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3. Discuss diet at every well-baby visit.
Here’s why: The more you learn about feeding your infant, the less chance he’ll become a picky eater who prefers junky snacks over healthy fare.

Penn State research shows that when nurses taught first-time moms about timing of solid foods, responding to hunger cues and how to introduce new foods, their babies were more likely to accept vegetables and other novel foods at 12 months than babies of moms who didn’t get the nutrition education.

“There should be a lot more discussion about infant feeding between parents and pediatricians,” says Wojcicki. “Always ask about nutrition in the first few years.” If your child is already overweight, ask for a referral to a pediatric nutritionist, suggests Wojcicki.