Must Haves & Recommendations For Feeding LO

nadiag7 · June 2013

What are your must have's for feeding your baby? From utensils to high chairs

ETA: Looking for specific brands and products. Thanks!

thatoneredhead · June 2013

At first? Baby spoons, bibs, blender, icetrays, freezer storage containers, pouches for when I had no time for that, the smallest high chair possible was nice, and a vacuum

g8trkim · June 2013

Spoons, bibs, small bowls. If you plan to make food: freezer trays, food processor/blender, we also have a microwave steamer (I use that for our food too). I second the small high chair comment. With DS we had a big FP one. It was nice but I sold it and got a FP Space Saver this time... much better.

ForeverEverAfter · June 2013

We have a first years seat that goes on a regular chair. It becomes a booster too. I would prefer a wooden high chair that pulls up to the table, but this was a lot cheaper. I don't know the brand of cutlery, it was a gift, but its just a small metal set, she plays with the spoon, but they're not needed til closer to a year. We're doing BLW so that's all we needed. We're using a shot glass for a cup until she's old enough for the wash or toss ones.

numberonemama · June 2013

We have the keekaroo and I love it!! But I was looking for a transitioning high chair. If we didn't get this I would have gotten the ikea chair.

We do BLW and need nothing other than bibs. I was just about to post how much I love it...DD is literally sitting in her chair next to me eating a piece of toast and a hard boiled egg as I eat the same. It's so much nicer than feeding a baby purees like with DS! So I highly rec that! Much much cheaper too!!

jlbeanza · June 2013

I got these Tommee Tippee feeding sets at BRU that I absolutely love! I'm not sure if they have them any more, but each came with two bowls, two spoons, two pots and a three sectioned plate with a mat. The spoons are great and way less messy (for some reason) than the NUK ones I have. I use the three-sectioned plate every day since I like to give a variety of purees and I make my own food. I also like having the small food pots with lids so you can take food on the go to restaurants and whatnot.

I second (or fourth at this point) the ice cube trays if you're making your own food. They are so easy and convenient! I also have the Beaba Babycook, which some people think is wasteful/unnecessary (you certainly don't NEED it), but I got it as a gift, and as a busy working mom I'm not sure I'd have the motivation to make food if it meant lots of steps and cleaning multiple appliances/pots/pans.

Good luck!

opaque1997 · June 2013

When we started I used the bullet (non baby version) a LOT - I still do but I do more mashing and baby jars / pouches (my baby LOVES the happy baby / tot pouches and the plum pouches - she's kind of iffy on other brands / jars as a lot of them start with water - I've tasted a lot of the pouches / jars and found that the plum and happy baby ones actually taste pretty good and have some flavor / spice to them).

These are my favorite baby spoons:

https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Tot-Feeding-Spoon-Aqua/dp/B0038JDV0Q/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1370357459&sr=8-3&keywords=baby+spoons

and Bumbkins bibs (get the full sized ones like these: https://www.amazon.com/Bumkins-3-Pack-Waterproof-SuperBib/dp/B000XPWXK2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370357491&sr=8-1&keywords=bumkins+bibs)

though we love our jj cole bib because of the snaps (instead of velcro) - https://www.amazon.com/JJ-Cole-Bib-White-Vroom/dp/B007K3CYFO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370357516&sr=8-1&keywords=jj+cole+bib

We used ramikans to feed her out of for the first bit..

We love the silicone feeder:

https://www.amazon.com/Award-Winning-Kidsme-Feeder-Large/dp/B005KWLEVW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370357554&sr=8-1&keywords=silicone+feeder

but it wasn't a must have.

When she was younger we used the Peg Prego papa high chair because it reclined - but recently we moved to a clip on because like everyone else I was tired of the size of that thing. We will have to go back to it soon ish because the way our table is and her clip on her legs are going to get smushed - so .. I'm not sold that its a must have. I got it at a consignment sale for $8 and it was worth it for that.

pb_bride · June 2013

DS has been on solids for 2.5 months now. What we use include:

Bibs - we like the Kushies brand ones - folds down to like nothing, but completely waterproof, easy to clean, and the pocket catches foods that DS drops

Smocks - we got the IKEA smocks, but they are a bit big on DS right now. Kushies also make smocks and they come in different sizes, but the IKEA ones are much cheaper

Utensils - we were gifted a natural wood set. DON'T recommend that. The wood bowl needs to be handwashed, hand-dried, AND oiled for maintainence. Who has time for that?

Food storage - I have one Wean Green 4oz glass container. Love it but very expensive. Found out that Ball makes 4oz glass containers too and they are freezer-safe. Bought 1 dozen of Ball jars for just $8. I prefer glass over plastic.

Highchair - IKEA Antilop hands-down. Small footprint, a cinch to clean, no gaps or crevices to hide food residue. And only $15.

Finally, if you plan to make your own food (I do), all you need is a food processor and some way to steam the food.