A Guide to Baby Feeding Essentials: From Bottles to First Foods

Feeding equipment is one of the areas where new parents are marketed the hardest — huge gift sets, gadgets for every stage, and an implication that you need it all from day one. In reality, what you need changes as your baby grows, and the essentials at each stage are fairly short lists. This guide covers milk feeding, then introducing solid foods, based on current NHS guidance.

Milk feeding: the first six months

The NHS recommends exclusive breastfeeding, or first infant formula if you’re not breastfeeding, as your baby’s primary source of nutrition for around the first six months, continuing alongside solid foods after that.

If you’re breastfeeding

You don’t need much equipment to breastfeed, but many parents find a few things helpful: nursing bras, breast pads, a nursing pillow for support, and — if you plan to express — a breast pump and storage bags or containers. None of this is required to breastfeed successfully; it’s about comfort and flexibility, and it’s worth waiting to see what you actually find useful rather than buying everything upfront.

If you’re formula feeding (or combination feeding)

The core list is short:

• First infant formula (whey-based, suitable from birth)
• Bottles — you need far fewer than most gift sets contain; four to six is generally plenty to start, since you’ll be washing and sterilising between feeds
• A steriliser (steam, microwave or cold-water) or the equipment to sterilise by boiling
• A bottle brush for cleaning
• A kettle or a means of accurately measuring water temperature, since formula preparation guidance is specific about water temperature and mixing order

Always follow the preparation instructions on the formula packaging exactly, including water temperature and powder-to-water ratios — this is a genuine safety matter, not just a recommendation, so it’s worth reading the instructions rather than assuming all formula brands prepare the same way.

Introducing solid foods (weaning)

The NHS advises that most babies are ready to start solid foods at around six months old, and recommends waiting until then rather than starting earlier, because babies need to have developed certain abilities first. Specifically, the NHS points to three signs of readiness that should appear together:

• Your baby can stay in a sitting position and hold their head steady
• Your baby can co-ordinate their eyes, hands and mouth well enough to look at food, pick it up and bring it to their mouth
• Your baby can swallow food, rather than spitting it back out

Milk (breast milk or first infant formula) remains your baby’s main source of nutrition throughout early weaning — solid food at this stage is about learning to eat, not replacing milk feeds.

What equipment do you actually need to start weaning?

• A highchair your baby can sit upright and supported in — this matters for safety as much as convenience, since a slumped position increases choking risk.
• Weaning spoons — soft-tipped, baby-sized.
• A few small bowls — non-slip bases are genuinely useful once your baby starts wanting to grab everything.
• A bib or two and a wipeable mat under the highchair, purely for your own sanity.

You do not need a full baby food processor, pouches, or specialist “weaning kits” to start — the NHS guidance from six months onward specifically notes that many babies can go straight to mashed, lumpy or finger foods, without needing everything puréed or blended.

First foods

NHS guidance suggests starting with a small amount of solid food, once a day, at whatever time suits you and your baby, then building up gradually. Good first foods include mashed or soft, cooked sticks of vegetables and fruit — parsnip, broccoli, potato, sweet potato, carrot, apple or pear are commonly suggested. Starting with vegetables that aren’t especially sweet, rather than only the sweeter options like carrot and sweet potato, is a common tip for helping babies get used to a range of tastes.

Introducing allergens

Current NHS guidance is that foods containing common allergens — such as peanuts, hens’ eggs, gluten and fish — can be introduced from around six months, one at a time and in small amounts, so you can identify any reaction. If your family has a history of food allergies, or you’re at all unsure, talk to your GP or health visitor before introducing allergenic foods.

Choking hazards to avoid

Some foods carry a specific choking risk for babies and young children and should be avoided or modified:

• Whole nuts and raw carrot or apple in large pieces
• Hard pips, stones and bones
• Small round foods like grapes, cherry tomatoes or blueberries — these should be cut into quarters, not just in half

Always stay with your baby while they’re eating, and check current NHS guidance directly if you’re ever unsure about a specific food.

A note on gadgets

Baby food makers, warming stations, pouches and specialist weaning “systems” can be genuinely convenient for some families, but none of them are required to feed a baby well. If you’re working to a budget, the highchair and basic bowls/spoons are worth getting right; the rest can be added later if you find you want it.

Sources

• NHS — Your baby’s first solid foods (accessed September 2026)
• NHS Best Start in Life — Feeding your baby from around 6 months (accessed September 2026)