12 month milestones

MOTOR: Walking doesn't just automatically happen when your baby is 12 months old. There is a range - the earliest being 8 months (which I’ve seen) to ~16 months. So, what do you want to look for: Are they starting to sit on their knees, are they trying to pull themselves up, are they holding onto things while standing? Cruising may also begin for your little ones, so providing them with things in their environment such a small bookcase (make sure it’s bolted to wall) that they can hold onto. They should also be enjoying mealtime by using their fingers and hands to feed themselves.

EATING: The biggest question I get is transitioning off of breast milk/formula. Continuing with breast milk is great if you choose to/can do it. That said, making sure your little one is getting enough solid food is important as well. I like to drop the mid-morning bottle/nursing session and offer a snack instead, so you are left with only 3 milk sessions (morning, mid-afternoon, and evening), and then you will drop the afternoon one, then the morning and then the evening one around 18 months. This is what I do, so check with your doctor and do what is best for your family. Do you want a post on what kind of milk I use and why?

ENTERTAINMENT: Did you see my recent post on open ended play? You want to give your baby as much time on the ground as possible. Let them crawl, hold onto things and walk around in order to explore their environment. Try to avoid putting them in walkers and swings as it puts undo pressure on their spine and forces them in a position that they are not yet ready for as their muscles are not strong enough. Open ended toys for this age include silk scarves, stainless steel bowls of varying sizes, play kitchen (preferably neutral colors and something with cabinets that they can open/close), baskets with different sized balls etc. They love dumping things and making noise, so providing them with items that achieve this will help fuel their creativity and imagination.

COMMUNICATION: You should start to see a few words forming like mama, dada, bye/hi etc, but if you don’t, what is important is seeing the signs for communication developing such as pointing, sharing something with you (ie bringing a toy over to you) and following through with directions (ie: wipe your face, where is your head?). Having a stable routine/rhythm to your day helps your child with their communication. For example, narrating to them when getting them dressed can lead to them now holding out their arm to put on a sweater. To help foster language development, you can continue playing anticipation games such as peek a boo, ready set go, and 1, 2, 3, tickle etc.

SLEEP: Most babies at this age still are on 2 naps. However, some may be fighting the morning nap. If possible I like to keep 2 naps for as long as I can. That said, when you have 2 or more kids, sometimes it’s easier to have them on the same schedule.