Benalla Community Health Service is pleased to offer The Infant Program to parents of young infants in our community. This free program promotes healthy eating and active play in the family. A focus of the program is parents acting as healthy role models. Each group learns about child nutrition and active play, including introducing foods and feeding styles.

Sessions are held with parents when their infant is 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 15 months and 18 months old.

The Infant Program has six key messages

Eat Together, Play Together

Children model their behaviour on their parents. Enjoy mealtimes together as often as you can and find some time for active play with your child each day.

 

Parents Provide, Kids Decide
Parents provide a healthy range of foods. Children 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 children decide which activities to engage in.

 

Snack on Fruit and Veg
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!

 

Colour Every Meal With Fruit and Veg
Adding fruits and vegetables to every meal will give your child the right idea about healthy eating. 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.

 

Tap into Water
Offer 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.

 

Off and Running
Screen time is not recommended at all for children under 2 years of age. When the television is turned off, your child has more opportunity to be OFF AND RUNNING! Encourage your child to be active every day. Parents are great role models for their child’s active play.