13-Month-Previous Child: Feeding, Sleep, and Milestones by Month

Now that your child is 13 months outdated, they’re coming into a brand new stage of life: the toddler stage. Throughout their toddler years, your 13-month-old will proceed to achieve new milestones, have an ever-changing urge for food, and have longer wake home windows. They are going to amaze you with all their new expertise, so buckle up and put together for an thrilling experience! Let’s dive into your 13-month-old child’s sleep and feeding schedule, actions you are able to do collectively, and extra.

At 13 months outdated, your child is now within the toddler stage, which brings about new milestones. Their curiosity will take off, they usually’ll turn into extra social, eager to work together with these round them — however primarily individuals they already know as a result of stranger hazard may also be at an all-time excessive!¹² Some new milestones to count on now or within the subsequent a number of months embody:¹

• Standing alone with out assist
• Taking a couple of steps unassisted
• Carrying small objects of their arms
• Pushing or pulling objects like containers
• Dumping toys out of a container
• Pointing at one thing to inform you they need it
• Turning the pages of a e book when you learn
• Holding a spoon throughout meals however struggling to get the spoon into their mouth
• Stacking two or extra objects on prime of one another
• Recognizing themselves within the mirror and waving at themselves
• Imitating others
• Following one-step instructions, like “Put this ball within the bin”

As your child grows and develops, their urge for food will even change. Relating to their feeding schedule, your 13-month-old child will eat three meals a day and have two to 3 snacks.¹¹ Their meals will line up with the remainder of the household’s meal instances.

Now is a good time to transition your child to cow’s milk. They need to have round 16 ounces of entire cow’s milk every day. If they’ll’t have dairy, soy milk is an appropriate various. Keep away from different plant-based milk, akin to oat or rice milk, as they lack the protein, nutritional vitamins, and calcium your child wants. In the event that they proceed ingesting breast milk, you may add in cow’s milk as nicely or wait till they’re performed with breast milk.³

You too can begin the transition of your child ingesting from a cup as an alternative of a bottle. The purpose is to have them drink from an open cup by 2 years outdated. To assist with the transition, serve your child entire milk, breast milk, or water in a cup throughout meals and snacks. After they’re snug utilizing a cup at meal instances, supply it to them at nap time and at last at bedtime.⁴

It may be onerous to know simply how a lot meals your 13-month-old child wants in the course of the day. It’s vital to do not forget that their urge for food will fluctuate from daily, so simply because they ate a specific amount immediately doesn’t imply they’ll eat that very same quantity tomorrow. The final purpose needs to be to have a rainbow number of meals every week. However listed below are some useful serving pointers to comply with:²

• 6 servings of grains per day (1 serving equals ½ slice of bread, ¼ cup of cereal, 1-2 crackers, or ¼ cup of pasta)
• 2-3 servings of veggies per day (1 serving equals 1 tablespoon of cooked veggies)
• 2-3 servings of fruit per day (1 serving equals ¼ cup of fruit)
• 2-3 servings of dairy per day (1 serving equals ½ cup of milk, ½ ounces of cheese, or ⅓ cup of yogurt)
• 2 servings of protein per day (1 serving equals 1 ounce of cooked meat, 2 tablespoons of floor meat, ½ egg, or 1 tablespoon of clean peanut butter)
• 16 ounces of entire milk, soy milk, or breast milk
• As much as 8 ounces of water

Sustaining a constant sleep schedule will present your 13-month-old child with the correct quantity of sleep for his or her age and assist with intervals of sleep regression. At this age, your child wants 11-14 hours of sleep every day, together with a two- to three-hour afternoon nap. Some infants will nonetheless take a morning nap and a day nap; following your child’s lead on when to drop their morning nap is vital. It’s nonetheless acceptable on your 13-month-old to have their bedtime round 7:30 p.m.⁵

Whereas sleep regression is probably not anticipated at this age, your 13-month-old can expertise one other interval of sleep regression. Sleep regression happens when your child has problem each falling and staying asleep. It may occur for varied causes, however the most typical causes for sleep regression embody teething, sickness, a change of their schedule, or a major life change, akin to shifting to a brand new home. Fortunately, sleep regression sometimes solely lasts two to 4 weeks.⁶

Sleep regression is tough on the entire household, however there are methods you may assist your infant overcome it. These embody the next:⁶

• Don’t allow them to sleep in your mattress, which might delay the sleep regression interval.
• Hold a constant bedtime and bedtime routine.
• Don’t give them display screen time earlier than mattress.
• Incorporate enjoyable actions into their bedtime routine, akin to tub time, studying, or tender lullabies.
• Put them to mattress after they’re drowsy however not but asleep. This may assist them study to go to sleep on their very own.
• In the event that they get up at night time, enable them to fuss for a couple of minutes earlier than getting in to consolation them. This may assist them study to self-soothe.
• Attempt reassuring them whereas they’re nonetheless of their crib, as an alternative of choosing them up after they cry.
• Present them with a consolation merchandise, akin to a blanket or a stuffed animal.

Consistency is vital in your child’s every day routine. Goal for constant wake instances, meal instances, and nap instances. In case your child has transitioned to solely needing one nap per day, purpose for that nap to start out round 1 p.m. This nap will final round two to 3 hours. Additionally, purpose for a bedtime of seven:30 p.m.⁵ Having a schedule gives your child with construction and stability, aiding their growth.

At this age, a scheduled well-child check-up isn’t wanted, so long as your child attended their 12-month check-up and acquired their vaccines.¹³ As your infant grows, they get uncovered to many diseases. The most typical childhood diseases they’ll be uncovered to incorporate the widespread chilly, ear infections, fevers, and the abdomen flu. Many of those diseases might be handled at house, however there are some things to recollect:^7,14

• Don’t give your child any over-the-counter chilly or cough medication.
• You possibly can deal with a fever by alternating Tylenol (acetaminophen) and ibuprofen. (Be sure to comply with the dosing directions listed on the packaging.)
• Use saline nasal drops to assist with congestion.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends treating any ear an infection in kids underneath 2 years outdated with antibiotics.

Whereas your child can recuperate from most diseases on their very own, in the event that they’re experiencing any of those signs, it’s best to contact their physician:^8,15

• They’ve a fever for 3 or extra days, or it’s larger than 105 F.
• They really feel chilly to the contact, or they really feel sizzling to the contact with shivering.
• They’re quiet or overly sleepy.
• They’ve fast respiratory or bother respiratory.
• They’ve a barking cough or make harsh sounds when respiratory.
• They’re onerous to wake or seem confused after waking.
• They’ve pale, grey, or spotty pores and skin.
• There’s a change of their cry (akin to crying extra, being unable to be comforted, or not crying).

When you’ve got every other considerations about your 13-month-old’s well being, don’t hesitate to contact your physician.

One of the best ways to assist your 13-month-old child attain their milestones is to have interaction them in enjoyable and developmentally acceptable actions. Listed here are some concepts that will help you interact your infant:⁹

• Repeat the sounds your child makes again to them.
• Inform them the identify of an object they see earlier than handing it to them.
• Permit them to assist with easy duties, akin to placing toys away on the finish of the day.
• Sing songs and incorporate strikes on your child to repeat.
• Dance with them.
• Learn books collectively.
• Play hide-and-seek.
• Educate them needed behaviors, akin to how you can contact their pet gently.

With all the brand new development and milestones your 13-month-old child goes via, retaining them secure is a prime precedence. Infants discover their world with out a sense of hazard. It’s as much as you to make sure they continue to be secure whereas permitting them to discover their surroundings. Listed here are a couple of suggestions that may assist preserve your child secure:¹⁰

• Hold all cords, breakable objects, medicines, family cleaners, choking hazards, and sizzling or sharp objects out of attain.
• In case your child has probably consumed any dangerous substance, contact Poison Management instantly at 1-800-222-1222.
• Use security gates on the prime and backside of all stairs.
• Stop drowning by retaining all bathroom lids closed and supervising your child whereas they’re within the tub or close to water.
• If weapons are in the home, preserve them unloaded and locked in a safe cupboard.
• Use a rear-facing automobile seat.
• Apply at the very least SPF 30 sunscreen earlier than enjoying outdoors, and reapply each two hours.
• Don’t smoke or enable others to smoke round your child.

Watching your child transfer into the toddler stage is rewarding and bittersweet as they depart babyhood behind. By serving to them attain new milestones, retaining them secure, and interesting them in stimulating actions, you may assist assist your 13-month-old’s development. This subsequent yr might be full of recent achievements on your infant, and their journey of discovery is simply starting.