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Parent Handbook

INFANT PROGRAM

Getting Healthy Eating and Active Play Right from the Start

Design and production by Deakin Learning Futures

Published by Deakin University 2014

© Deakin University

National Library of Australia

Cataloguing-in-Publication data

Infant program: parent handbook / by Dr Karen Campbell and Dr Kylie Hesketh.

ISBN 9781741561678 (pbk.)

Infants--Nutrition--Australia.

Toddlers--Nutrition--Australia.

Baby foods--Australia.

Infants--Health and hygiene--Australia.

Exercise for toddlers--Australia.

641.5622

This initiative is jointly funded by the State Government of Victoria and the

Australian Government.

The Royal Children’s Hospital was involved in the development and trialling of the

Infant Program.

Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

Disclaimer

This information is provided for general education and information only and is not intended to replace medical advice relevant to a user’s speciic circumstances. Users are encouraged to seek medical advice from their health care professional.

Disclaimer of Liability

Deakin University has taken reasonable measures to ensure this information is correct at time

of publication, but gives no guarantee or warranty that the content is up-to-date, complete or accurate and accepts no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the material. To the extent permitted by law Deakin excludes liability for any and all loss caused by use of or

reliance on this information.

| PARENT HANDBOOK i

Contents

Acknowledgements iii

Welcome to the Infant Program iv

Getting it right from 3 months 1

Healthy eating 3

Importance of iron rich foods at around 6 months 7

Active play 10

Summary 12


Healthy eating 15

Drinks and your child 19

Active play 23

Summary 26


Healthy eating 29

Other carers looking after your child 34

Active play 36

Summary 40


Healthy eating 43

Healthy eating and getting it for parents 48

Active play 54

Summary 58


Healthy eating 61

Preventing fussy eating 66

Active play 69

Summary 72

| Getting Healthy Eating and Active Play Right from the

Startii


Healthy eating 75

Snack attack 79

Active play 81

Summary 84

| PARENT HANDBOOK iii

AcknowledgementsThe Infant Program was conceptualised and conducted as a research project by

Dr Karen Campbell and Dr Kylie Hesketh. The program has been modiied for

community implementation and Karen and Kylie would like to thank the following

people for their contributions in progressing the Infant Program from an idea, to an

evidence based program suitable for use in our communities.

Research co-investigators:

Professors David Crawford, Jo Salmon, Kylie Ball and Drs Sarah McNaughton, Zoe

McCallum (Royal Children’s Hospital) and Lisa Gold for their invaluable expertise,

advice and guidance throughout the research phase, 2008–2010.

Research support team:

Bibi Gerner, Natasha Napiza, Anne Griiths, Sanae Roberts, Debbie Leslie, Irene

Lichomets, Sandrine Lioret, Dr Shelika Hegde, Heidi Strickland, Venita Mackinnon,

Priscilla Lunn, Eileen Spiteri, Alison Spence, Emily McLeod, Catherine Naylor, Robyn

Perlstein, Margaret Rozman, Tegan Bonham, Alexia O’Callaghan, Carolyn O’Gorman

(dec), Inger Neylon, Marilyn Piper, Lily Meloni, Siobhan O’Halloran, Rachael Reynolds

and Paige van der Pligt and the many student volunteers, for their dedication to

managing and supporting the delivery of the program, and to the collection and

management of data.

Research participants:

Special thanks to the 14 local government areas in Melbourne and their Maternal

and Child Health Nurses who provided access to irst time parent groups and of

course to the 542 families who participated in the research phase, without whom

the program would not have been possible.

Funding:

The Infant Program research phase was supported by funding from the National

Health and Medical Research Council and the Heart Foundation, Victoria Division.

Karen Campbell was supported by a Victorian Health Promotion Foundation

Fellowship (Public Health) from 2007–2012. Kylie Hesketh was supported

by a NHMRC & National Heart Foundation of Australia co-funded Part-time

Training Fellowship (2005–8) and National Heart Foundation of Australia Career

Development Fellowship (2009–2013).

Program development for community implementation:

Inger Neylon, Robyn Perlstein, Cathy Cooper, Peter Lane, David Williams, Carly

Milanovic, Darren Baker, Liza Marsh, Simon Fox, Donna Squire, Caroline Coles,

Michael Wescott, Glenn McNolty, and Dr Trina Hinkley for their expertise and

enthusiasm in adapting and producing the program resources for use in local

communities.

And inally, thank you to colleagues, friends and others who have provided input

into the Infant Program including the many who agreed to be photographed and

ilmed for the resources.


Startiv

Welcome to the Infant ProgramBeing a irst-time parent can be a rewarding and challenging experience, and

many questions come up along the way. We know parents want to provide the

best for their babies, but sometimes need help with this – babies don’t come

with a “how to” manual. The Infant Program is designed to help parents to get

healthy eating and active play happening with their babies, right from the start.

We know from having worked with many, many parents that getting the food

and activity stuf right is very important. It’s not always easy to know the best

way to do this. This program provides you with lots of useful information to

assist you and your family, whether this is your irst baby or whether you’re an

experienced parent.

The aim of this program is to promote healthy eating and active play for your

child. This will have long-term health beneits, both for your child, and for you.

Research tells us that children form life-long eating habits from a very early

age, so encouraging healthy eating and active play from the very beginning is

essential.

How does the Infant Program work?

Your group will meet every 3 months for the next 15 months to discuss healthy

eating and active play with your baby. The sessions are relaxed and interactive.

They give you a chance to talk with other parents going through the same

experiences at the same time. It is a great place for you to share your successes

and challenges with each other, and to receive expert guidance from your

group facilitator.

There are 6 sessions overall. The irst session starts when your baby is about 3

months old, although some babies will be a bit older or younger. Your group

will then meet again every 3 months when your baby is about 6 months, 9

months, 12 months, 15 months and inally 18 months. Each session goes for

about an hour and a half. The sessions are run by your group facilitator, who has

received expert training on the Infant Program from the people who designed

this program at Deakin University.

Each session will explore how to feed your baby, what to feed your baby and

how to play with your baby at their current age. We will also look at what’s

going to be happening with your baby over the coming months so that you

can anticipate challenges and be prepared for how to handle those challenges.

There are videos to watch looking at feeding your baby, cooking ideas, and

ideas for playing with your baby. These videos are available on the Infant

Program website www.infantprogram.org, and can be great to watch with

partners and other carers of your baby.

After watching the videos, there will be a chance to talk about any thoughts or

concerns about what you saw. This is your chance to raise any issues or anxieties

| PARENT HANDBOOK v

you might have. Your group facilitator will be happy to answer any questions

you have. You might even have some tips for other parents in your group.

Your facilitator will then take you through some of the information in this

parent’s handbook. The handbook will expand on what you watched in the

videos. It also has a ‘Special Topic’ section for each age group. The ‘Special Topic’

gives you some information on an issue that is particularly important for that

age group, for example fussy eating, or the importance of iron in your baby’s

diet.

Finally, you will have the chance to have a chat about how you are going. As

a new parent, it is important to take some time out for yourself too. Eating

healthy foods and staying active is just as important for you as it is for your

baby.

The Infant Program has 6 key messages, which we will explore during each of

the sessions. The key messages are:

Children model their behaviour on their parents. Enjoy mealtimes together as

often as you can and ind some time for active play with your child each day.

Parents Provide a healthy range of foods. Kids Decide if to eat and how much to

eat. Remember, the more you fuss about food, the more they will fuss. Likewise,

Parents Provide a range of active play opportunities and Kids Decide which

activities to engage in.

Eating a wide range of fruits and vegetables is one of the most important things

we can do for our health. Snacks are really mini-meals to give your child an

opportunity to eat a variety of foods from all the food groups.

Eat Together, Play Together

Parents Provide, Kids Decide

Snack on Fruit and Veg


Startvi

Adding fruits and vegetables to every meal will help your child to know and love

these foods. Remember fresh, frozen or canned fruits and vegetables are all great

choices. The meals that you make don’t have to be fancy, just healthy and simple.

Ofer water regularly and ensure that it’s always readily available, particularly

when out and about. Avoid fruit juice, cordial, soft drink and other sweetened

drinks.

Television is not recommended at all for children under 2 years of age. When

the television is OFF, your child has more opportunity to be OFF AND RUNNING.

Encourage your child to be active every day. As a parent you are a great role

model for your child’s active play.

Infant Program website

Visit www.infantprogram.org. Here you can ind the videos from sessions, the

Parents Handbook, recipes and links to other websites and resources that you

might ind useful. The website is great to explore on your own, with your partner,

or to share with other carers who look after your baby, especially grandparents.

Colour Every Meal with Fruit and Veg

Tap into Water

O� and Running

1

3m

Getting it right from 3 months

3| PARENT HANDBOOK

3m

Healthy eating

When to introduce solids

It is recommended that you introduce solid foods around 6

months of age. Around 6 months is when babies need additional

nutrition including kilojoules (energy), iron and zinc. Signs your

baby is ready for solids include: biting movements; no longer

sticking tongue out when food is put in their mouth; still showing

hungry signs after a breast or formula feed; reaching out, opening

mouth and or putting their hands in their mouth when you eat.

Babies will also need to be able to sit up with limited support.

Formula or breast milk will however remain the most important

food for your baby until they reach 12 months of age.

How to introduce solids

Start by giving 1–2 teaspoons two times per day. The amount of

solid food accepted by your baby will vary greatly. The irst few

times you introduce solids, the consistency should be ‘soup like’.

The consistency of the food can gradually get thicker and lumpier

as tolerated. The amount of food will also increase to a few

tablespoons per feed.

4 | Getting Healthy Eating and Active Play Right from the Start

3mYour baby will most likely spit out the food at irst until they igure

out how to swallow the new texture. Some babies grasp the

introduction of solids right away and for others it will take a few

weeks.

Solid foods can be introduced in any order, so long as the iron rich

foods like infant cereals or pureed meat and poultry dishes are

included in these irst foods, along with breast milk or formula milk.

To prevent botulism, do not feed honey to babies aged under 12

months.

You can mix a small amount of rice cereal with breast milk or formula

to a thin consistency. Gradually thicken the texture over time. You

may have heard that by adding rice cereal to a baby’s bottle, your

baby will sleep longer at night. Research has proven this theory to be

false.

Increasing and varying your babies food texture is essential for oral

motor development. A baby will quickly learn to manage foods of

diferent textures and will accept food that has been mashed with a

fork or minced. Encouraging your baby to chew is important.

Once your baby has tried infant rice cereal or another iron-containing

food, try a range of cooked and pureed or mashed fruits and

vegetables and dairy products such as full fat yoghurt and cheese.

There is no need to add salt or sugar to your baby’s food. Neither is

needed by your baby and baby’s taste buds are very sensitive. Let

them enjoy the new lavours they are experiencing.

Do not despair if they spit food out or throw food away as that’s all

totally normal. Your baby might not be hungry or unsure of the new

taste or texture. Keep trying. A food previously rejected is often eaten

with delight after the ifth or iftieth messy ofering.

5| PARENT HANDBOOK

3m

Extra tips to introducing solids

Make extras when preparing fruits and vegetables. Freeze the

extra servings of fruits and vegetables in ice cube trays. Once

the cubes are frozen, store them in ziplock bags. This is an

economical way of always having something fresh and home

cooked to ofer your baby. This will also mean you don’t need

to cook at each meal and that you’ll have easy on-the-go meals

ready for your baby.

No child can be forced to eat. Babies are excellent at knowing

when they have had enough. Therefore, watch your baby’s facial

expression and body language when feeding. Your baby will tell

you when they have had enough.

Children’s appetites change, mostly in response to how much

they’re growing. This means that some days they will eat a lot,

and other days not so much.

At 6 months most babies are big enough to sit comfortably in a

highchair for meals. Once in the highchair your baby will be free

to explore their meals. It is highly recommended that you are

also eating meals and snacks with your baby.

Bibs, plastic mats, vinyl looring, face washers, and paper towels

are all great things to have at hand for the next two years. Eating

should be exploratory, messy and as stress free as possible.


3m

What to drink

The only drinks your baby needs are breast or formula milk.

Avoid ofering juice, cordial or soft drink, as these drinks can

damage growing teeth and cause a baby to gain too much

weight. From around 6 months, small amounts of cooled

boiled water can be given in addition to breast milk or formula.

Budget tip: Buy fruits and vegetables when they are in season

as they are fresher, tastier and less expensive.

7| PARENT HANDBOOK

3m

Importance of iron rich foods at around 6 months

Why do babies need iron?

Iron is an essential nutrient that is needed for making red blood

cells and plays a signiicant role in brain development.

When do babies need iron?

In the irst six months of life, a baby receives adequate iron from

breastmilk or infant formula. Around 6 months, it is necessary

to start your baby on solids containing iron in order to prevent

deiciency. Breast milk or infant formula does not meet your

baby’s needs for iron after this age.

Foods that provide iron include:

» red meat for example beef and lamb

» chicken (especially the dark meat)

» iron-fortiied cereals (infant rice cereal)

» legumes for example lentils and peas

» green leafy vegetables for example spinach and bok choy

» cooked tofu

Foods to avoid: Cow’s milk as a replacement for breast milk

or infant formula. Iron-deiciency anemia has been linked to

early introduction of cow’s milk. Therefore, it is recommended

that cow’s milk not be used as the main drink until around 12

months of age.


3m

Types of iron found in foods

Heme-iron – a well absorbed form of iron, found in animal

foods such as beef, chicken, liver, ish and shellish.

Non-heme iron – the main form of iron found in plant foods

like green leafy veggies, some grains, legumes, cooked tofu,

dried fruits and rice cereal. This form is less well absorbed. But,

vitamin C eaten around the same time as non-heme iron can

increase its absorption.

Foods high in vitamin C

» Oranges

» Kiwi fruit

» Strawberries

» Cantaloupe

» Mango

» Watermelon

» Pineapple

» Tomato

» Capsicum

» Broccoli

» Potato

» Caulilower

9| PARENT HANDBOOK

3m

Ideas of pureed vegetarian food combinations to maximise iron absorption

» Porridge (iron) with mashed strawberries (vitamin C)

» Pureed cooked lentils (iron) and tomato (vitamin C)

» Pureed cooked chickpeas (iron), spinach (iron) and capsicum (vitamin C)

Possible causes of iron deiciency

» Preterm babies

» Maternal iron deiciency during pregnancy

» Late introduction of solids

» Inadequate iron provided by the diet, most commonly from a lack of heme iron-containing foods such as meat

» Excessive cow’s milk intake

» Vegetarian diet that is not rich in non-heme iron-containing foods

» Lack of vitamin C-containing foods.


3m

Active play

Television or electronic media (screen time)

It is recommended that children younger than 2 years of age

have no screen time. This means no time watching television,

DVDs, using computers, iPads, iPhones or any other electronic

games. Research has found that watching television and other

screen time:

» reduces the amount of time children have for active play, social contact with others and chances for language development

» afects the development of a full range of eye movement

» reduces the time they can stay focused.

Television and other screen time have not been shown to have

any health, intellectual or language beneits. Remember: Of

and Running.

Playing with your baby

Playing with your baby helps develop their brain and body.

Every baby is diferent and will reach milestones at diferent

times. Try not to compare your baby with other babies of the

same age.

Ideas for playing with your baby starting from birth include:

Tummy time

Strengthens the moving and exploring muscles – legs, arms,

back and neck.

At home: Place baby on their tummy for 5–10 minutes at a time.

This time can increase as their muscles strengthen and tummy

time gets easier. Try placing a mirror, blowing bubbles or rolling

a ball in front of your baby for distraction. You can also lie on

your tummy face to face with your baby and smile and chat to

them.

11| PARENT HANDBOOK

3m

Rolling

Helps develop muscle strength, balance and eye strength.

Action: Lay baby on their back and gently lift a leg (not too

high) while holding the other leg down and gently roll them to

their tummy using the lifted leg.

Sitting up

Sitting up helps develop strength, balance and coordination.

Your baby will develop the strength in their back and neck

to hold themselves upright in a sitting position before they

develop the balance to avoid toppling over. Once your baby

has developed this strength to sit up with assistance you can

help them develop their balance.

Action: Prop your baby in a sitting position where they are

supported with pillows or sitting between your legs on the

loor. Try having the baby reach forward or to the side (just a

little) for an object. This is a great opportunity to let your baby

play with a toy on wheels which teaches them the idea of

movement.


3m

Summary


» From birth babies watch and copy their parents.

» Assist your child to learn about their new world.


» It is your job to provide your baby with a sleeping, feeding and playtime

schedule.

» Your baby knows how much milk they need.

Snack on Fruits and Vegetables

» Fruits and vegetables are easy, healthy snacks.

» Your baby watches what you eat, so set a good example.

Colour Every Meal with Fruits and Vegetables

» Try to provide many diferent coloured fruits and vegetables.

» Providing fruits and vegetables with every meal helps your baby learn to enjoy

healthy eating.

Tap into Water

» Breast milk (or infant formula) is the main drink to 12 months of age.

» Busy parents need to drink plenty of water too.

Of and Running

» TV or other screen time is not recommended for children under 2 years of age.

» Time outdoors makes everyone’s day brighter.

» Try to get out of the house every day.

13

6m


14

6m

15| PARENT HANDBOOK

6m

Healthy eating

Getting started on solids

Babies are ready to eat at around 6 months of age. The irst few

weeks of feeding your baby are all about experimenting with

new textures and tastes. It is also about learning how to swallow.

It is important for you to try to be relaxed and embrace both the

challenges of feeding and the mess. The more you stress the more

your baby is likely to fuss and not enjoy the experience.

Fortiied infant rice cereal, pureed meat, chicken, ish, cooked tofu

or legumes are great irst foods as they have the necessary iron

and can be easily made to the right consistency. Vegetables, fruits

and dairy products such as full-fat yoghurt and cheese can then

be added.

Refer back to the 3 month feeding section for more information

on the introduction of solids.

Already started on solids

The irst few months of eating are all about exploring diferent

textures, unique colours and tastes. It is also a time for your baby

to show a little bit of assertiveness. Try not to stress if it takes your

baby longer than other babies of similar age to accept food –

keep trying.

How often to feed

At irst you will be feeding your baby one to two times per day.

The frequency will then increase to three times and then to three

meals and two snacks. A parent’s job is to provide healthy foods at

regular times – your baby will decide what and how much to eat.

Remember: Parents Provide, Kids Decide.


6m

How much to feed

Watch your baby for signs indicating fullness, such as closing

their mouth tightly, turning their head away or pushing the

spoon away. Do not encourage your child to keep on eating

if they are ready to stop. Remember, your job is to provide

healthy foods at regular times – it is up to your baby to decide

how much to eat.

What to drink

Beyond breast milk or infant formula, the best drink for

children is water. Children don’t need sweet drinks such as fruit

juices, soft drinks, energy drinks, cordials, lavoured mineral

waters and sports drinks, either bought or homemade. Sweet

drinks are high in kilojoules (energy) and contain very little

nutritional value. Regular intake of sweet drinks may cause

excess weight gain and tooth decay even before the teeth have

broken through. Avoid using a baby’s bottle for comfort as this

can lead to tooth decay. Encourage your baby to drink from a

cup from 6 months of age. Remember to Tap into Water.

If you fuss, your baby will fuss

Remember that the more you fuss about food, the more your

baby will fuss. Resist the temptation to coerce or push your

child to eat. Avoid ofering replacement foods like yoghurt and

custard or ‘favourite’ foods if you ind your baby is not eating

what you’ve provided. Finding replacement foods is a very

short-term ix and will deinitely encourage your baby to be a

fussy eater. It can take up to 10–15 tries of a new food before

your baby may inally accept the second bite. The next food

ofering should be at the next regular meal or snack time.

17| PARENT HANDBOOK

6m

Constipation

True constipation in babies is very rare. The number of times

a baby has a ‘poo’ varies a lot from one baby to another. For

example, it is normal for some babies to have one bowel action

every few days and for other babies to have several bowel

actions each day. Pain and distress associated with passing poo

tell you that a baby may be constipated. In contrast, straining

without pain and distress is usually not cause for concern.

If you believe your baby is constipated, check they are getting

enough water.

If formula fed, check that the formula is made up correctly with

the right amount of water to number of scoops of formula.

In very warm weather a bottle-fed infant may require extra

luid such as cooled, boiled water between formula feeds, and

a breastfed infant may require more frequent breast feeds.

If you are conident your baby is getting enough luids and

the problem persists, consult your Maternal and Child Health

Nurse, General Practitioner or Paediatrician.

Fruits and vegetables are good sources of dietary ibre and will

help to prevent constipation.

Budget tip: Limit the amount of packaged baby food you

purchase. Home-prepared foods will have a more suitable

texture for your baby and are far more cost efective.


6m

Just add fruits and vegetables tip: Once your baby is ready

for fruits and vegetables, keep a list of the ones they try. Aim

to add at least two new fruits and vegetables to the list every

week.

19| PARENT HANDBOOK

6m

Drinks and your child

Water is safe, free and it is by far the best drink of choice for

you and your child. Introducing alternatives to your child is

simply not necessary. Drinks such as juice, cordials, sport drinks

or soft drinks might reduce your child’s long-term and short-

term acceptance to water.

Encourage water consumption.

» Ofer cooled boiled water to your baby/child often during the day.

» Always have a bottle of water with you when out.

» Be a role model by drinking water yourself rather than tea, cofee or soft drinks.

» Ofer cooled boiled water in a cup from around 6 months of age.

Sugar in drinks

Drinks that contain sugar such as fruit juices, soft drinks, sports

drinks and lavoured milks are not recommended for infants

and young children.

High sugar drinks:

» promote tooth decay

» increase the likelihood of weight gain as they are high in kilojoules (energy) but often low in nutrients

» can easily ill up a small tummy and reduce a child’s appetite for more nutritious foods

» increase appetite for more sweet foods.


6m

Points of interest:

» Breast milk, formula and plain cow’s milk contain the naturally occurring sugar ‘lactose’. These drinks are not considered to be ‘sweet drinks’ as they contain protein, calcium and other nutrients essential for healthy bones and teeth. Also, the fat and protein in the milk helps balance out how fast the sugar is absorbed in your body.

» Half of an orange provides all of the vitamin C a child needs and some important ibre for bowel function. Fruit juice is very easy to over consume. It takes around three whole oranges to make one cup of orange juice, but as there is no chewing involved, and most of the ibre is lost – it becomes easy to over consume unnecessary kilojoules (energy).

21| PARENT HANDBOOK

6m

Activity

Guess the number of teaspoons of sugar in each of the drinks below.

Answers are at the bottom of the page.

250 ml tetra pack of Ribena _

600 ml bottle of soft drink _

250 ml bottle of juice _

300 ml carton lavoured milk _

375 ml bottle of soft drink _

375 ml can of lavoured mineral water _

1 glass of water _

Breast and bottle then what?

Around the time you introduce solids is a good time to begin to

ofer water in a cup, which, like learning to eat, takes practice,

practice and more practice. Copying you is also important.

Why a cup?

Using a cup increases movement of the jaw and chin, this

improves co-ordination, control and lexibility of the tongue

and lips, and then talking. Using a cup will also help increase

independence and hand coordination.

ANSWERS

(Teaspoons of sugar in the various drink options)

250 ml tetra pack of Ribena – 9 600 ml bottle of soft drink – 20

250 ml bottle of juice – 7 300 ml carton lavoured milk – 7

375 ml bottle of soft drink – 10 375 ml can of lavoured mineral water – 11

1 glass of water – 0


6m

How do I start ofering a cup?

» Tilt the cup towards baby and get your baby to tuck their chin in and come towards the cup, not the other way around. This helps them to purse their lips on the curved lip of the cup.

» Use a clear or transparent cup with large handles (for gripping) so you and the baby can see the liquid inside.

» A small cup with a small rim size will it baby’s mouth best.

» Other cups are useful when you are out, such as sipper and straw cups. Controlling the swallowing of luid is more diicult with these as a baby’s head is tilted back and the chin is held forward. The actions used with these are similar to sucking from a bottle.

23| PARENT HANDBOOK

6m

Active play


Playing with your baby helps develop their brain and body.

Every baby is diferent and will reach milestones at diferent

times. Try not to compare your baby with other babies of the

same age.

Ideas for playing with your baby starting from around 6

months include:

Crawling

Crawling helps with visual skills, independence and

exploration. It helps to develop your baby’s brain as it is the

irst time your baby will use the opposite arm and leg in

movement. Babies often have diferent methods of crawling.

Not all babies will crawl in the traditional way – this is OK too.

At home: Encourage your baby to crawl and move around;

let them crawl on diferent surfaces such as grass; create fun

obstacles like going around or under furniture, down or up an

incline, through boxes, under your legs; let your baby chase

you or you can chase them while also crawling.

Allow your baby to play on their own

Babies learn about the world by playing. It’s important to play

with your baby but it is also important to give them a chance

to play and explore on their own in a safe environment. Playing

on their own allows them to understand that they are separate

from you. It also helps you to see what they’re most interested

in. Remember: Parents Provide, Kids Decide.


6m

Limit the time your baby spends restrained in a highchair,

pusher, play centre, car seat, bouncer, baby sling/carrier or

even your arms. Apart from sleeping, it is recommended that

babies and older children are not restrained or kept inactive for

more than one hour at a time. Try replacing the time you might

restrict your baby’s free movement with their alone time. Alone

time can only be achieved if you have safe areas in your home

where you can leave your baby for short periods of time.

Home safety

Instead of restraining baby and limiting a baby’s activity while

you do things around the house, we recommend making areas

of your home baby safe. Ask your Maternal Child Health Nurse

for a complete checklist on making your home baby safe.

Example of things to do to make areas of your home baby safe.

» Put small items that your baby could choke on in a secure cupboard or drawer that they can’t get to.

» Remove unsteady objects on tables that might fall over if furniture is moved.

» Put child-proof locks on cupboards and drawers.

» Insert safety plugs into power points.

» Remove all cords from electrical appliances and window curtains/blinds.

» Place corner protectors over sharp corners of furniture such as those on cofee tables that might be at your baby’s height.

» Place a playpen around things you do not want baby to go near for example a Christmas tree or mobile heater.

» Get down to your child’s level and look around for trouble spots.

25| PARENT HANDBOOK

6m

Rolling of balls or toys on wheels

Playing with balls or toys on wheels helps develop hand-eye

coordination – when our eyes are working together with our

hands. This type of play also helps babies develop a good

sense of timing.

Sit your baby up (prop them with cushions if they’re not yet

sitting conidently alone) and you sit just in front of them. Roll

a ball or toy on wheels between the two of you (you will need

to help your baby roll it back until they get a bit older). This

activity works well with your baby sitting between your legs

and rolling the ball to another person or against a wall. Passing

a ball back and forth or having your baby chase a ball is fun to

do in the pool as well. Remember: Eat Together, Play Together.


6m

Summary


» Babies watch what you eat and how you eat.

» Spend lots of time on the loor playing with your baby.

Parents Provide Kids Decide

» Provide your baby with many diferent healthy foods and activities.

» Let them decide what and how much to eat and do.


» From around 6 months your baby will begin eating solid foods.

» For meals and snacks ofer iron-containing foods, including iron-enriched infant

cereals, pureed meat, poultry, ish, cooked tofu or legumes. Vegetables, fruits

and dairy products such as full-fat yoghurt and cheese can then be added.


» Ofer a variety of diferent fruits and vegetables at every meal.

» Remember fruits and vegetables in season are always the best buy.

Tap into Water

» Ofer cooled boiled water in a cup at meal and snack times.

» Babies do not need any other drinks (except breast milk or formula).

Of and Running

» Make an area of your home baby safe and allow your baby to roam freely in this

area.

» Explore outside, sit your baby by a window or let them watch you do house

chores – this is more educational and more engaging than watching TV.

27

9m


28

9m

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9m

Healthy eating

What foods to provide

Your baby is still experimenting with textures, tastes, smells

and colours. Continue your mission of increasing the number

of foods they eat by trying new foods everyday. Try diferent

combinations of the foods they have tried. They may be unsure

of new foods and new combinations the irst few times so keep

trying and trying. If they spit a food out try again another time

and move on. Remember, Colour Every Meal with Fruits and

Vegetables.

‘Everyday’ foods and drinks for your baby and the whole family

are vegetables, fruits, whole grain bread and cereals, milk and

milk products, lean meat, ish, poultry and legumes, and water.

Foods and drinks high in fat, sugar and salt should only

be consumed ‘sometimes’. The problem with providing

‘sometimes’ foods is that these foods will replace the nutritious

foods that children need every day. This can lead to later health

problems.

Scenario: You have just made dinner for your family and for

your baby. You spent lots of time making the perfect dish. You

give your baby a spoonful and they spit it out. You give them

another spoonful and again they spit it out. They refuse to take

another bite by closing their mouth and turning their head

away and pulling their body back and away from the spoon.


9m How much food to provide

Your baby will tell you how much food they need. This means

that it is a parents job to provide a wide variety of healthy foods

at regular meal and snack times and it’s a kids’ job to decide

what and how much of that food to eat. Parents should trust a

child’s natural hunger and fullness signals. Remember, Parents

Provide, Kids Decide. Try to keep to a routine around meal and

snack times and limit eating in between. If you allow your baby

to graze on food they will not be hungry enough to try new

foods or eat foods that are not their favourites.

What to drink

Beyond breast milk or infant formula, the best drink for children

is water. Babies do not need sweet drinks such as fruit juices,

soft drinks, energy drinks, cordials, lavoured mineral waters

and sports drinks, either bought or home-made. Sweet drinks

are high in energy (kilojoules) and contain very little nutritional

value. Regular intake of sweet drinks may cause excess weight

gain and tooth decay even before the teeth have broken

through. Avoid using a baby’s bottle for comfort as this can also

lead to tooth decay. Encourage your baby to drink cooled boiled

water from a cup from around 6 months of age. Remember to

Tap into Water.

I can do it myself.

Some babies will want to feed themselves. It can be tempting to

hold of on this as it creates a mess and you wonder if any of the

food actually went into their mouth. However, this is a great way

for your baby to practice coordinating their hand movements.

You might also ind them more willing to try more of something

if they are feeding themselves. Try using two spoons if they are

having diiculty, one for you and one for your baby. Remember

to always cut foods into small enough pieces so that they do

not pose a choking risk. NEVER leave your baby while they

are eating. It does not take long for a baby to choke even on

something small and they may need your help.

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9m

Finger food ideas: (For babies wanting to feed themselves

inger foods are useful.) Remember: Colour Every Meal with

Fruit and Vegetables.

» Steamed baby corn

» Sliced avocado

» Cooked carrot – cut into sticks

» Watermelon cubes

» Strawberries

» Thin rice cakes with a spread (avocado or cheese)

» Halved unseeded grapes

» Toast ingers with spread (avocado or cheese)

» Banana

» Cucumber (cut up or whole)

» Capsicum slices (they can suck on this and get the lavour)

» Cooked apple slices

» Orange segments

» Pita sandwiches made with left over dinner meat, cheese, hummus, or another spread

» Cooked caulilower lorets

» Cooked broccoli lorets

Adding salt, oil and sugar

Babies have more sensitive taste buds than adults, so try to

avoid your baby developing a taste for foods with added salt or

sugar.


9m

33| PARENT HANDBOOK

9m

Fruits and vegetables

Children can learn to like diferent fruits and vegetables. It just

takes repeated eforts to ofer them, and have them rejected

and eventually accepted. Individual genes do not determine

taste preferences. Make sure that there is a variety of colours of

fruit and vegetables at each meal or snack. Remember: Snack

on Fruits and Vegetables.

Budget tip: When choosing between items, make sure to

check out the ‘unit price’.

The Australian Government mandates ‘unit pricing’ for large

stores. What this means is that the stores must display the

price of a grocery item as a standard unit of measurement

alongside its selling price. Diferent types of grocery items will

use diferent measurements, e.g. per litre, per kg, per 100 g.

You can use this to compare the actual costs between diferent

items.

For example:

Fruit and vegetables per item or per kg

Meat per item or per kg

Beverages per litre

Cheese per kg

Eggs per 100g

Flour per kg

Just add fruits and vegetables tip: Ofer the vegetable irst at

meals when your baby is most hungry. Steamed vegetables

are a great food for your baby to practice eating on their own.

While they are eating their vegetables it will give you a chance

to eat your food as well.


9m

Other carers looking after your child

Those who assist you in caring for your child are a huge

support. They will want to do their best for both you and your

child. However, you may not always agree with their views on

raising children. Keeping open communication on how you

would like your child taken care of will be important. Other

carers may have questions or concerns regarding what to feed

your child or what to do to keep them busy.

Provide support to other carers by:

» providing suggestions on how to keep your child physically active

» sharing some success stories around how you play with your baby

» making sure that the foods you normally feed your baby are in the house

» letting them know what your child drinks and when they eat during the day

» chatting about your approaches regarding food refusal.

Fun activity ideas you could suggest to other carers

» Throwing leaves and grass clippings up into the air and letting them rain down

» Doing chalk drawings on the footpath

» Playing ‘chasey’ in the garden

» Rolling a ball to each other across the lounge room

» Playing dress ups with scarves and hats

» Playing peek-a-boo with the clothes on the line outside

35| PARENT HANDBOOK

9m

» Making music with plastic containers, plastic cups and wooden spoons

» Rearranging the tea towel drawer

Fun food ideas you could suggest to other carers

» Taking a picnic lunch of sandwiches, vegetables and fruit to the playground

» Going to the fruit and vegetable shop or supermarket and focusing on the fresh produce aisle – the colours are amazing and there’s lots to talk about.


9m

Active play


Playing with your baby helps strengthen their relationship

with you as well as develop their brain and body. Every baby is

diferent and will reach milestones at diferent times. Try not to

compare your baby with other babies of the same age.

Some ideas for playing with your baby starting from around 9

months include:

Crawling

Your baby might have just learned to crawl or maybe they

have become a very fast crawler. Challenge them with diferent

surfaces to crawl on, obstacles to crawl over, under or around

and plenty of time on the loor to practice.

A great game is to chase your baby or have them follow you.

Walk or get down on the loor and crawl after them, telling

them what you’re doing. For example, ‘mum is coming after

you, I’m going to catch you and kiss you’. At irst you’ll need to

‘catch’ them quite quickly but as they get used to the game you

can let them crawl further. Also encourage them to follow you.

For example, ‘here I go over to the chair, come on, this way’. Let

them crawl to the door before picking them up when you’re

going out. Remember: Eat Together, Play Together.

Standing

At some point before walking, babies learn to stand. Standing

is important for developing balance and muscle strength.

Babies get themselves into the standing position in a variety

of ways but most will use furniture as a means of pulling

themselves to stand.

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9m

Place your baby’s favourite toys up on furniture (couch, chair)

to motivate your baby to pull themselves up; once standing

conidently you can place toys just out of reach to encourage

your baby to ‘walk’ (cruise) along the furniture to reach their

toy.

Dancing

Dancing is a great way to encourage movement and develop

balance. Music helps with brain development. Put some music

on or sing (your baby won’t mind if you’re not good at it.).

Show your baby how to rock and move to the music. Once

they are able to stand you can hold their hands and help them

gently rock back and forwards and wave their arms about.

Once they are walking you can encourage them to move freely

to the music. Show them how it’s done.

Parks

Find your local parks and start visiting them regularly. Your

baby will enjoy seeing other children playing. Help them

explore the play equipment. Take them down the slide – you

can either slide down with your baby on your lap or hold them

under the arms as you move them from the top of the slide

to the bottom. You can also let them crawl up the slide. Help

them to crawl on the climbing equipment and ramps. Once

your baby is able to walk they will start being able to enjoy the

play equipment with less and less help from you.


9m

Planning for active play and family activity can help to ensure

both you and your baby have some planned physical activity

and active play every day. This should be in addition to your

usual active play. Try using the weekly planner below.

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

For example:


Go for a

swim at the local pool

Walk to

Maternal and Child Health Care

appoint- ment

Crawling obstacle course

Meet

mother’s group at the park

Ball play

and dance time

Walk to

café for lunch with friends

Sing rhymes

together

Blow

bubbles in back yard

Play in sandpit at home

Walk to the

park

39| PARENT HANDBOOK

9m

Summary


» Your baby will most likely eat what they see you eat.

» Try eating outdoors. It’s fun and you don’t have to worry about mess.

» Play chase with your baby or have them chase a favourite toy.


» The only drinks your baby needs you to provide are breast milk or formula and

water.

» Don’t push your child to eat; they know how much they need.


» Fruits and vegetables served as inger foods are great snacks for babies.

» Soften hard fruits and vegetables (like broccoli, carrot and apple) by steaming

them and remember there’s no need to add salt or sugar.


» Purchase fruits and vegetables when in season and let babies try feeding

themselves.

» Ofer fruits and vegetables they like with those they may not seem to like. Keep

doing this–their tastes do change.

Tap into Water

» Water is the main drink for your baby after breast milk or formula.

» Juice, soft drinks and cordials are not recommended at any age.

Of and Running

» Babies are more responsive to you and the world when the TV is of.

» Babies love trying their new skills such as crawling, standing and dancing inside

or outside. Provide lots of support and encouragement to help them practice.


9m

41

12m


42

12m

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12m

Healthy eating


Try to eat the same foods together as a family. It is especially

important for you to be having similar fruit and vegetables as

your child. Meals do not need to be elaborate. They can be very

simple and basic but still healthy. Remember to Eat Together,

Play Together.

Food tips for the 12-month-old toddler:

» try ofering new foods with familiar foods

» toddlers love yoghurt. Ofer a small serve of unsweetened plain yoghurt and add tinned, fresh or pureed fruit

» use the same foods you would serve at meals at snack times. For example, ofer a small serve of leftover pasta, vegetables and chicken instead of a sweet biscuit

» use whole grains – oatmeal, wheat breakfast cereal biscuits, seeded and wholemeal bread, brown rice and wholemeal pasta

» use ‘obvious’ fruits and vegetables as well as ‘disguised or hidden’ fruits and vegetables. Hiding vegetables in dishes ensures your child may eat them, but does not encourage acceptance or experiences of new tastes and textures.


12m

What to drink

At around 12 months you can introduce full cream cow’s milk as

a main drink and after 2 years of age, reduced fat milk. Juice, soft

drinks and cordials are not recommended. In addition to milk,

water is the best drink of choice. Remember to Tap into Water.

Growth slows

Your toddler’s growth will now be much slower than it was over

their irst year of life. Because of this, their appetite may start to

decrease and may seem very erratic. There will be some days

that your toddler is very hungry and other days that they will

want to eat very little. There is no need to be concerned unless

you ind they do not eat for several meals in a row or if their

growth isn’t progressing normally. If you are concerned about

your child’s lack of appetite over a number of days, talk with your

Maternal and Child Health Nurse or your General Practitioner.

Setting the stage for ‘meal time’

This is a great time to get your toddler familiar with ‘meal time’.

The routine and rules established now will be what they know as

normal and will help establish life-long healthy eating habits.

A few suggestions for ‘meal time’ rules and routines:

» turn of the TV

» sit down together (even if everyone is not hungry enough to eat)

» do not allow toys at the table

» aim for your child to sit at the table for 15–20 minutes.

Remember to Eat Together, Play Together.

Turn meal times into learning experiences: When meal times

are a learning experience instead of a chore for their parents,

kids will look forward to meals and be inquisitive about the food

provided for them.

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12m

» Let them use a spoon. They may not get much (or any) food into the mouth with the spoon but with practice they will soon igure it out. Try giving them a spoon with thick foods (such as yoghurt) that will stick to the spoon when dipped.

» Try putting one or two dips such as avocado or hummus on their plate with inger foods. When your toddler gets to dip food they are experimenting and having fun at the table.

» Watch out for when your toddler is experimenting with cause and efect. For example, what happens when I drop this banana or squish this potato? Try not to be angry or upset when they play with their food. If you think they are no longer hungry, or feel they have had enough time to eat their food, take the food away.

» Say the names of diferent utensils you use, and talk about the shapes and colours of the foods.

» Name the diferent fruits and vegetables as you prepare and serve them.

Try to ind that balance of letting your toddler explore, learn

and have fun with food while also respecting the meal time.

You might consider having the extra messy meal just before a

bath time.

Parent modelling

Toddlers are constantly learning, and one of their best teachers

is you. Parents can be a great model for their toddler, especially

when it comes to food and healthy eating. Conversely, parents

can also demonstrate less healthy eating behaviours, which

may increase a toddler’s desire for unhealthy foods.


12m

Scenario: Your toddler is watching you intently as you eat a

packet of chips. You then ofer them some cucumber sticks and

dip for a snack. Your toddler starts fussing for your chips and

ignores the cucumber sticks and dip you provided.

Budget tip: Planning ahead will make feeding your family

nutritious foods on a budget easier.

Plan out the next few evening meals for your family or better

still, the whole week. Keeping the meal plan somewhat broad,

for example roasted ‘meat’, makes it easier to use the same

meal plan every week. If your family likes more variety, make

the rotating meal plan for more than one week. Try using the

menu planner below to help you get started.


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12m

For example:


Roast

meat and

potatoes,

and roasted

vegetables in

season

Use left

over roast

meat for

sandwiches.

Use left over

roasted

vegetables,

red lentils

and tinned

tomatoes to

make pasta

sauce

Fried rice

with BBQ

chicken

and egg

and frozen

vegetables

Lean beef

and baked

bean burritos

with salad

Homemade

pizzas

(tomato,

tuna,

capsicum,

cheese,

sweet corn)

with salad

Homemade

minestrone

soup and

wholemeal

or multigrain

bread rolls

Omelettes

with spinach,

onion,

cheese,

mushroom

and

tomatoes

Just add fruits and vegetables tip: Frozen vegetables are great

to have in the freezer especially when you are short of time or

have run out of fresh vegetables. The nutritional value of frozen

vegetables is often the same as the fresh version. They are

frozen right after being picked and washed. Frozen vegetables

are also often good value for money (check the unit price per

kg as discussed in the 9 month section). Tinned vegetables (for

examples tomatoes, corn, beetroot and legumes) are also good

to use as long as they are low in salt. Look out for varieties that

say ‘no salt added’. Check labels to see if they indicate they are

‘salt reduced’, ‘no added salt’ or check if the ‘sodium per 100 g’

in the nutrition information panel is less than 120 mg.


12m

Healthy eating and physical activity for parents

Life for parents with a new baby is not always as expected. It

can be diicult to juggle the many and varied priorities you

have – sleep, domestic chores, family life, work and taking care

of yourself. Self-care is essential, because if parents are healthy

and happy, everyone else is likely to be as well. These tips may

help.

General self-care

» Nap when your baby naps; even catnapping or lying on the loor or couch can recharge your batteries.

» Ask for help from others when you need a break.

» Set aside at least 10 minutes on most days to sit with a cup of something by yourself, with no pressure to get up and ‘do stuf that needs to be done’; or enjoy a bath, jigsaw puzzle or magazine.

» Get support from those who are in similar situations as you, such as other new parents. Groups that gather with babies at similar ages and stages are a great avenue for venting and discussing issues.

Your physical activity

As well as running around after your child some type of

physical activity each day can increase itness, strengthen

bones and muscles, and boost endurance. Physical activity

also releases ‘feel good’ endorphines that can improve your

mental health and mood. It can reduce stress and provide

some ‘time out’.

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12m

Keeping active tips

» Schedule a regular family walk, for example on Sundays.

» Get to know your local neighbourhood and the local child-friendly parks and playgrounds.

» Develop the habit of ‘going for a short walk’ every day and do some exercises in the loungeroom while your child is playing.

» Try using a pedometer. A pedometer is a device that counts the number of steps you take. It might motivate you to walk further.

Common excuses and strategies to combat your excuses

I don’t have time.

» Even 10 minutes of activity here and there add up and can make a big diference.

» Try walking to a destination rather than driving.

» Walk around the lounge while on the phone rather than sitting.

I’m too tired.

» Studies show that the less active you are the more tired you feel.

» Activity = energy.

» Being physically active can be a great way to relieve stress and improve your mood.

I don’t have a babysitter.

» Find an activity that you and your baby can enjoy together for example yoga.

» Go for a pram walk – it may turn a ‘bad day’ around.

» Try dancing around the house to favourite music with your baby.


12m

Your screen time

‘Screen time’ includes watching TV, playing on smart phones,

tablets and computers, video games, and suring the internet.

It is generally believed that adults should limit their screen

time to 2 hours per day.

Why would it be good to limit screen time?

» Screen time very easily replaces other recreational outside activities.

» May promote more high energy snacking – especially the type advertised on TV.

» Parents have a key role in modelling for children appropriate behaviours around screen time.

Ideas to help reduce screen time for both you and your child

» Consider designating certain days or times of the day where no TV is watched or the computer is of.

» Keep TV’s and computers out of bedrooms.

» Plan your TV time by selecting what you want to watch in advance for the week and have the TV turned of at other times.

» Make one night per week a family board game, card night or reading out loud night, rather than a family movie watching night.

» Turn the radio or a CD on if you like background noise.

» You may like to keep a record of your time spent in ‘screen time’

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12m

that is not work related for the next week. It can be interesting to take a look at your own behaviours.

Taking a look at your own recreational screen time

Keep track of the number of hours you spend on screen time

over the next week that are not work related.

Day Television time Other screen time

(DVD, computer and

electronic games)

Total

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

A good goal might be to limit your screen time to 2 hours a day

or less.

How many times a week was your ‘total’ column higher than 2

hours?

Would you like to decrease your screen time?

If yes, why would this be important to you? How will you

accomplish your goal?


12m

Your own eating

Eating well is important for many reasons:

» So that you have enough energy to care for your child (remember the odd day that you may not have eaten well and how you felt).

» You are your child’s most important role model and they will want to eat what you eat.

» Establishes eating styles, patterns, rules and habits that the whole family will follow into the years to come.

» Improves long-term health and vitality, and reduces the likelihood of the development of chronic diseases for example diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

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12m

Parent activity: Take a look at your own drinking and eating by

answering the questions below. Compare your answers to what is

recommended at the end of the section. Record your intake of the

following drinks and foods that you drank or ate yesterday:

Food Group Serve Size Total number of serves yesterday:

Recommended number of serves per day

Water (bottled or tap) 1 serve = 1 cup

(250 ml)

8 serves or more

Fruits 1 serve = 1 piece

of fruit, 1 cup of

fruit pieces, 2 small

pieces of fruit

2 serves

Vegetables 1 serve = ½ cup of

cooked vegetables,

1 cup salad

5 serves or more

‘Discretionary’ or ‘Sometimes’

foods

1 serve =

1 muesli bar

1 row of chocolate

¼ of a large muin

Small doughnut

2 – 3 plain biscuits

1 scoop of ice-

cream

1 handful of chips

100 ml of wine

1 can full strength

beer

30 ml spirits

1 glass of juice/

cordial/soft drink/

lavoured milk

2 ½ serves or less


12m

Active play

Playing with your toddler

Playing with your toddler helps develop their brain and body.

Every toddler is diferent and will reach milestones at diferent

times. Try not to compare your toddler with other toddlers of

the same age.

Some ideas for playing with your toddler starting from around

12 months include:

Walking

Walking is one of the big milestones as your toddler moves

towards independence and discovering the world. Walking can

start early (around 9 months) for some babies but much later

(around 16 months) for others. Like with crawling, babies need

lots of practice on diferent surfaces, up and down hills, stairs

etc, to become expert walkers. Remember: Of and Running.

Hold your toddler’s hands and help them walk around. Once

walking, their balance and speed will improve with practice.

The more practice your toddler gets at walking the better they

will get at it and the further they will be able to walk. Give your

toddler lots of opportunities to build up their walking skills.

Once they are walking conidently you can get them to walk

next to the pusher (holding your hand) for short distances,

building up to longer distances. For short trips to the local

shops, park or friends’ houses, try leaving the pusher at home

and making it a walking adventure instead, exploring along

the way. Getting places will take longer but if you plan for this

the beneits to your toddler are well worth the extra time.

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12m

Running

Once your toddler is walking with some stability they will be

of and running. This opens up endless opportunities for active

play. Here are just a few ideas: play ‘chasey’, jump over cracks in

the pathways, play at the park, dance and jump to your child’s

favourite music.

Active play is very important for children physically, mentally

and socially. Through active play, children:

» learn how to interact and share with others

» improve verbal and non-verbal (such as body language) communication skills

» develop self-conidence and skills to cope with stressful situations

» develop skills for moving and controlling their bodies

» improve the health of their heart, bones and muscles

» learn to enjoy being physically active from an early age

» use up some of their seemingly endless energy

» have fun.


12m

From 12 months of age it is recommended that children be

physically active for at least 3 hours every day. This should be

spread throughout the day (so not 3 hours all at one time) and

can include all types of activity from general moving around to

more vigorous activities like running. The best way to achieve

this is through active play.

At home: How much time do you think your toddler spends in

active play on an average day? Keep a record one day to see.

Record your child’s active play throughout the day – jot down

on a piece of paper each time they are active and tally up the

total minutes at the end of the day. Were they active for as long

as you expected? Was this a typical day?

More active play is good for everyone. It is helpful if active

play can become part of your family’s everyday routine.

Remember:

Eat Together, Play Together. Here are just a few examples.

» Walk to the park or shops instead of using the pusher or car.

» Go outside to play every day.

» Dance to music on the radio or CDs (avoid using DVDs).

» Meet other families at the pool or park.

» Collect leaves and lowers.

» Walk along the cracks in the footpath.

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12m

Screen time (television and other electronic media)

Remember that screen time is not recommended for children

under 2 years of age. Even though there are many DVDs and

television shows promoted for children, research has shown

that screen time has no beneits for young children and may

cause harm such as limiting their attention span, language

development, social development and time for active play.

Remember: Of and Running.

Scenario: You need to get dinner started but your toddler is

demanding your attention. How do you manage this situation?


12m

Summary


» Family mealtimes and playtimes help children learn about food, manners,

communication and social interactions.

» Plan meals ahead of time to make it easier to eat together, as well as leaving

more time to play together.


» Children may become ‘fussy’ and demanding but don’t give up. Continue to ofer

a wide variety of foods and active play opportunities.

» Children cannot learn to enjoy things that you don’t ofer.


» Remember to ofer fruits and vegetables for snacks. You may be surprised by

what your child likes.

» As role models, and for your own health, it is important for you to snack on

these as well. Fruits and vegetables make great alternatives to unhealthy

snacks.


» Your toddler can now eat most foods.

» Try some new fruits and vegetables by adding them to favourites in your family

meals.

Tap into Water

» Water straight from the tap is the best drink for children.

» You can ofer full-cream cow’s milk from 12 months (limit to around 500 ml).

Switch to a reduced fat milk when your child is around 2 years of age.

Of and Running

» Avoid using TV as a ‘babysitter’.

» Play dance music, rediscover old toys or set up some puzzles; this will buy you

some time and allow you to get things done.

59

15m


60

15m

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15m

Healthy eating


Your child will now be eating for the most part the same foods

as the rest of the family. The key to what foods to provide is

variety. At meals, especially lunch and dinner, try to serve a

protein, grain, fruit and vegetable. It is ine if the foods are

mixed together and not separated on the plate. For example, if

you serve lasagne for dinner this would incorporate the protein

(meat and/or cheese) and the grain (pasta). Make sure to add

a salad and a piece of fruit to this meal. Remember Parents

Provide, Kids Decide; and Eat Together, Play Together.

Examples of foods in the various categories used to make

meals:

» Protein: eggs, cheese, tofu, peanut butter, lentils/beans, chicken, beef, lamb, seafood…

» Grain: bread, pasta, rice, crackers, breakfast cereals…

» Fruit: strawberries, apples, pears, oranges, grapes, pineapple…

» Vegetables: broccoli, carrots, squash, corn, peas, green beans…

An example dinner using a food from each category would be

scrambled eggs with salad, toast and cut up pear.

You and those caring for your child are your child’s role

models on what to eat. If you are eating lots of ‘sometimes’ or

‘discretionary’ foods they will likely want to eat them as well.


15m

How much food to provide

Trust your child’s appetite. Some days your child will eat more,

some days less. This will relect how much they are growing.

Changes in appetite are totally normal. Never force your child

to eat. Remember: Parents Provide – a healthy range of foods,

Kids Decide – whether to eat and how much to eat. Try not to

fuss about the amount of food your child eats at one meal. The

more you fuss about food, the more your child will fuss and it

will turn meal times into unpleasant experiences for everyone.

If you are worried your child is not eating enough food or is

eating too much, monitor their growth with your Maternal and

Child Health Nurse. If you ind that your child is not gaining

enough weight or is gaining too much weight, we recommend

that you consult with your child’s Maternal and Child Health

Nurse, General Practitioner or Dietitian.

How often to provide food

Three meals and 2–3 snacks per day is ideal. Your child will

determine if and how much they eat at each of these times. Try

to limit any ‘grazing’ between the meal and snack times. If you

feel your child is truly hungry, ofer a small amount of fruits or

vegetables. If you provide food between the meals you might

ind that your child will not be hungry enough to try new foods

and will only eat their favourite foods.

What to drink

From 1 year on, full cream milk will begin to replace breast

and/or formula milk. Cow’s milk should be limited to around

500 ml a day. Water should be the only drink ofered other than

milk. Your child should be practicing, and may have already

mastered, drinking from a cup. Try to move away from using

bottles. Remember: Tap into Water.

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Prevent cavities

Your toddler may have several teeth by now. Teeth will

continue to emerge until they have twenty. Although baby

teeth are temporary, it is important to care for them to prevent

cavities, to instil good oral hygiene habits and to promote

overall good health.

You may have already started brushing your baby’s teeth or

wiping them with a soft cloth. If not, try to do this twice a day.

You can skip the toothpaste for now if your toddler does not

like the taste as the brushing is more important. Your toddler

might even enjoy brushing their own teeth. Let them watch

you brush your teeth and then give them their own easy to

hold, soft toddler toothbrush.

For more information about your child’s dental health and

on healthy brushing habits, visit the Dental Health Services

Victoria website.

Bottle mouth

Many parents learn the hard way that allowing your child to go

to bed with a bottle can lead to a mouthful of cavities. Dentists

call this ‘bottle mouth’. When a baby falls asleep after having

milk, formula or juice the teeth and gums bathe in sugar for

hours, promoting bacteria and decay. Nursing a baby to sleep,

however, does not have the same efect. Breast milk is less

likely to cause bacterial growth.


15m

Limit your child’s salt (or sodium) intake

Salt (or sodium) is needed by everyone but in extremely small

quantities. There are many negative health risks associated

with a high salt intake including high blood pressure. The

intake of salt in babies’ diets has risen over the years especially

through the intake of breads, cereals, processed meats, cheese,

yeast extracts and baked beans, which all contain a lot of

added salt. We recommend not adding any salt to your child’s

food. Given that we are not born with a preference for salt, it is

best to keep exposure to a minimum for the sake of long-term

health.

Just add fruits and vegetables tip: Aim to serve a fruit and

vegetable at every meal and snack. Getting your child in this

habit will set them up for life-long health; have chopped up

vegetables and a salad ready to go in the refrigerator. Ready

chopped and washed vegetables may entice you to eat more

of them and more often. Also, have a bowl of fruit with cutting

boards close. Cutting fruit and vegetables in front of your

child make for great teaching moments e.g. what colour is this

apple?

Budget tip: Take a shopping list with you to the supermarket.

Aim to spend the most on the everyday foods such as fruit and

vegetables, cereals and breads, legumes; a moderate amount

on meats and dairy foods; and the very least on ‘sometimes

foods’ such as takeaway foods, alcohol, soft drinks, biscuits,

cakes and chips.

Shop around the outer edges of the supermarket. The outer

edges are where the fresh foods are stored. These are also the

foods which we should be eating the most, so these are the

foods that should take up most of our shopping trolley.

Keep a seasonal chart of fruits and vegetables. Buying fruits

and vegetables in season will provide more lavour and will

cost much less.

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15m

Preventing fussy eating

Food refusal or fussy eating is very common in children,

especially when they begin to show their independence. It is easy

for parents to get both concerned and frustrated when their child

refuses to eat carefully prepared meals or snacks. However, you

need to remember that children are still discovering new tastes,

lavours and textures. They are also discovering their hunger and

fullness signals which are constantly changing with growth.

Food is one aspect of your child’s life that they can control. The

more you fuss and try to control what your child eats, the more

they will fuss and the issue is no longer just about the food but

is also about control. When this power struggle happens over

and over, all your child will remember is saying they do not like

a certain food and the negative experience associated with

the food. This negative association with the food makes it even

harder to encourage your child to try this food in the future. A

key to preventing long-term issues with fussy eating is to not

fuss.

Getting your child to try new foods

» Trying new foods comes easier for some children than for others. It can take 10 - 15 or more tries of a food for a child to oicially decide they do not like the food.

» Respect the fact that your child will have some foods they do not enjoy.

» Try not to impose your own likes and dislikes for food on your child.

» Try not to label a food as a dislike, for example, ‘Peter, does not like eggs’ but instead you might say ‘Peter is still trying eggs’ or ‘Peter is not sure if he likes eggs yet’. If you label the food as something your child does not like, they will repeat it and that will not help you in future attempts.

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» Praise the positive aspects of your child’s eating such as trying a new food or for sitting nicely with the family at dinner. Do not praise or make comment if they like or dislike a food.

» Limit or stop ‘grazing’ between meals and snacks. Grazing ills up children and stops them trying new foods at meal and snack time.


What this means is that parents’ job is to provide a wide variety

of healthy foods at regular meal and snack times and it’s a kids’

job to decide what and how much of that food to eat. Parents

should trust a child’s natural hunger and fullness signals. It

is really important for your child to trust and listen to their

appetite. Try not to ofer alternative foods until the next meal or

snack if what you ofer is refused. This can make many parents

anxious. Your child will eat more at a future meal or snack if their

body needs more kilojoules (energy).

Dealing with food refusal

» A key behaviour for you to practice is to ‘don’t fuss, ignore behaviour and remain calm’.

» The only action you should take is to remove the meal without a fuss; ofer the same food at another snack or meal. Stay calm.

» Do not force feed or bribe your child to eat as this gives them your full attention and encourages a power struggle.

» Think about why your child isn’t eating – are they tired, distracted, not hungry, testing you out?

» Remove food calmly if child is playing or dropping food for an excessive amount of time; they may just be playing with their food to explore textures and smell, or it may be an attention seeking behaviour.


15m

Dealing with fruit and vegetable refusal:

» Don’t use bribes e.g. resist the temptation to ofer something you know is liked if they eat something they say they don’t like. The classic is – if you eat your vegetables you can have dessert. This just makes dessert even more special.

» Keep ofering a variety of small serves on their plate.

» Be a good role model by eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.

» Add in a new fruit or vegetable with a well-liked one.

» Use new fruit and vegetables with familiar dips.

» Do not comment on whether the new food is eaten or not.

» Ofer vegetables at other meals besides dinner – for example breakfast, as snacks and at hungry times of the day.

» Try not to pull faces over your foods as this may be modelled as well.

» Hiding vegetables in mixed dishes ensures your child may eat them, but does not encourage acceptance or experiences of new tastes and textures.

» Growing vegetable seeds in a recycled can on the window sill (or in your garden) can establish a great interest in fruit and vegetables, and may increase the likelihood of these foods being eaten.

» Encourage your child to help in preparing fruits and vegetables – e.g. grating, mashing, chopping soft items with a blunt knife.

» Ofering fruits and vegetables in a range of forms – many children prefer raw and grated vegetables to cooked ones.

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Active play

Fundamental movement skills are a speciic set of skills that

involve diferent body parts such as feet, legs, tummy, back,

head, arms and hands. Children develop these skills during

their early childhood years and then use them throughout the

rest of their life. These skills are important because they are

the building blocks to more complex skills required to play

active games and take part in sports and recreational activities.

Particular types of active play can help your child develop

these fundamental movement skills.

Whole body

Some movements help to develop the whole body include

dancing, running, climbing, jumping, hopping, side gallop,

leaping, dodging and balancing.

» Try games like ‘chasey’ and hop scotch.

Upper body movements

Some movements that develop the upper body include

hitting, throwing, digging, building, and catching.

» Use objects to hold, wave, throw, catch, carry e.g. large stufed animals, boxes, streamers, balls, mini bean bags, balloons.

» Use child-sized bats and racquets or a rolled up magazine for your child to practice hitting objects. Balloons are a good object to start with as they move slowly, giving your child a better chance of hitting them.

» A fun game is to try and keep a balloon of the ground for as long as you can.


15m

Lower body movement

Some movements that help to develop the lower body include

moving over, through or around objects.

» Use tunnels and boxes. Draw chalk lines on the ground for your child to move along or jump over.

Scenario: You are trying to help your child with their

fundamental movement skills but they just don’t seem to get

it. You draw hop scotch markings on the driveway but they use

the lines as a road for their cars to drive along. You give them

a bat and throw a balloon to them but they drop the bat and

try to catch the balloon with their hands instead. How are you

going to feel initially in this scenario? What should you do?

Climbing

To develop climbing skills, climb up and down safe objects.

Always provide supervision.

» Use play grounds, ladders, soft stacking objects, safe trees.

Balancing

Challenge your child to take part in balancing activities e.g.

walking along a chalk line or a crack in the footpath.

Creative movement

A great way to develop creative movement is to encourage

your child to move their body freely to music or musical

instruments. Give your child a scarf or ribbon to wave in the air

and move with.

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15m

Summary


» Your child will want to copy your actions – so eat well and be active.

» Eating and being active with your child sets up great lifetime habits.


» Provide regular meals and snacks, and let children decide how much they need

to eat.

» Provide opportunities for outdoor and indoor play.

» Try to avoid ofering TV.


» Fruit is the best take away snack ever.

» Banana and avocado come ready packaged to pop in your bag as you run out

the door. Peeling and slicing oranges – and putting them into zip-lock bags

makes for easy snacking later on. Mandarins are easy and delicious.

» Remember fruits and vegetables in season are cheaper and taste better.


» Add vegetables to your favourite recipes to increase your family’s vegetable

intake.

» Try grating veggies into stews, patties and pasta sauces or blend them into

soups. Add a salad to most of your lunches and dinners.

Tap into Water

» Encourage your child to drink plenty of water every day. Take a water bottle with

you wherever you go – this means you’ve always got a drink on hand. Water is

cheap and it’s the best drink when you’re out and about.

» Ofer fresh fruit rather than juice.

Of and Running

» Spend time showing your child how to kick and throw a ball or balloon, jump,

hop and skip. This is fun for you and your child.

» Children also need lots of practice in climbing, leaping and catching.

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Healthy eating

Limiting ‘sometimes’ or ‘discretionary’ foods

It is very diicult to restrict foods you don’t want your child

to have, especially if those foods are readily available in your

home. Children will ask for the ‘sometimes’ or ‘discretionary’

foods that are available in your home. By saying ‘no’ to these it

is clear that you are restricting these foods and this can add to

their desirability. It is much better to avoid having these foods

readily available – if they’re not there, they won’t be asked for.

Scenario 1: You go out for a cofee with a friend and order

yourself a cofee and a piece of cake. You are not that keen

on letting your child have the cake and have brought along a

healthy snack for him instead.

How will your child react if you won’t let him have some of

your cake? What is diicult about this situation? How could it

be handled better?

Scenario 2: You have a range of treats in the pantry including

chips, chocolate, biscuits and soft drinks. Your child is getting

bigger and seeing much more of what’s around. She sees a

‘sometime’ food in the cupboard and demands to have some.

What do you do? How could you make this easier for yourself?

Consider getting a ‘sometimes’ or ‘discretionary’ food such as a

block of chocolate that can be shared by the family. Once that

food is gone there is no more.


18m

When you serve a cake or some chocolate, try not to make

a fuss about it being ‘yummy’ or a special treat or reward.

Being overly strict around sweets or by using them to bribe

your children will make them more exciting, forbidden and

preferred. The demanding of ‘sometimes’ foods and sweets can

then become a way for your child to assert their independence

and can become a battle ground.

Don’t encourage your child to inish their plate of food

Children will eat more than they need if they are required or

encouraged to inish their plate of food. Eating more than their

body needs will not only promote excess weight gain but it

will also lessen their ability to listen to their appetite – to know

when they have had enough to eat. Encourage your child to

stop eating when they feel satisied. If you are worried about

wasting food, limit the amount of food you give your child and

allow them to have more if they are still hungry. Dessert should

not be a reward for ‘cleaning the plate’ as this will also promote

eating more than the body needs. Instead, consider ofering

dessert once or twice a week with dinner after a smaller main

meal. Remember Parents Provide, Kids Decide.

Tap into Water

Beyond milk, water in a cup is the best drink for children.

They don’t need juice, cordial or soft drinks. From around 1

year of age the maximum amount of unsweetened full cream

cow’s milk should be around 500 ml a day. Water needs to be

ofered regularly throughout the day and always be available.

This is particularly important when you are away from home.

Consider getting a special water bottle for your child to

encourage them to drink water on-the-go. Another great way

to encourage your child to drink water is for you to drink it too.

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Budget tip: Keep budget friendly foods on hand for quick and

easy meals. For example:

» tinned tomatoes for casseroles

» a ready made pasta sauce to heat and serve mixed with seasonal vegetables and rice or pasta

» frozen peas for pastas, risottos and soups

» rolled oats for porridge and crumble toppings

» eggs for omelettes and sandwiches

» tinned legumes for soups, pasta sauces and salads.

Make a casserole or soup over the weekend to have for the

next week.


18m

Just add fruits and vegetables tip: Get the kids involved in

planting indoor or outdoor herbs or vegetables. Research has

found that kids involved in a veggie garden, consumed more

vegetables and were more likely to enjoy eating them.

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Snack attack

Young children have small stomachs and are limited in how much

they can eat at one time. That is why it is important to make every

bite count. In order to help reach your child’s nutritional needs for

the day, try thinking of snacks as ‘mini meals’. Having mini meals

will help satisfy your child’s hunger longer and prevent the need

for grazing.

In a mini meal try to include a source of protein such as meat,

dairy, eggs or a healthy fat such as peanut butter or olive oil and a

fruit and/or vegetable. Try not to eat the foods from cereals, bread,

pasta or rice group on their own.

Examples of ‘Mini meals’:

» Cheese stick and pear

» Peanut butter and apple

» English muin pizza with cheese and veggies

» Leftovers from last night’s dinner on a small plate

» Tortilla with mozzarella cheese and carrots on the side

» ½ toasty sandwich with tomato

» Vegetables and pita with hummus

» Wheat breakfast biscuits , strawberries and milk

» Yoghurt with cut up fruit

» Tuna with biscuits and capsicum

» Hardboiled egg and salad

» Vegetable soup with added lentils.


18m

Fun snack ideas

» Swap crackers for cucumber rounds and add topping such as cheese spread.

» Make dips using vegetables and fruits for example avocado or salsa.

» Use fruit such as apple slices to dip into yoghurt.

» Ofer a salad or a veggie soup as a snack.

Eat snacks at the designated eating place in your home, such

as the kitchen table. Turn of the TV and enjoy your snack.

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Active play

Help your child enjoy active play

» Be active with your child. Eat Together, Play Together.

» Allow plenty of time for your child to practice movements such as kicking, catching or throwing a ball.

» Make active play fun e.g. dance parties, dress up games such as pirates or fairies.

» Plan celebrations to include activities your child might enjoy like a trip to the park.

» Give lots of praise for efort made during activities – it doesn’t matter if your child gets it right or not, the important thing is having a go. The focus for children at this age should be on participation rather than achievement.

» Make active play part of everyday so it just becomes a normal part of your family’s routine. For instance, when you go to the park, walk rather than driving or using the pram.

Active play ideas to do with your toddler

» Action songs: sing songs with your toddler that include plenty of movement such as ‘Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes’.

» Catching and throwing games with a big ball (small balls are more challenging), a small bean bag or balloons.

» Obstacle courses: set up an indoor or outdoor obstacle course. Let your child set it up with you for added fun. Get their favourite dolls, teddy’s and soft toys participating too.

» Follow the leader games: lead your child to copy your actions (‘Simon Says’ for older children) or let your child lead you. They have wonderful imaginations and you might be surprised at what they come up with.


18m

» Ball games: Use a ball to practice kicking or take a tin can out of your recycling and allow your child to kick it on a hard surface to enjoy the fun noise it.

» Jumping games: use a rope as the ‘river’ and have your child jump over the rope. Have your child jump of the bottom step while you hold their hand. These types of activities are really good at helping your child’s bones develop strongly.

» Hitting games: put a tennis ball in an old pair of tights and tie it to a clothesline or similar. Encourage your child to hit the ball with their hand, move on to rolled-up newspaper and then to a suitable racquet for their age.

» Playground games: Make use of local playgroup equipment or your own backyard. Use anything you can think of to stimulate your child’s imagination. For instance, logs, pieces of wood, old tyres.

» Swimming: Make use of your local child friendly pool. Supervise your child at all times around water.

Outdoor time

Children are more active when they are outdoor rather than

indoor. Being outdoors in cooler weather (even in the rain)

does not cause the common cold or any other harm to your

child as long as he or she is appropriately dressed. Most

children enjoy jumping in puddles and playing in the rain.

Outdoor play allows children to use their larger muscle groups

– such as those in their legs and backs – and experience a

greater variety of movements at various speeds and directions.

Outdoor play also allows your child to use his or her ‘outdoor

voice’, expend more energy and be messy. Some outdoor time

every day is good for everyone.

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Television or other screen time is not recommended for

children younger than two years of age. Screen time includes

use of smart phones and tablets, computers and other

electronic games, as well as TV. From two years of age the

recommendation changes to less than 1 hour a day. However,

it is still recommended to have this as a ‘sometime’ activity and

not a daily ritual. Less screen time means more time for active

play. Remember: Of and Running. Rather than putting on the

TV, giving your child a favourite toy or book or putting on a CD

for them to dance to, can be a good ‘babysitter’ allowing you to

get things done.


18m

Summary


» Include walks, park visits and other active play in your family routine.

» Eat healthy foods with your child and show them – by doing – how you limit

‘sometimes’ or ‘discretionary’ foods.


» Remember not to force the foods you want your child to eat; ofer them without

emotion and model eating them yourself.

» Ofer active play inside or outside rather than time in front of the TV.


» Include some fruits or vegetables at every snack.

» Try ofering raw vegetables as you cut them up for meals.


» Serve vegetables and fruit at the start of a family meal when everyone is

hungriest.

» If parents enjoy their vegetables too, meal times are made easier.

Tap into Water

» Water is the best drink for kids (and adults.).

» Full-cream cow’s milk can be replaced with reduced-fat milk from 2 years of age.

Of and Running

» Make outdoor time a priority every day. It will use up some of your child’s

boundless energy, and let them practice new skills – all good fun.

» Ofer plenty of praise for trying new activities and for ‘having a go’.

That’s the end of the Infant Program. Thank you for

participating and sharing your thoughts and experiences. I

hope you enjoyed your time and learnt helpful skills.

You each have your parent handbook and there is also the

Infant Program website www.infantprogram.org you can

refer to for further information. The Royal Children’s Hospital

website www.rch.org.au also has excellent information.

infant program parent handbook - deakin university …€¦ · |parent handbook i contents...

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