The Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) recommends breast milk or iron-fortified infant formula as the best primary source of nutrition for your baby's first year of life. Even after your baby starts eating solid foods, his primary source of nutrition should still be breast milk or an iron-fortified formula.

Your growing baby needs iron

Your baby was born with a good supply of iron - provided by your body during your healthy pregnancy. But by the time your baby approaches four to six months of age, those initial iron reserves are running low if they're not maintained by an iron-rich diet.

During the first year, your baby continues to need adequate amounts of iron for proper brain development. Iron also helps prevent iron-deficiency anaemia, a condition that can lead to decreased attention span and irritability. In fact, a seven-month-old requires more iron per day than a full-grown man.

If you're breast-feeding, your doctor may prescribe a dietary supplement for you. If you're formula-feeding your baby, use an iron-fortified formula, such as one from the NESTLÉ GOOD START family.

• Too much sodium: Cow's milk contains approximately three times as much sodium as breast milk.
• Too much protein: Cow's milk also provides approximately three times more protein than breast milk, meaning it can produce large, difficult-to-digest curds in some babies' stomachs.
• Not enough fat: Cow's milk doesn't supply the right kind of fat in the right amount for a baby's optimum brain development.

For more information on this topic, check our Q&A Section. If you don't find the information you're looking for, please feel free to Ask a Dietitian.