Congratulation! Your baby is 12 Month old!
At one year, your baby has become more adept at getting around the house even if she hasn't learned to walk. Babies are more curious of things that are not within their reach. Throwing is another motor skill your baby is practicing. Sometimes she throws for the sheer joy of it and other times to see where the object lands. Some babies have mastered their first word and will use it on every possible occasion. Even if your baby is not using any words, she understands language quite well. As her understanding grows, she will learn to follow simple instructions. Playfulness, curiosity, a willingness to try something new makes your one year old a delight to be with. The second year of life will provide you and your baby with new challenges and new opportunities to learn and grow.

The working mum

The need to spend more time with your baby is especially true for the working mother. Quality time with your kid makes you 'feel connected'; make the most of your time with your baby with these suggestions:

• Spend extra time with baby. Get up earlier in the morning so you and baby can cuddle or play. Quality time together before the day begins benefits both of you.

• Learn about baby's routine at the day care. When you are home together do some of the things she does at day care; this helps make baby's transition from home to day care or vice versa, go smoothly.

• When at home, keep your chores like cooking aside for a bit and set time aside to spend time alone with baby. Hold her and talk to her about your day even if she can't talk, or get some toys and play. See this as your time to unwind. Establish the same interactive routine for both parents.

• If possible call your child during the day to say hi (if it doesn't upset her). Listening to your voice, she will feel connected to you.

Coping with your curious Baby

It is natural for your baby to be curious at this age.
It may not thrill you when he takes out your shoes from the cabinet, empties your wallet. To help you keep your cool, just remember he is learning about them when he gets into things. Your focus should be on baby's safety. Try the following tips.

Keep acceptable alternatives at hand.

If you make certain items available that will occupy baby, he may leave other things alone. Provide plastic containers, bowls and boxes. Put lots of interesting objects in them such as balls, measuring spoons, empty plastic jars etc. objects should be large enough so baby doesn't choke on them and will keep them entertained for a while.

Teach him to pick it up.

At this age part of the fun of playing is picking up afterward. It is not too early to teach him this valuable concept. He will probably enjoy helping you keep things back where they belong.

Eliminate dangerous situations wherever possible.

You might not think of the garbage can as a very dangerous place but it is. Take are what you throw away, such as razor blades, glass, egg shells etc. Don't discard them in such a way that baby can have access to them. Dispose such items properly.




Needed nutrients

Fat.
During your child's first 2 years, he needs to get about 40% of his calories from fat sources. At six months of age, baby gets a little more than 40% of calories from fat. However by age 1 this percentage drops to about 30%. Baby needs more fat than you do. It is unhealthy for baby to eat too little fat in his diet. Often a toddler gets what his parents eat; parents who eat low fat foods may believe the same foods are OK to feed baby. Parents who drink low fat of fat free (skim) milk may give these products to their child. As a result baby gets less than desired percentage of fat in his diet. Don't limit your child's fat intake until after he turns two. At that point a gradual decrease won't be harmful. By age 5 your child should get about 30% of his calories from fat sources. Until he is quite a bit older, don't feed him fat-reduced foods.

Vitamin D.

Many babies don't get enough vitamin D or zinc. Some products you think might contain this vitamin, like cheese and yogurt, don't. Parents who do not realize this may feed their baby these foods without offering others that do contain vitamin D. Good sources are eggs, fortified milk and butter.

Zinc.

This mineral is found in poultry (and pork and beef). Some children may resist eating these foods but you should encourage your child if you do not any religious of lifestyle restrictions. Two to three tablespoons of meat or eggs provide him with enough zinc. Discuss with your pediatrician if you are vegetarian.

Conversations with Baby

Whisper to get baby's attention. When you want your baby to pay attention don't yell at him. Get down to his level or pick him up and speak quietly. A raised voice sounds angry even if that is not your intention. Baby may think he is being disciplined for something he didn't do and may ignore you.

Use correct words. Save baby talk for occasional interactions. He needs you to pronounce words correctly. Use real words for made up words you may have used when he was younger.

Speak clearly and use short sentences. Baby doesn't comprehend long explanations or big words. He may stop listening because he cannot understand you.

Gently correct mispronunciations. It is common for baby to mispronounce words. He has a lot of words to learn! Instead of correcting him all the time, model the correct word for baby. For example, if he says 'googie' for 'cookie', ask 'Would you like a cookie?'

Stay positive. It is not fun to be corrected all the time. Provide baby with positive environment to learn and grow.

Herbal medications

Some parents want to know if it is safe to give herbs to baby. Ask yourselves these questions before you decide:

• Has baby's illness or condition been diagnosed? You may be tempted to treat a problem yourself because you believe you know what the problem is and an herb is readily available. Never make a diagnosis on your own; you may unwittingly ignore a serious condition.

• Have you checked with your pediatrician on herbal medication for baby? Before you give anything to your baby which your doctor hasn't recommended, it is better to check with him/her first. Never medicate your little baby without your doctor's advice.

• Is the herb effective for the problem? Don't give an herb because it 'might' help baby; it might cause more problems instead.

• Know the side effects of the medication. Many people consider herbal stuff as natural substances and believe the herbs are harmless. However even the mildest form can create side effects in a baby.

• Is baby taking other medications? If your child is taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines, think carefully if you want to add herbal preparation to the mix. Some herbs react adversely when mixed with other medicines. Check with your pediatrician.

• Does the herb contain other ingredients? Some herbs are made with high concentrations of alcohol. Some forms are more potent than others; some are contaminated with dangerous substances.

• What is the correct dosage for a child the size of your baby? The use of herbs in children has not been studied extensively; the proper dose for kids hasn't been established. A smaller amount of an adult dose doesn't make it safe.

Baby's Undesirable Behavior

Your baby may display behavior that you don't quite appreciate. He may begin hitting, biting, pinching, pulling hair, throwing food or doing other things you rather he not do. When baby misbehaves, usually it isn't out of defiance; he is just experimenting. However if you overact when he misbehaves, you reinforce his behavior because you give him attention, even if it is negative attention. Stay calm and try these tactics when it happens the next time.

Ignore baby.

Sometimes it is best to ignore baby's behavior; if he doesn't get a reaction from you or others, he will stop and move on to something else.

Don't overreact.

When you react strongly, you are giving your baby attention for his negative behavior. He may interpret your reprimand as a reward because he has caught your attention. This can reinforce his behavior and he will repeat them.

Be consistent.

Handle the same situation in the same way every time. Ask others to handle it the way you do. If you tolerate a problem behavior sometimes but not always or if some family member finds it cute and encourages it, it is harder to break the habit.

React quickly.

When baby misbehaves, tell him 'NO' immediately and firmly. If he does it again, distract him or remove him from the situation. The longer you wait to react, the more likely he is to forget what he did was unacceptable.

Praise him when his behavior is acceptable.

If you always focus on the negative, baby will repeat those actions to get your attention. When you ignore the negative and focus on the positive, he will change his behavior accordingly to sustain your attention and interest in him.

Lactose Intolerance

A person suffering from lactose intolerance has a problem digesting cow's milk or other milk products. A deficiency or a lack of the enzyme lactase causes the condition. This enzyme is necessary for the digestion of all milk products other than breast milk. Lactose intolerance is possible at any age; some infants are born with this problem. Symptoms of lactose intolerance include:

• Diarrhea
• Gas
• Failure to thrive
• Stomach pain
• Failure to gain weight
• Nausea
• Diaper rash
• Vomiting

Lactose intolerance is more prevalent among some people; Asians, blacks, and Native Americans are more prone to this problem. It is also hereditary. While you are pregnant, seriously consider breastfeeding your baby if you or your partner have a history of lactose intolerance. If there is no history, be alert for problems with formula especially if it is cow-milk based. When baby turns 1, look for signs of lactose intolerance when baby switches to drinking regular cow's milk. If baby suffers from persistent diarrhea or vomiting of doesn't gain weight, inform your pediatrician. The best treatment is to change baby's diet. Do not give cow's milk or products containing cow's milk. If the condition is present at birth and you are not breast feeding, you may be advised to give baby a soybean-based formula.

Milestones - your Baby's progress report

Baby's emotions

By the end of his first year, your baby may be more expressive in new ways. She may be more affectionate with you and other family members. Baby may kiss you on request; she may hug or kiss her favorite toy animals or doll; baby is generally more demonstrative. Her sense of humor is on display; she laughs more easily. Her tantrums are also more obvious since it is difficult to express frustrations. When she is angry she will let you know. She is learning acceptable behavior and may test you often; be firm when you disapprove of her actions.

Baby on the move

If baby isn't walking yet, he will soon. If he is toddling, he may revert to crawling quite often especially when he wants to get some place quickly. He may also crawl when engaged in some activities like pushing a truck across. He may carry a toy when he walks. This lends him a sense of balance although it doesn't offer him much support. He may have trouble going around corners or stopping when he wants to. These skills will be perfected upon in the next few months.

Other Baby changes

In this first year, baby's brain has grown to nearly 60% of its adult size. His vision is nearly mature. Baby's sense of spatial relationships is excellent but he still has trouble judging distance and speed. He has matured enough to tell the difference between adults and children. He may now seek out other babies.

Backward down the stairs

Now is a good time to begin teaching baby the important skill of climbing safely down the stairs. This game helps. Place baby on the stairs on her tummy with her feet pointing toward the bottom of the stairs. Gently pull her legs out so she learns how it feels to slide downwards on her tummy, step by step. This skill also contributes to her gross-motor coordination. Even when she has mastered this backward slide, don't let her on stairs without your supervision.