Baby.mobi
Your baby is moving around now and the pace of life has quickened somewhat. They will be 'talking' and making recognisable sounds, and will really love you talking to them, looking at picture books together, pointing to objects they know and repeating single words clearly.
Although they may be clingy and wary of strangers, they are forming special relationships with family members and their personality will be becoming clear to you.
One of the most interesting developments is that your child is beginning to understand that, while you may need to 'go away' to another room at some point – you will be coming back.
Playing 'hide-and-go-seek' is a favourite although they believe that if they can't see you, you can't see them and they 'hide' by putting their hands over their eyes instead of moving to a different space.
Despite this, your baby will cling and cry when you have to leave them in the care of others. They might also kick and resist 'normal' things like nappy changes as they try and exert their own personality and individuality.
Most one-year-olds have an urge for independence – wanting to take off their socks on their own, wanting to self-feed and 'do it MY way'. The danger, though, is the safety issue when babies start to move around.
The time has come to BABY PROOF the house – and make sure that all dangerous items and POISONS are locked away and out of reach.
MILESTONES
Motor skills: Your baby is almost certainly going to be 'on the move'; learning to stand independently and walking holding onto walls or furniture. They could also let go and stand … albeit for only a short time. Other children could be walking quite happily by now.
Typically, girls will sit, watching the world go by – demanding that people come to them. Girls often speak earlier than boys. Boys, on the other hand, seek out the excitement of the world and learn by touching, flinging and throwing things around. Talking might come later for boys.
Your baby's fine motor skills are improving quickly and they will be able to pick things up with their thumb and fingers instead of grabbing them with a full hand. They poke and point fingers.
Managing a spoon (and self-feeding) with better co-ordinated movements are hallmarks of this age. Drinking out of a cup with a spout, unaided, is another benchmark.
Hearing: Your baby has a solid comprehension of simple commands such as come here, give me high five, give me a kiss. The time has come, though, to set limits – to protect your child from themselves and the dangers around them. Your child also understand the meaning of the word 'No'.
Vision: In addition to the communication value of story books, your child will be fascinated by pictures in books. Reading to your child is vital towards aiding their development.
Communication: This is the area of greatest development. Imitation continues to drive your child as they mimic your expressions and gestures. You have to watch your language as children have a habit of repeating anything you say – often causing embarassment.
Most one-year-old children have an independent vocabulary of about eight words. This triples by the time they are 15 months old! Children of this age love playing with a telephone. In addition, they love music and rhymes and will 'bounce' and 'dance' to songs that are repeated often.
You should check with a health professional if, by 12 months, your child is not:
> sitting up unaided
> 'walking' with hands along furniture and walls
> putting strings of 'babble' words together
> does not shake their head demonstrating they understand the word 'no'
> recognises several words including looking for 'daddy' when daddy's name is mentioned
> smiling, laughing and squeeling to get your attention
Every baby is different, but if you are worried that your baby is out-of-step with things that most babies do, it is a good idea to check with your healthcare worker of clinic doctor.
If there are any problems, getting help early is important, and if there isn't, it will be reassuring to know that all is well.
