At 14 months previous, your baby is cruising via the toddler stage, studying new expertise and reaching new milestones. They’ll proceed to discover their setting and be taught extra concerning the world daily. The wild journey of toddlerhood continues, so brace your self for what’s forward. Let’s dive into your 14-month-old’s milestones, their sleep schedule, how a lot they need to weigh, actions to do collectively, and extra!
As your child progresses via the toddler stage, they’ll broaden their rising listing of milestones. Listed here are some developmental milestones your 14-month-old will broaden on:1
- Standing alone with out help
- Probably taking a number of steps unassisted
- Carrying small objects of their fingers
- Pushing or pulling containers
- Turning the pages of a e book whilst you learn
- Pointing at a toy to let you know that they need it
- Stacking two or extra blocks on high of one another
- Holding a spoon throughout meals however struggling to get the spoon into their mouth
- Recognizing themself within the mirror
- Imitating older kids
- Following one-step instructions, akin to “Put this shirt within the laundry basket”
Throughout this time, you’ll discover that your 14-month-old’s urge for food is just about the identical because it was final month. Your child will proceed to eat three meals per day with the remainder of the household and have two to a few snacks per day.2
Realizing how a lot meals your 14-month-old wants through the day could be complicated, so listed here are some tips:3
- 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 ounce 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 complete milk, breast milk, or soy milk
- As much as 8 ounces of water
Even with these tips, keep in mind that your baby’s urge for food might be totally different from each day. Some days, they’ll eat extra; some days, they’ll eat much less. It’s vital to comply with their lead.3
You may proceed transitioning your 14-month-old from system to cow’s milk in the event you haven’t already, and both proceed breast milk or begin including cow’s milk if you need. Your toddler wants round 16 ounces of complete cow’s milk each day. Soy milk is a suitable different in case your toddler can’t have dairy. Keep away from different plant-based milks, akin to oat or rice milk, as they lack the protein, nutritional vitamins, and calcium your toddler wants.4
Your toddler will proceed to work on consuming from a cup. If they’ve but to start out attempting to drink from a cup, now’s the time to introduce it. Having your toddler drink from an open cup by 2 years of age is beneficial. Begin by giving your toddler complete milk or breast milk in a cup throughout meals. As soon as they’re snug utilizing a cup at meal instances, swap out their naptime bottle with a cup of milk or water. Lastly, take away their bottle from bedtime and provides them one other cup of milk or water with their bedtime snack.5
Your toddler’s sleep patterns will stay comparatively constant all through the subsequent few months. Your 14-month-old wants 11-14 hours of sleep each day, together with a two- to three-hour afternoon nap, permitting for longer wake home windows. Some infants should want a morning nap and a day nap. Having a bedtime of seven:30 p.m. continues to be applicable to your 14-month-old.6
Sleep regression isn’t usually customary at this age, however that doesn’t imply your 14-month-old gained’t expertise sleep regression. Each baby is exclusive, so some might expertise a regression, and a few might not. Sleep regression happens when your child has issue falling and staying asleep. There are numerous causes of sleep regression, however the commonest causes embody teething, sickness, an adjustment to their each day schedule, and a major life change, akin to a change to their mother and father’ work schedule. The excellent news is that sleep regression solely lasts a median of two to 4 weeks.7
The dearth of sleep brought on by sleep regression is tough on the entire household, however fortunately, there are methods you’ll be able to assist your baby overcome this hurdle. Sleep coaching is secure to do if your loved ones chooses, however do what feels proper to you.13 Some methods to sleep practice embody:7
- Don’t allow them to sleep in your mattress. (This could delay the sleep regression interval.)
- Hold a constant bedtime and bedtime routine.
- Remove display time earlier than mattress.
- Incorporate enjoyable actions into their bedtime routine, like tub time, studying, or singing mushy lullabies.
- Put them to mattress once they’re drowsy however not but asleep; it will assist them be taught to go to sleep on their very own.
- In the event that they get up at night time, permit them to fuss for a couple of minutes earlier than getting into to consolation them. It will assist them be taught to self-soothe.
- As a substitute of selecting them up once they cry, reassure them whereas they’re nonetheless of their crib.
- Guarantee they’ve entry to their favourite consolation gadgets, akin to a blanket or favourite stuffed animal.
Sustaining a constant schedule will assist your baby navigate their world. It helps them anticipate what’s going to occur subsequent of their day and offers them with construction and stability, which aids of their growth. Hold the identical wake, meal, and nap instances through the week and even on weekends. In case your child is taking one nap per day, that nap ought to begin round 12 or 1 p.m. and usually final two to a few hours. Holding a bedtime round 7:30 p.m. continues to be acceptable for youngsters of this age.6
A scheduled well-child check-up is pointless in case your 14-month-old attended their one-year well-child check-up and obtained their vaccines.14 Some mother and father might marvel how a lot their 14-month-old ought to weigh, and since they could not see their physician, it may be onerous to know. By 15 months previous, women will weigh a median of 23 kilos, and boys will weigh a median of 24.5 kilos.8 Weighing your child ought to be carried out at a health care provider’s workplace and with shut supervision/steering.
Your child might be uncovered to many alternative sicknesses as they develop and improve their interactions with different kids. It will result in your baby experiencing varied childhood sicknesses, such because the widespread chilly, ear infections, viral infections, and the abdomen flu. These sicknesses can usually be handled at dwelling, however there are some things to recollect:9
- Don’t give your child any over-the-counter chilly or cough medication.
- Deal with a fever utilizing Tylenol (acetaminophen) and ibuprofen. Observe the dosing directions listed on the packaging.
- Use saline nasal drops and a nasal aspirator to assist with nasal congestion.
- The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends treating any ear an infection in kids beneath 2 years previous with antibiotics.
Some signs could be extreme and warrant fast medical consideration. These signs embody:10
- They’ve a fever for 3 or extra days, or it’s larger than 105 F.
- Being quiet or overly sleepy
- Speedy respiratory or bother respiratory
- Barking cough or harsh sounds when respiratory
- Pale, grey, or spotty pores and skin
- Exhausting to get up or seems confused after waking
- A change of their cry, akin to crying extra, being unable to be comforted, or not crying
If in case you have every other considerations about your toddler’s well being, don’t hesitate to contact your physician.
Partaking your 14-month-old in enjoyable and developmentally applicable actions is an effective way to assist them attain their milestones. Some methods to have interaction your toddler embody:11
- Partaking them in a dialog by repeating the noises and phrases they make
- Telling them the title of a toy earlier than handing it to them
- Permitting them to assist with easy duties, akin to placing laundry within the hamper
- Singing songs and incorporating strikes to your child to repeat
- Having a dance social gathering
- Studying books
- Taking part in hide-and-seek
- Instructing them wished behaviors, akin to contact an animal gently
Security is a high precedence, particularly now that your toddler is on the transfer. Toddlers discover their world with out concern, so it’s vital that your toddler stays secure whereas they discover. Listed here are a number of ideas to assist maintain your toddler secure:12
- Hold all cords, breakable gadgets, medicines, family cleaners, choking hazards, and scorching or sharp objects out of attain.
- In case your child has consumed any dangerous substance, contact Poison Management instantly at 1-800-222-1222.
- Use security gates on the high and backside of all stairs.
- Stop drowning by preserving all rest room lids closed and supervising your child whereas they’re within the tub or close to water.
- If weapons are in the home, maintain them unloaded and locked in a safe cupboard.
- Use a rear-facing automotive seat, and place the automotive seat within the again seat.
- Apply 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.
The journey via toddlerhood brings so many thrilling new modifications and milestones to your 14-month-old! Understanding their altering wants means that you can foster their progress and growth. Embrace this journey with love and persistence, realizing every step brings new alternatives for pleasure.
