The information in this article will help you learn how to make feeding your new baby or busy toddler a positive experience.

Feeding Your Baby

Off to a Good Start: Breastfeeding

Breast milk is the best food for babies, and almost all mothers can do it:

• Start breastfeeding as soon as your baby is born.
• Breastfeeding can take practice, so don’t be afraid to ask for help.
• Breastfeed on cue, whenever your baby is hungry.
• If you choose not to breastfeed or cannot breastfeed, use a store-bought, iron-fortified infant formula for the first 9–12 months.
• Don’t give your baby cow’s milk, goat’s milk, fortified soy or rice beverages, or homemade evaporated milk formulas.
• Breast milk is the only food a young baby needs. Don’t give your baby water, other liquids, infant cereal or other solid foods during the first six months.
• Give your baby vitamin D drops each day if you are breastfeeding.
• Formula-fed babies don’t need vitamin D drops (vitamin D added to commercial infant formulas)

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Starting Solid Foods: Taste, Try and Grow

By about six months of age, your baby will be ready to try solid foods:

• Babies are ready for solid foods when they can keep their heads up, sit without support and hold food in their mouths for a few moments without pushing it out.
• Babies who are not physically ready to start solid foods can choke! Don’t introduce solid foods until your baby shows all the signs of being physically ready.
• Keep breastfeeding. Breast milk will help meet your baby’s nutritional needs during the transition to solid foods.
• Try solid foods when your baby is feeling alert and well. Stop feeding as soon as your baby becomes full.
• Start with iron-fortified infant cereals. Single grains, such as rice or barley, are best.
• Don’t add sugar, artificial sweeteners, honey, fruit juice or salt to infant foods.
• Don’t try another new food for three to five days to make sure your child doesn’t have an allergic reaction to the new foods.
• After your baby accepts cereals, try puréed vegetables, then fruits and finally milk products and meats or meat alternatives.
• Gradually change the texture of the food from puréed to minced to finger foods that your child can pick up and eat.
• Most babies are ready to eat finger foods by the time they are a year old.
• It should take four to six months to introduce a variety of solid foods to your baby.

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Feeding Your Toddler

Children experiment with new foods between the ages of one and three. A few simple ground rules will help your toddler learn to accept a wide variety of nutritious foods. Mealtimes can be enjoyable for everyone.

Rules for Parents

• You decide what foods you will serve and where and when you will eat.
• Remember that you have the most influence over your child’s food choices.
• Be a role model. Choose a variety of foods from all four food groups of Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide.
• Serve foods in a form your child can eat without too much help.
• Let your child use fingers at first and then move to cutlery.
• Don’t let your child eat in front of the television or with other distractions near by.
• Stick to a schedule. Offering meals and snacks at regular times will help your child know what to expect.

Rules for Toddlers

• Children decide if they want to eat and, if so, how much.
• It’s normal for a child’s appetite to change day-to-day. Toddlers may seem to be constantly hungry some days. Other days they eat very little.
• If your child is not hungry, stay calm and try not to worry.
• Force-feeding your child creates negative feelings about food and eating.
• Serve small portions of food initially to avoid wasting food. You can always offer a second helping if your child is still hungry.

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Make Healthy Eating Happen

Use Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide to plan meals and snacks for toddlers and preschoolers.

• Remember that portion sizes are smaller for young children than for adults.
• Limit the following foods to no more than one to two servings per week:
  • potato chips, taco chips and other higher-fat/higher-salt snacks
  • french fries and other deep-fried vegetables
  • fruit roll-ups or fruit-flavoured gummy snacks
  • pop, iced teas, fruit drinks, slush drinks or sport drinks
  • candy, cakes and cookies
  • granola bars that are topped with icing or chocolate
  • sugar-coated or sugar-sweetened cereals
  • wieners and other higher-fat deli meats
  • deep-fried chicken, fish or meats
• Although 100 per cent unsweetened fruit juices provide nutrients, they also have significant calories and sugar.
• Limit the amount of juice your child drinks to 125 to 250 millilitres (one-half to one cup) per day.
• Avoid fruit “drinks,” “cocktails” and “beverages,” which may contain very little juice and plenty of added sugar. Look for “100 per cent unsweetened juice.”

Dealing with Picky Eating

Picky eating is common during the toddler years, and it usually poses few health risks. If your child refuses to eat, avoids new foods, asks to eat the same foods over and over again or shows other signs of picky eating, the following pointers should help:

• Stay calm.
• Becoming emotional in front of your child may reward their odd eating habits.
• Sneak diced or puréed vegetables and fruits into casseroles, muffins or sauces.
• Add milk or dry skim milk powder to hot cereals, mashed potatoes or soups.
• Serve meats and meat alternatives with tomato sauce or in soups or stews.
• Be patient. Children will eat when they are hungry.
• Don’t get into the habit of cooking special meals for your child.
• Seek support. Talk to your doctor or dietitian about your child’s problem eating habits.

Feeding your baby or toddler is an opportunity for you to promote their well-being while teaching them the basics of healthy eating. Seize this opportunity by first breastfeeding and then offering high-quality foods from all four food groups in Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide.

Learn More:

Capital Health: Healthy Drinks, Healthy Kids
Find out which drink choices can be offered “most of the time,” and which you should limit.

Feeding Baby Solid Foods
Alberta Health and Wellness has recently updated advice on introducing solid foods to babies.

Healthy Eating and Active Living for Your One to Five Year Old
Alberta Health and Wellness offers a wealth of practical information on nutrition issues for young children.

Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide
The food guide translates the science of healthy eating into a practical pattern of food choices.

Feeding Your Baby in the First Year
The Canadian Paediatric Society offers expert information on introducing solid foods to your baby’s diet.

Guide to Picky Eaters: Sensible Strategies to Get From “Yuck” to “Yum”
Find practical solutions for dealing with “food jags” and other troublesome toddler eating habits.