13-Month-Outdated Child: Feeding, Sleep, and Milestones by Month

Now that your child is 13 months outdated, they’re getting into a brand new stage of life: the toddler stage.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’ll amaze you with all their new expertise, so buckle up and put together for an thrilling journey! 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At 13 months outdated, your child is now within the toddler stage, which brings about new milestones.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 out to be 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 anticipate now or within the subsequent a number of months embrace:¹

• Standing alone with out help
• Taking a number of steps unassisted
• Carrying small objects of their arms
• Pushing or pulling objects like bins
• Dumping toys out of a container
• Pointing at one thing to inform you they need it
• Turning the pages of a e book whilst 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 also change. Relating to 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 good time to transition your child to cow’s milk. They need to have round 16 ounces of complete cow’s milk day by day. If they will’t have dairy, soy milk is a suitable different. Keep away from different plant-based milk, similar 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’ll be able to add in cow’s milk as effectively or wait till they’re accomplished with breast milk.³

It’s also possible to 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 complete milk, breast milk, or water in a cup throughout meals and snacks. After they’re snug utilizing a cup at meal occasions, provide 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 in the course of the day. It’s necessary to keep in mind that their urge for food will fluctuate from everyday, so simply because they ate a specific amount in the present day doesn’t imply they’ll eat that very same quantity tomorrow. The final purpose ought to be to have a rainbow number of meals every week. However listed here 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 easy peanut butter)
• 16 ounces of complete 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 amount 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 day by 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 necessary. It’s nonetheless acceptable to 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 issue each falling and staying asleep. It could actually occur for varied causes, however the commonest causes for sleep regression embrace teething, sickness, a change of their schedule, or a big life change, similar to shifting to a brand new home. Fortunately, sleep regression usually solely lasts two to 4 weeks.⁶

Sleep regression is difficult on the entire household, however there are methods you’ll be able to assist your toddler overcome it. These embrace the next:⁶

• Don’t allow them to sleep in your mattress, which may lengthen the sleep regression interval.
• Preserve a constant bedtime and bedtime routine.
• Don’t give them display time earlier than mattress.
• Incorporate stress-free actions into their bedtime routine, similar to bathtub time, studying, or mushy lullabies.
• Put them to mattress once they’re drowsy however not but asleep. This can assist them study to go to sleep on their very own.
• In the event that they get up at evening, permit them to fuss for a couple of minutes earlier than getting into to consolation them. This can 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, similar to a blanket or a stuffed animal.

Consistency is essential in your child’s day by day routine. Goal for constant wake occasions, meal occasions, and nap occasions. In case your child has transitioned to solely needing one nap per day, purpose for that nap to begin round 1 p.m. This nap will final round two to a few hours. Additionally, purpose for a bedtime of seven:30 p.m.⁵ Having a schedule supplies 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 obtained their vaccines.¹³ As your toddler grows, they get uncovered to many diseases. The commonest childhood diseases they’ll be uncovered to incorporate the frequent chilly, ear infections, fevers, and the abdomen flu. Many of those diseases could be handled at residence, however there are some things to recollect:^7,14

• Don’t give your child any over-the-counter chilly or cough drugs.
• You may deal with a fever by alternating Tylenol (acetaminophen) and ibuprofen. (Be sure that 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 beneath 2 years outdated with antibiotics.

Whereas your child can get well 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 increased than 105 F.
• They really feel chilly to the contact, or they really feel scorching 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 (similar to crying extra, being unable to be comforted, or not crying).

If in case you have 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 below are some concepts that can assist you interact your toddler: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.
• Enable them to assist with easy duties, similar to placing toys away on the finish of the day.
• Sing songs and incorporate strikes to your child to repeat.
• Dance with them.
• Learn books collectively.
• Play hide-and-seek.
• Train them wished behaviors, similar to find out how to contact their pet gently.

With all the brand new progress and milestones your 13-month-old child goes by, preserving them secure is a high 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 setting. Listed below are a number of suggestions that may assist preserve your child secure:¹⁰

• Preserve all cords, breakable objects, medicines, family cleaners, choking hazards, and scorching 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 preserving all bathroom lids closed and supervising your child whereas they’re within the bathtub or close to water.
• If weapons are in the home, preserve them unloaded and locked in a safe cupboard.
• Use a rear-facing automotive seat.
• Apply at the very least SPF 30 sunscreen earlier than taking part in outdoors, and reapply each two hours.
• Don’t smoke or permit others to smoke round your child.

Watching your child transfer into the toddler stage is rewarding and bittersweet as they go away babyhood behind. By serving to them attain new milestones, preserving them secure, and interesting them in stimulating actions, you’ll be able to assist help your 13-month-old’s progress. This subsequent yr will probably be full of recent achievements to your toddler, and their journey of discovery is simply starting.