SELECT STAGE
0–2 MONTHS
3-5 MONTHS
6 MONTHS
7-8 MONTHS
9-12 MONTHS
12-18 MONTHS
0-2 Months
YOUR BABY NEEDS
Signs your baby is hungry
MOVES HEAD FROM SIDE TO SIDE
OPENS THEIR MOUTH
STICKS OUT THEIR TONGUE
Food, quantity and consistency
Liquid
  • Breast milk
  • Infant formula, cow’s milk based

Look for an infant formula containing about 11.5 mg/100 mL of Docosahexaenoic Acid (0.32% DHA).

This will help ensure your baby is getting a DHA level similar to the average level in world wide breast milk.*

LIQUID INTAKE

410–800 mL/day (5-10 feedings)

Consistency
  • Liquid
Key nutrients
DHA

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

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.

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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

Calcium

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

Breastfeeding
Signs your baby is getting enough to eat:

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.§

Vitamin D

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.

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

* Average level of DHA and ARA in worldwide breast milk is 0.32% and 0.47% (mean ± standard deviation of total fatty acids) based on an analysis of 65 studies of 2,474 women).

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

‡ Koletzko B et al. J Perinat. Med. 2008;36:5-14

§ For example, herring, mackerel, pollock, salmon and shrimp. Visit Health Canada’s website for advice on how to limit exposure to mercury from certain types of fish.

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