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Weaning can be a very exciting, albeit messy, time for you and your baby. Whether you decide to go down the puree route, baby-led weaning or a combination of the two (like we did!), these are the items we couldn’t have been without.

1. Mamas & Papas Baby Snug Seat

All three of my children were titchy little babies, so even at six months they looked a bit lost in a traditional high chair. These snug seats by Mamas and Papas are suitable from around 3 months or whenever your baby has the neck strength to support their own head easily. The activity tray is removable, but is an added bonus for keeping your little one entertained while you prepare their lunch.

The tray beneath is also removable making it easy to get your child in and out of the seat and also very easy to clean. 

Our kids loved sitting in the little seat both to play and to eat. They looked snug and comfortable and it was the one time I knew they would actually be still!

2. Munchkin Miracle 360 Degree Trainer Cup

These little cups are so simple but are so good in encouraging your little one to drink from a cup. Rather than the traditional sippy cups with a spout, this encourages your baby to drink from the edge of the beaker, as you would a real cup. The seal means it won’t spill, and nothing will come out unless your child actually sucks around the edge.

We bought our youngest daughter one of these then she was around 6 months old. It did take her a while to figure out what to do with it but once she did it was the only cup we used. It taught her to tip her head back to drink, rather than tipping the whole cup upside down. She was drinking independently out of a normal cup much earlier than her brothers and I definitely think it was due to this.

3.Suction Bowl

These are an absolute must have! I remember encouraging our eldest son to feed himself from a bowl.  The poor thing became so frustrated as he pushed his bowl around his highchair tray. The whole lot ended up on the floor!

These bowls have a suction pad on the button so they don’t move across the tray. It also means if you press it down firmly enough, they can’t pick the bowl up and throw it! Always a bonus!

 They also do suction plates which are great if you’re doing baby-led weaning and finger foods. We used them for all three of our kids.

4. Portable Highchair.

If you’re going on holiday, or taking your little one somewhere where there won’t be access to a traditional highchair, a portable highchair is a must. To see a guide on finding the best travel highchairs, please click here.

5. Ikea Antilop Highchair

 With my eldest son we bought a fancy highchair that reclined and lots of little functions and attachable toys. It was a waste of money. It was a nightmare to keep clean and I never let him sleep in there anyway so we didn’t even use it’s main selling point.

The IKEA Antilop highchair was recommended to me by a friend and we never looked back. It doesn’t look the most exciting thing in the world, but then how exciting does a highchair need to be? The tray is removable for cleaning and the whole things is easy to wipe down. It’s easy to get your child in and out of and they look comfortable while being sat in it.

You can even buy an inner cushion for when your baby is a bit smaller to help fill the seat.

Save your money and get one of these instead. They’re only £14 and honestly you won’t regret it.

6.Toddler Food Bibs

When we first attempted baby-led weaning with our eldest son, we quickly realised just how messy the experience could be!

These bibs aren’t going to stop the mess on the highchair (or the floor!) but they can help to protect your little one’s clothes!

They’re plastic rather than the usual fabric ones, and so nothing can soak through onto the clothes beneath. There is also a pocket at the bottom of the bib to collect anything your baby may drop. I would find my kids eating out of the bib as the majority of what they had tried to shovel into their mouths had dropped into the pocket.

It means there’s less going on the floor and so ultimately less waste!

There are the five main items we would recommend for the weaning stage. Have we forgotten anything? Is there anything you couldn’t have lived without? Let me know in the comments!

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