Developmental patterns to expect from your 1-year-old baby
Doctors use the growth patterns of children to determine whether a child is growing well with his age or not. Children grow at an incredible speed. One day they cannot sit on their own; the next day, you will find them balancing well for a few seconds or minutes. But as parents, you would not know if your child is growing at the right rate. So we bring together important information that will help you understand the developmental patterns you should expect from your child at one year of age. It will include behavioral patterns, sleep schedule, motor skills, physical developmental milestones, etc. Read on to learn more.
Physical developmental and movement
You would have noticed your baby’s weight must have increased around three times from what it was at the time of birth. It is okay to find your baby growing in weight and looking chubbier than earlier. Interestingly, your kid’s brain is now 60% of its adult size.
Likewise, you will see that the little one is now trying his hands at crawling; some may even start to walk, sit, and even clap. Doctors consider the time from 11 -15 months as the pre-walker time. Your child stays curious to explore the surroundings. At this stage, you also need to be careful of their safety. For instance, you can use pre-walker shoes to protect the little feet, cover the corners of tables, drawers, etc., and prevent uncalled-for injuries.
Sleep and Eating Patterns
As you might already know, newborns sleep a lot. Gradually, you will see a difference in the sleeping routine. At one year, your child will sleep less during the day and more at night. Some children may require an afternoon nap depending on the environment at home. But you will notice that the morning naps are a thing of the past now.
As far as the eating habits are concerned, you can begin to wean off your child. Begin by reducing one feed at a time, and gradually you can completely wean off the baby. Now is when your baby can start eating a few healthy things. However, you should ensure they do not eat hard food like grapes, popcorn, etc. You can set a routine that has milk, fruits, and healthy fats for consumption. Healthcare experts suggest giving mashed food items and fruits to the baby.
Communication changes
At 12 months or more, the children start to mimic their parents. They begin communicating through words and actions. You can hear your baby speak terms like mama, dada, no, etc. the language is new and exciting to them, so they try to become more social. They also start to understand what you are saying and respond to it with a yes or no. Interestingly, many children also begin to throw tantrums either by not eating or crying out loud to get undivided attention. You can start teaching them that this behavior is not welcome.
Likewise, you will notice your child having separation anxiety, stranger anxiety, etc. However, doctors suggest that these go away with time as the kids start to feel comfortable in the environment.
Final Words
Children’s behavior, physical, and mental developmental stages are hard to understand. While some kids go at a similar pace, others tend to be too low or too fast. Whatever the case, you should consult your healthcare advisor about the child development process and ensure that the baby needs no extra care.
