Feeding bowls, cutlery and cups

It's worth investing in a set of bowls, plates, cutlery and cups for your baby, as they are specially designed to make feeding a less messy affair.

• Bowls and plates
• Cutlery
• Cups and beakers

To begin with you’ll need a first feeding or weaning bowl which is about the size of a large cup, with a handle, for just a small quantity of food. As your baby progresses to wanting bigger portions, you’ll need larger bowls; plates are more suitable for toddlers who can confidently feed themselves.

Look for products that

• Can easily be sterilised
• Are dishwasher safe - if you have a dishwasher there is no need to sterilise plates and dishes, although you should continue to sterilise bottles and teats
• Are microwave safe - useful for heating small amounts of food, as long as you remember to stir them well to disperse the heat evenly
• Have curved edges to make scooping easier
• Have suction pads - babies enjoy tipping the contents of their bowls over themselves or on to the floor
• Are heat-sensitive, and change colour if the food is too hot
• Have a lid, and/or a compartment underneath for hot water to keep food warm while feeding
• Are divided into sections, so you can separate food when you're introducing new tastes

You'll need several spoons for feeding your baby, but baby forks aren't necessary until your baby has progressed into full-time self-feeding. Avoid metal cutlery, even in small sizes until late toddlerhood.

Look for spoons that:

• Have shallow bowls and will fit comfortably into your baby’s mouth
• Are made from materials that are not going to hurt tender gums
• Have longer handles that fit comfortably into your hand if you are doing the feeding
• Will be easy for your baby to hold with chunkier, shorter handles and possibly finger grips once your baby is feeding himself

Start with a lidded beaker that takes just a small quantity and is lightweight to hold, and progress from there as your baby becomes more adept

Look for designs that are:

• Easy to hold - some babies prefer double handles, others do better holding the cup itself
• Easy to drink from. A baby will find a spouted cup easiest to use, but check the number and size of the holes, as this will affect how fast the liquid flows. Choose a cup with just a few, small holes to start with
• Difficult to spill. You can get self-righting designs, spouts with valves so that you can turn it upside down without spilling the content, leakproof lids, and lids that lock and unlock