It’s about that time again! My second born, Valerie, is nearing six months old. I can’t believe how fast time has gone. It seems like just yesterday we were starting our first daughter, Eva, on solids. What a blessed and delightful journey we’ve been granted to raise our babies and provide for them!
I remember going back and forth on all the baby food supplies and gear you need that comes with starting solids. It can be a little overwhelming if you’re a first time mom. Since I’m about to start this up again with Valerie, I wanted to share all the items I found helpful with my first child: things we still use, items that were only for a season, and so forth.
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The highchair. Sheesh. Talk about choices! I think picking out the right highchair for your family is the biggest task you’ll have in this whole process. I went back and forth on this one so many times; factoring in price, storage, cleaning, and literally all the things. I ended up going with the Graco Table2Table Premier 7 in 1 Convertible High Chair. This high chair truly does it all with the many conversions it’s capable of, but that wasn’t the sole reason I bought it. I liked this one because it was simple, foldable, and easy to clean. The high chair also has two front wheels to move around the kitchen easily. The material wipes off splattered food with a breeze, and will come off to throw in the washing machine if need be, too. After owning this for almost two years now, I can say it has fit our family well.
The next set of items are things we used earlier on in the starting solids process. I’m talking beginner spoons, food/fruit feeder pacifier (that also helps with teething), and puree making items. With Eva, I did a combination of purees and baby-led weaning (BLW). I think that was a great fit for us. It took the pressure away from BLW by still incorporating purees to make sure Eva was liking food. This NumNum Baby Spoon Set is fantastic. Like day one, load one of these up with mashed banana or avocado and place it in your baby’s hand. Start strengthening their self feeding skills right from the get-go. While they play around with feeding themself, you also have your own spoon loaded up with food to feed them in between–because I’m certain a six month old is going to need utensil practice! This is the Food Feeder Pacifier that I’m pretty sure every mama needs. We loved this for placing fresh or frozen fruit in for Eva–and the added bonus of using it as teething relief is priceless. If you’re planning on making your own purees, then I highly recommend spending the extra money on these WeeSprout Glass Storage Jars.I got the four and eight ounce variety, which I also recommend. They were a good investment with the two different sizes and also being glass. I still use them for storing leftover food from Eva’s toddler meals or taking snacks on the go. And if you’re going the homemade puree route, you’re also going to need this Silicone Freezer Tray.
I really like the UpwardBaby Bowls with Suction. Another item that we still use to give Eva her food from time to time, but is also a great choice for having on hand with starting solids. Now let me also tell you that it comes with the best baby spoon I’ve ever had. I’m so disappointed as I write this because we lost it with Eva! We went out to a Mexican restaurant for dinner one evening and the spoon never made it home with us. I think I may have shed an actual tear considering I was hormonal with my second pregnancy around that time. If you haven’t had a chance to read Our Story or check out My Natural Unmedicated Hospital Birth vs. Home Birth Experience then give those a read!
The last two items I’ll share with you are the Mushie Silicone Training Cup and these Disposable Stick-On Placemats (for going out to a restaurant). The cup is super basic, but gets the job done and isn’t your typical baby sippy cup that most moms start out with. It’s not spill proof, as it’s a ‘training cup’ but also has a straw to keep it versatile. As far as the disposable placemats go, purchase them right now! They are a hidden gem in my book, and they’re also a great learning activity to keep your baby or toddler occupied by looking at the pictures while you’re out to eat.
There’s so many options out there to get your baby started on solids, but I hope this has given you some direction or recommendations that will help your family with the process. In closing, I want to mention Solid Starts. They have great resources for any new moms looking to get more information on baby-led weaning and other basic baby food tools! As always, thanks for reading and be blessed mamas, sisters, and friends!
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