My Top 4 Introducing Solids Tools & Tricks

Getting started with solids can be messy, time consuming and daunting – I’ve summed up below some tools and tricks that helped us. I haven’t focused on the what and how of weaning in this post (if that’s more what you’re after, check out this nice article by Dietitians Canada for tips), but whether you choose purees, baby-led-weaning with finger foods or a combination, I would strongly recommend selecting one source of information or plan be it a book, your paed, an app, etc. and sticking to that – otherwise it can get very overwhelming. We went with a combination of purees and finger foods for weaning and I found the following helpful in our journey…

My top 4 Introducing Solids Essentials:

1. A high chair / feeding chair:
   We started out just using the stroller seat (upright with the brake on), but the cleanup got old very quickly! My advise, pick something that is easy to clean! We got a deal on a Chicco 3-in-1 Stack Highchair on One Day Only and have been very happy with it and my folks got a little seat that attaches to you table that was great at their house and when eating out.
2. Food storage:
   I found cooking in bulk and freezing saved a lot of time and hassle. Tools that made this easier:
   – ice cube trays with lids, for little portions when he started out
   – freezer and microwave safe zip seal bags, once frozen pop cubes out into bags so you can move on to the next food with in the trays or tubs
   – freezer mini-tubs, for bigger portions and these are nice even now for frozen backup meals or to transport nibbles and snacks for H.
3. Bowls, plates and spoons:
   We tried out several spoons before finding the NUK ones that work well for us and just for fun I got cute colourful little apple-shaped divided plates (really more for me than him – he just throws them on the floor…) but any plastic bowls and plates work just fine.
4. A blender of some description:
   If you plan to do purees (even just in part), a blender helps to make the process quick and easy. I primarily used a stick blender but any kind of blender will do the trick.

Bonus tips:

• A friend from Moms & Babes suggested popping newspaper down for messy meals – really helps for clean up.
• Have plenty of bibs and wet wipes to hand at mealtimes.

What do you think about my weaning essentials? Which is your favorite? Is there anything else you found useful? Pop me a comment and let me know.

Cheryl x