What to know
Embedding high-impact obesity prevention standards (HIOPS) into policies and activities in early care and education settings can affect the health and well-being of millions of young children. Of 47 HIOPS, these 11 support healthy infant feeding. These standards include activities that support breastfeeding and infant feeding practices.
![image of a baby looking up at caregiver.](/early-care-education/media/images/babylookingupatmother_1.png)
Breastfeeding support
Of 47 HIOPS, this standard supports breastfeeding in early care and education settings.
- Encourage and support breastfeeding and feeding of breast milk by making arrangements for mothers to feed their children on-site.
Infant feeding practices
Of 47 HIOPS, these 10 support infant feeding practices in early care and education settings.
- Serve human milk or infant formula to at least age 12 months, not cow's milk, unless written exception is provided.
- Feed infants on cue.
- Do not feed infants beyond satiety; allow infant to stop the feeding.
- Hold infants while bottle feeding; Position an infant for bottle feeding in the caregiver/teacher's arms or sitting up on the caregiver/teacher's lap.
- Develop plan for introducing age-appropriate solid foods in consultation with the child's parent/guardian and primary care provider.
- Introduce age-appropriate solid foods no sooner than 4 months of age, and preferably around 6 months of age.
- Introduce breastfed infants gradually to iron-fortified foods no sooner than 4 months of age, but preferably around 6 months.
- Do not feed an infant formula mixed with cereal, fruit juice or other foods without the primary care provider's written instruction.
- Serve whole fruits, mashed or pureed, for infants 7 months up to 1 year of age.
- Serve no fruit juice to children younger than 12 months of age.