What equipment do I need for Baby-Led Weaning

Starting with Baby-led weaning doesn't require much equipment but there are a few essentials you will need to buy.

Below you will find the list of the items that were necessary regarding our BLW journey.

High chair

We bought the Langur high chair from Ikea and we still love it. The first month we used the supporting cushion too as my son needed support for his back. When he grew a bit more, we removed it. This high chair has a nice and simple design, it is super easy to clean, you can wash the tray in the dishwasher and I added a sticker with my son's name on the back to make it a bit more personal.

High chair mat

There are many different brands for this kind of mat and ours was waterproof, machine washable, and had a nice pattern too. Having 2 or 3 mats for the floor would be ideal, as you will have to feed solid foods to your baby 2 or 3 times per day. We used them for almost 9 months. The bigger they get, the less messy they are and most of the food goes in the mouth and not on the floor :)

Bibs

We used different kinds of bibs, some with sleeves, some classic ones too but the ones that I liked the most were long enough and wide enough. The ones with the sleeves were OK for the beginning but my son felt more comfortable with the classic ones that tie around the neck. Again, Ikea was the winner!

Crockery & cutlery

I bought different kinds of plates, made of bamboo, silicon, plastic - BPA free - etc. Most of them had a suction base and that made them very practical. I honestly tried various brands and so far I have liked all of them. Most of the plates would come with a spoon too so two birds with one stone! However, I did buy spoons separately, always based on his age. He was curious to use the spoon when he was 7+ months, so I gave him the option. Just because you do BLW, it doesn't mean that your kid will only eat with his/her hands and that should not touch a spoon or a fork. Later, when he turned 1, I bought his first fork and he loved eating with it too.

Water bottles

And the winner is... The ''bendy straw cup!'' That was our absolute favorite one although we tried a few more. The straw is soft and bendable and it does not leak if you turn it around. Awesome!

A few tips I could give you regarding plastic bottles are the following:

Bottles should be replaced (ideally) every 4 to 6 months (used for water or milk). Also, I do not wash them in the dishwasher. Same for the crockery. I have always washed them with hot water, soap, and vinegar. For milk bottles, I was also using the sterilizer. The dishwasher tablets have a very strong smell that stays on the plastic/silicone, bottle or nipple, therefore I do not recommend it.

Ready for shopping?

Thank you for taking the time to read my post and see you soon!

All the best,

Clio