9 feeding must haves for starting solids with baby

I would say the most stressful things this far with Maverick has been starting solids. Maybe it’s something about my part time career as a respiratory therapist. I think I’ve seen too much and I know what other things aspiration could lead to. Mav has been on solids since around 4.5 months. The doctor gave us the ok to introduce solids to Mav around 4 months. Apparently if you start solids early then their chance of having food allergies is less likely. 

I remember the first thing giving him was puréed avocado. He did pretty well with it. During family dinners I would sit him in his chair and give him pieces of food to attempt to eat himself. I wanted him to get comfortable with grasping foods and learn to feed himself. I would literally get anxiety with him eating. My heart would race and I would practically sweat just praying this dude wouldn’t choke. I learned quickly the difference between choking and gagging. Babies tend to gag a lot when they are first learning to eat. Totally normal but completely freaky for a first time patient. 

I am going to share with you mamas some things that we found were must haves for starting solids. All of these products we personally have and we love them!

1. A high chair- we have this Graco 7-in-1 high chair. I love it because you can use it from the time they are an infant all the way to a toddler. The back rest reclines into 3 different positions. When Mav was a newborn we would sit him in this chair in the reclined position so he could join us for family dinners. This high chair was a must on my registry because it also functions as a booster seat and a toddler chair for 2 babies at once. Click the link about for details! 

2. Waterproof silicone bibs- these oxo tot bibs are amazing you don’t have to worry about food stains because they can be easily washed. It catches most food that is dropped. The upper portion of this bib is fabric so it is comfortable but is also easy to clean. Maverick is the messiest eater and these bibs have done the job for this wild man.

3. Ola soft tip training spoons- these spoons are amazing and they are silicone. I love all products silicone products can’t you tell!? They are great for spoon feeding or self feeding. The soft tip protects the babies gums, and it doubles as a teether. They are ergonomically designed so they are easy for baby to grab.

4. Sagespoonfuls tough glass containers- these containers are great for prepping and storing food in. Prior to these I would make purées and throw them in zip lock bags but frost bite was a problem. With these containers you can place them directly into the freezer and defrost them in the microwave. They are dishwasher safe and very tough, trust me my son has thrown them on the floor already. (For 25% off product use code SAGE25SARAHB) Besides just using them for purees, you can use them as snack jars. Cut up fresh fruit or other snacks, place them directly in these jars and let baby eat straight from them.

5. Food processor- this is a must have if you plan on making your own baby purées. We like the sage spoonful one because it is both a food processor and  immersion blender. (For 25% off all products use code SAGE25SARAHB) Depending on what the food is I would steam it first then purée it. This blender is small and compact and it can be used beyond the baby years. 

6. A water cup- a water cup is essential. I like giving Mav a little bit of water after solids because I’ve noticed with the introduction of solids he tends to get a little backed up sometimes. We love the munchkin 360 cup. This cup only releases water when he drinks out of it so it eliminates spills. It has a nice rim similar to a regular cup it help support those oral muscles needed to properly drink from a normal cup. 

7.  Place mat that suction’s to surfaces- having something that suction’s to the surface is key! I love prepping meals for him and separating each food group to see which ones he gravitated to. These place mats are also easy to clean! These come in a variety of colors and they suction to the surface pretty well.

8. Snack container- Snacks are key when you are out and about! We like the skip hop snack container. It has a nice flexible opening so they can place their hands inside and grab snacks as needed. It also has a cute double lid to ensure no spills. They have a variety of animal characters. Mav has the monkey one.

9. Boon pulp silicon feeder- this was great for us when Mav was first starting solids. We would put frozen bananas or pineapple really anything. It would double as a teether, plus it has little holes so he would be able to self feed through it as well! It is a thick silicone feeder so you don’t have to worry about the babe biting holes through it. This my go to when those gums are bothering Mav.

What products did you or your baby love when you started solids? Share below!

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