Feeding Babies and Young Children

Eating a variety of healthy foods during pregnancy helps you stay well and gives your baby the nutrients they need for a strong start. For more easy tips and information, visit the Ontario Dietitians in Public Health (ODPH) Eating Well During Pregnancy resource.

Learn more about Canadas Food Guide: Healthy Eating When Pregnant and Breastfeeding

Breastmilk is the only food your baby needs for the first 6 months of their life. The longer you breastfeed, the more benefits you and your baby get.

Learn more. 

It is time to start introducing solids at 6 months of age. Watch your baby for signs of readiness and aim for Iron rich foods first. 

Feeding your baby is about more than food and nutrition. It is about exploring, sharing and getting to know and trust each other.  

For more information check out Feeding Your Baby by Ontario Dietitians in Public Health.

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By 12 months, your child needs a variety of foods from the food groups. Establish a schedule of regular meals and snacks for your child. Breastfeed as long as you and your child want to continue.

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Ensuring safe eating practices for children is paramount to their well-being, encompassing proper food handling and age-appropriate choices. By fostering a secure eating environment and introducing foods suitable for their developmental stage, we prioritize their health and growth. 

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Making an informed decision about how to feed your baby is an important first step in your parenting journey. Breast milk is the only food your baby needs for the first 6 months. Around 6 months, babies start to eat solid foods, focusing on iron rich foods. Breastmilk is baby’s main source of food for their first year of life and recommended up to 2 years and beyond.  

Learn more.

• If your baby is not breastfed, iron-fortified infant formula is the only food that should be given for the first 6 months. It should be used until your baby is 9 to 12 months old
• Every baby needs a different amount of infant formula. Your baby may drink a little more or less than other babies. You can refer to the Guide to amount of infant formula to prepare daily to know approximately what you can expect.  
• Do not put your baby to bed with a bottle. 
• Watch for feeding cues and signs that your baby is full. 
• Read the labels carefully and check the expiry date on all formula packages. Make sure cans are clean and have no dents. 
• Speak with your baby's health care provider before changing infant formula. 
• Never replace formula with 1%, 2%, skim milk, coffee whitener, condensed evaporated milk, or soy or rice, oat or almond beverages. 

 * Powdered infant formula may contain bacteria. It is safer to use a sterile liquid infant formula to feed premature and low birth weight infants under two months of age and babies with weakened immune systems.

**Always use clean and sterile water that has been boiled for infants less than 2 months of age. If the infant is born healthy and at term, you can stop boiling water after 2 months but remember to continue choosing water from a safe source. If the infant is born premature, low birth weight, or has a weakened immune system, consult their health care provider to know when you can stop boiling water.  

You can sterilize water by boiling it for two minutes on the stove top, or by using an electric kettle that can bring water to a bull rolling boil. See the “How to prepare water for formula feeding” and the “How to sterilize equipment for bottle feeding” sections of this webpage below to learn more.  

Follow these steps to keep your baby safe. Sterilize equipment until your baby is at least two months old.

Electric kettles and dishwashers do not sterilize equipment.

What you need:

A large pot with lid, bottle brush and nipple brush, tongs, knife, fork, can opener, glass measuring cup, glass bottles (if possible), nipples, caps, rims, mixing jugs and any other equipment.

If using a disposable system:

Bottle holders, rims, caps, nipples and a roll of disposable liners. Throw out liners after one use. Throw out nipples when they become soft and sticky. *Note: If using disposable bottles sterilize only the nipples.

Steps:

• Wash hands and counter with soap and water
• Wash all items in warm, soapy water
• Make sure holes in nipples are not clogged
• Rinse well
• Put clean items in a pot and fill pot with water
• Boil for 2 minutes and keep pot covered until items are needed
• Remove items with tongs and set on a clean paper towel

Select water from a safe source 

• Choose unsoftened tap water, bottled water or well water to mix your baby's formula. However, none of these types of water are sterile.  
• Do not use mineral water, distilled water, carbonated water or softened tap water for formula preparation. 
• Well water should be tested at least twice a year for bacteria and nitrates.  
• Minimize lead exposure from tap water. Run your tap for approximately 2 minutes prior to drinking or cooking to flush stagnant water sitting in your plumbing. 
• In the morning, it is helpful to use water for flushing toilets, bathing, showering, etc. before using for drinking and cooking. 

Boil water if needed (see “preparing infant formula” section to learn more) 

• Bring water to a rolling boil, which means that entire amount of water should be forming large bubbles and churning vigorously. 
• If using an electric kettle that is shutting off automatically too soon to achieve a full rolling boil, use a stove-top kettle or a suitable pan or pot instead.  
• After the water has reached a rolling boil, it should be removed from the heat, allowed to cool naturally, without the addition of ice, and protected from recontamination during storage.  
• Water should cool to a safe temperature for formula preparation (between room and body temperature) about 30 minutes after the boil.  
• Prepared formula should be given or stored right after it has cooled.  
• Boiled water can be stored in a covered sterile container for up to 3 days in the fridge or for 24 hours at room temperature. 
• If travelling, boil water at home and measure the correct amount of cooled boiled water into a sterilized container. 
• Boiling kills bacteria and other pathogens even if the water has suspended particles in it. If, however, settling or filtration is used on turbid (cloudy) water to improve how it looks, this should be done before boiling.
• Hot water readily causes burn injuries to skin. Always take great care when boiling water to avoid burn injuries from spillage or splashing.  

How to prepare infant formula

See the “How to prepare water for formula feeding” and the “How to sterilize equipment for bottle feeding” sections if you need to boil or sterilize equipment.

Powdered infant formula 

• Fill scoop from can with powder and level with clean knife.  
• Add the required number of scoops of powder to the boiled and cooled water.  
• Pick up nipples, rims and caps with sterile tongs and put on bottles and then tighten with your hands. 
• Shake bottle well. 
• Cool bottle under cold running water. 
• Drink immediately or put bottles in refrigerator and use within 24 hours.
• Cover can with plastic lid and store in cool, dry place. Use within 1 month. 

Liquid concentrate formula 

• Add an equal amount of liquid concentrate formula to the boiled water. Be sure to measure carefully.  
• Pick up nipples, rims and caps with sterile tongs and put on bottles and then tighten with your hands. 
• Shake bottle well. 
• Cool bottle under cold running water. 
• Drink immediately or put bottles in refrigerator and use within 24 hours.
• Tightly cover open can and put in refrigerator. Use within 48 hours. 

Ready-to-feed formula  

• Shake can.  
• Open with a sterile can opener.  
• Pour amount of infant formula for one feeding into each bottle (use glass if possible).  
• DO NOT ADD WATER.  
• Pick up nipples, rims and caps with sterile tongs and put on bottles and then tighten with your hands. 
• Tightly cover open can and put in refrigerator. Use within 48 hours. 

• Do not freeze any type of formula. Freezing changes the fat content in infant formula. 
• Throw away any leftover formula at the end of each feeding. 
• If travelling for more than 30 minutes store bottles with an ice pack in a cooler or thermal lunch bag. Store formula in a refrigerator when you reach your destination. 
• Do not use prepared formula if it is unrefrigerated for more than a total of 2 hours. 
• Formula should be used within 24 hours from the time it was made, as long as it is kept in the refrigerator.

1. Watch your baby for early feeding cues. 
2. Wait for baby to open their mouth. 
3. Tip bottle slightly so there is no air in the nipple. 
4. Always hold your baby close in an upright position, hold baby skin-to-skin as often as possible. 
5. Watch your baby swallow and allow baby to rest (babies often need a break and you should allow them). 
6. Burp your baby as needed. 
7. Stop feeding when your baby shows signs of being full. 
8. Keep your baby upright for at least 30 minutes after feeding. 
9. Throw away what your baby does not want to drink within 2 hours. 

*If choosing to warm the formula - Place the bottle of formula in warm water for 15 minutes. Shake the bottle to heat evenly. Check the temperature by putting a few drops on your wrist. Never microwave your baby's bottle. This creates "hotspots" that may burn your baby's mouth. 

All babies are different. The chart below is a guide. Your baby may eat more or less than the amount listed below. It is okay if your baby does not finish the whole bottle.

Follow baby’s signs of hunger and fullness.

Babies need to feed a lot in the early days. Your baby has many ways to tell you they are hungry.  These signs are called feeding cues.

Your baby is hungry when you see these feeding cues:

• Rapid eye movements
• Stretching, moving arms and legs
• Bringing hands to mouth
• Sticking out tongue and licking lips
• Sucking motions or sounds
• Rooting (opening the mouth, searching to suck, and sucking on contact)
• Turning head back and forth
• Soft cooing or sighing sounds

Your baby is full when:

• Your baby closes their mouth
• Your baby turns away from the bottle
• Your baby looks relaxed and calm

Following your baby's feeding cues will:

• Help feeding go well
• Help you get to know your baby
• Allow your baby to build trust, and allow parents to gain confidence
• Build a positive feeding relationship which supports child growth

Remember...

• Your baby should feed at least 8 times or more in a 24 hour day, until about 6 weeks of life.
• It is normal for some babies to have many feedings in a short period. They may sleep longer between feeds at other times. This is called cluster feeding. This is more common in the later afternoon or evening.
• Skin-to-skin contact lets parents learn baby's feeding cues.
• Crying is a late sign of hunger. A baby crying from hunger may be too upset to settle down to feed.  Get to know your baby's early feeding cues.
• Your baby will have growth spurts. These happen at around 2 to 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months. Growth spurts typically last 2 to 3 days. Your baby may feed more often at these times.

Automatic formula preparation machines for use at home are NOT recommended for the following reasons:  

• The water that is used may sit dormant for a long time. More bacteria may grow in this water.  
• When the water is heated, it is not hot enough to kill bacteria that may be in powdered formula. This is important if your baby is premature, of low-birthweight or has a specific health condition and requires water to be boiled prior to preparing formula.  
• These machines do not consistently mix powdered formula well. Too much water may not meet the nutritional needs of your baby, and too little water may cause your baby’s kidneys and digestive system to work too hard and may cause your baby to become dehydrated.

For information on infant formula recalls please visit the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website.