ABSTRACT
Healthy eating for infants and toddlers means eating a combination of age-appropriate foods that provide sufficient energy and nutrients to allow for growth and development and which also help to optimise health and reduce the risk of disease. Breastfeeding has a diverse range of benefits for mothers, babies, families and society and is the optimal method of infant feeding. However breastfeeding has to be learnt and some women may encounter difficulties at the beginning. Ideally, breastfeeding education should start in the antenatal period. Weaning to solid foods should commence from 6 months of age. Infants usually begin with small spoonfuls of a cooked cereal or potato mixed with their usual milk to the consistency of runny yogurt. Expressed breast milk, infant formula or cooled, boiled water should be used to mix the foods. Insufficient milk supply can result in both hypernatraemic dehydration and failure to thrive.
