Starting solids with your baby can be such an exciting but also nerve-wracking time. These are the best baby feeding essentials for starting solids!
1. Feeding Littles & Solid Starts
I wanted to start first with two incredible companies that I would highly recommend following. Feeding Littles and Solid Starts are both led by amazing professionals that provide an emphasis on baby-led feeding but offer so much education and resources.With my first, I took the Feeding Littles course for babies. As a new mom, I had no idea where to start, and as a pediatric nurse, I wanted to follow the most up-to-date evidence-based guidelines to help introduce my baby to solids.With my second baby, I still loved Feeding Littles but became really interested in Solid Starts. They created a first foods database that lists hundreds of different foods and includes how to introduce them safely to your baby, allergen and choking hazard information, and so much more. AND it’s FREE! Their website is a wealth of knowledge so I highly recommend checking it out!
2. CPR
As a pediatric nurse, I have to include this one. CPR is essential for every parent and caregiver no matter what, but especially when starting solids. You will learn the pertinent knowledge of how to save your baby if they’re choking. Some great resources to check out are the American Red Cross and American Heart Association.
3. High Chair
My favorite high chairs and also the ones recommended by feeding specialists are high chairs with a footplate. This is important in the prevention of choking when starting solids (the feeding specialists listed above have more information on their websites).The Stokke Tripp Trapp is the ultimate adjustable high chair. This link includes the baby set and chair itself but you can also purchase a tray and cushion separately. The Abiie Beyond is a bit more affordable and comes with a tray and cushion.
I also really love these chairs because they can grow with your little one. My daughter is 3.5 years old now and still uses the same chair we got when she was 6 months old. We prefer to pull our babies right up to the table to eat with us which is also possible with these chairs.
4. Bibs
Introducing your baby to solids can and should be MESSY! But sometimes you just don’t have time for a huge cleanup, and that’s where these bibs come in handy. There are so many types out there but my two favorites are Bapron bibs and a silicone bib (these from Amazon are great!)
Both are easy to travel with – throw in the diaper bag and go! The Bapron bibs are a bib/apron, meaning they tie behind their backs and are very sleek. Which is convenient so that the baby can’t pull at them and it doesn’t bother their neck. The silicone bibs I linked wash up in the sink easily, they’re very soft silicone, and they have a food catcher at the bottom.
5. Splash Mat
If your dining area is carpeted (or you don’t have dogs to clean up after your little ones!), then you definitely need a splash mat! Baby is most definitely going to be throwing food off the tray, missing their mouth, and swiping at food.These splash mats save your floors and also make for an easier, quicker clean-up. BapronBaby has a great and more affordable splash mat as well compared to others on the market!
6. Baby Feeding Set (Cups, Plates, Utensils)
Any basic cups, plates, or utensils will do of course. But if you’re looking for something unique that will provide an easier experience for your baby, EZPZ is one of our favs! They created a tiny cup that is the perfect size for your baby to learn how to drink from an open cup.They have a first foods set which has the basics of what you need, as well as sets partnering with Bapron where you can get a matching mini plate and Bapron. It’s a one-stop shop for a lot of your feeding essentials once your baby turns 6 months old!
7. Grabease Utensils
These utensils are quite unique in that they help your baby learn how to self-feed. The handles are the perfect size for baby’s hands and make it easier for them to get food on the utensil and to their mouth. My daughter loved these and I attribute how great she was with utensils at an early age to these!
8. Straw Cups
Open cups and straw cups are the two main cups recommended by feeding experts when starting solids with your baby. My favorite tried and true straw cups are the Munchkin straw cups. They are weighted which makes it easy for your baby to get water.
They also have a spout control which helps the water come out a bit slower. I found this helped my little ones when first learning to drink out of a straw cup so they didn’t drink the water too quickly and choke. They are also portable and have easy-to-hold handles.
9. Suction Bowls
There are a lot of different bowls with a suction base on the market, but I find that the Munchkin Stay Put Suction Bowls do the trick! Some babies figure out how to get the bowls loose no matter how strong of a suction they are, but until then these get the job done!
10. NumNum Gootensils
These NumNum Gootensils are great spoons for baby-led weaning to help your baby learn how to self-feed. The spoons also double as a great teething aid!
These are the best baby feeding essentials for starting solids and what we used when I introduced solids to both of my little ones. Most of these items have lasted us through two babies so not only are they such a big help when introducing solids, but they are also great quality! I hope this baby feeding essentials list helps you feel more confident and ready to enjoy this exciting time with your baby! Try all the foods and most importantly, have fun!
