June 2010

Babies and Nutrition The best food for newborn babies is breast milk. Breast milk is the only food needed for babies for the milk is the can be continued with other foods for two years or longer. Breast milk helps to prevent illnesses in infants and may prevent allergies (CFPC, 2004). When babies are breastfed and don’t receive any other foods, a vitamin D supplement is recommended. Sunlight is the best source of vitamin D, but babies and young children should not be exposed to direct sunlight (PHAC, 2009). Talk to your health care provider about supplements. Once your baby starts eating other foods you may be able to stop giving the supplement (PHAC, 2009).
fi rst six months and can be unlight ldren alk to b b The next best option, if breast feeding is not possible, is commercial infant formula prepared safely and correctly. Another fact sheet in this toolkit provides information on how to safely prepare formula. At about six months, babies are ready to start eating solid foods in addition to breast milk or formula. Be sure to choose nutritious foods and foods that contain iron. Iron is needed to help our bod ies carry oxygen to all of our body’s cells. Babies and children need iron to help their brains develop and grow.
Foods containing iron: • iron-forti fi ed cereal; • meat or meat alternatives; • • legumes, including beans; and some vegetables, like spinach (CPS, 2007).
Your baby will be able to use iron better if it is given along with foods containing vitamin C. Vitamin C is in many fruits and veg etables. Good sources of vitamin C for infants are broccoli, bell peppers, tomatoes, melon pieces, and chopped berries. Citrus fruits and juices (like orange juice, diluted with water and given in 1

2 a c ba I t trying another new tion you’ll have a b fi ve days before tion you’ll have a better understanding of what caused it.
Since fruits are sweet, many experts suggest introducing your baby to vegetables before fruits so that your baby doesn’t develop a prefer ence for sweets.
In Canada, the most common food real fi fi rst introduced to infants is cereal with added iron (Health Canada, 2005). Many parents choose rice ce rst since it is the least likely to cause an allergic reaction. Meat and alternatives, such as cooked egg yolks, well cooked legumes, and tofu are also good sources of iron for your baby. Babies can be fed commercially prepared baby foods or homemade baby food. Homemade foods should be made by pureeing fresh or frozen foods without adding any sugar, salt, or spices. Commercially prepared foods should not have added salt, sugar, or spices. Check the label.
Other foods, such as dairy products, can also be added. When the baby is close to one year old he or she can eat pieces of soft cooked vegetables, soft ripe fruit, cheese cubes, cooked meat and poultry, and dry toast (Health Canada, 2005).
At about 1 year, babies can be given whole cow’s milk. Partly skimmed or skim milk is not appropriate for children under 2 years old. After 2 years your baby can have whole or 2% milk (CPS, 2009).

Babies and Nutrition If breast feeding is stopped before one year, cow’s milk should not be given. Formula with added iron should be used instead (LLLI, 2009).
For the fi rst 6 months, your baby doesn’t need any drinks other than breast milk or formula. After 6 months you can give your baby 100% fruit juices, diluted with water but do not give too much. Your baby’s stomach is small and too much juice may make your baby drink less milk. Do not give your baby sugary drinks like fruit punch or pop. These drinks can affect your baby’s teeth.
Don’t give your infant the following foods: • Honey and corn syrup because of the risk of botulism (a food-borne illness caused be a toxin released • “Desserts” because they have little nutritional • • value and can lead to obesity.
Avoid canned vegetables if possible because they contain too much salt.
Nuts, whole grapes, popcorn, potato chips, hot • • dog slices, and hard candies because these can cause your baby the choke.
Babies under 1 year old should not have egg whites.
Babies under 1 year old should not have shell fi sh (such as lobster, shrimp, scallops) and if there are allergies to these foods in your family you may want to wait until the baby is 3 years old.
• If there are allergies in your family, you may to wait until your baby is 3 years old before introducing peanuts and tree 3

• nuts (such as walnuts).
Avoid French fries, bacon, lunch meats (such as bologna), pudding, and cookies until your baby is at least 1 year old be By one year, your baby should be able to eat most of the healthy foods the rest of the family eats.
Health Canada: Infant Feeding http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/child-enfant/infant nourisson/index-eng.php Health Canada: Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/pubs/infant-nourrisson/nut_in fant_nourrisson_term-eng.php Canadian Paediatric Society: Iron needs of babies and children http://www.cps.ca/caringforkids/pregnancy&babies/ironreq.htm World Health Organization: Nutrition http://www.who.int/nutrition/en/ La Leche League International (breastfeeding information) http://www.llli.org/ 4

Babies and Nutrition Canadian Paediatric Society (2009). Weaning your child from breast feeding. Retrieved May 13, 2010 from reast http://www.caringforkids.cps.
ca/pregnancy&babies/Weaning.htm Canadian Paediatric Society (2007). Iron needs of babies and chil dren. Retrieved March 30, 2010 from hil http://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/ pregnancy&babies/IronReq.htm Canadian Paediatric Society (2006). Feeding your baby in the fi rst year. Retrieved March 29, 2010 from http://www.cps.ca/caringforkids/ pregnancy&babies/Feeding.htm College of Family Physicians of Canada (2004). Infant feeding policy statement 2004. Retrieved May 13, 2010 from http://www.cfpc.ca/ local/ fi les/Communications/Health%20Policy/Final_04Infant_Feed ing_Policy_Statement.pdf Health Canada (2005). Food and Nutrition: Transition to Solid Foods. Retrieved May 13, 2010 from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/pubs/ infant-nourrisson/nut_infant_nourrisson_term_6-eng.php La Leche League International (2009). First foods for babies. Retrieved May 17, 2010 from http://www.llli.org/FAQ/ fi rstfoods.html New Jersey Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) (2003). Infant feeding guide for healthy infants: birth to 8 months. Retrieved May 17, 2010 from guide.pdf http://www.
nal.usda.gov/wicworks/Sharing_Center/NJ/infant%20feeding%20 The Public Health Agency of Canada (2009). Breastfeeding and infant nutrition. Retrieved May 17, 2010 from http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ dca-dea/prenatal/nutrition-eng.php 5