The Best Baby Feeding Essentials For Starting Solids
When you think about your baby’s first year and all of the significant changes that will happen, starting solids is probably one of the most fun of them all!
Watching your baby experience their first food is so unique, and it is something that you will never forget. One way to make this experience even better is being prepared with the best baby feeding essentials for starting solids.
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Let’s get started!
High Chair
When starting solids with your baby, you need a safe place for them to sit.Β You will want a high chair that’s supportive, durable, and easy to clean.
This high chair is such a great option because it’s so versatile. You can use it as a traditional high chair, or attach it to one of your dining chairs as an infant booster seat. It can even seat two children at once since it has the seperate toddler booster.
Another great thing about this high chair is that it reclines for bottle-feeding younger babies.
Floor Mat
When it comes to feeding your baby solids, whether it’s purees or baby-led weaning, it will get messy!
To help save your floors and make cleanup a little easier, invest in a floor mat. Trying to scrape dried puree chunks off the floor is not fun, and you won’t regret using a cover on the floor!
Another wonderful thing about this floor mat is that it’s waterproof and has anti-slip backing. You can also use this mat for craft time!
Bibs
When you think of feeding your baby solids, you probably automatically think of bibs. But not all bibs are created equal!
When starting with purees, these bibs are great! They won’t allow food to soak through to your baby’s shirt, which is a huge win when laundry day comes. Also, they attach with velcro, which makes it so easy to put on your baby.
If you are choosing to do baby-led weaning, then these bibs will be fantastic! They also have a little pouch on the bottom to catch any food that your baby drops. Plus, they are made of silicone, so they are a little more sturdy.
Plus, these bibs are wipeable! Having wipeable bibs means that cleanup is a breeze, and you don’t have to worry about running out because they haven’t been through the laundry yet. For more info, check out this post to find out how many bibs you’ll need for your baby.
Spoons
There are many options for baby spoons out there, but you don’t want to get just any spoon.
When I was starting my baby on purees, I loved having these temperature-sensitive spoons. Especially as a first-time mom, I always worried that the purees were too hot. When using these spoons, you can tell with just a glance if the puree is ready to eat!
When letting your baby try using a spoon, you will want something that’s a little easier for them to hold. These spoons are perfect for little hands! I also love that they come with baby-safe forks, not to mention that they are budget-friendly!
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Bowls and Plates
Bowls and plates are other no-brainers when it comes to baby feeding essentials for starting solids.
For bowls, we recommend two different kinds. First, these simple bowls are great for snacks or any time that you are feeding your little one.
The second option is these bowls. The awesome thing about these bowls is that have a suction cup on the bottom, making it so convenient when starting to let your baby try to feed themselves. No more bowls are flying to the floor!
Besides preventing your baby from throwing the bowl to the floor, they don’t scoot away as your baby is trying to get food onto their spoon.
The same goes for plates. These plates are great basic plates, and these plates will stick to your baby’s eating surface.
Drinking Cups
If your baby’s doctor has given you the OK to give your little one small amounts of water, the 360 cups are our favorite. They are difficult to spill, and even though they look confusing to use, they are straightforward.
Also, these sippy cups aren’t for just water! If you are trying to move your baby away from bottles, these can be used for milk as well. They come in two sizes; 7oz with handles and 10oz without handles.
Baby Food Maker
If you choose to make your baby food (which is so easy!), you might think you need some fancy machine marketed towards babies. Nope!
I have always used my blender or food processor, and they work beautifully! Chances are you already have one of these items in your home, which means you can save a little money.
Baby Food Freezer Containers
Once you make a batch of baby food, you will want to freeze it in small portions so it doesn’t go bad before you can use it.
I used these silicone containers, and they worked so well! They have nine sections, and you fill them however full you want, put them in the freezer, and then you can either keep them in the container or pop them out into a freezer bag!
Extra Towels
Feeding your baby can get messy! It’s a good idea to keep some towels close by.
You can either use kitchen towels or some burp cloths; both will do the job!
Dishwasher Rack
Most baby feeding essentials say that they are washable in the dishwasher. This dishwasher rack is perfect for containing small things, like spoons or sippy cup parts. It even has holders on the side for straws.
I put our dishwasher rack on the top shelf and leave it there, so it’s ready to be used any time we are cleaning up the kitchen after mealtimes.
Common Questions About Starting Solids
When can my baby start solids?
The age your baby should start solids is something that you should ask your pediatrician. Most doctors recommend starting your baby on solids around 6-months-old, but it can be different for every child.
I recommend bringing this question up at your baby’s four-month check-up, so you can be prepared when the time comes.
Purees or Baby-Led Weaning?
It used to be expected that babies start on purees, but these days, not so much! It’s becoming more and more common for parents to try baby-led weaning, or maybe a mix of both baby-led weaning and purees.
This is another great topic to talk to your pediatrician about. If you decide that baby-led weaning is proper for you, make sure you do your homework! You will want to make sure the foods you give your baby are the right tenderness and size.
Either way, I highly recommend this book; it’s easily one of my favorite baby feeding essentials! It has so many great tips and information at the beginning of the book. Then, it has four different stages of recipes, so you will have a book of great recipes from when your little one is a baby, all the way up past toddlerhood!
What food is best to start with?
There is probably a good chance that your parents started you with rice cereal, which used to be the go-to first food for babies!
Nowadays, it’s primarily up to you. Our son’s first food was banana, and then we kept introducing different fruits and veggies before cereal.
Keep trying various foods, and don’t stop offering a particular food because your baby didn’t like it the first time. Our kiddo hated sweet potato for probably the first 6-8 times we offered it, then one day he liked it just fine!
A great thing to keep in mind when starting your baby on solids is that you should keep your expectations low.
Some babies love trying new foods, and they will eat a ton! Other babies don’t care for food quite yet, and it will take some getting used to. Both reactions are normal!
Take note of things that your baby is enjoying, and try similar things. You can also try combining one food your little one enjoys with another food to see if that makes a difference.
And remember, this time that your baby is so little and experiencing so many new things flies by. Try to soak it all in, and have fun with it all!
Before you go, check out these related articles:
- 6-Month-Old Activities Your Baby Will Love
- The Best Board Books For Babies And Toddlers
- Mess-Free Finger Painting Craft For Babies
- The Ultimate Guide For Dropping the Swaddle
- How To Stop Your Baby From Chewing on the Crib
What are some of your baby feeding essentials for starting solids? I would love to know in the comments below!
Great recommendations! I started with cereal and avocados and they were a huge hit!
Thanks, Tanya! Those are great first foods, avocado especially!
Great list!!! I have definitely used most of these for all 5 of my kids!
Thanks, Pamela! I’m glad you agree with these suggestions! π
great list, bibs should be on the top π
Bibs are pretty essential in this new phase, aren’t they! haha π
Great advice ! The floor mat is a definite must ! Looking back I wish I had a floor mat!
Thanks, Amanda! I agree; I didn’t know about floor mats at first, but they are so great!
Munchkin makes such good baby and toddler products!! I use them with mine now, and I wish I would have bought a high chair when started – would have made my life 10 times easier!
Munchkin is the best! And I agree, high chairs make everything much more manageable!