All genders

Be guided by your baby's appetite. Offer your baby new foods. Let them choose how much to eat - you decide what food is offered, your baby decides how much to eat.

It takes a little work to bring everyone together for meals. But it's worth it and the whole whānau (family) eats better.

Your baby learns about food from watching you. Your baby learns about food from watching you. Be a good role model. You can set a good example by eating a variety of healthy foods.

Around 6 months, your baby starts to need the extra vitamins and minerals (especially iron and zinc) that are in solid foods. Iron is especially important for your baby to keep blood and brain cells healthy.

The best drink for pēpi (babies) from birth to 6 months is breastmilk (or formula, if breast milk is unavailable). From 7 to 12 months, breastmilk (or formula) and water are the best drinks for your baby.

By 8 or 9 months, you can start to offer your baby their solids before breastmilk or formula. By now your baby is probably having 3 to 4 meals a day, 1 to 2 snacks, and 2 to 3 breast (or formula) feeds.

Keep giving your baby breastmilk (or formula) before solids. Give more variety and texture as baby grows older.

Start with one food at a time, and add a new food every 2 to 4 days. Over time, increase how much and how often you give solid foods. Start with 1 to 2 teaspoons once a day, and slowly increase.

Prepare a week of baby meat and vegetables and freeze in individual containers (such as ice cube trays). Do some tasks the day before. Check out some other time saving tips.

A great way to stock up on baby food - cook a large amount and freeze portions. Once your baby's eating foods with more texture, you could put any healthy leftovers from the family meal into a blender and blend to a lumpy pulp.

Your baby is learning about food and developing eating habits from the time they start solids. There are lots of things you can do to help your baby learn healthy eating habits right from the start.

Safety's important when your baby is eating. Make sure your baby's well-secured in a high chair, or on your lap. Find out about foods that are more likely to cause choking.

Start with spoon-fed puréed foods when your baby is ready (around 6 months). Move on to mashed and chopped foods over the next few months. Offer finger foods from 7 to 8 months when your baby is able to pick them up, bring them to their mouth and chew them.

Around 6 months, your baby starts to need the extra vitamins and minerals (especially iron and zinc) that are in solid foods. 

Your breastmilk makes a big difference to both your baby's health and yours. 

Exclusively breastfeeding for around the first 6 months of your baby's life and then continuing once your baby starts solids until 12 months and beyond gives your baby the best start in life.