Healthy baby development

Healthy baby development | Make every bite count

Healthy baby development | Make every bite count

6 to 8 months baby
Article
Aug 19, 2024
3 mins

Starting your little one on solid foods is quite a milestone!

Small tummy

Starting your little one on solid foods is quite a milestone! Since his tummy is so small, and breast milk or infant formula is the main source of his nutrition, at around six months of age he will only be taking small tastes of foods. Even these beginning bites are important to his development.  He has high needs for nutrition, but only a small stomach that may be filled quickly.

Babies have different nutritional needs than older children and adults

Considering your baby’s weight, compared to that of a child or adult, he has much higher needs for several nutrients, especially minerals and vitamins.  At around six months, when the iron stores that your baby was born with can start to decrease, your baby will require additional sources of iron.  Iron-fortified infant cereal, and puréed meat, are often recommended as baby’s first foods, because they are such good sources of iron. 

Breast milk + solid foods

As your baby is learning new flavours and textures, breast milk or infant formula is still the main source of her energy needs.  At 6-8 months, breast milk or infant formula continues to provide most of her energy needs. By 9-12 months, when she is consuming more solid foods, breast milk will provide less of her energy needs and she will start on usual family foods by 12 months. 

Your baby will drink as much breast milk or infant formula as she needs, and from 6 – 12 months you will see that as her appetite for solid foods increases, and she will consume less breast milk or infant formula. Offer her foods that are high in the nutrients her growing body requires, especially nutrient-rich foods like iron-fortified infant cereal and puréed meats, as well as fruits and vegetables for other minerals and vitamins. Remember to respect her hunger and fullness cues by not pressuring her to eat when she shows you that she is no longer hungry. Another meal will come soon, and your baby may be hungrier at that time.

Protein is important for growth, health, and so much more

Around six months of age, your baby has likely doubled his birth weight and by her first birthday she will have tripled her birth weight, and increased her height by half. This first year will be the most rapid growth of her life.  One of the key nutrients for your baby is protein. Protein is needed to help build her growing muscles and bones as well as repairing her body tissues. 

Solid foods are needed

Around six months of age, introduction of nutrient rich solid foods is important for the following reasons:

  • Provides additional nutrients your baby requires
  • Teaches baby to eat from a spoon.
  • Introduces baby to flavours and textures to help him learn acceptance of these new nutritious foods.
  • Delayed introduction of solid foods may increase the risk of food allergy or eczema; ask your healthcare professional if concerned over introducing foods to your baby.

"Make every bite count"

When selecting foods for your baby, remember that her stomach is small so focus on nutrient-rich foods.  She has little room for foods that don’t provide necessary nutrients.  Prepare foods with little or no added salt or sugar and limit fruit juice and sweetened beverages.

As she becomes familiar with a variety of tastes and textures, and as she gets closer to 1 year of age, she will be eating more solid foods.  Her daily intake should include fruits, vegetables, meats and grains, in addition to breast milk or infant formula. 

Related articles

View details Baby's most nutritious food choices
Article
Baby's most nutritious food choices

Baby's most nutritious food choices

A quiz for moms of 6 to 7-month-olds

1 min to read

View details Signs your baby is full | Old’s hunger and fullness cues
Article
Signs your baby is full | Old’s hunger and fullness cues

Signs your baby is full | Old’s hunger and fullness cues

Is your hungry baby eating enough? Here are some hunger and fullness cues to watch out for during your toddler's development.

3 mins to read

View details Baby Feeding and Nutrition: The Guide
Article
Breastfeeding

Baby Feeding and Nutrition: The Guide

How will you feed your newborn?

7 mins to read

View details Snack ideas for kids | Ready for baby finger foods?
Article
Snack ideas for kids | Ready for finger foods?

Snack ideas for kids | Ready for baby finger foods?

The food you give your kids will help them grow in so many ways beyond the physical. It will expose them to new smells and textures.

2 mins to read

View details Your baby is growing by leaps and bounds
Article
Your baby is growing by leaps and bounds

Your baby is growing by leaps and bounds

Your baby is growing fast! The first year, a baby multiplies his weight by 3 and his length increases by 50%! Follow month-by-month.

1 min to read

View details When to start solid food for babies
Article
When to start solid food for babies

When to start solid food for babies

Starting solid foods is a new and exciting step in your baby’s eating development, but it often comes with many questions.

7 mins to read

View details Did you know?
Article
Baby self-feeding

Did you know?

During babies’ first year of life their nutritional needs are higher than those of adults

1 min to read

View details Changing food and nutrition for your 8-to-12- month old
Article
Changing food and nutrition for your 8-to-12- month old

Changing food and nutrition for your 8-to-12- month old

Take this quiz and test your nutrition knowledge!

1 min to read

View details How to strengthen your baby's immune system
Article
How to strengthen your baby's immune system

How to strengthen your baby's immune system

By Dr. Ted Jablonski, family physician

3 mins to read

View details Newborn Sleep Development - What you need to know
Article
Newborn Sleep Development

Newborn Sleep Development - What you need to know

You’re half-awake at 4 am with a wide-awake baby in your arms and wondering if you’ll ever get a full night’s sleep again. Don’t worry, you will.

6 mins to read

View details The ins and outs of babies’ digestive system
Article
The ins and outs of babies’ digestive system

The ins and outs of babies’ digestive system

By Dr. Jeff Habert, family physician

3 mins to read

View details Baby Teething: Signs and Relief
Article
Baby and mommy

Baby Teething: Signs and Relief

Teething begins at different times for different babies, although most have already started by six months of age.

2 mins to read

View details Safe first finger food for babies
Article
Safe first finger food

Safe first finger food for babies

By now you've noticed that everything seems to make its way into your little one’s mouth. Once he’s able grasp small objects, eating those little goodies is exactly what he'll try to do.

5 mins to read

View details Food Allergies in Babies
Article
baby feeding

Food Allergies in Babies

There is growing evidence that many factors in the environment play a role in allergies developing in babies.

3 mins to read

View details Storing baby cereals: Freshness & Safety First!
Article
toddler and breakfast

Storing baby cereals: Freshness & Safety First!

You want to serve your little foodie the best in infant nutrition. What you don’t want are bugs in her food—yuck!

1 min to read

View details Benefits of probiotics for babies
Article
Benefits of probiotics for infants

Benefits of probiotics for babies

This article includes contributions from Dr. Dina Kulik, pediatrician, and Charlotte Geroudet, GD.

5 mins to read

View details Baby development month 7
Article
Baby development 7 months

Baby development month 7

She’s everywhere! She’s everywhere! At least she wants to be, and she wants to get there on her own.

4 mins to read

View details How to Switch From Breastfeeding to Bottle-feeding
Article
How to move from breastfeeding to bottle-feeding: A parents’ guide

How to Switch From Breastfeeding to Bottle-feeding

Whether you want to express breast milk or you’re thinking of supplementing with baby formula, try these 13 tips on how to switch from breastfeeding to bottle-feeding.

7 mins to read

View details 3 tips for your baby’s happy, healthy tummy
Article
Baby tummy time

3 tips for your baby’s happy, healthy tummy

By Dr. Ted Jablonski, family physician

3 mins to read

Join

  Join

Your parenting instincts, our support

Super-sized Savings

SIGN UP & GET A CHANCE TO WIN

Sign up for Nestlé Baby & me and automatically be entered for a chance to win a $100* gift card!

For full details, please visit the Terms & Conditions.

EMAILS & SUPPORT

PERSONALIZED EMAILS & SUPPORT

Receive customized emails with useful info, special offers, & more to help guide you through each parenting phase.

Helpful Resources

HELPFUL TOOLS & RESOURCES

Get access to our helpful and interactive parenting tools & resources in one convenient hub.

EXPERT GUIDANCE

We offer science-based advice & specialized nutritional guidance for every stage of the parenting journey—from preconception to toddlerhood.