ITS IMPOSSIBLE
TO SPOIL A BABY
WITH LOVE

For the first 6 months of life, breastfed babieswill get what they need from their mother’s milk.

• Breast milk has the right amount and quality of nutrients to suit your baby’s first food needs.
• It is easiest on her digestive system, so there’s less chance of constipation or diarrhea.
• Breast milk also contains antibodies and other immune factors that help your baby prevent and fight off illness.
• Babies who are exclusively breastfed should get a daily supplement of vitamin D, which is available as drops.

• Formula should be cow milk-based.
• Homemade formulas made from canned, evaporated, whole milk (cow or goat) are not recommended as a breast milk substitute.
• Homemade formulas can contain harmful germs and lack important nutrients that can make your baby sick.
• Soy, rice or other plant-based beverages, even when fortified, are not appropriate as a breastmilk substitute as they are nutritionally incomplete for infants. There is no evidence that soy-based formula will prevent your child from developing an allergy.
• Soy-based infant formulas should only be used as an alternative to cow milk-based formula if your baby has galactosemia (a rare disorder that will affect how your baby’s body processes simple sugar) or if your baby cannot consume dairy-based products for cultural or religious reasons.
• Talk to your doctor if you are unsure which formula is best for your child.

• Seems hungry earlier than usual.
• Can sit up without support, and has good control of his neck muscles.
• Holds food in his mouth without pushing it out on his tongue right away.
• Shows interest in food when others are eating.
• Opens his mouth when he sees food coming his way.
• Can let you know he doesn’t want food by leaning back or turning his head away.

Remember that all babies are different. Some babies may be ready a few weeks before or just after 6 months. However, waiting too long after 6 months to introduce other foods increases your baby’s risk of iron deficiency.

There are many ways to introduce solid food. The first foods usually vary from culture to culture and from family to family.

• Start with foods that contain iron, which babies need for many different aspects of their development. Meat, poultry, cooked egg yolk and well-cooked legumes (beans, lentils, chick peas) are good sources of iron. Store-bought iron-fortified infant cereals such as rice or barley are also common first foods because they are good sources of iron.
• There is no special order to introduce new foods to your baby. It is not recommended delaying any food (such as peanuts, fish or eggs) beyond 6 months of age as a way to prevent your child from developing allergies. This applies even if your child is at high risk for developing an allergy (a child is considered high risk if a parent or sibling has an allergic condition). Talk to your doctor if you are unsure.
• When introducing foods that are common food allergens, try offering no more than one per day. Wait two days before you introduce another. This makes it easier to identify a food that may have caused a reaction.

Babies who are exclusively breastfed don’t need extra water. When your baby begins to eat other foods, you can start to offer water occasionally.

• Babies and children don’t need to drink juice. Too much juice, especially apple juice, can cause diarrhea and can fill up small stomachs, decreasing your baby’s appetite for nutritious foods. Too much juice can also cause early childhood tooth decay.
• Offer water to babies and young children between meals and snacks if they are thirsty. If you choose to offer juice, be sure it is only 100% fruit juice. Always offer it in an open cup, and as part of a meal or snack. Limit juice to 125 to 175 mL (4 to 6 oz.) per day.