From Birth to Toddlerhood

Infants grow and develop more rapidly than at any other time of life. This means that they have particularly high nutritional needs. Appropriate infant feeding practices and food choices are needed to support normal growth and optimal nutrition. Unsound infant feeding practices can result in nutrition and growth problems that may have long-term effects.

As infant feeding transitions into toddler feeding after 1 year of age, the toddler years become a time of new food behaviors and expressions of independence around food choices. Feeding toddlers may be seen as more challenging because of these changes, or families and educators may describe toddlers as ‘picky’ or ‘fussy’ with food. This change is very normal and expected. The toddler years remain an equally important time for young children to learn to eat well, a skill that will last them a lifetime. The way families and educators respond to toddlers and their eating is just as important as the food served to them.

Toddlers should never be offered more snacks, milk or ‘treats’ because they are upset, bored, tired, being well behaved or have refused the meal that is served. The nutritional needs of toddlers remain high, while their appetite and food intake is less than that of an infant. Both infants and toddlers should be offered a variety of food experiences in order to maximize their exposure to different tastes and learn to accept a wide range of foods.

It is universally agreed that breastmilk is the best first food for infants. Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended until the infant is around 6 months of age, followed by continued breastfeeding until 1 year of age and beyond. For any infant who is not receiving breastmilk, the only other safe and suitable alternative until 12 months of age is infant formula. 

Breastmilk or infant formula is all that a baby needs for the first 6 months of life. No other drinks or foods are needed. Once an infant is over 6 months of age, small amounts of boiled, cooled tap water can be given in addition to breastmilk or infant formula. Tap water is best, especially if it contains fluoride, which helps protect children’s teeth against decay. It is not necessary to use bottled water.

Caution about fruit juice. 

Fruit juice (including 100% juice, ‘no added sugar’ juice and freshly squeezed juice) is not needed by infants and should be used cautiously with toddlers. It is important for infants and toddlers to learn to eat fruit as a food. Fresh, canned or frozen fruit and vegetables included in the menu each day provides adequate vitamin C and are a source of fibre. Fruit juice may result in the child not eating enough food, or drinking enough breastmilk or infant formula. Fruit juices given in feeding bottles, sippy cups or pop-top bottles also increase the risk of tooth decay. Fruit juices may cause diarrhoea in infants and toddlers.

The safe feeding positions include:

• semi-upright or upright position 
• on your lap facing to the side or in front  
• in a semi-reclined seat if requiring trunk and head support  
• in a stable baby chair if able to sit independently
• in a high chair (ensure good trunk support and safety strap used through legs to avoid slipping)
• where possible, feed infants in a quiet area with less distractions.

Unsuitable feeding positions: 

•  It is unsafe to ‘prop’ feed an infant. ‘Prop feeding’ is when the bottle is propped up by a cushion, towel or other support in order to keep it in the infant’s mouth. This means that a person is not holding the bottle and the child is left unsupervised whilst feeding. Prop feeding is an unsafe practice, as it increases the risk of choking and possible overfeeding. 
• Avoid feeding in areas that have a lot of noise and distractions. 
• Lying infants in a cot, on the floor or on cushions is not recommended for feeding. 
• Sitting to the side of the infant requires them to turn their head to the side for food. The child’s trunk is less stable and they are not feeding with their head in the midline position.

Unsuitable feeding positions can increase the risk of: 

•  Tooth decay.  Do not leave infants feeding from bottles while they are lying down or going off to sleep. This encourages them to continue to suckle on the bottle whilst sleeping. In this position, fluid stays in the mouth for too long and the baby may rapidly develop tooth decay (also called early childhood caries). 
• Choking.  Infants who are fed while lying down or who are ‘prop fed’ are at a higher risk of choking. 
• Middle ear infections (Otitis media). Allowing infants to bottle feed while lying down may increase the risk of middle ear infections. 

How much food is enough?

Learn to respond to infant cues. Pushing  a child to eat all the food on their plate is not supported, as each child will eat different amounts on different days, and this is entirely normal. Children will eat variable amounts at different ages and stages of their development. A handy phrase to keep in mind is “parent provides, child decides”. 

Iron-containing Foods for Infants and Toddlers

 Iron requirements in the first year of life are greater than at any other stage of a child’s life. All of the iron an infant and toddler requires must be supplied from the food they eat. 

Best sources of iron Iron absorption is best from foods that provide haem-iron such as: 

• Breastmilk
• Beef 
• Veal 
• Lamb 
• Pork 
• Liver and kidneys
• Fish and seafood 
• Chicken Other sources of iron 

Iron is also provided by a variety of non-haem foods. This type of iron is less easily absorbed. The absorption of non-haem iron can be improved by serving this food with a haem iron source (e.g. kidney beans with mince) or serving alongside a vitamin C rich food (such as salad or fresh fruit). 

• Iron fortified infant cereal 
• Iron fortified breakfast cereal 
• Dried peas, beans and legumes (e.g. baked beans, kidney beans, soybeans, lentils) 
• Tofu 
• Egg 
• Green leafy vegetables 
• Wholemeal and wholegrain bread
• Wholemeal and wholegrain pasta 
• Dried fruit 
• Nut spreads and nut pastes 
• Tahini and hummus

According to NZ Nutrition Foundation, 

Infants between the ages of 7 and 12 months require 11mg of iron per day. Children between the ages of 1 and 3 need 9mg of iron per day, and children between the ages of 4 and 8 need to receive 10 mg of iron daily. 

Here are some great ways to ensure that sufficient levels of iron are present in a child’s diet:

1. Renzo’s dissolvable iron supplement for kids
2. Pediatric drops- liquid iron supplement
3. Vegan liquid iron
4. Vitamin Friends Gummy Iron
5. Enfamil Multi-Vitamins & Iron Supplement