Baby Development Month Twelve

Your baby is one year old and congratulations are in order! In the first twelve months he has developed at a staggering pace and although he will continue to grow and change, the speed of developments will decrease.

In the next year or two of your baby's life expect to address potty training, pacifier separation anxiety, tantrums and other, often difficult, challenges. Do not fret though, because in the past year you have grown in your parenting techniques and you have learned about your child's behaviors, desires, needs and wants. You have more parenting skills and experience than you might think!

In this article I will go over key developments in the twelfth month of your baby's young life in this article. Remember that these are typical developmental milestones. By no means are they written in stone because each child is different. I suggest that if you have any questions you should ask your pediatrician.

Since each child learns at a different pace, do not worry if he appears uninterested in physical mobility. Even if he doesn't start walking by this age he is probably still paying close attention to everything around him. (He might even be getting standing practice in his crib when you don't see him!)

If she hasn't already done so, she will develop a one-hand preference.

Has your baby lost weight at this age? There are a number of reasons for this to happen, including:

• He has less time to eat because he is so busy exploring the world
• He is much more interested in feeding himself these days
• His taste preferences have developed and he might not like certain foods anymore

Really these reasons are perfectly normal for a 12 month old and there is no cause for concern. You can contact your pediatrician just to put your mind at ease, but here are the average figures for height and weight of a one year old:

28-32 inches

18-24 pounds

Your baby loves you so much that she might imitate your every move. Take it as a compliment since she will probably never again see you as the perfect person to imitate!

He will also experiment with different behaviors. These behaviors might even be bad behaviors so prepare yourself mentally for discipline scenarios. (He will likely have regressive behavior at times.)

Due to her gained sense of independence you might get to experience toddler tantrums. She has an idea of what she wants at times, and when she does not get her way she could throw a tantrum.

By the end of this year he should be able to speak 1-2 words. Although his pronunciation might not be perfect, he has gotten better at speaking because he has been mimicking you.

He might have different reactions to mom vs. dad. For example, dad might be seen as the roughhouser and so he will run up to dad and bear hug him to the ground whereas mom might receive the loving, affectionate side of baby.

Although your twelve month old understands the word "no", she will likely keep returning to do the wrong thing over and over again. Try your best to carefully, lovingly and firmly guide her to the correct behavior or action.

Getting your child pushing toys can be a great way to help his muscles develop. A shopping cart or a baby stroller will help him practice his walking skills and assist his balancing capabilities. After she gets the hang of standing and walking she will practice squatting and reaching for low items while in a standing position.

A great way to help your child develop is to teach him or her about setting personal boundaries. Understanding the importance of boundaries in life will create a better chance for success as he or she gets older.

Remember to only discipline when absolutely necessary. Don't stifle his exploration by constantly correcting minor issues. Let him have the adventures he wants and needs for his personal development as long as he is not put in physical danger.

There is no doubt that your relationship and role as a parent will change going forward. Disciplinary action, boundaries, relational methods and feelings will change and transform as your child grows older.

After all this you might be considering having another child. If you haven't already figured it out, parenting is hard but it is one of the most rewarding things you can do. Being able to form the life and personality of a little one is a huge responsibility and a magnificent joy! When you are ready to have another, don't forget your birth announcements. But in the mean time, enjoy your little one's every stage and milestone as time will seem to fly and before you know it they'll be driving off to college.