The two nutrients that are commonly focused on (in terms of bub’s need exceeding what milk provides) are iron and zinc. These critical minerals are so important for many functions within the body including normal growth, neurological development, immune function and energy, as well as mood and behaviour regulation, to name a few! While in utero, your baby accumulates plenty of iron and these stores are replenished via milk feeds until you wean. However, by approximately 6 months old, their daily requirement of iron starts to exceed what can be provided by milk feeds and those stores may start to deplete.

Did you know that your baby’s iron needs between 6–24 months are the highest they will ever be in their life (outside of pregnancy and menstruation).

They actually require more iron during this time than an adult male—11mg/day, with vegetarian or vegan bubs requiring even more.

So what should you feed your baby?

The easiest way to incorporate both iron and zinc into your child’s diet in the most bioavailable way (meaning the easiest way for your child’s body to absorb the nutrients) is by feeding your baby meat and other animal products as their first foods. Red meat and liver have greater zinc and iron concentrations than unfortified plant foods, so offering this regularly will help to meet your baby’s requirements. Some plant foods will also contain iron, but this is in the form of non-haem iron which is not as easily absorbed by the body. As a guide, try to include one iron-rich food into each of your baby’s meals.

Great sources of haem iron

Chicken liver (10mg per 100g)

Beef (3.4mg per 100g—depending on the cut of meat)

Lamb (4mg per 100g—depending on the cut of meat)

Sardines (6mg per 100g)

Bone marrow (4.5mg per 100g)

Kangaroo (4.5mg per 100g)

Great sources of non - haem iron



Egg yolk (4.5mg per 100g)

Lentils/kidney beans (2–3mg per 100g)

Parsley (8mg per 100g)

Spinach (3mg per 100g)

Prunes (8mg per 100g)

Almonds (4mg per 100g)

Pepitas (10mg per 100g)

Tahini (5mg per 100g)

Fats are an essential part of your baby’s diet. They provide energy, are critical for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) and are crucial for their developing nervous system and brain. Your baby’s rapidly growing brain is made of 60% fat, which is being built by the fats in their diet. Unfortunately, fat has been falsely blamed for poor health, leading to the belief that lower fat foods are healthier for us. However, this is far from the truth.

• Brain health and development
• Eye health and visual development
• The immune system, which protects the child against allergies in early childhood, helps to fight infection and provides immunity and protection against microorganisms
• Providing fat soluble vitamins A, D, K and E through saturated and unsaturated fats
• Balanced hormone development
• Stable blood glucose levels
• Improved cardiovascular health

• Cooking food in butter/ghee/lard/coconut/olive oil—you can be generous
• Pairing meals with avocado
• Drizzle finger foods and purees with extra butter, ghee, olive oil or avocado oil
• Consuming fatty fish: aim for 3 times a week, or supplementing with cod liver oil, fish oil or algae oil
• Incorporating nut and seed butters into meals (if tolerated)
• Enriching purees and foods with egg yolk (preferably pasture-raised)
• Consuming full-fat dairy (ideally organic pasture-raised) such as butter, kefir and Greek yoghurt
• Incorporate full-fat coconut milk or cream (free of additives) into meals.

You may have heard the popular saying ‘boob before food until one year old’. Breastmilk or formula is what your baby will obtain the majority of their nutrient needs from in the first year and, therefore, should be offered prior to food. ​​When your baby first starts solids, their intake may be quite small, so the amount of breastmilk or formula should remain mostly the same. As your baby’s solid food intake increases, their breastmilk or formula consumption will gradually decrease, and you may notice your breastmilk supply gradually drop.

This will be a very gradual and very natural exchange.

When offering your baby food, it can be a good idea to offer food not too close to their last milk feed, so that they’re neither too full, nor too hungry. After 12 months, food can then be offered to your baby prior to their breastmilk/formula feed. This may slowly begin the natural process of weaning from milk feeds to solids. However, your baby will still reap the benefits of breastmilk as long as you and your baby wish to continue that journey.

When it comes to meal times, stability is essential for successful mobility at the mouth. A supportive highchair supports swallowing safety, fine motor skills, breathing, oral motor coordination, and increases the stability of the jaw, tongue and lips. We often say “stability at the hips equals stability at the lips”. This does have science to back it up! It also makes a lot of sense when we break it down anecdotally. Imagine being served a delicious steak and chips but having to eat it while seated on a bar stool without a footrest. Without foot stability and back support, balancing, cutting and eating the steak would be challenging. It’s the same for our little ones. 

To determine if your little one is stable in their highchair, here are four questions you can ask:

• Can they sit upright in the middle of their highchair with aligned shoulders and hips?
• Can they reach the tray comfortably, with the tray positioned high enough for their elbows to rest if desired? 
• Can they sit with their weight evenly distributed without leaning or falling to one side?
• Can they firmly plant their feet on a stable footrest with knees, hips and ankles at a 90/90/90 angle?

The Bugaboo Giraffe meets all these requirements and is our choice for a highchair that grows with your child.

Luka McCabe

Founder, Boob to Food

www.boobtofood.com

@boobtofood