Optimal infant nutrition from 10 to 12 months 

If you offer your child a large selection of healthy and quality foods from the beginning, it is a sure way for him/her to adopt healthy eating habits that will accompany him/her throughout the life. Nutrition and feeding are far more than nutrient intake; it is an opportunity to support many aspects of a child's development.

Even at this age, breast milk remains the most important food for infants and provides half of the required energy. Solid foods cannot replace milk during the first year of life. Continue breastfeeding your baby on demand both day and night. This will maintain his or her health and strength.  There is no need to give infant formula or follow-up formulas (which are specially formulated milks for older children from 6 months of age), as breastmilk with a diversified diet provides all the nutrients your child needs.  Remember to breastfeed first before giving other foods.

When giving complementary foods to your baby, there are six important things to do:

1. Frequency: Feed your baby complementary foods 4 times a day
2. Amount: Increase amount to half (½) cup at each meal. Use a separate plate to make sure young child eats all the food given.
3. Thickness: Give finely chopped family foods, finger foods, sliced foods.
4. Variety: It is important that the child is fed variety of foods at each meal.
   • Animal-source foods (flesh meats, eggs and dairy products) are very important. Feed your child with well-boiled minced meat from low-fat beef, lamb, horse meat, pork, chicken, turkey, liver, fish, egg.
   • Add cooked vegetables puree: carrot, turnip, pumpkin, zucchini, various types of cabbage (cauliflower, white, brussels sprouts), parsnip, tomato, you can also combine various vegetables to porridge.
   • Beans, well-cooked and grated (skinning)
   • Add soft fruits puree: bananas, apples, pears, peaches, though make sure your child is not just fed fruits.
   • Additional nutritious snacks (extra food between meals) can be offered once or twice per day, for example pieces of ripe fruit or vegetables.
   • Start animal source foods as early and as often as possible. Cook well and chop fine.
   • Use iodized salt
   • Avoid giving sugary drinks, sweet biscuits/cookies/cakes, fried foods or fast foods.
5. Responsive feeding:  Be patient and actively encourage your baby to eat. Don’t force your baby to eat.  Use a separate plate to feed the baby to make sure he or she eats all the food given.
6. Hygiene: Good hygiene (cleanliness) is important to avoid diarrhea and other illnesses.  Use a clean spoon or cup to give foods or liquids to your baby. Store the foods to be given to your baby in a safe hygienic place. Wash your hands with soap and water before preparing foods and feeding baby. Wash your hands and your baby’s hands before eating. Wash your hands with soap and water after using the toilet and washing or cleaning baby’s bottom.

Foods to avoid

• Do not give whole or undiluted cow, goat, or sheep’s milk - as a liquid for drinking
• If you child is not breastfed, then you can feed the whole milk, but it must be boiled to be safe for a child of this age.
• Milk can also be added for preparing porridge -1/2 dilution); and ensure it is boiled within the porridge
• Avoid fruit and citrus juices; sweetened juices
• Adding sugar, honey; salt, spices;
• Whole nuts (use only in paste form)
• All types of tea (black, green, herbal)

From the 9th to the 12th month, most children are skillful enough to eat alone and drink from a cup they hold with both hands. Encourage the independence of your little one!

An infant has an innate, evolutionarily acquired affinity for sweet (especially!) And salty. The rejection of bitter food is also innate, which makes it difficult to introduce green leafy vegetables. Offer it first in combination with vegetables that the child is already used to (potatoes, carrots).

If the child does not immediately accept a new food, do not give it up. Arm yourself with patience; sometimes he needs to be offered with it up to ten times to get used to its smell and taste.

When a meal is accompanied by patience, smiles, encouragement and respect for the needs of the child, you encourage learning and acquiring skills, and feeding time becomes a time for enjoyment and pleasure.