Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) has published its report on ‘Feeding in the first year of life’, providing recommendations on infant feeding from birth up to 12 months of age.
In brief SACN recommend:
- babies are exclusively breastfed until around 6 months of age and continue to be breastfed for at least the first year of life.
- solid foods should not be introduced until around 6 months to benefit the child’s overall health
- breast milk, infant formula and water should be the only drinks offered between 6 and 12 months of age - cows’ milk should not be given as a main drink, as this is associated with lower iron status
- a wide range of solid foods, including foods containing iron, should be introduced from around 6 months of age, alongside breastfeeding - these foods should have different textures and flavours and may need to be tried several times before the infant accepts them, particularly as they get older
- breastfed infants up to 12 months should receive a daily supplement containing 8.5 to 10µg of vitamin D (340-400 IU/d) - formula-fed infants do not need a supplement unless consuming less than 500ml of infant formula a day
SACN has "recommended strengthening advice regarding the introduction of peanuts and hen’s egg – advice on complementary feeding should state these foods can be introduced from around 6 months of age and need not be differentiated from other solid foods. The deliberate exclusion of peanuts or hen’s egg beyond 6 to 12 months of age may increase the risk of allergy to these foods."