Your little bundle of joy is now 18 months old! All you can see him doing is roaming around in the house all day long. This is a very confusing time for both the toddler and the parents because for you he is still your little baby, but as far as your toddler is concerned, he thinks himself to be independent and all ready to explore the world. Here in the following article, we shall discuss what is going on in terms of growth and development in your 18-month-old baby.
You may have noticed that your toddler may not be growing at a lightning fast speed in comparison to his first year. The growth is happening but at a slower pace and here are some common 18-month milestones that your baby may achieve:
There are many physical changes that are happening with your baby. Your 18 months baby weight can range from 22.4 to 26 pounds in boys and 20.8 to 24.5 pounds in girls.
Your toddler is feeling and experiencing various emotions at this age and here are some of the skills that your baby may have developed by 18 months of age:
You will notice following cognitive and language developmental skills in your 18-month-old baby:
Your toddler is becoming more aware and adamant by this age, and he knows how he can get his way through. Your baby has a stronger will by this time and may fuss and throw tantrums if he does get what he wants. He also knows how to gain your attention. You may still be using a diaper for your baby, but this is a right time to start toilet training. He may even want to copy elder siblings by wanting to sit on the potty seat.
Your toddler is growing and so are his nutritional needs. You can make him sit on his baby seat and have meals with rest of the family members. Even if your baby does not eat much on his own or plays with food at the family meal time, he is learning that he has to eventually do this as he grows up. Try not to pay attention or heed if he is not eating while sitting with rest of the family members and appreciate when he finishes his meal. This way he will know what is he expected to do.
Make sure you include all food groups in your baby’s diet plan. By this age, your baby requires three main meals and two to three snacks in a day. It is also advisable to include full-fat milk for better brain development. If your baby resents certain food items, do not force-feed. But make sure you introduce that food item after a few days in another form.
If your baby is still on a bottle, now is the time to switch to the Sippy cup. Also if you baby is lactose intolerant, you may try giving soy milk to your baby. Be careful about food allergies and therefore it is recommended to try one food item at a time to see how your baby reacts to it.
Some parents may find it extremely difficult to put their toddler to sleep. This is because he is so excited to explore everything around him that sleep holds last priority. Your baby may be tired and exhausted but still, deny going to sleep. Under such circumstances, the best thing that you can do is to remove or reduce the distractions at the time of sleep. Also, make a sleep schedule and stick to it, so that the baby knows what time every day he is expected to rest and sleep. Do not put TV, loud music or have other siblings to cause any kind of distraction.
All said and done, the sleep pattern of your baby is not that bad, it is just how you perceive and plan it. Your baby may be sleeping for approximately 10 to 11 hours at night and maybe taking two to three short naps during the day. Make sure you stick to your baby’s sleep schedule so that your baby gets in the habit of sleeping on time.
All your toddler wants to do by this age is play all day long. He wants to play with you, his siblings and even your pet. But the concern here is that your toddler gets bored too soon and then fusses over it. How can you engage your child in a manner that he is happy and cheerful? Here we have some exciting and fun activities that you can engage your toddler in:
There are many games and activities like this that you can plan with your toddler.
Here are some tips for the parents of 18-month-old babies:
The above-mentioned parameters are some commonly achieved parameters by the toddlers of this age. However, it is not necessary that every kid follows the same time and pattern. It is absolutely normal for your baby to achieve these milestones sooner or later than this. But sometimes you may notice your baby lagging way behind, such as:
If you notice any of the above-mentioned symptoms or any other unusual symptoms in your baby, it is recommended that you consult your doctor as soon as possible for the same.
Read this article in Arabic: تطور ونمو الطفل في سن 18 شهرًا