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A complete guide for a smooth start to your baby's weaning journey. Things you will need to buy, award-winning weaning brands and the essential tips for a successful start.
When Should I Start Weaning?
Introducing your baby to solid foods, also referred to as weaning or complementary feeding, starts when your baby is around 6 months old unless advised to start earlier by a medical professional. Your baby should be introduced to a varied diet alongside their usual breast milk or first infant formula.
There are 3 clear signs, which, when they appear together from around 6 months of age, show that your baby is ready for their first solid foods, alongside breast milk or first infant formula. They will be able to:
Stay in a sitting position, holding their head steady;
Coordinate their eyes, hands and mouth so they can look at their food, pick it up and put it in their mouth;
Swallow food (rather than spit it back out).
Weaning Must-Haves & Top UK Weaning Brands
1. Bowls, Plates & Cutlery
There are so many weaning brands in the market that it may be hard to decide which one to go for. Therefore, we have picked the TOP 3 weaning brands for a smooth weaning journey.
The concept store offers simple, unisex products inspired by the elegance of Scandinavian design and a colour palette inspired by nature to appeal to all kids and parents. They offer high-quality, aesthetically pleasing items that are subtle, timeless and long-lasting, perfect for any home.
A charming collection of essential weaning equipment is an ideal starter kit with all the must-have items for your little one as they begin to discover the wonderful world of food.
Our set includes 2 Catch-All Bibs, a Suction Bowl (including Spoon & Fork Set), a Suction Plate and My First Cutlery Set. And there are 7 colours to choose from!
Full suction base to help it stick to any surface - we can assure you this contemporary bowl isn't going anywhere during the chaos of dinnertime! Innovative design with a heightened curved back, helping little ones scoop up their food and avoid spillages. The accompanying silicone spoon & fork set is cleverly designed with shallow, rounded curves, perfect for little beginners all the way through to confident eaters.
Full suction base to help it stick to any surface, we can assure you this bowl isn't going anywhere during the chaos of mealtimes, wherever you are! Pair or mix and match a travel suction bowl with any other Ivy Wild Kids product for a charming aesthetic. All of their products have been purposefully designed to complement one another, perfect for your own family or as a gift to another.
Family-run brand by Sam and Joh, based in Berkshire, who welcomed their first daughter Phoebe to the world last year. As first-time parents, there were many things we were worried about. How do we heat a bottle of milk? How are we going to feed her? Is she too cold or hot? Where is she going to sleep? Why is she crying?
These experiences inspired Sam and Joh to set up a place where parents can find innovative and practical products and solutions to make parenting a little easier. They help parents save time and stress so that new mums and dads can spend the maximum stress-free time playing, laughing, and making memories with the family.
INOBY's silicone complete weaning set is the ultimate setup for your baby’s weaning journey to make preparation and cleanup a breeze. This complete weaning set has also been featured in Mother & Baby as one of the best baby-weaning sets!
INOBY's silicone advanced weaning set is perfect for your baby/toddler's weaning journey! The extra suction plate and cup are essential when your child starts to eat and drink more on their own.
The set comes with a silicone bib, a silicone suction bowl, a silicone suction divided plate, a wooden spoon with a silicone tip, and a silicone open cup.
Tum Tum products are designed by parents with babies' and toddlers' needs in mind. TUM TUM products include nifty design features to help eager kids with more enthusiasm than expertise. Scooping corners on bowls and plates, wide stable bases on cups and removable grippy sleeves on cutlery all help with the tricky business of getting food from plate to mouth. Tum Tum is a family-run business by a Mum & Dad based in Buxton in the beautiful Peak District.
Ideal first feeding set for babies with more enthusiasm than expertise! Developed in consultation with feeding specialist Gill Rapley, the cutlery has chunky handles to suit the early palmar grasp, moving to a pincer grip.
The fun foodie face plate is designed to tempt fussy eaters. The lidded bowl is perfect for breakfast, pudding, and snacks on the go. Also great for storing leftovers. Super strong suction bases weld the bowl and plate to the table to counteract any young 'throwers'.
Easy to pick up and hold through the various grip development stages, thanks to the chunky, rounded handle shape, which nestles comfortably in little ones' hands. The fork has a bowl-shaped nylon head for easy stabbing and scooping. Spoon has a soft and narrow silicone head for easy scooping and dipping. Small bumps on the rear stop it from rolling on the table. Designed and developed with Gill Rapley, Inventor of Baby Led Weaning, to aid independent self-feeding and with Tracey Murkett, co-author of "Baby Led Weaning - an essential guide".
2. Bibs
Be ready for a lot of mess when you start weaning. Your little one will likely practice the law of gravity by throwing food on the floor. You can opt for silicone or fabric bibs. When you start weaning, there is a lot of cleaning after each meal. If you want to minimise cleaning efforts every time, it is worth investing in Inoby's Waterproof Coverall Bib.
It is truly the essential weaning solution, designed to help make feeding easier and to save you stress and time from cleaning. It fits all high chairs with or without a tray and most prams and tables. The sleeved waterproof weaning bibs are 100% waterproof and highly stain-resistant. The lightweight and soft design make it comfortable for your little one to wear.
3. High chair
There is an excellent variety of high chairs. You can go for an affordable option from IKEA, one of the most popular mums. You can also consider a more durable option, such as Mamas & Papas Booster Seat (£65), which is attachable to your everyday dining chair.
4. Antibacterial wipes
Stock up on antibacterial wipes to clean a high chair and tray thoroughly after each meal to reduce the spread of germs. Many mums use the Dettol antibacterial wipes for this purpose, which you can buy in bulk on Amazon.
5. Sipping cup
From 6 months of age, you can give your baby small amounts of water in a sipping cup, if needed, in addition to their breastmilk or formula feeds.
It helps babies to progress from a free-flow straw cup to an open cup with minimal mess via transitional lidded/open cup. The product was designed with Feeding & Swallowing Specialist Speech Therapist Stacey Zimmels to facilitate healthy and normal oral motor development. The cup is suitable for warm and cold drinks; it is dishwasher, microwave & freezer safe and is unbreakable if dropped. It is made from Food Grade Silicone, which is naturally bacteria-resistant, BPA & Phthalate free, and tested to European Standards.
Conclusion
The weaning journey can be both exciting and stressful for new parents. Hopefully, this article has helped you to decide what essentials you need for weaning and what brands to buy the weaning products from. Good luck in your little one's weaning journey!
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