Eating Well: The First Year. A Guide To Introducing Solids And Eating Well Up To Baby’s First Birthday

Healthy Start 

Healthy Start is the name for the welfare food scheme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland has a similar scheme, called Best Start Foods. These schemes aim to improve the health of pregnant women, young mums and mums-to-be, and families on benefits or low incomes.

All pregnant women and new mothers on the Healthy Start scheme are given free Healthy Start vitamins which contain folic acid and vitamin D to help prevent spina bifida and rickets in babies, and vitamin C for general good health. Women who are supported by the Healthy Start programme are eligible to receive free Healthy Start vitamin tablets during pregnancy and until their child is one year old. These are designed to be suitable for breastfeeding women. All Healthy Start vitamins are suitable for vegetarians and halal diets, and are free from milk, egg, gluten, soya and peanut residues.

Families eligible for Healthy Start receive vouchers for vitamin drops for children. The children’s vitamin drops contain vitamins A, C and D. These can be used from birth if babies are breastfed or if they have less than 500ml of infant formula a day, and are recommended for all children from one year up to their fifth birthday.

Eating well in the first year: a simple guide for families

0-6 months
Babies just need breastmilk (or an appropriate first infant formula). If you are concerned your baby may be hungry or starts to wake more often, talk to your health visitor or a breastfeeding counsellor who can give you support on how to maximize your breastmilk or look at the milk feeds you give. Changes in a baby’s sleeping patterns before 6 months of age do not mean they are hungry or need solids, and are a normal part of development. Evidence shows that a baby’s waking and sleeping atterns are not related to whether they have breastmilk or infant formula, but to their own unique development pattern. It is normal for breastfeeding to continue at night during the first year of life.

Around 6 months 
Babies are likely to show the signs of readiness for the introduction of solids alongside breastmilk (or first infant formula) at about 6 months. Babies should be able to sit up and hold their head steady, pick up food and move it to their mouth, and swallow food. Every baby is different, and some may be slower than others to learn to handle food in the mouth, but a range of smooth foods and soft finger foods can be offered.

6-7 months
This period is all about introducing tastes and textures, learning to have confidence in your baby and the food they can manage, and gradually increasing the amount of solids you offer alongside breastmilk or first infant formula. You can include baby in mealtimes with others as soon as you start to introduce solids, and babies will learn from watching others eat and mimic their behaviour. You can introduce a small cup with water in at mealtimes. Encourage your baby to get involved in eating from the start. It can be a messy time, so be
prepared! 

7-9 months
Baby will be able to eat three meals a day alongside breastmilk or first infant formula. Meals can be mashed or with soft lumps and babies will enjoy having finger foods with meals, holding a spoon even though they cannot yet feed themselves, and being included at mealtimes with other people.

10-12 months
Baby will be enjoying meals which are chopped with bigger soft lumps, can manage a wider range of finger foods, and will become increasingly dextrous in their ability to pick up small pieces of food and move them to their mouth. They will use a cup with more confidence

12+ months
By 1 year of age, breastmilk or infant formula will provide less energy and nutrients than the food your baby eats, and babies will move on to three meals and two nutritious snacks a day in the second year. Breastmilk still provides energy, nutrients and protection from infection to babies for as long as they are breastfed. Babies should be eating a wide range of foods at meals, show increasing independence in eating, and use a cup for any drinks other than breastmilk.