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Now that your child is 13 months outdated, they’re coming into a brand new stage of life: the toddler stage.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 may amaze you with all their new abilities, 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At 13 months outdated, your child is now within the toddler stage, which brings about new milestones.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, desirous to work together with these round them — however primarily individuals they already know as a result of stranger hazard will 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 help
• Taking a number of steps unassisted
• Carrying small objects of their fingers
• Pushing or pulling objects like packing containers
• Dumping toys out of a container
• Pointing at one thing to let you know they need it
• Turning the pages of a ebook when you learn
• Holding a spoon throughout meals however struggling to get the spoon into their mouth
• Stacking two or extra objects on high 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 may even change. Concerning their feeding schedule, your 13-month-old child will eat three meals a day and have two to a few snacks.¹¹ Their meals will line up with the remainder of the household’s meal occasions.

Now is a superb time to transition your child to cow’s milk. They need to have round 16 ounces of entire cow’s milk each day. If they’ll’t have dairy, soy milk is a suitable various. Keep away from different plant-based milk, corresponding 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 possibly can add in cow’s milk as properly or wait till they’re achieved with breast milk.³

You can even begin the transition of your child ingesting from a cup as an alternative of a bottle. The objective 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 occasions, supply it to them at nap time and at last at bedtime.⁴

It may be exhausting to know simply how a lot meals your 13-month-old child wants throughout the day. It’s essential to keep in mind 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 overall objective ought to be to have a rainbow number of meals every week. However listed below are some useful serving pointers to observe: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 easy 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 durations of sleep regression. At this age, your child wants 11-14 hours of sleep each 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 essential. It’s nonetheless acceptable on your 13-month-old to have their bedtime round 7:30 p.m.⁵

Whereas sleep regression might not be 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 might probably occur for numerous causes, however the most typical causes for sleep regression embody teething, sickness, a change of their schedule, or a major life change, corresponding 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 possibly can assist your infant overcome it. These embody the next:⁶

• Don’t allow them to sleep in your mattress, which might extend the sleep regression interval.
• Preserve a constant bedtime and bedtime routine.
• Don’t give them display time earlier than mattress.
• Incorporate enjoyable actions into their bedtime routine, corresponding to tub time, studying, or mushy lullabies.
• Put them to mattress once they’re drowsy however not but asleep. It will assist them study to go to sleep on their very own.
• In the event that they get up at evening, enable them to fuss for a couple of minutes earlier than moving into to consolation them. It will assist them study to self-soothe.
• Attempt reassuring them whereas they’re nonetheless of their crib, as an alternative of selecting them up once they cry.
• Present them with a consolation merchandise, corresponding to a blanket or a stuffed animal.

Consistency is essential in your child’s each day routine. Purpose for constant wake occasions, meal occasions, and nap occasions. In case your child has transitioned to solely needing one nap per day, goal for that nap to start out round 1 p.m. This nap will final round two to a few hours. Additionally, goal for a bedtime of seven:30 p.m.⁵ Having a schedule gives your child with construction and stability, aiding their improvement.

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 sicknesses. The most typical childhood sicknesses they’ll be uncovered to incorporate the frequent chilly, ear infections, fevers, and the abdomen flu. Many of those sicknesses could 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 drugs.
• You possibly can deal with a fever by alternating Tylenol (acetaminophen) and ibuprofen. (Make sure that to observe 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 youngsters below 2 years outdated with antibiotics.

Whereas your child can recuperate from most sicknesses on their very own, in the event that they’re experiencing any of those signs, you must 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 speedy respiration or hassle respiration.
• They’ve a barking cough or make harsh sounds when respiration.
• They’re exhausting to wake or seem confused after waking.
• They’ve pale, grey, or spotty pores and skin.
• There’s a change of their cry (corresponding to crying extra, being unable to be comforted, or not crying).

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

The easiest way 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 have interaction 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, corresponding 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.
• Train them needed behaviors, corresponding to the right way to contact their pet gently.

With all the brand new progress and milestones your 13-month-old child goes by means of, conserving them secure is a high precedence. Infants discover their world and not using 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 number of ideas that can assist hold your child secure:¹⁰

• Preserve 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 high and backside of all stairs.
• Forestall drowning by conserving all bathroom lids closed and supervising your child whereas they’re within the tub or close to water.
• If weapons are in the home, hold them unloaded and locked in a safe cupboard.
• Use a rear-facing automobile seat.
• Apply not less than SPF 30 sunscreen earlier than enjoying exterior, 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, conserving them secure, and fascinating them in stimulating actions, you possibly can assist help your 13-month-old’s progress. This subsequent yr shall be full of latest achievements on your infant, and their journey of discovery is simply starting.