Healthy eating for babies (0-12 months)

Breastmilk, or commercial infant formula, supplies babies with all of the energy, nutrients, and fluids that they need until 6 months old. By this time, extra food will be needed to maintain healthy growth and development.

Common challenges and helpful tips

Feeding is a learning curve

Feeding is a learned skill for both parents and babies that takes time, practice, and patience. As you get to know your baby’s hunger and fullness signs, you’ll get a better understanding of when, how much and how long to feed your baby for. Your Maternal and Child Health Nurse can help you find an approach that works for you.

 

Signs your baby is ready for solids

Your baby will let you know that they are ready to start solids in the following ways:

  • Holding their head up and sitting with support.
  • Showing hunger signs after a breast or formula feed.
  • Chewing or putting their hands in their mouth when you eat.
  • Watching, leaning, reaching and grabbing for food and utensils.
  • No longer sticking their tongue out when food is put in their mouth.

 

Introducing solids

The first foods you introduce to your baby should be rich in iron, such as:

  • Iron-fortified baby cereal mixed to a smooth texture with expressed breast milk or formula.
  • Pureed meat, poultry, fish, egg, lentils or leafy green vegetables.

Start with small amounts of a single food, rather than a mixture, after a breast or bottle feed and build up over time.

Offer pureed vegetables before fruit so that your baby learns to enjoy both. Try to provide different colours at every meal – fresh, frozen and canned varieties are all healthy options.

Gradually vary the texture from pureed to mashed, then minced and chopped foods as your baby gets older. From 12 months, your baby should be eating the same food as the rest of the family.

 

Introducing healthy drinks

Continue to feed your baby breastmilk and infant formula while you introduce solids.

Pasteurised cow’s milk can be included as yoghurt or on cereal from 8 months but should not replace breast milk or formula until 12 months old.

Start to give your baby cooled boiled water in a sippy cup from 6months of age. Water straight from the tap is the best drink for children from 12 months.

Key nutrients

Our food and nutrition needs change as we grow and age. Choose healthy options from the five food groups that help meet the demands of key nutrients for your child’s life stage.

Iron

Function

  • Helps red blood cells carry oxygen around the body.
  • Absorbs B vitamins and calcium.
  • Helps fight infection and heal wounds.

Food sources

  • Iron-fortified infant cereals
  • Pureed meats, poultry and fish
  • Cooked lentils, beans and chickpeas
  • Cooked egg
  • Cooked plain tofu

 

Zinc

Function

  • Boosts immune function
  • Develops brain and nervous system
  • Needed for healthy skin, bones and teeth

Food sources

  • Red meat
  • Wholegrain cereals
  • Green vegetables
  • Seafood
  • Nuts and seeds

 

Vitamin C

Function

  • Absorbs iron
  • Fights infection

 

Food Sources

All fruits and vegetables. Highest in:

  • Capsicum, broccoli, cauliflower and asparagus
  • Kiwi fruit, oranges and mango

 

Try our Banana & Oat Pancakes recipe

Our Banana & Oat Pancakes are suitable for infants from 9 months old. It is important to let babies practice feeding themselves as it promotes good eating behaviours, allows them to practice picking things up, and makes them less likely to become fussy eaters. These soft and fluffy pancakes are perfect for encouraging your baby to feed themselves with their hands.

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Page last updated: Wednesday, 12 June 2024

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