Weaning Essentials: What You Actually Need to Start Solids

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Baby shops sell a lot of weaning kit. The NHS’s own equipment checklist is short: a high chair, bibs, soft spoons, a bowl, a cup, and something to catch the mess. Here’s that list with what to look for in each, and the things you can skip.

This is a shopping guide, not medical advice. For when and how to start, follow your health visitor, GP or paediatrician.

When to start

The NHS advises waiting until your baby is around 6 months old, and if your baby was born prematurely, asking your health visitor or GP when to start. The American Academy of Pediatrics describes the signs of readiness: good head control and able to sit in a high chair or feeding seat, opening their mouth when food comes their way, and able to move food from a spoon to the back of the mouth.

The checklist

Item	Why (NHS)	What to look for
High chair	Your baby needs to sit safely in an upright position so they can swallow properly. Always use a securely fitted safety harness.	A harness that fits snugly, a tray you can remove and wash, and as few crevices as possible
Bibs	Plastic or “pelican” bibs, with a pocket to catch dropped food, are easiest at first.	Wipe-clean, with a fastening your baby can’t pull open
Soft weaning spoons	Soft rubber or plastic spoons are gentler on your baby’s gums.	A soft tip, and a long handle for you
Small bowl	Ideally with a suction base, or it’s likely to end up on the floor.	Suction that grips your tray: it needs a flat, smooth surface
First cup	Introduce a cup from around 6 months, with sips of water at meals. Open or free-flow cups without a valve help babies learn to sip and are better for their teeth.	See choosing a first cup
Messy mat	Or newspaper under the high chair.	Wipe-clean and big enough to reach past the chair’s legs
Ice cube trays	Very useful for batch-cooking and freezing small portions.	Lids, and flexible silicone so portions pop out

Choosing the high chair

In the US, every high chair must meet a federal safety standard: 16 CFR part 1231 requires compliance with ASTM F404-21. In the UK and Europe, the safety standard for high chairs is BS EN 14988. Beyond meeting the standard, the checks are yours:

• Use the harness every time. The NHS also warns never to leave babies unattended on raised surfaces.
• Check recalls before buying second-hand, on CPSC’s recall list or the UK’s product safety alerts and recalls.
• Think about cleaning. A removable, dishwasher-safe tray and a wipe-clean seat save a lot of time; fabric covers need washing.
• An adjustable footrest gives your baby’s feet somewhere to rest as they grow.
• Space: if the kitchen is small, look at folding models and measure where it will live.

What you can skip

• Cups with valves. The NHS recommends open or free-flow cups without a valve: they help babies learn to sip and are better for teeth.
• A dedicated baby-food maker. A fork, a masher or the blender you already own does the same job, and ice cube trays handle the freezing.
• Relying on pouches. The NHS says to use food pouches, jars and pots only occasionally, and never to let a baby suck straight from a pouch, because it can increase the risk of tooth decay. Squeeze the food onto a spoon instead.

Gagging and choking

Gagging is a normal part of learning to eat, and the NHS’s first foods page describes what it looks like and links to its guidance on choking. The American Academy of Pediatrics’ choking prevention advice covers which foods need extra care. Read both before the first meal, not after.

The kit

More on feeding kit: plates and bowls by material, choosing toddler plates and bowls, and cleaning silicone.

How we put this together: from published guidance (linked where it is used) and the makers’ own descriptions of their products, checked on 24 September 2026. We have not tested these products ourselves and don’t claim to have. Each suggestion comes with what to check before you buy, because the right choice depends on your child.

Sources

• NHS: Your baby’s first solid foods
• NHS Best Start in Life: How to start weaning
• NHS: Drinks and cups for babies and young children
• American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org): Starting solid foods
• American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org): Choking prevention
• eCFR: 16 CFR part 1231, Safety standard for high chairs
• BSI: BS EN 14988, Children’s high chairs