Baby Development: 1 Year Old

Your baby is one year old now! It is important that you know all about 1-year baby development so you can monitor your child’s growth. Read this article so you can learn more about your baby’s development during this stage of their growth.

Toddler Growth and Development Assessment

How Your Baby is Growing

The first thing that you ought to know is your child’s 1-year baby development milestones. During this period, your child will develop from a completely helpless infant to a more independent person.

When it comes to 1-year baby development, your baby has likely tripled in weight since being born. During the period, your baby is also expected to grow by as much as 50%, which would be around 9 inches to 11 inches growth. That’s phenomenal growth! Your baby’s brain is also expected to achieve 60% of its adult brain size at this period.

In other words, your baby’s first 12 months is going to be a period of incredible growth. After that period, your child’s growth rate is going to slow down. That’s because their activity will start to increase.

First Year Developmental Milestones

So what are the 1-year baby milestones that are likely reached by your baby during their first year?

Motor Skills

At the 1-year baby development stage, your little one should be able to stand on their own without support. It is possible that they can take those first steps that you are looking forward to. You better get the camera on your smartphone ready because they may take those first steps any moment now.

Your baby can also do some tasks on their own. They can eat on their own using their fingers for example. They can also help when being dressed and have the ability to turn the pages of s storybook on their own. In other words, their motor skills development is going at a fast pace.

You should also notice that your baby can start to understand how to use some items correctly. For example, they may be able to hold a comb, a phone, or a spoon in the right way. They may not be aware of the full significance of those objects but they are getting the right idea.

Baby Communication

Your baby’s communication is quickly expanding during this 1-year baby development stage. Their vocabulary is gaining new words and you can regularly hear them saying “Mama.’

During this stage, a baby learns speech by imitation. They will be mimicking what they hear from you. So, it would be a good idea to speak to your baby as often as you can so they can pick up more words. 

Your baby will be testing their new-found communication skills. They will use the new words that they have learned to call the attention of other people. They would start to throw tantrums to draw attention to themselves and to get what they want.

How to Control Toddler Temper Tantrums

It is crucial that you be firm with handling your child during these incidents like that so they can learn that throwing tantrums is not okay. You should also reward them for their good behavior. 

Your baby will start showing preferences towards people by now. You may notice that they will become shy around strangers and will start to cling to you. When you have to leave your baby, you need to reassure them that you will be back.

Feeding & Nutrition

It is during this 1-year baby development stage that your child  can transition from breast milk if you are breastfeeding or formula to cow’s milk.

You may want to start with whole milk, which is rich in fat. Your baby needs that fat for their brain development. Do not transition to low-fat milk as it might not have all of the nutrients needed by your baby.

Important Nutrients for Toddlers: What They Need

This is also a good period to start weaning your baby if you are breastfeeding them. Keep in mind that the best way to do this is to drop one feeding at a time. The feeding before bedtime should be the last one.

Your baby should be able to eat more solid foods at this period. Now, you have to be very careful about choking. You should not feed your baby solid foods that can become choking hazards.

Do not give them grapes, popcorn, or pieces of food that can easily get stuck in their throat. You need to stay close whenever you are feeding your baby solid food.

Baby Care Tips

Sleeping

One welcome milestone during 1-year baby development is there will be a change in the pattern of your baby’s sleep. They should start sleeping more at night than in the day. Most babies will need to sleep in the afternoon, but chances are good that your baby will no longer be sleeping in the morning at this stage. Babies at this point will normally sleep 11 to 12 hours at night and take around two naps during the day.

What Can I Do to Help My Baby Grow?

Here are a few tips that you can keep in mind when caring for your baby during the first 12 months.

• When you visit your pediatrician, make sure that your baby has all of the needed vaccines.
• When you are traveling with your baby in a vehicle, be sure that they are seated in a rear-facing car seat.
• Expect your baby to love exploration, so you need to make your home as safe for their explorations as you possibly can. Remove things within reach which may break or which they may put in their mouth. 
• Be firm when you say no. It is a good time to start setting boundaries and limits. 

Those are just a few useful tips that you can use when dealing with your one-year-old baby.

Key Takeaways

The first 12 months of your baby’s life is an amazing period of growth and development. Their 1-year baby development has been marked with so many joyful moments and surprises for parents.

As your baby transitions to toddlerhood, equip yourself with more information on how to better support their needs and development. 

Learn more about Parenting here.