1

Feeding Your Baby

6 months to 1 year2

Feeding your baby is about

many things:

•It’s about nutrition.

•It’s about forming a close bond with your baby.

•It’s about helping your baby feel secure and loved.

•It’s about your baby’s growth and development.

•It’s about developing life-long healthy eating habits.

Health Canada recommends that breastmilk is the only food your baby
needs until your baby is 6 months old. Infants should start iron-rich foods
at 6 months with continued breastfeeding for 2 years or longer.

•Breastfeeding is healthy,natural, convenient, and free.

•Breastmilk containsantibodies that lowerthe chance of yourbaby getting

sick.3

Vitamin and Mineral Supplements

Fluoride

Fluoride helps children develop strong teeth. Do not give fluoride

supplements to your baby before 6 months of age. It can harm your
baby’s developing teeth. At 6 months of age, your baby may need fluoride
drops if your water supply does not contain fluoride. Some communities
do not put fluoride in the water. Check with your local public health office
or dentist to see if the water in your community is fluoridated. Talk to your
health care provider for more information.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is needed for bone growth. Most babies, no matter the season
or where they live, need a supplement of vitamin D starting at birth.

Currently, Health Canada recommends that all breastfed, healthy term

babies receive 400 IU (International Units) of liquid vitamin D supplement
each day.
Infant formula contains added vitamin D.Babies who are formula fed but
aredrinking less than 1000 ml or 32 ounces aday, would benefit from 400
IU vitamin Dsupplement each day.

Babies who are partially breastfed and supplemented with formula, would
benefit from 400 IU vitamin D supplement each day.

Older babies and toddlers may still benefit from vitamin D supplements.
Speak to your health care provider about vitamin D needs for your child.4

Help your baby be successful with eating

• Make sure baby is sitting up during meal times – in a highchair is best.

• Include your baby in the family mealtime routine. Feed your baby while
other family

members are eating.

• Stay with your baby when she is eating. Talk quietly and encourage her
while she eats.

Let your baby take the lead with eating:

• Let your baby open his mouth before you feed him.

• Let your baby touch her food - in the dish, on the spoon, or on the tray.

• Allow her to feed herself with her fingers as soon as she shows interest.

• Feed your baby at his pace. Do not try to get him to go faster or slower
than he wants.

• Stop feeding when your baby shows that she has had enough. Do not
force your baby to finish her food. A baby will eat when she is hungry and
stop when she is full. Remember a baby’s appetite can change from day
to day.

• Be patient when offering new foods. It may take 15-20 tries of a new
food before

your baby likes it.

• Have fun!

Signs of hunger

• Excited and smacks lips when placed in

high chair

• Opens mouth when offered food

• Leans forward and reaches for the food

Signs of fullness

• Shuts mouth when offered food

• Turns or pushes the food away

• Cries to get out of high chair5

Why wait until my baby is 6 months old to start solid foods?

Since birth your baby has been growing well on breastmilk or infant
formula with iron. At 6 months breastmilk and formula with iron should still
be your baby’s main food, but now it is time to add solid foods. Solid foods
provide nutrients and textures needed for your baby’s healthy growth and
development.

If you give your baby solid foods too early:

•Your baby may drink less breastmilk or iron fortified infant formula.

•Your baby may have a hard time swallowing solid foods which may
increase

the risk of choking.

Studies show that feeding solid foods will not help your baby sleep
through the night!

These are signs your baby is ready for solid foods:

•sits up with very little help

•holds his head up

•opens her mouth when food is offered

•turns his head to refuse food

NOTE: If your baby was born prematurely, speak with your health care
provider for guidelines on when to start solid foods.6

Feeding Tips

•Choose foods and textures that suit your baby’s skillsand age.

•It is important to try different textures. This helps baby to learnto chew,
swallow and enjoy the same food the family is eating.

•Babies do not need to have teeth to eat solid foods.

•You can make your own food for baby. See page 16 for how-to ideas.

•If using store-bought baby food, check the expiry date on the jar or
package.Do not use past the expiry date.
•Use a small bowl or plate for feeding your baby. Do not feed your baby
from the jar.

•Any food left over should be thrown out as germs can spoil the food.

•When warming baby food, stir and test it to make sure it is not too hot.

•Put a small amount of food in front of your baby and see what happens.
Your baby mayplay with it, taste it or eat it all.

•Start with one or two teaspoons of food and gradually increase according
to baby’sappetite. Let baby decide how much to eat.

•Start with one meal a day and gradually increase to three meals a day
and snacks.

•Your baby does not need sugar, sweeteners or salt added to food.

•Try only one new food at a time. Wait at least two days before trying
another new food.This helps you find out if a food causes an allergic
reaction. Stop feeding the food if the babyhas a reaction. Talk to your
health care provider. Call 911 or emergency services if your babyis having
trouble breathing.

Some possible signs of an allergic reaction are:

•rash or hives•vomiting•diarrhea

•stomach pain•breathing problems

DID YOU KNOW? Your baby’s poop may change colour or consistency with
new foods. This is normal.

NOTE: Vegetarian diets are sometimes low in fat and calories. If you are
planning a vegetarian diet, speak to a registered dietitian by calling your
local public health office or community health centre. Manitoba residents
can also speak to a registered dietitian by calling Dial-a-Dietitian at 204-
788-8248 or toll free 1-877-830-2892.7

Iron Rich Foods

At 6 months your baby should start with iron-rich foods because your
baby’s iron level is becoming low. Iron is important for healthy red blood
cells and for brain development.

Feeding iron-rich foods to your baby:

•Add one new iron-rich food at a time.

•Try beef, pork, lamb, veal, chicken, turkey, fish, wild meat, egg, tofu,

legumes (split peas, beans, lentils) and iron-fortified cereal.

•Give fish without bones such as white fish, salmon and light canned tuna.
Limit swordfish,shark, fresh or frozen tuna steak, canned albacore tuna,
marlin, orange roughy and escolar toonce per month because they are
often high in mercury.

•Processed meats such as ham, bacon, wieners, salami, bologna or

sausages are not goodchoices. They are high in salt and low in nutrition.

•You can start with one to two teaspoons of food and gradually increase
according to baby’sappetite. Let baby decide how much to eat.

DID YOU KNOW? Research now shows it is not necessary to delay giving
fish, eggs, or any food to your baby to reduce or prevent allergies to these
foods.

Fish BeefLentils ChickenIRON RICH FOODS 8

Feeding eggs to your baby

•Egg yolk is high in iron. Youcan offer your baby the wholeegg (both the
white and yolk).

•Try mashed hard-boiled eggs or scrambled eggs.

•Do not feed your baby foods that contain raw or under-cooked(runny)
eggs.

Feeding iron-fortified infant cereal to your baby:

•Choose iron-fortified infantcereal, not adult cereal.Infant cereal has more

ironthan adult cereal.

•Start with single-grain,iron-fortified infantcereals like rice, barleyor

oatmeal. Then, offermixed grain iron-fortifiedinfant cereal.

•Read the label on thecereal box and followdirections for mixing.

NOTE: Low birth weight babies or premature infants have special iron
needs. Talk to your health care provider for more information.9

Vegetables

Feeding vegetables to baby:

•Try one new vegetable at a time.

•Let baby learn the taste of each vegetable.

•Examples of vegetables to try are soft

cooked broccoli, potatoes, squash,

peas, green and yellow beans, carrots, etc.

•You can use fresh, frozen or canned vegetables.

Rinse the canned vegetables first to remove

some of the salt or use unsalted products.

Fruit

Feeding fruit to baby:

•Try one new fruit at a time.

•Use soft, ripe, fresh fruit, cooked fruit or unsweetened canned fruit in its
own

juice (not in syrup). Use a fork to mash fruit before feeding it to your baby
(see the

Recipe and Feeding Guide on page 16 of this booklet).

•Examples of fruit to try are bananas, pears, peaches, plums, avocado,

frozen

berries, etc.

•Store-bought “baby desserts” are high in sugar. Your baby does not need
them.

Fruit juice:

•Babies get all the fluid they need from breastmilk or infant formula with
iron. They do notneed juice, fruit drinks, drink crystals or pop. These
beverages can cause early childhoodtooth decay (rotten teeth).

Vegetablesand Fruit

After your baby has started eating iron-rich foods, vegetables and fruit can
be added to meals.

VEGETABLES AND FRUIT 10

Grain Products

Feeding grain products to your baby:

•Iron-fortified infant cereal is usually the first grain product given

tobabies. Continue to feed iron-fortified infant cereals and start to
addother grain products that are in the right texture for your baby.

•Examples of grain products to try are cooked barley, rice, oats,

bulgur,quinoa and foods like breads, bagels, pasta, couscous, pancakes
andunsalted crackers.
•Choose whole grain varieties. Include brown or wild rice, and wholewheat
pastas. Look for ingredients like “whole grain”, “whole wheatflour”, “whole
rye”, “whole oat” or “whole barley” when choosingbreads and cereals.

•Sometimes as babies get older, they no longer want infantcereal made in

the usual way. Vegetables and fruit can beadded to change the taste and
add variety.11

Milk Products

Feeding milk products to your baby:

•Breastfeeding is recommended until your baby is 2 years of ageand

older.

•Once your baby is eating iron-rich foods at most meals and is between9
to 12 months of age, homogenized (3.25% MF) cow’s milk can be
offeredin a lidless cup.

•Other milk products to try include plain yogurt, cottage cheese, and
other types of cheeselike cheddar or mozzarella. Harder cheese can be
grated or cut intothin slices.

•Limit your baby to 3 cups (750 ml) of milk per day. Your baby needs a
variety of foods tostay healthy.

•Unpasteurized cow’s milk and unpasteurized cheese are not safe.

•Wait until your child is at least 2 years old to give 2% MF or any other
low-fat milk, soybeverage, almond beverage or rice beverage. These
beverages do not contain enoughnutrients to help your baby grow.

GRAIN PRODUCTS / MILK PRODUCTS 12

Textures of Food for Baby

Textures

It is important for baby to try different textures. This helps baby learn to
chew, swallow and enjoy the same food the family is eating.

Some tips:

• Choose foods and textures that suit your baby’s skill and age.

• If you offer lumpier foods too late, it may be difficult to get your baby to
accept these foods.

• Seat your baby at the family table either in their high chair or on your
lap.

• Babies gag or spit out food when learning to eat. This is normal.
• Let baby explore and make a mess while eating. Mashing, smelling and
smearing are all part of learning to eat. This increases confidence and
willingness to try new things.

• Learning to eat is a gradual process and does not happen overnight.

Textures of food for baby

6 months 7 to 8 months 9 to 12 months

Strained, pureed, Mashed, minced, grated, Diced, cubed,

smooth foods finely chopped foods; table and finger foods

table and finger foods