Give your little one a good start on their food journey

Local parents and carers have help at hand to navigate the often confusing journey of starting their baby on solid foods.

In conjunction with National Nutrition Week, Mid North Coast Local Health District launched the Starting Solids Guide. It’s an online resource for parents and carers of babies aged 6-12 months.

The guide was developed in collaboration with dietitians, Child and Family Health nurses and local parents.

It focuses on responsive feeding techniques and provides information and tips around introducing solids, transitioning through textures and expanding the variety of foods offered to babies as they move towards family-based meals at 12 months of age.

Mid North Coast Local Health District Dietitian Rachel Gerathy said the guide will also help support Child and Family Health nurses in their work with families.

“The guide is designed to be a simple, easy-to-follow tool for parents and health professionals who work with families to ensure they have the most up-to-date, evidence-based information and tools to support the journey of introducing solids in the first 12 months,” Rachel said.

“We know there is a lot of confusing and conflicting information out there, and it can be a difficult journey for parents to navigate, so we are hoping this guide will really help parents to approach the transition to solids with confidence.”

The Starting Solids Guide has been developed as part of the PICNIC project, a peer education program that supports parents in feeding their infants and toddlers. Parents can join the PICNIC Program to access nutrition and feeding training, information and support from Dietitians and other health professionals.

Check out the Starting Solids Guide.