Infancy and childhood articles: what the guidelines say
Most of what a baby or young child needs comes down to a few steady, well-agreed basics, and this page gathers them from across our infancy and childhood guide. The first is vitamin D, at 400 IU a day for breastfed and partly breastfed babies (the UK advises 10 µg, which is also 400 IU), followed by solid food at about 6 months and sleep that shifts as your child grows.
If you're wondering whether your baby is eating or sleeping enough, that's a common worry, and it usually has a calm answer. The facts below give each key number for the early years with the guideline it comes from, the questions cover what parents ask most, and the closing section sets out when to see a doctor. A good place to start is the question on your mind today.
Facts
Common questions
Which foods can come first when my baby starts solids?
Single-ingredient foods, offered one at a time, are a good place to start, according to the CDC. Potentially allergenic foods such as eggs, shellfish, nut butters and wheat do not need to be held back: the CDC places them alongside other foods as your baby's menu widens, so a varied plate can build gently from the beginning.
When should vitamin D drops start for a breastfed baby?
From the first few days of life. The AAP recommendation, set out in a 2015 review in Clinical Pediatrics, is 400 IU of vitamin D a day for breastfed and partly breastfed babies, and the UK advises 10 µg (400 IU). If you'd like help fitting drops into the day, your pediatrician, or your GP or health visitor in the UK, is a good person to ask.
Do naps count toward my child's sleep total?
Yes, for children aged 5 and under, naps count toward the daily total, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine's 2016 consensus statement. Its ranges are counted per 24 hours and not per night, so it's worth adding daytime sleep to nighttime sleep before comparing your child's total with the range for her age.
Can my baby have yogurt before she can drink cow's milk?
Yes. The CDC notes that yogurt without added sugar can be offered earlier than cow's milk as a drink, so dairy as a food and dairy as a drink run on different timelines. Fortified dairy alternatives offered as a drink follow the same later timing as cow's milk, which is useful to know if your family uses them.
Is it safe to introduce peanut if my baby has eczema?
It's worth a conversation with your pediatrician first if the eczema is severe. The CDC advises talking to the doctor before giving peanut foods when a baby has severe eczema or an egg allergy. A known food allergy is likewise a good reason to check in before offering egg or peanut for the first time.
Next steps
A good next step is to choose the one number that matches your child's age today, whether that's vitamin D drops, first foods or sleep, and build gently from there. When to see a doctor: it's worth booking a visit with your pediatrician (or your GP or health visitor in the UK) if your child crosses centile lines on the growth chart, or loses or gains weight rapidly. The same goes for pain on peeing, and for any worry about hearing or speech, at any age. Breast development before age 8, or a period before 10, is also worth a visit. Beyond those signs, the ranges here are wide on purpose, so where your child sits within them, and which change to try first, is yours to decide: not one size fits all.
Sources
The guidelines and studies this page draws on.
- When, What, and How to Introduce Solid Foods, CDC (2024)
- Recommended Amount of Sleep for Pediatric Populations (AASM consensus statement), AASM via PMC (Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine) (2016)
- Vitamin D recommendations for infants (Ahrens, Rossen, Simon), Clinical Pediatrics / CDC NCHS, via PMC (2015)