Your baby is already 45 weeks old, which is 11 months and two weeks! He is a big boy now and more interested in eliciting reactions out of people around him – he may bang his cup down or yank your hair just to hear a big ‘NO’ out of you. Crying, being clingy, and crankiness are other things to watch out for at this age, but your baby will also be extra confident and independent enough to crawl, pull himself up, stand and maybe even start to walk. Your 45-week old baby would have mastered clapping and blowing kisses by now. He might bring his mouth to your cheek to offer you a kiss, but be careful: it might turn into a bite in the end! That’s how unpredictable a baby will be at this age.
Your 45-week-old baby will often be confused between two of his needs – to keep an eye on you, thanks to separation anxiety and a strong, conflicting need to move around and explore his environment. He will end up using you like the base – going everywhere and yet coming back to check whether you are still there or not. He will gain confidence this way but may become alarmed when he finds you not at where he left you. You baby will love reading colourful books with you and start pointing out things in the book and sounding out their names if you have been reading to him often. Most babies this age might have the trademark chubby legs, arms and a pot belly but these will start to become leaner in the next few months. So do all the squeezing you want now!
Below are some of the 45-week-old baby milestones you can learn to identify and expect:
Your 45-week old baby is heading to complete one year, so consider weaning him off your breast. If you are in no hurry and enjoy breastfeeding, you can continue for as long as you like. Toddlers gain a lot of nutrition as well as immune support from breastfeeding. But if you want to start weaning by the age of one year, give your breasts and body time to adjust for these changes. Dropping a feed per week is a systematic approach. Here is a plan for breastfeeding your baby:
When you wean a baby, you replace breastfeeding with other sources of food and comfort. To allow your breasts to adjust, avoid reducing mealtime feeds consecutively. For example, you can drop a lunchtime feed one week, and the dinner feeds the next. You can replace these with food and water from a cup. Also, you can replace breast milk with formula. If you do the transition well, you can reach the weaning stage of cutting out sleep time feeds.
Babies at 45 weeks experience peak sleep disturbance. This could mean that your baby might spend the whole night at your breast, frequently feeding, in what is called ‘breast sleeping’. This can be both positive as well as challenging for mothers. But sometimes, surrendering is the best option till your baby sleeps well again. If you are in this situation, make sure to support yourself and ease any strain from the fixed position. Sometimes in the middle of the night, it is easy to roll your baby to the other side of you to help you ease your body positioning for better sleep. Although this period is intense, it is temporary. Once your baby gets through this developmental phase, you can return him to his cot or resume the previous bed sharing.
Below are a few ways for you to care for your 45-week-old baby.
A doctor will not usually schedule a medical checkup for your baby at the 10-11 month mark.
If your baby shows signs of anaemia, the doctor can advise a blood test to check levels of haemoglobin, iron and lead in his blood. The doctor will also measure your baby’s height and weight to track his development.
Between 6-18 months, your baby will need the final dose of the Hepatitis B vaccine and the third dose of the IPV (polio) vaccine. Depending on the environment and your baby’s health, he may also need an influenza vaccine shot recommended by the doctor.
Below are a few games and activities you can play with your baby:
Here is when you should consult your doctor during your 45-week-old infant’s development:
Babies at 45 weeks of age are hard to handle due to sleep disruption and tantrums. You can follow the above tips to handle your baby till he passes this developmental stage.