Baby led weaning toolkit

[VerityH]

Almost at six months so getting our 'kit' together.

Don't need help with food ideas thanks, and have a general idea of the equipment we need, but looking for recommendations from your experience, especially about things I might expect to need but don't need to waste money on, and hacks that will be really useful but that I wouldn't have thought of!

IKEA highchair, or any other chair which can go in the shower or dishwasher.
Shower curtain for the floor unless it's wipe clean.
Long sleeved bibs, (or strip them to vest for meals)
Patience.

Only things you need really are obvious: highchair, bibs, floor coverings (big bath towels that can be washed work great). No need for plates or bowels to start. A sippy cup is fine but they often don't use it for the first few months anyway.

We had long-sleeved bibs with a terry towelling front, which were good for learning to drink or eating juicy/saucy things because they soaked up all the liquid – just chunk in the washing machine. Ours were from John Lewis, and lasted well, but I did put extra ties on them to make them fit my relatively skinny child.

If you have a high chair that sits up to the table rather than having a tray, a wipe-clean tablecloth is brilliant. You can buy clips to clip it to the table for safety so it can't be pulled off by a roaming toddler or baby pulling to stand. We also used silicone baking mats that we already had as 'plates' at first – not as easy for baby to grab the whole plate and fling it (until she learnt to slide a fingernail under the edge and peel it up).

Personally, I would have a sippy cup from the beginning (just a basic one) because my wee one could use it with help almost immediately and by herself from about 6.5 months, and you won't know if you don't offer.

The best thing I got for BLW was a hard plastic mat from IKEA. It’s clear, the sort you put under a desk chair but we put it under the highchair and it was brill, the disposable plastic mats from boots were rubbish. This one you can sweep, wipe, hoover, take outside prop against the wall and hose down. I think we still have ours, if you are near enough you are welcome to it.

@VerityH

Almost at six months so getting our 'kit' together.

Don't need help with food ideas thanks, and have a general idea of the equipment we need, but looking for recommendations from your experience, especially about things I might expect to need but don't need to waste money on, and hacks that will be really useful but that I wouldn't have thought of!

Splash mat is essential. Also, put on a catch all bib over a coverall to catch all mess. I personally didn’t waste money on a highchair and bought a chicco booster style seat instead as it could be used for longer. Another piece of advice is not to overcomplicate things - my son became a good eater when we ate the same food in front of him, so that’s what we did and still do. We’ve all benefited by reducing salt / processed food intake.

I tried the plastic bibs but DS was more interested in the bib than the food. Had to change back to fabric ones. So just a heads up.
Also tried BLW and DS wouldnt put anything to his mouth, or he would once, then never again. He seems to have forgotten how to use his hands when hes in the high chair, so we resulted to puree / mashed foods being spoon fed - so dont put your expectations too high as i was quite dissapointed.

ASDA bibs, the simplist highchair you can find - IKEA one is good, and a dog to hoover up all the stuff on the floor afterwards.