ide to B a b y Feedin

For more advice

about feeding Gu from around g
your baby visit
forbaby.co.nz or
call the Careline
6-7 months
on 0800 55 66 66 Breast milk is the perfect food for your baby. Breast milk or infant
formula is all your baby needs for around the first 6 months.

Stage 1
around 6 Offer milk BEFORE solids. Breast milk
months or formula is the most important food.
Call PlunketLine but not before
4 months
on 0800 933 922
Feeding tips: Texture
Signs baby is ready Examples of
Start by offering a small of first foods: Stage 1 Foods
for solid foods. Your baby: amount of food after a Smooth, runny • Iron fortified baby
• is holding their head up well and sits milk feed, just ½-2 tsps. or puréed. rice cereal
with less help. Begin with one small meal a • Cooked puréed veggies
• is interested in watching you eat. day and slowly increase the e.g carrot, pumpkin,
• still seems hungry after a milk feed. amount of food you offer. kūmara, potato,
• opens their mouth when food cassava, kamokamo,
/spoon approaches. Offer a variety of suitable taro, spinach, bok choy
• their tongue doesn’t push food out of stage 1 spoon-fed, smooth • Cooked puréed fruit
their mouth. puréed foods. See the e.g. apple, pear,
carrot guide for examples. apricot, peach
• shows signs of biting and chewing.
Iron fortified baby rice • Smoothly mashed
Introduce puréed iron-rich foods, There is no need to introduce banana, avocado
vegetables and fruits from around 6 months new foods one at a time cereal is a great first food.
• Cooked puréed meat,
when baby is showing developmental unless the food is a common Mix with breast milk or chicken, fish
signs of readiness for solid foods. allergy-causing food. formula until smooth.
• Cooked puréed
legumes, lentils
and rice
• Wattie’s blue label
Offer milk BEFORE solids. Breast milk
Stage 2 or formula is still the most important food.
cans & pouches

around 7
Examples of
Stage 2 Foods
months Feeding tips: Texture of ADD TO STAGE 1 FOODS
Try mixed ingredient foods stage 2 foods: • Cooked mashed
veggies e.g.
with a range of tastes. Thicker purées, small soft broccoli, parsnip,
lumps and mashed foods. cauliflower, pūhā
 t this stage your
A Introduce new foods suitable
for stage 2 (see carrot guide). • Well-cooked egg
baby may be: • Tofu and tempeh
• starting to sit unsupported. Baby may eat between
• Cooked pasta
2 Tbsps and 1/2 cup food at
• learning to bite & chew & cut-up plain
each meal. Be responsive to noodles
and may have teeth. baby’s hunger and fullness • Cheese, yoghurt,
• leaning towards food or spoon. cues, and let them guide you cottage cheese
• interested in finger foods. about how much they eat. Increase the variety of foods, in a soft • Iron fortified
• taking sips of water from Offer baby 2 or 3 meals mashed texture. Depending on your baby, baby cereals,
plain crackers,
a cup. a day. consider offering some soft finger foods. bread (white
or wholemeal)
Ensure infants and young children are sitting down and actively supervised when eating and drinking. • Wattie’s red
label cans &
pouches
Common questions about feeding your pēpi
Which first kai are a good source of iron?
Iron-rich foods include baby cereal, cooked puréed meat, fish and chicken.
Some iron is also found in cooked puréed beans, lentils and green leafy veg. Did you know?
Why are there ingredients in stage 1 & 2 baby foods, You don’t need to add sugar,
which I thought were only suitable for older babies? salt, soy sauce, butter, cream or
Some ingredients in supermarket baby foods (e.g. sweetcorn, spinach or berries) margarine to baby food. It may
may be given to babies earlier than if made at home, as the commercial cooking taste bland to adults, but it’s
and pureeing process ensures these foods are an appropriate texture for babies.
appealing to babies. Fast food
How do I introduce common allergy causing foods? is often high in salt and fat.
Generally, it’s important not to delay the introduction of allergy causing foods.
Make sure they are an appropriate texture and introduce them one at a time.
While it is a treat for adults,
If you have a family history of food allergies or any concerns, discuss with your it shouldn’t be given to babies
health professional first. and young children.

Handy Tip How to prepare first foods for baby: 1) Wash & remove skins, seeds, pips, stones and stringy
parts from veggies and fruit. 2) Cook until tender in a small amount of water. 3) Purée.
June 2022

Wattie’s baby food recipes are prepared in our specialist baby food facility with carefully selected, quality ingredients. Wattie’s baby food has
no preservatives, artificial colours or flavours.
 ide to B a b y Feedin
For more advice
about feeding Gu from around g
8-12 months
your baby visit
forbaby.co.nz or
call the Careline
on 0800 55 66 66

Stage 3 Breast milk or formula feeds are

still important, but from 8-9 months
around 8 offer AFTER solids.
months

Feeding tips: Texture of

Call PlunketLine stage 3 foods:
 t this stage your
A Offer more variety of
on 0800 933 922 baby may be: foods in different sizes Examples of
Offer minced, chopped, grated
Stage 3 Foods
• chewing & biting well. and textures. and small soft finger food.
ADD TO STAGE 1 & 2 FOODS
• eating more Serve some food as
• Ripe soft fruit: oranges,
independently, but still finger food. mandarins, kiwifruit,
needing help. Introduce new foods pineapple, berry fruit
e.g. strawberries
• s howing interest in many suitable for stage 3
• Cooked and chopped
foods & textures. (see carrot guide). watercress, silverbeet,
Depending on appetite, choy sum, capsicum,
• t aking swallows of water
mushroom, eggplant
from a cup. Offer water offer baby 2-3 meals a
day, with 1 or 2 small
Increase texture of food to more • Finely chopped salad
after solids. chunky, but still soft. vegetables and
snacks in-between. tomatoes
• Kai moana/seafood
• Smooth nut butters
• Iron fortified infant
Recommended drinks for toddlers muesli, porridge,
wheat biscuits
from 12 months are breast milk,
Stage 4
• Cooked onion,
whole-fat cow’s milk and water. garlic, ginger

12 months • Small amounts of

mild herbs and spices
onwards e.g. parsley, basil,
Feeding tips: Texture of mild curry, turmeric,
toddler foods: cinnamon
Your toddler is ready for a wider variety
• Wattie’s green label
of family foods and finger foods. Increase texture jars and pouches
 t this stage your
A Some foods will still need to have the of food to varied
toddler may be: and challenging. Examples of
texture altered by cooking until soft and Stage 4 Foods
• feeding themselves cutting up into a suitable size. (Avoid small
ADD TO STAGE
with their fingers. hard, round, sticky or stringy foods). 1, 2 & 3 FOODS
• wanting to use a spoon Your toddler can join in with whānau • Whānau
mealtimes, and needs 3 meals a day with (family) foods
to feed themselves.
small snacks in-between. • Whole-fat
• holding a cup with cow’s milk as
2 hands to drink water. Offer milk or water after food or a drink
in-between meals. From 12 months of • Wattie’s
• chewing food well. Finger foods, cut up pieces orange label
age whole-fat cow’s milk can be offered
• biting through a of food, soft chunky food, cans and
as a drink. Around 350mL of cow’s milk
Little Kids
variety of textures. a day is enough for toddlers. minced, grated foods. meals

Ensure infants and young children are sitting down and actively supervised when eating and drinking.
It’s important not to add sugar, salt, soy sauce, butter, cream or margarine to baby and toddler food.
As fast food is often high in fat, salt and/or sugar, it shouldn’t be given to babies and young children.

Common questions about feeding your pēpi

How do I know my baby has eaten enough kai?
Healthy babies are good at regulating their food intake so they get just what they need. When your baby has eaten
enough they may refuse food, turn their head away from the spoon, cry, or clamp their mouth shut. Never force your baby
to eat more than they want. Every baby’s appetite is different, and it is important to be responsive to their fullness cues.
Can my baby have lumpy foods if he doesn’t have teeth yet?
Babies don’t need teeth to eat soft lumpy food. Their gums are hard and they can ‘munch’ soft lumps. As baby gets older
it’s important to offer more lumpy & textured food to assist normal chewing, swallowing and speech development.

What should my baby drink?

Other than breast milk or infant formula, the best drink for babies is water.
Don’t offer fruit juice, cordial, soft drinks or flavoured milk as these can be high in sugars.
Never give coffee, tea or alcohol as they can harm your baby’s health. Never leave baby to
2022 2019

suck on a bottle for a long time as the natural sugars in milk can cause tooth decay.
November

Wattie’s and Plunket have been proudly working together to support New Zealand babies for more than 30 years.
June