6-Month-Old

• Breast milk
• Infant formula, cow’s milk based

LIQUID INTAKE

540–1030 mL/day (4–5 feedings/day)

• Iron-fortified infant cereal
• Cooked meat, fish, poultry, legumes
• Cooked vegetables (carrots, peas, sweet potato)
• Peeled, cooked or ripe fruit (banana, kiwi, apple, avocado)

SOLID FOOD INTAKE:

30–60 mL (2–4 tbsp) per serving (2–3 times a day)

• Semi solid
• Mashed
• Puréed

DHA is an Omega-3 fat prominent in your baby's brain and important for their normal brain and eye development. By your baby's 2nd birthday, most of their brain growth will have already occurred.

TIP

If using an infant formula, use a formula supplemented with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Once on solids, fatty fish is another excellent way to ensure your baby’s diet is rich in DHA.

DHA RECOMMENDATION:

0 to 6 months: 0.32% of total fatty acids.

Iron is essential for your baby’s physical and mental growth, and as they grow they need more to avoid iron deficiency anemia. Once your baby is on solids, make sure you provide iron rich foods.

TIP

Iron from animal products, especially meat, is absorbed more easily than from other sources. Vitamin C also helps absorption of iron from plant sources (non-heme-iron).

IRON RECOMMENDATION:

0-6 months: 0.27 mg/day

Your baby needs calcium for healthy development, especially of their bones and teeth.

TIP

The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends not introducing pasteurized whole cow’s milk (3.25%) until at least 9-12 months of age.†

CALCIUM RECOMMENDATION:

0-6 months: 200mg/day

At 6 months, you can begin introducing iron rich solid foods one at a time. Wait a least 2 days after each to identify which foods your baby won’t tolerate well. The amount they drink will naturally decrease as their solid food intake increases.

TIP

For up to 9 to 12 months, your baby will get most of her nutrients from breast milk or formula. As your baby is learning to eat a variety foods with different textures, think of solids as a supplement to their diet.

Keep in mind, cow’s milk can become part of your babies diet starting at 9 to 12 months of age. However, it is not nutritionally complete and should not be used to fill nutritional gaps.

Start with nearly liquid foods, then gradually introduce foods with thicker textures. Always supervise infants when they’re eating.

TIP

Avoid foods like nuts, raw carrots, popcorn, hard, sticky or round candy, raisins, hot dogs and whole grapes.

• All infants: Sugary drinks or foods
• Infants under 1: Honey (risk of botulism)

TIP

Limit fruit juice as it may take the place of more nutrient-rich foods. Give only if baby is older than 6 months and drinking from a cup. Be sure it is only 100% fruit juice (with no added sugars) and limit to 125 ml per day.

Breast milk provides the optional nutrition for your baby.

• 6-8 wet diapers a day
• Loose yellowish stool (1st month) • Appropriate weight gain

TIP

Lactating women should have at least 200 mg of DHA/day‡. Eat foods rich in DHA, especially fatty fish such as salmon, to support your baby’s normal brain and eye development.§

All breastfed infants should receive a daily Vitamin D supplement of 400 IU (10 μg) until their diet provides it or they reach one year of age.

TIP

Babies in northern communities or with dark skin should get 800 IU (20 μg) per day from October to April.