Starting to feed your baby solids is an exciting time. It’s a chance to involve your baby in an activity you enjoy; eating a meal together as a family. It may also be a time where you’re wondering, out of all the feeding gadgets and gear, what are the baby feeding essentials you really need? To help you out, we’ve put together six of the most useful feeding accessories you’re going to need to feed your baby.

Baby Feeding Essential 1: Highchair

A highchair is a must when it comes to feeding your baby. It’s the safest and most convenient place for your baby to enjoy their food. With so many to choose from, it can be helpful to look for features that make life simple for you as a parent, such as removable covers for cleaning, adjustable safety straps to accommodate your baby as they grow and compact folding if you want a highchair that doesn’t take up too much room.

Phil and Teds V2 Poppy Wood High Chair will see you right through from weaning at six months to toddlerhood. There is so much packed into this chair including seat pads that can be washed in the dishwasher, an ergonomically designed tray that promises to keep more food off the floor, not to mention the option of turning this highchair into a regular chair for when your baby grows and joins you at the table itself.

Shop all ANB Baby highchairs.

Baby Feeding Essential 2: Bibs and Coveralls

Your baby is going to get messy when feeding, very messy in fact! Arming yourself with a supply of easy-to-clean and comfortable bibs is a must. Bibs will protect your baby’s clothes and reduce the clean-up time needed after feeding. Silicone bibs, like the OXO Tot Silicone Roll Up Bib, are easy to clean and soft. This particular bib also features a fabric neck for an even softer fit. Other bibs vary in design. Some bibs are a ‘coverall’ style. These cover your baby’s body and arms typically, with many also attaching to the highchair tray. These bibs can be good at home but can be trickier to wash and dry ahead of each feeding.

Baby Feeding Essential 3: Bowls and Baby Spoons / Cutlery

We’ve all got bowls, plates and cutlery at home, but it is still worth getting some that are specifically designed for your baby. Baby bowls often feature a suction bottom that keeps them stuck to the highchair tray, preventing them from being thrown onto the floor. Baby feeding spoons are another feeding essential. They are smaller for your baby’s mouth, and soft too, so there won’t be any feeding casualties. The Avanchy Rainbow Baby Gift Set includes a suction plate, suction bowl and five beautiful, brightly coloured baby spoons. All made from natural, renewable, bamboo and BPA-free silicone. It’s a perfect feeding starter set.

Baby Feeding Essential 4: Drinking Cups

Starting feeding your baby solids can also be a good time to introduce a small drink of water too. It is recommended that this is done using an open cup or a straw cup. Doing this teaches your baby how to drink from a cup and swallow safely. The OXO Tot Transitions Straw Cup is a great option. It features a soft straw, is leakproof and the removable handles are particularly useful as your baby grows and drinks more independently.

Baby Feeding Essential 5: Baby Food Makers

Baby food makers are incredibly handy if you are looking to make your own baby purees for feeding. Food makers such as the Beaba Babycook Solo Baby Food Maker will steam cook and puree or mash any fruit, vegetable or meat from its raw state for your baby. This machine means you can design and create your baby’s meals with ease, from scratch, using whichever flavors you choose.

Baby Feeding Essential 6: Baby Food Containers and Storage

As your baby feeds more and more, you may start to need to take food out and about with you. This will call for some quality, leakproof containers or baby food storage. Depending on your baby feeding stage you may find the following helpful:

• Squooshi 2 Sip’N Soft Tops: These reusable pouches are great for storing and transporting pureed or mashed baby food.
• OXO Tot Baby Blocks: These 2oz, watertight pots are perfect for the early stages of weaning. They also come with a handy freezer tray for using at home too.
• Zip Top Snack Containers: These fun, 100% silicone containers are great for when your baby grows and you need to take out snacks. They are dishwasher safe and endlessly reusable.

You can explore more baby feeding accessories in the full ANB Baby feeding collection.