The Complete Weaning Checklist
Weaning can be a daunting process and creating a weaning plan can be even more difficult. Before you start to wean, it is important that you have the right equipment in order for the process to go as smooth as possible for you and your baby. Ensuring you are well prepared with some homemade baby food in the freezer and having all the equipment you need is key to a successful baby led weaning journey.
Following on from our Complete guide to weaning, we are bringing you the Complete Weaning Check List! Check out our list of essentials to help you kickstart your weaning journey with confidence.
What equipment do I need to start weaning my baby?
Spoons:
Small shallow plastic spoons with long handles and soft tips are the best to introduce to your baby. From 6 months you can then move onto a shorter spoon that your baby can hold. Having a spoon with a soft tip will protect your baby’s sensitive gums. By allowing your baby to hold their own spoon from 6 months they will be able to develop their utensil skills from an early age.
The Mummy Cooks ThermoSpoon has been designed specifically for safe feeding, and can be used to check the temperature of all foods and liquids for a baby - including milk, first foods and purées! The spoon helps protect your child from dangerous bacteria by showing you when food has been heated to the correct temperature and is ready for a baby to eat.
To learn more about the importance of spoons when weaning, check out our top 10 tips for developing your child's utensils.
Plastic Bowls:
Babies love to play with their food and pick up their bowls, so a durable plastic bowl is essential. We always advise parents to place a bowl with some food in front of your baby from 6 months of age. This allows your baby to try and feed themselves, giving them more control and creating a better feeding experience.
To keep things a little less messy for our mums we recommend you try out a bowl that sticks to your table so that it doesn’t end up being thrown around like a Frisbee!
Plastic bowls are great for babies who like to feed themselves
Blender and Steamer:
You will need to invest in some equipment to prepare your purées. The best way to prepare vegetables for your baby is to steam them as this locks in all of the key nutrients which can be lost in boiling. After steaming, you will need to blend your food down to the desired consistency depending on your baby's weaning stage. To do this, you can use a blender, food processor or baby food grinder.
Highchair:
Babies should be in an upright position when you feed them so that they are able to swallow food properly. A secure, comfortable and washable high chair is essential for feeding your baby.
It is also really important to have a footrest for your baby to keep their legs at a 90º angle. The Footsi is a portable and adjustable footrest to help improve your child’s stability, posture and concentration in the highchair to make for a more comfortable feeding environment for your little one.
To learn more, have a read of our "Benefits of a Footrest for your Baby's Highchair" blog!
Storage Pots:
We advise that you use BPA free containers to store your baby food to avoid any nasty chemicals. Our range of Weaning Pots is the perfect feeding solution! The range of sizes beyond the weaning sets make them perfect for weaning and beyond. Our Portion Pots are also perfect for healthy home cooked meals, snacks and finger foods for the whole family!
You will need a variety of sizes throughout your weaning journey, so the Starter Weaning Set is perfect for starting to wean your baby onto solid food. The set will take you through each developmental stage in the first year. They have so many different uses from freezing food portions, to carrying snacks and meals on the go. The snap-on lid ensures no spillage too!
Food Flask:
When your baby is more established at feeding, you will need to go out and about and baby's tummy does not wait! That is why we came up with our Food Flask perfect for storing homemade food. The flask will keep food cold or warm for six hours allowing you time to get the shopping done or meet up with friends for a coffee.
Beaker:
You should encourage your baby to drink from a cup from 6 months. Fill a beaker up with freshly drawn filtered tap water and place it on the table with all meals so they will get used to the idea. Choose a beaker with a soft, pliable spout to start off. If your baby refuses one type of cup keep trying until you have found the perfect one. Check out When to Introduce a Cup for more information!
More information and advice on how to wean, why not read our Complete Guide to Weaning!
