Congratulations, you are celebrating your baby’s first birthday this month! What a rollercoaster of development you and your baby have gone through the past year! Take a moment to look back at the baby phase and prepare for toddlerhood. 😊
What Can My 12-Month-Old Baby Do?
- Can clap his hands and wave.
- Can stand without support for a moment or longer, perhaps even take a few steps.
- May be able to walk holding on to things. Some babies may even start walking without assistance.
- Can drink from a cup on his own.
- May be able to say “mom” and “dad” and even a few other words.
- Loves babbling.
- When you play with a plush ball, he will roll it back to you.
- Can understand and react to verbal instructions and requests.
Nutrition at 12-Month-Old Baby
Pay attention to the advice below after the first year:
- Every bite counts. Your baby has limited stomach capacity and is quickly satisfied. Therefore, make sure every bite you give is nutritious and does not take up unwanted space.
- Not all calories are equal. The 100 calories in a piece of chocolate are not equal in terms of nutrition to 100 calories in a banana.
- Skipping meals is risky, as it reduces your baby’s nutritional intake. Not eating regularly will make your child irritable and cranky as it will impact his blood sugar and reduce his energy supply.
- Weight problems usually begin in childhood. If a baby is gaining unwanted weight, the solution is not to let it eat less. Rather, pay attention to the kind of food you offer. Try opting for foods low in calories but high in nutrients like fruits, vegetables, and grains, as much as possible.
- Carbohydrates are a complex issue. They are babies’ favourite foods. While some babies reject fish and meat, no baby will give up carbohydrates, which are crucial for their growth and development. We can divide them into simple and complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates, like whole grain bread, beans, peas, fruit, and vegetables, provide calories, vitamins, minerals, protein, and fibre. In contrast, simple carbohydrates like plain sugar and honey contain few other nutrients. It is the latter that forms an issue for babies. Sugary foods provide nothing but calories, satiate the child and leave no room for foods containing other nutrients. In addition, sugar leads to the reproduction of bad bacteria in the gut and leads to tooth decay. Therefore, keep candy away from your baby. No sugar, however, does not mean that your baby cannot eat any sweet foods. You can give your baby special baby cookies and crackers, which contain only low amounts of sugar.
- Get into the habit of eating as a family. Ensuring a healthy diet for the whole family will also set a good example for your baby.
- As your little one becomes more active, he may be thirsty more frequently, especially during summer. Therefore, give him water often. He can now drink water from a glass on his own. Buying age-appropriate cups, which you can find in our shopping recommendations, may help you achieve this goal more easily.
Measures at 12-Month-Old Baby
| Gender | Weight (kg) | Length (cm) |
| Boy | 10 | 76 |
| Girl | 9.6 | 74 |
Play at 12-Month-Old Baby
At twelve months, your baby loves filling and dumping. You can fill a box with toys or baby-safe objects. Allow your little one to dump the items or show him to take them out individually and then fill the box again. Your baby may also be interested in large building blocks and shape-matching puzzles. First-step toys, like ride-on toys and walkers, are still amazing at this age for strengthening his walking skills. Remember, it is very important to spend playtime together. In this way, you support your child’s social and mental development.
Health and Development Review at 12-Month-Old Baby
Between nine and twelve months, your baby will have a review looking at things like safety, language and learning, diet and behaviour.
Is Your Home Baby Proof for Your 12-Month-Old Baby?
When your baby starts to stand up and eventually walk, you need to do another round of babyproofing your house. Cover sharp corners and edges with corner and edge guards, close off stairs and doorways with a safety baby gate, make sure bookcases and cupboards are fastened to the wall, cover your electricity sockets, put a baby safety lock on your windows and kitchen cabinets, and make sure your little one cannot burn himself by touching the stove or oven. Please look at our website to view a comprehensive range of baby safety products specially developed for this.
Shopping Advice – What to Buy?
Your twelve-month-old baby will love a nice shape-matching puzzle and large building blocks. He will now also be able to drink water from a cup. 🙂 Sippy cups, with or without handles, will greatly help. Also, buying the necessary baby safety products will give you much more peace of mind. Please look at our website, read other parents’ reviews and buy the items of your choice at affordable prices at ebebek.
It’s Your Turn Now – Write a Comment
How are you raising your twelve-month-old baby? What challenges did you experience this month? How did you overcome them? We welcome your comments to support and inspire other caregivers.
Don’t Forget to Share!
Don’t forget to share our 12-month-old baby development article so other caregivers and expectant parents can read and learn!
