuts and seeds are not recommended, nor are chewing gum, candies, hot dogs, or meat sticks. All these items can pose a choking hazard.

Transitioning to finger foods is a big step in your baby’s development and independence. Letting your baby self-feed with finger foods may be a bit messy at first, but you’ll both get the hang of it. Learn more about developmental milestones for your 9-month-old baby.

13 Best Finger Foods for Baby

Introducing finger foods for baby is an exciting and nerve-racking time. Between the mess, possible allergies and potential choking hazards, it’s enough to give some parents white knuckles as they hover over the high chair. But while you should certainly exercise caution, there are lots of great baby finger food ideas that will make mealtime fun and nutritious, and let your growing child practice the important art of self-feeding.

In this article:
When can babies eat finger foods?
Baby finger food safety
How to introduce new finger foods for baby
Best finger foods for baby

When Can Babies Eat Finger Foods?

There’s no hard and fast rule in terms of when babies can start eating finger foods, says William Dietz, MD, PhD, director of the Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University in Washington, DC, and co-editor of the American Pediatric Association’s (AAP) Nutrition: What Every Parent Needs to Know. Rather than focusing on baby’s age, says Dietz, “the first indicator you should look for is that the baby is interested.” So how can you tell when baby’s interest is piqued? Reaching for the food as you’re feeding her, grabbing the bowl or spoon, putting the spoon in her mouth and fussing when she sees you eat (because she wants in!) are all signs your child may be ready. “Babies generally want to feed themselves,” Dietz says. “That’s a normal drive.”

Being able to sit independently is another good clue that babies are physically ready to try finger foods, says Susan M. McCormack, MA, senior speech language pathologist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a board-certified specialist in swallowing and swallowing disorders. If they can sit up in the high chair, then they might be ready to try their hand at finger foods.

Some guides suggest waiting to introduce baby finger foods until your child has mastered a pincer grasp—the ability to pick up small objects between the thumb and forefinger—but Dietz says this isn’t totally necessary. “Initially when children start to feed themselves, they don’t have a pincer grasp,” he says. “So they’re using their whole hand and putting their hand in their mouth. And that’s fine.”

If you’re waiting for your infant to sprout teeth before moving on from purees, think again. “Babies don’t need teeth to learn to eat solids and learn to chew,” McCormack says. Those strong little gums are perfectly capable of mashing up soft solids—if you’ve ever let baby teethe on your finger, then you have some idea of just how powerful they are!

Baby Finger Food Safety

When choosing the best finger foods for baby—whether you’re starting at 6 months or 9 months—experts agree that it’s best to begin with small pieces of soft food that dissolve easily.

As your infant grows and becomes comfortable eating finger foods, you can branch out, McCormack says. “As a baby develops better tongue patterns to control food pieces as well as more mature chewing, he can better ‘chew’ the foods that break apart, like pieces of fruits and vegetables. A one-year-old can also bite off pieces of food that a 6-month-old can’t.”

Avoid giving baby finger foods that are large, sticky or don’t dissolve easily, because they’re potential choking hazards, Dietz warns. He suggests steering clear of foods like hot dogs, carrots, nuts, grapes, popcorn, candy and globs of peanut butter.

Another thing to keep in mind when you’re picking out the best finger foods for babies is that a lot of adult foods—particularly snacks—can be super salty. “Often parents will doctor a food so it appeals to their tastes, and their taste may have bigger amounts of sodium than a baby’s taste,” Dietz says. When preparing food for baby, leave out the salt whenever possible. (You can always add it separately to your portion if you’re cooking for the family).

How to Introduce New Finger Foods for Baby

When babies first start on finger foods, breast milk and formula will still be their main source of nutrition, followed by purees. You should continue to spoon-feed your child initially, “but during the feeding process, they should also be allowed to feed themselves,” Dietz says. Put some finger food on her high-chair tray and let her try to get it into her mouth in between the spoonfuls of food you’re feeding her. If she gets really frustrated, go ahead and help her out.

Most important, follow your child’s cues and “let your baby be the guide,” McCormack says. If he doesn’t respond positively, take a step back and try again later. But keep in mind that babies often crinkle up their faces when they try something new, which can look like they don’t like something, Dietz says. It can take up to 20 times before they’re used to certain foods. “Parents shouldn’t force food, but they should be persistent in offering,” Dietz says.

McCormack also suggests easing into finger foods by offering thicker purees with a bit of texture to them. “Try alternating bites of the smooth puree with a slightly thicker or mashed food to help your baby get used to the new textures in her mouth,” she says.

Remember, too, that this is a messy process. Parents might want to lay newspaper or an easy-to-clean vinyl tablecloth on the floor, since it’ll be a while (like, years) before your kid manages to get more food in his mouth than on the floor, Dietz advises.

Finally, never leave baby unattended while she’s eating, and keep an eye out for signs of choking. It may be tempting to hold off on introducing finger foods until your child is older, but helping baby develop this skill has multiple benefits, McCormack says, including “development of independence, fine motor skills and self-feeding skills, as well as development of oral patterns to support texture progression.” Whether you start baby finger foods at 6 or 9 months, just follow baby’s lead and let him have fun with it.

Best Finger Foods for Baby

If you’re looking for baby finger food ideas, think about options that are soft, small and easily gummed. Here are a few of the best finger foods for baby to get started—including finger foods for baby with no teeth! While the same finger foods are as appropriate for a 6-month-old as they are for a one-year-old baby, you can begin to offer slightly larger pieces that they can bite off themselves as they become more confident. Stick with these healthy options, and you’ll start baby off on the right path for healthy eating.

Image: The Bump

1. Puffs and dry cereal. Puffs and O-shaped dry cereal are some of the most popular first finger foods for good reason: They let baby practice the pincer grasp by picking up one at a time. And as McCormack explains, they also “mix well with saliva and are easy for the infant to manage in their mouth without choking.”

2. Teething biscuits and lightly toasted bread. Teething biscuits and small pieces of lightly toasted bread are another great starter finger food, since they soften quickly. Just note that some breads can turn gummy and stick in baby’s mouth; lightly toast the bread and cut into very small pieces to avoid a choking hazard. As baby gets older (around 9 to 12 months), you can offer slightly larger pieces or serve bread topped with mashed banana or avocado, or a super-thin layer of hummus or peanut butter.

3. Scrambled eggs. Doctors used to advise waiting to introduce eggs, but the AAP now recommends early exposure to potentially allergenic foods. Which is great news, since scrambled eggs are an ideal early finger food! Keep your love of runny yolks to yourself for now, however, and cook those eggs thoroughly, cut into small pieces and avoid adding salt.

4. Soft fruit. Very ripe fruit is naturally soft, making them some of the best finger foods for babies. Ripe banana, peach, watermelon, raspberries, blueberries and cantaloupe cut into small pieces are all great finger food options.

5. Avocado. A rich source of omega-3 fatty acids—which can help boost baby’s brain development—avocados are, like puffs, often one the first baby finger foods, even when your little one has no teeth. Be warned: Avocado can get messy fast, but it’s well worth it (and can result in some hilarious pics for the baby album).

6. Pasta. Though recipes often recommend cooking pasta al dente, when it comes to feeding baby, you’ll want to slightly overcook it so it’s nice and soft. To start, try small pasta shapes like orzo or mini shells, or cut up fusilli or penne. Initially serve it plain, but as baby is introduced to more foods you can toss the pasta in a little butter, olive oil or low-sodium tomato sauce.

7. Tofu. Whether cooked or uncooked, tofu is a wonderful plant-based source of protein and a perfect finger food for babies. Opt for firm tofu, which is still quite soft, as opposed to soft or silken tofu, which will likely fall apart in baby’s hand and frustrate her.

8. Cooked vegetables. Though it will be a while before baby can hit the crudités platter, cooked vegetables make excellent baby finger foods. To get the most nutrients out of your vegetables, steam or roast them until soft, and, of course, cut them into small pieces. Try sweet potato, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower or beets (opt for yellow beets for less mess) to start. As baby gets bigger, you can offer steamed carrot sticks or peeled, roasted sweet potato wedges.

9. Cheese. If baby has shown no signs of a dairy allergy, then it’s perfectly safe to introduce soft cubes of cheese as early as 6 months. Opt for small bites of a pasteurized cheese that’s soft but not overly sticky or stinky, like Monterey Jack or cheddar.

10. Beans. Looking for more protein-rich, vegetarian baby finger foods? Try beans. Opt for canned, low-sodium beans for convenience, or soak and cook dry beans yourself to save money (they’ll freeze well too!). When first introducing beans, smash them just a bit between your fingers before serving to baby.

11. Homemade muffins. While store-bought muffins are often loaded with sugar, there are plenty of healthy muffin recipes out there. Use whole-wheat flour, sweeten with applesauce instead of sugar and add healthy ingredients like mashed banana or grated zucchini. Bake in a mini muffin tin or use a standard-size tin, and, once baked, break off into small pieces for baby.

12. Meat. After soft foods, diced chicken breast and ground beef are pediatrician-approved next-stage finger foods for baby. Just make sure they’re thoroughly cooked and cut into very small pieces.

13. Fish. Fish is another allergenic food that doctors now say can be introduced before baby is a year old. Be sure it’s thoroughly cooked, and opt for a low-mercury fish like flounder, cod or salmon. Most important, make sure to remove any tiny bones.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.

Plus, more from The Bump:

Baby-Led Weaning Basics

Why Variety Matters in Baby’s First Foods

The Dos and Don’ts of Homemade Baby Food

HOW TO CHOOSE A TABLE FOR YOUR CHILD

Many parents don't take seriously the question of how to choose a study table for their child. And it’s completely in vain, because the health of the emerging spine depends on it.

It is better to delve into all the nuances in advance and spend quite a lifting amount than to solve problems associated with a teenager's back for a long and expensive time.

Children's tables: the main selection criteria

First of all, you need to start from the age of the child. At first, kids only play, then they begin to draw, learn letters and numbers, go to school. As the child develops, the amount of time the child spends in a sitting position increases. The type and size of the table depend on its age. It is also important to pay attention to the shape of the countertop and the material from which the furniture is made.

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Materials

The most environmentally friendly material is wood. You don’t have to worry about furniture manufacturing technology at all, because solid wood is the absence of dubious substances used by manufacturers of board materials when forming chipboard or MDF. In addition, the wood is pleasant to the touch, it has a presentable appearance. In the top of the current species are maple, birch, beech, alder.

MDF and chipboard tops are comparable to wood in strength. These materials are cheaper, but environmental issues may arise, especially in the case of chipboard. Although serious manufacturers buy only safe certified materials. Plates are laminated, other cladding technologies are used. The tabletop can be of any color, sometimes the coating imitates the texture of wood.

Plastic is inexpensive and easy to care for. A plastic table for a preschooler can weigh only a couple of kg, it will not be difficult to periodically rearrange it to where it will be interesting to draw and play for a child. Plastic is not afraid of rain, light furniture made of this material can be safely taken out into the street. The colors of children's tables are also in full order - it will not be difficult to choose a product for every taste.

An interesting article: How to choose the right playpen: 6 ok in the age-old “which one is better”

View

Typical options for children's furniture:

Ordinary sets with flat surfaces, tables for schoolchildren with drawers for books. Possibly with a keyboard stand.
Transformers. Table or desk with adjustable tabletop height. Maybe a chair too. The tilt of the tabletop is adjustable, in some models it transforms into an easel with a slight movement.
Tables for creativity. Usually in developing models there are compartments for pencils, felt-tip pens, paints. This category includes tables with magnetic boards, game panels, retractable easels.
Folding sets. A table with a built-in highchair is relevant when the child is 1.5 years old. This category also includes not connected into a single whole, but easily folding-folding tables and chairs.
Pediatricians recommend buying orthopedic furniture closer to the school to form the correct posture.

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Shape

The shape of the tabletop can be rectangular, round, oval, triangular. A rectangular table is a suitable option for studying, on it the hands will rest on the same line. Tables for kids are usually made round or oval; the absence of corners insures against injuries.

The triangular format is relevant for school furniture, specially designed for installation in the corner of the room. These tables save space. They are often sold without drawers but with a keyboard stand and have rounded corners. An alternative option is a set with two chairs for little ones to be placed close to the wall.

In addition to standard geometries, non-linear worktops, such as daisies, are also available.

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Sizes

Sizes should be such that the load on the muscles and joints of the child does not provoke the development of scoliosis. So how to choose a children's table and high chair for your baby? The height of the chair should not be too high: the child should rest their feet on the floor.

Special care must be taken when choosing a table for a student, as students spend several hours a day in a sitting position. The height of the tabletop should be at chest level. Calves at right angles to the floor, legs rest with feet.

The table of correspondence between the height of the child and the height of the furniture in cm is given below:

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How to choose a table and chair for a baby

When parents switch their baby to complementary foods, they buy a high chair. It is convenient for young mothers and fathers when it has a height adjustment. Another useful feature is the adjustment of the angles of inclination: in the reclining position, the load on the baby's spine is reduced. Seat belts provide insurance to the child from falling. Such a chair usually lasts 2 years, and then moves on to another baby.

When should I buy a separate table and chair for my child? As soon as he begins to sit and walk confidently. The next piece of furniture after the highchair is the table where he will play and draw. It could be:

plastic, easy to clean from traces of felt-tip pens and paints;
model with easel;
desk model.

It makes sense to buy a transforming table or orthopedic furniture when the preparation of the child for school begins.

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Which table is suitable for a preschooler

Future first-graders a year or two before school begin to slowly master letters and numbers. Accordingly, the time that the child spends in a sitting position gradually increases. So, it is necessary to pay more attention to the ergonomics of products.

For preschoolers, buy options with a simple design that matches their height. For example, plastic tables or transforming desks. A desk with adjustable height should be chosen taking into account its maximum dimensions. There is no furniture that will be equally comfortable for a child of 5 and 15 years old. Growing desks for a preschooler are designed for the period of preparation for study and primary classes.

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Desk or table: what is better for a student

Many sites confuse desks with tables, although it is not difficult to distinguish between these types of furniture. In the first case, the countertop is not parallel to the floor, but at an angle to it. This option is better suited for writing, the child does not have to strain his back so as not to slouch. Thus, the answer to the question of what is better for a student a desk or a table is quite obvious - of course, a desk. Moreover, it is advisable to buy it with a mechanism that allows you to adjust the height. A student can study on it for 5-10 years.

Which school desk should my child choose? Pay attention to four points.

Presence of boxes

The student does not have to get up from the table every time to take a book, pen, notebook, etc.

The minimum dimensions of the worktop are 600x800 mm

It must have enough space for study supplies.

Adjustable tabletop angle

The best option for reading is 30 degrees, for writing 15 degrees. This is true for elementary school, high school students do not need to tilt the tabletop.

Optional accessories

A hook for hanging a school backpack and a compartment for writing materials are nice additions.

It is advisable to buy a set in which a growing desk and chair. As the tabletop rises, the height of the seat should increase.

When choosing any children's furniture, it is worth following a simple principle: the longer the expected service life, the better the quality should be, especially when it comes to the surface of the tabletop and moving parts. And, of course, it is important to take into account the opinion of the child. If he likes the purchase, he will be more willing to study or spend more time playing games.

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How to choose a table for a first grader

you can influence little, but to provide a comfortable place to study at home is quite. Everything is important here, from the ratio of the height of the table and chair to the color of the furniture. Read how to choose the right furniture for your child to maintain proper posture and good eyesight.

Apart from the computer

Even though some schoolwork needs to be done at the computer, one computer desk is not enough for a child's homework.

Firstly, there is often not enough space on the computer desk for textbooks and notebooks, so it will be inconvenient for the child to do written homework.

Secondly, children are quickly distracted, and the included computer will become more of a hindrance to learning than a help.

This means that for writing, reading and drawing, the child needs a separate table, which is best placed in the brightest place in the room, where the child can work in natural light.

The correct height ratio

The correct height of the table and chair depends on the age and height of the child. For a first grader (6-7 years old) with a height of about 110-120 cm, it is better to buy a table with a height of 52 cm and a chair with a height of 32 cm. By analogy, you can calculate the height of the table and chair for taller children.

If the child is 10 cm taller, add 5 cm to the height of the table and 3 cm to the height of the chair. That is, if the height is 140 cm, the height of the table should be 57 + 5 = 62 cm, and the chair - 35 + 3 = 38 cm.

Despite these numbers, it's still better to go shopping with your child. Having picked up a table and a chair in height, seat the child and check whether he will really be comfortable.

Here are some indicators of comfortable furniture:

if the legs are bent at a right angle, the feet should be completely on the floor;
there should be a distance of approx. 10-15 cm between the knees and the worktop;
the table top should be at the level of the child's solar plexus;
if the child puts his elbow on the tabletop, the tip of the middle finger should reach the outer corner of the eye;
When the child is standing near the table, the elbow should be 2-5 cm below the table top.

It is clear that children grow up quickly and it is not always possible to buy new furniture. In this case, it is better to immediately buy a table and chair with adjustable height. So as you grow older, you can provide the child with a comfortable position at the table, simply twisting the legs.

Choosing a table by width and color

The most commonly sold tables are with a straight top, but if you find a table with a slightly sloped top, it is better to buy it. The sloping table top, like those of old school desks, makes it easier for the eyes to work.

However, the sloping tabletop is a perfect substitute for a stand for open textbooks. While reading, the textbook should be at an angle of 30–40 °.

Sufficient width of the table - 1 m or more, depth - 60 cm. You can buy a table with drawers under the tabletop, since it will be convenient to store textbooks, notebooks and writing materials in them, but there must be a space of at least 50 × 50 cm under the table, to make it comfortable to put your feet.

As for color, it is better to choose light green tones, as well as peach, beige, cream and natural wood. In any case, you should not take too bright furniture - it has a bad effect on the ability to concentrate.

So, you have chosen a table, it's time to move on to choosing a chair.

Chair depth and back

Above I have already written about the ideal furniture height ratio, so that you can choose a comfortable chair height. However, height is not the only thing to consider when buying it.

The depth of the chair should be such that the child's back touches the back of the chair, but at the same time his kneecaps do not touch the edge of the seat. It is best to take a chair with a depth of 2/3 of the length of the thigh.

The backrest must be high enough and fixed at a right angle so that the child can freely lean on it without leaning back too much.

The chair must not sway, so it is best not to buy a child a swivel office chair; Take a chair with four legs that is firmly on the floor. In addition, the seat should not be too soft so that the child does not fall through.

If you can't find a chair that will put your child's feet completely on the floor, make a special stand under the table so that the legs, bent at a right or obtuse angle, do not hang or stand on their toes. The width of the footrest should not be less than the length of the foot.

Correct posture

Even if you bought the most comfortable furniture for your child, he can still sit incorrectly, spoiling his posture. Therefore, it is important to accustom him to the correct position from the very beginning.

To reduce muscle tension during exercise, you can slightly tilt the body and head forward, but you can’t lean on the tabletop with your chest - there should be a distance of 5 cm between the table and the chest (the palm passes freely).

Shoulders should be relaxed and level. The position of the back is straight. Make sure that the child does not bend over the tabletop: a distance of at least 30 cm from the eyes to the table must be maintained.

As for the position of the legs, they should not go under the chair or hang in the air. The knees should be bent at a right or obtuse angle, and the feet should be completely on the floor.

If you teach your child to sit correctly, even uncomfortable furniture that he may get at school will not have such a strong effect on posture, and therefore on the functioning of internal organs and visual acuity.

And the last thing: no matter how comfortable the furniture is, you can't keep a static position for a long time.