Infant and child nutrition

Good nutrition is especially important in early life for

  • Healthy growth and to support learning and development
  • Developing muscles and building skills needed for eating and talking
  • Learning to like and develop habits for healthy foods and water
  • Reducing risk of chronic diseases later in life (eg diabetes, heart and kidney disease)

Children grow well with

  • A healthy environment that includes love, care, play and sleep
  • Only breastmilk until around 6 months of age 
  • A variety of age-appropriate foods introduced at around 6 months

Nutrition under 6 months of age

Introducing solid foods

  • Do not offer solid foods before 4 months of age
  • Babies need food as well as breastmilk at around 6 months of age when they
    • Can hold their head up and sit with minimal support
    • Are interested in and grab for food  — Figure 3.1
    • Open their mouth when you offer food  — Figure 3.2
    • Are still hungry after breastfeeds
  • If baby is not eating any solid foods by 7 months of age — medical or child health nurse consult
  • Iron rich foods (iron fortified cereal, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, legumes) are needed to support growth, development and prevent anaemia — see Anaemia (weak blood) in children and youth

Figure 3.1   

                   

Figure 3.2   

Feeding young children

  • Offer a variety of foods regularly across the day (3 meals plus snacks)
  • Let children guide how much food to eat. Children are hungry when they
    • Are excited about and try to reach for food when they see others eating
    • Lean forward and open their mouth ready to be fed
  • Do not force children to eat if they are not hungry. Offer food later if a child
    • Turns their head away, pushes spoon away or firmly closes their mouth
    • Is distracted or not interested in food
  • Encourage families to eat meals together. Children learn new eating skills by watching other people

Table 3.5