Infant Feeding Guidelines Summary
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The Australian Infant Feeding Guidelines provide recommendations on foods that infants need for health and wellbeing.
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The guidelines are based on the needs of healthy, normal birth weight babies.
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You can trust this guidance as it is based on the best evidence and scientific research available.
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Talk to your medical professional if you have any questions about the guidelines and your child.
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This page a summary of a number of Australian Infant Feeding Guideline resources (2012 – 2022). These resources are listed at the end of the page.
Breastmilk provides all the nutrients your baby needs at this age. Any amount of breastfeeding will have benefits to the mother and baby. For more information on the benefits of breastfeeding, click here.
If breastfeeding is not possible, it's recommended to give your baby a commercial infant formula. Unless under medical guidance, formula-fed babies should only be given cow’s milk-based formulas. It’s important to carefully follow the instructions when preparing and storing formula.
Breastfed babies don’t need any other fluids until 6 months.
Breastmilk or infant formula is still your baby’s main drink and an important source of nutrients, immune system support & comfort. Breastmilk or formula will still be the main food when first starting solids.
At around 6 months, babies need nutrients from solid foods to continue to grow and develop. Do not wait much longer than 6 months. It's recommended to introduce solids when your baby is showing signs that they are ready. For information on the signs baby is ready to start solids, and why it’s important to not start too early or too late, click here: Introduction of Solids (nsw.gov.au)
As a general guide, gradually progress foods from puree or finely mashed to mashed to minced to finger foods during the 6 – 12-month period.
Some babies may prefer to start off with finger foods. Around 8 months, most infants can manage finger foods.
It's best to start with a small amount of food after a milk feed at a time when your baby isn’t too tired or too hungry. Many babies will only eat less than ½ a teaspoon at first.
Examples of iron-rich foods:
- Infant rice cereals with added iron (e.g., Farex, Cerelac)
- Puree meat, chicken, fish, or liver
- Puree legumes (e.g. salt-reduced baked beans, chickpeas, or lentils)
- Puree or mashed tofu or tempeh
For more tips and iron-rich recipes, click here.
It's recommended to offer a variety of foods from the 5 food groups. For more information on the 5 food groups, click here.
Introducing a variety of solid foods around 6 months has been shown to reduce the risk of developing allergies.
The following foods are more frequently associated with allergies in babies:
Delaying the introduction of solids, including these allergenic foods may increase the risk of developing allergies. There’s no need to delay the introduction of these foods after 6 months, unless advised by a doctor or dietitian. If allergies are a problem in your family, it's recommended to get advice from a health professional. For more tips on introducing common allergy causing foods, click here.
From 6 months, babies can start sipping from a cup. Using cups, and utensils like spoons and forks will help develop their feeding skills
Click here if you're looking for tips to teach your baby to drink from a cup.
Babies can’t digest cow’s milk well. Small amounts of cow’s milk can be used in cooking, or with solid foods (e.g. with cereal).
Breastmilk continues to provide health benefits from 12 months onwards. Solid food should provide more of your baby’s nutrition from 12 months.
It's recommended to use full cream milk until 2 years. Reduced-fat cow’s milk isn't recommended due to the energy requirements to support growth & development at this age.
Toddlers can get the nutrients they need by eating a variety of healthy foods.
Click here for tips to teach your baby to drink from a cup.
A variety of foods from the 5 food groups are recommended.
These foods can cause food poisoning and make babies sick.
Honey can be given from 12 months.
It's recommended to make sure eggs are cooked until the white is completely set & yolk begins to thicken.
Uncooked products with raw eggs (e.g. home-made ice cream or mayonnaise) are not recommended.
Babies and young children can choke on these foods. It's recommended not to provide raw hard foods like whole nuts, seeds, raw carrot, celery and apple for the first 3 years.
Raw hard fruit and veg can be made safer by cooking until soft, mashing or by grating.
Nut pastes & spreads can be given from 6 months.
Popcorn is not recommended for children under 3 years.
To make safer, cut grapes & cherry tomatoes into quarters, and flatten blueberries.
These drinks offer no known benefits to babies and may be harmful. Teas can also reduce absorption of nutrients, including iron.
Examples include fruit juice, soft drink, cordial, and energy drinks.
These drinks are also not recommended for healthy teeth.
From 6 months, fruit is recommended instead of fruit juice.
Examples include soy, rice, oat, coconut and almond milks. These milks do not prove enough nutrition for babies. Soy, rice, and oat milks with added calcium can be used from 12 months under medical supervision/guidance.
Examples include goat’s and sheep’s milk. The nutrient content is not suitable for babies.
Babies have very sensitive tastebuds. Adding sugar can cause tooth decay and added salt is a safety concern as babies’ kidneys are still developing.
Examples include cakes, lollies, biscuits, chocolate, and potato chips. These foods are high in saturated fat, added sugar, and/or added salt, and offer little nutrition.
It’s important to keep an eye on your baby’s eating to watch for choking. It’s recommended that babies are not fed with a ‘propped’ bottle. (This is when the bottle is propped or held up by an object such as a cushion or towel to keep it in the baby’s mouth).
Babies can easily get sick from food poisoning.
- Use clean hands, equipment and utensils, and surfaces.
- Wash fruit and vegetables well, even if you’re going to peel and cook them.
- After heating food, test the temperature using a clean spoon before offering it to your baby. Use another clean spoon to feed your baby.
- Use freshly cooked food or cool foods quickly in the fridge and use within 1 day or freeze. Thaw frozen food in the fridge. If you’re going to use the food straight away, you can defrost in the microwave. Once food has been heated and offered to your baby, throw away any food left in the bowl.
- If you're bottle-feeding your baby with breastmilk or formula, sterilise bottles and other equipment. Click here for tips on sterilising bottle-feeding equipment.
It's best to make homemade baby food when you can. If using frozen or canned foods, it's best to choose those with no added salt or sugar.
Babies need to try a wide range of tastes and textures. Commercial baby foods may look, taste, and smell different to family foods. Babies may not want to change to family foods if they eat too many commercial foods. Too much sucking on squeezy food pouches can cause tooth decay and affect speech development.
Click here for handy tips on squeezy pouch foods.
Look for the signs your baby gives you to show if they are hungry or full. Babies know when they have had enough to eat.
It’s best if you can enjoy eating healthy foods with your baby as much as possible. You are your baby’s best role model.
Babies may need to be offered foods many times before they will eat them.
Your baby should have health checks (including growth) at the following ages:
- 1 – 4 weeks
- 6 – 8 weeks
- 6 months
- 12 months
- 18 months
- 2 years
- 3 years
- 4 years
This is outlined in your baby’s blue book.
- Australian Government Department of Health and Aging, 2013. Get up and Grow – First foods: food from home.
- Centre for Population Health, 2020. Starting family foods: Introducing your baby to solid foods.
- NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council), 2022. Giving your baby the best start: the best foods for infants.
- NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council), 2012. Infant feeding guidelines: Information for health workers.
- NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council), 2013. Infant Feeding Guidelines: Summary.
- Raising Children Network, 2022. Introducing Solids: In Pictures.