Also, ensure your infant receives at least 30 minutes of sunlight exposure per week to stimulate the body to produce adequate amounts of vitamin D since human milk contains very low levels.

One of the advantages of a vegetarian diet for children is that it can be excellent for their long-term health. It reduces their risk of health problems like heart disease and diabetes. If it includes lots of prepared and fatty foods then a vegetarian diet can be just as unhealthy as one that includes meat.

But if they eat fresh and healthy ingredients then a veggie diet will be very good for them.

Bring your child up as a vegetarian and you will be helping to get them into good eating habits from an early age. It's harder to change your dietary habits when you're older, so set them on the right path from when they're young.

The iron content of breast milk is also generally low, no matter how good the mother's diet is. The iron which is in breast milk is readily absorbed by the infant, however.

The iron in breast milk is adequate for the first 4 to 6 months or longer. After the age of six months, it is recommended iron supplements are introduced.

Soy milk, rice milk, and homemade formulas should not be used to replace breast milk or commercial infant formula during the first year.

These foods do not contain the proper ratio of protein, fat, and carbohydrate, nor do they have enough of many vitamins and minerals to be used as a significant part of the diet in the first year.

Many people use iron-fortified infant rice cereal as their first food. Cereal can be mixed with expressed breast milk or soy formula, so the consistency is thin.

Formula or breast milk feedings should continue as usual. Start with one cereal feeding daily and work up to 2 meals daily or 1/3 to 1/2 cup. Oats, barley, corn, and other grains can be ground in a blender and then cooked until very soft and smooth.

These cereals can be introduced one at a time. However, they do not contain much iron, so iron supplements should be continued.

When a baby becomes used to cereals, fruit, fruit juice, and vegetables can be introduced. Fruits and vegetables should be well mashed or puréed.

Mashed banana or avocado, applesauce, and puréed canned peaches or pears are all good choices. Mild vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, peas, sweet potatoes, and green beans should be cooked well and mashed.

Grain foods such as soft, cooked pasta or rice, soft bread, dry cereals, and crackers can be added when the baby becomes better at chewing.

Following a vegetarian diet means that you are less likely to suffer from obesity and related ailments, so it's a great start for your kids (of course this won't be the case if they eat lots of cookies and other sweet treats!). Considering how serious the obesity crisis is, feeding your child a healthy meat-free diet is giving them a great start in life.