# Safest materials for baby spoons/utensils?



## Joshuasmom16 (Oct 20, 2007)

My 4 month old will probably start eating solids soon. I'm very wary of plastics so I'm wondering what will be the safest material for spoons? I'm sure metal is best, but I wonder if silicone or melamine spoons are safe? Does anyone know about this or share my same concerns?


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## cristeen (Jan 20, 2007)

I'd go with either stainless or bamboo.


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## crunchy_mama (Oct 11, 2004)

I think cristeen listed good options. However, I would look around here and consider waiting to introduce solids. Also, many around here do baby led solids and wait to introduce solids until the babe is able to pick up chunks themselves and forgo purees.


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## tankgirl73 (Jun 10, 2007)

Yeah, 4mo is still way too young. Many peds still dole out that old advice, but the AAP itself recommends 6mo at the earliest, and it's better later than 'too early' anyway.

And you don't need spoons early on anyway. DEFINITELY look into self-feeding (sometimes called baby-led weaning, NOT to be confused with stopping breastfeeding, it just means weaning-onto-solids), it's made our whole solids journey a piece of cake. No food fights, no panics, no measuring everything, NO PUREES, no 'special' baby food. She's just eaten what she wanted from what we were eating, at first just 'tasting' then around 7-8mo ingesting.

Now at 12mo she's a champ, eats just about everything, eats more 'grownup' food than her 9yo brother does. And is NOW starting to use a spoon. We started some spoonfeeding around 9mo, with foods like yogurt, but mostly loaded the spoon then gave it to her. Now she's starting to spoon it herself.

All that being said, when the time comes... silicone is probably safe. Isn't melamine a kind of plastic? I'm not certain about that one. We have stainless steel baby utensils (from Oneida), and some Gerber ones with a plastic handle but stainless steel ends. There are also the "Bambu" brand ones, made from bamboo, which we are lusting after heh...


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## Joshuasmom16 (Oct 20, 2007)

Thanks everyone! It's so confusing b/c we always get differing advice... but I do think we'll hold off on the solids. Our pedi said it was okay to start rice cereal... but I like the idea of self feeing, I just don't think I understand it?! Can someone direct me to a website or link? thanks!!
melissa


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## tankgirl73 (Jun 10, 2007)

Sure! It's one of my favourite things to "spread the word" about. It's so non-mainstream, but the moment I first read about it I was like "whoa, that makes SO much sense!"

http://www.borstvoeding.com/voedseli...uidelines.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby-led_weaning
http://babyledweaning.blogware.com/
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/sta...abyledweaning/
http://newbrowne.blogspot.com/2007/0...oughts_06.html

And here's a great article from MSNBC, not about BLW specifically, but debunking the myths of purees and bland foods.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9646449/

Have fun!


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## Joshuasmom16 (Oct 20, 2007)

Tankgirl - thank you so much for the links! I will have fun checking it out! I love reading up on alternative techniques!!!


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## Chrissy H (Apr 2, 2014)

Melamine is a big no. I've wondered the same thing, and am currently leaning towards bamboo.


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