What were your favourite bits of weaning kit?

[ToBeAChadsman]

I've no idea what to buy or ask GPs to get for 4mo DD for Christmas, as she's DC2 so we're not short of baby toys. Then I wondered whether there's any cool weaning stuff we could buy ready for when she's 6mo? I'd love to see your recommendations for anything but highchairs (the old antilop will do fine!). We'll probably be trying blw again in case it makes a difference.

I just use normal teaspoons and normal bowls/ tea plates tbh. Saves filling cupboard with crap. Desert forks later on. Glasses don't get tipped over compared to plastic as heavier.

However two things we did use:

1. a thermos little food pot. Means can take hot food out if going somewhere. We still use now for picnics or if travelling long distance on train.

2. babybjorn long sleeve bibs. They are slightly ridiculous price for a bib ( £15-18 each I think), but large and cover really well from wrists and over legs so good if they are feeding themselves. We used for painting and craft also for a good few years ( until about 3 years they outgrew in think)

Kit? Do the little plastic bowls from ikea count?

We were pretty minimalist last time round (and still have the little plastic Ikea bowls) but I know there's lots of stuff out there and wondered if any of it was any good/could make life any easier/do the cleaning up for me.

A dog to do the cleaning?

A cleaner?

Oilcloth / PVC sheet to go on floor so food can be recycled.
Long-sleeved bibs.
Crinkle cut knife to make food grippy rather than slippy.

Thanks for the suggestions Liking the dog and cleaner ideas but might be a bit tricky to dress up as a present for DD rather than me. (Plus a dog is for life and all that...)

Are the BB bibs any better than the cheap Ikea ones? And do they survive the tumble dryer unlike the expensive one of DSs I accidentally melted?

Slightly disappointed that there doesn't seem to have been a revolution in weaning stuff in the last 3 years. Was hoping for some magic like a suction plate that was actually babyproof (for out and about), or possibly some sort of bubble to put baby and food in to save my newly painted walls.

Baby Bjorn 'three leaf clover' shaped bowl. Best bowl ever. Stable, they can't pick it up and chuck it at you, goes in the dishwasher and microwave, large enough to last until they are eating quite a lot.

Baby-led weaning by Gill Rapley

those bibs with the food catcher bit?

like this www.johnlewis.com/tommee-tippee-roll-n-go-explora-baby-bib/p593455?sku=232309096&kpid=232309096&s_kenid=e6062f5c-fb50-4234-ba38-fcb427555613&s_kwcid=403x764640&tmad=c&tmcampid=73

No the babybjorn bibs will melt in tumble dryer. However they wipe over super easy so I just wiped with cloth and hung over high hair back for next meal. The ikea ones not as good and smaller and food goes up sleeves and down neck as not on as tight