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A Baby Feeding Guide, From Breastfeeding to Self-feeding!
Feeding baby, from the time they’re born until they’re capable of chowing down with their own knife and fork, can be quite the journey, and that’s where Haakaa comes in. From breast pumps and bottles to beginner cutlery and dinnerware, we’ve got you covered with some of the best newborn essentials and baby feeding products you can find. Let’s have a look at what we’ve got available for every stage!
The Beginning
For the first few months, babies need nothing more than milk, and that’s true whether you’re choosing to breastfeed, bottle feed, or a combo of both. Our range of (in our humble opinion) the best and most affordable manualbreast pumps makes it easy to share the load and help every caregiver feel involved, even if you’re planning to stick to breastmilk. From the original one-piece silicone Gen 1 to the extremely popular Gen 2 with its additional capacity options and handy suction base, to the adaptable Gen 3, there’s a choice for every family. Each of these pumps, while unique, works in the same way, utilising natural suction to gently draw out breastmilk for later use – especially great for those who have chosen to share nighttime feeds. And if you’re dealing with leakage between feeds, or let-down from your other breast while bubs is latched, Haakaa’s Ladybug Breast Milk Collector will become your new best friend, letting you save that milk without worrying about your clothing getting wet or stained. And if you want to do both? The Shell, our latest addition to the family, is a handy, discreet little option that lets you actively pump or passively collect as needed, making it perfect for those who need that extra bit of versatility!
Once you’ve collected your milk, you’ll need a way to get started with breastmilk storage so you can have it ready to feed your baby. So, how do you store breastmilk? If you’ve got the Gen 3, you’re already off to a good start, as the flange can be removed and replaced with a seal for storage or a bottle teat for feeding. If you don’t have that, or if you have more milk to store than your pump can handle while you’re still using it, you have a couple of choices. Many mums ask themselves, “Can I reuse milk storage bags?”, and we’re always very pleased to tell you that when it comes to Haakaa Milk Storage Bags, the answer is a resounding YES. Available in two different designs (the original Silicone Milk Storage Bag and the newer Happii Bear Milk Storage Bag), you can’t go wrong. Because they’re made of soft, safe 100% silicone, you can use either variety of Haakaa Milk Storage Bag for freezing, refrigerating, and even warming and feeding, thanks to the handy Squeeze & Feed Attachment Set. Best of all, neither of these options is made of plastic, so for those of you who are trying your best to go plastic-free, we’ve got you.
When you’re ready to feed all that collected breastmilk to your baby, or if you need to mix up some formula, Haakaa has two baby bottle varieties for you to choose from – silicone and glass. The Silicone Baby Bottles come in two sizes and are compatible with all our Gen 3 Pump attachments, making them more than just a bottle. Use them for storage or for feeding purées once bubs has begun to move to solids, as well as a pump or bottle! There are several teats available to tailor things to your little one’s needs, from slow, medium and fast flows to anti-colic (good for babies who are predominantly or solely bottle-fed) and orthodontic nipples with off-centre teats (great for breastfed babies – though technically the valves make both these options anti-colic bottles). Each part is designed to be super easy to clean and sterilise, because we know you have more than enough to do without worrying about mucking around with hard-to-clean bottle parts.
If you’re more of a glass bottle family, we also have a range of sizes for you to choose from, depending on your child’s appetite! Best of all, these glass baby bottles fall into the Gen 3 family, so you can swap out the bottle teat for any of the Gen 3 attachments that don’t require squeezing or suction – this includes the storage disk and the sippy spout attachment for when baby is a bit older. The borosilicate glass used in these bottles is temperature- and thermal-shock-resistant, which is especially handy for daily use, and, as with the silicone bottles, they’re easy to clean and sterilise. Just bear in mind, though, that borosilicate glass is still glass, so it will break if you drop it – just take extra care!
Tools to Transition to Solids
Before you know it, your tiny newborn isn’t going to be quite so tiny, and milk just isn’t going to cut it anymore. Around six months of age, they’ll be ready to start solids, and there’s a whole range of toddler feeding tools, first baby cutlery sets, baby-led weaning utensils and more to choose from. So, what are the essential feeding tools for a new baby (or not-so-new, as the case may be), and are silicone feeding tools safe for babies? We’ll start with that second question, and the answer is yes, they are very safe for babies. They’re soft, yet incredibly durable, so using silicone baby spoons and the like is extra peace of mind for mum and dad, as they’re unlikely to be able to hurt themselves while using them. As for which tools to use? Well, that’s up to you, but we’ll give you a quick rundown of some of our most special ways to enable you to encourage self-feeding in your baby.
The Fresh Food Feeder is a 100% silicone option that lets you put whatever foods you want to introduce to your baby in a safe, soft, robust pouch that locks securely into its holder. Why is this good? Because the pouch contains holes that only let out tiny pieces of food, letting your precious little one get used to new flavours and textures without running the risk of choking. The handles are adorable, but more importantly, are also made of the same robust silicone you know and trust, making them great for little ones with sore gums to chew on
To complement this is the Pineapple Nibble Tray, a wonderful freezing and baking tray that just so happens to create portions that fit right into the pouch of the Fresh Food Feeder! Each portion is also a great size for little ones to hold as they learn to deal with finger foods, making it doubly useful. You can even use it as a separated snack plate if you’ve got a fussy eater!
When it comes to baby’s first cutlery set, you don’t need to go much further than our Bendy Cutlery Set. Why? Because it allows you to adjust the angle of the spoon and fork to suit the way your baby eats! The iron core lets the baby cutlery be bent in any direction, while the thick, food-grade silicone outer layer ensures little hands and faces remain safe at all times, as well as being gentle on gums. Pair it with the Silicone Divided Plate or the Handcrafted Wooden Mushroom Bowl (complete with suction base!) for even easier transitions to solids and self-feeding, as these plates have scoop sides for easy feeding, even as they’re working on that all-important fine motor skill development.
