A few simple items can make feeding your baby and cleaning up after a meal a little easier on you. Here are our suggestions.
- Drinking cup. By the time they are six months old, babies can start drinking from a regular cup. At first, you will have to hold it for them, but they will want to hold it by themselves in no time. To minimize spills, you can get a cup with a lid and a spout [1]. Dentists tend not to favor sippy cups with a valve and recommend their brief use only to transition from bottle to cup, as they can promote tooth decay. The best option for your baby is an open cup or one with a baby straw [2].
- A soft spoon. A baby spoon can be handy if your teaspoons are too big for your baby’s mouth [3].
- Bib with pocket. These do a great job of catching spilled food or liquid. Those made of silicon are a great option because they fit snuggly and are easy to clean and dry.
- Plastic bowl with suction. A bowl that sticks to your baby’s high chair tray will prevent spills and plate throwing!
- Silicone mat for the table. It will collect spilled food and provide some grip so your baby’s plate doesn’t slide around if they push it [4].
