INFANT
INFANT is designed to help families with healthy eating, active play and reduced screen time from the start of their baby’s life.
A guiding principle of INFANT is that mums, dads and carers are provided with information before it is needed – this is referred to as anticipatory guidance.
INFANT also provides an opportunity for mums, dads and carers to support each other’s learning through shared experiences, tips and strategies and through social connectedness.
Implementing organisations have access to online facilitator training and all of the INFANT resources. Offering INFANT as routine practice within organisations maximises the opportunity to support families at this critical time of their infants life.
INFANT Sessions
- Sessions and App
- Duration
- Facilitators
- Evidence-based
Sessions and App
INFANT consists of 4 group sessions for mums, dads and carers led by a professional, with content reinforced via a mobile app called My Baby Now.
Duration
The four group sessions run for around 90 minutes and are delivered when infants are 3, 6, 9 and 12 months.
Facilitators
INFANT sessions are delivered by a range of health and early years professionals who have undertaken INFANT training.
Evidence-based
INFANT facilitators provide contemporary, evidence-based information, tailored to families, while promoting group dynamics and idea sharing.
INFANT Benefits
In 2008, INFANT was delivered as a research trial with 540 families across 14 Victorian local government areas (LGAs). INFANT uptake was high and had significant effects for families taking part.
- Improve diet (children consumed 25% fewer sweet snacks and had improved dietary quality)
- Reduce sedentary time (children watched 25% less television)
- Improve dietary patterns of mothers
- Improve mothers’ knowledge and self-efficacy
- Improve infant feeding practises
- Connect with other mums, dads and carers and services locally
- Mothers consistently reported high levels of program usefulness and relevance
- 68% of participants attended the majority (4 or more) of intervention sessions
- Mums, dads and carers often found the group sessions important for support and social connections
- After participating in the INFANT program, the benefits for children continued at age 3.5 and 5 years
- Sustained improvement in child diet (more veg and fruit, less sweet drinks)
- Maintained reduced screen time (less TV)
- Increased professionals’ confidence to integrate healthy eating and active play messages into routine consultations with mums, dads and carers
- Reduced the need for additional consultation with mums, dads, and carers to address food-related issues e.g. introducing solids, fussy eating
Why INFANT?
INFANT is based on over 15 years of research undertaken within the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), Deakin University, Australia.
Promoting healthy lifestyle habits early in life is important for optimal growth and development as well as the prevention of chronic diseases later in life.
Health trajectories for the whole of our lives are established in the first 1000 days of life. It makes good sense to ensure the best trajectories for all children.
Offering INFANT as routine practice within local services maximises the opportunity to support families at this critical time of their infant’s life.
The main influences on infant’s and children’s health behaviours in their first year of life are the family, home environment, and health services.
New mums, dads and carers are responsive to information and support that helps them to promote healthy eating, active play and in turn, healthy development of their child.
I have really enjoyed the INFANT program. The My Baby Now app has been so helpful in discussing topics and referring to with parents during the consults. The information is easy to follow and understand for parents. I have found that parents really enjoy reading new information that is up to date and evidence-based.
I love the resources and how the whole program has been set up. I love that as a facilitator- everything has been provided – videos, pamphlets, posters, etc. The only thing that is needed is a willing spirit and participants. I really look forward to sharing this program with my local community to benefit all the children we see.
Getting Started with INFANT
INFANT has structured content and resources to guide facilitators. There is flexibility with how INFANT is embedded into services, who facilitates it, where it is held and how long it takes to establish.
Learn more