There’s not a lot you can do about the mess that will ensue when you start to wean your baby and introduce solid food, but being prepared helps. There is a variety of baby weaning products on the market today but all you really need are a few simple utensils. The basic equipment you need is as follows:
- Bowls: small, durable plastic bowls are perfect and should be dishwasher safe variety. If they are brightly coloured they should keep your baby interested.
- Spoons: It’s a good idea to ensure spoons are small enough to fit in baby’s mouth and soft enough so that they don’t hurt baby’s gums. A rubber tipped spoon is especially good.
- Baby bibs: buy bibs that will dry quickly so you can have them washed and ready for the next feed.
- Clean cloths and tea towels
- Saucepans and/or a steamer
- A hand blender or food processor will be a lifesaver when it comes to puréeing large amounts of foods.
- Fork and metal sieve: a simple fork and a sieve can be used easily to purée a single portion of food.
- Ice cube trays or containers for storing and freezing baby meals. It’s a good idea to buy food cube trays with lids as this will keep the food fresh.
- Dishes with suction cups are also so handy to help prevent your baby from knocking them over
- Highchair: when your baby is able to sit up on their own, feeding in a highchair is a good idea. It helps your baby to associate meal time with sitting at the table, promoting good eating habits.
