The nutritional life of the infant actually begins during the prenatal period and is subjected to influence even earlier. A human infant completely depends on his parents, especially mother for his food and care. The proper well being and growth of an infant is influenced by maternal nutrition at the time of pregnancy. Food provides the energy and nutrients that babies need to be healthy. And the best food required by the infant is the breast milk. Its has all the necessary vitamins and minerals which an infant is in need of.

The healthy well fed infant doubles his birth weight during the first six months. The birth weight triples by the time he is twelve months old. All babies do not grow at the same rate. There is nothing to worry as long as there is a steady weight gain.

The breast milk is considered to be bacteriologically safe and provides immunological protections. By breastfeeding her newly born infant, a mother will pass on some of her own immunities to infections the baby who can be exposed to during the first few weeks of life. For this a mother has to consume a balanced diet that would help her to produce healthy breast milk.

The increase in the number of brain cells is most rapid during fetal life and during the first 6 months after birth. The brain develops rapidly during infancy.