Your child is already celebrating his first year. Growth, communication, nutrition and health, a little zoom on the development of the child at the age of 12 months.

In one year, a baby almost triples its weight since birth. Thus, it weighs on average between 8,5 and 12 kilos, and its size is around 78 centimeters. The perimeter of his skull, meanwhile, is between 43 and 49 centimeters. The development of teeth depends on each baby: some have only one, others already 8 or 9.

Do not worry if your child is not in the indicated average, it does not affect the rest of his development in any way. The same goes for the development of gross motor skills: at 12 months, some babies crawl, others slide on the buttocks or on the stomach, and still others take their first steps.

The 12 month old baby is also able to climb and descend stairs, sitting or crawling: you must therefore secure the house, to avoid falls. Your child’s agility is developing significantly: he can now hold two objects at the same time in one hand. His fine motor skills make him able to turn the cardboard pages of a book on his own and grab the objects you hand him.

The language of the one-year-old is mainly bodily. He loves hugs and kisses, and gladly returns them to you. However, it is not uncommon for baby to say a few words, including “daddy” – easier to say than “mom”. He babbles for long hours, fascinated by his own voice. When he wants to show you what he wants, baby points a finger.

The one-year-old has a good understanding of his surroundings, as he can now point to body parts or objects you name. He is also able to understand simple questions and basic orders. The 12 month old always needs to test the limits, and will not hesitate to say no to you. He also expresses his disapproval by throwing objects to the ground. If he behaves this way, it is also because his mind becomes aware of certain cause and effect links.

His memory develops considerably: for example, your child remembers what is his and what is not. Finally, if he is still too young to feel empathy, he gradually begins to put himself in the other’s shoes. Baby goes very easily, at 12 months, to meet the other: it is time to instill in him the basic rules of politeness.

Your little one now knows how to hold a pencil between his fingers and begins to doodle. He really likes stacking games: he builds towers, then destroys them and starts over. The 12 month old child loves motor games: give him a push walker, or a carrier like a truck, and he will be delighted. When he plays with you, the baby understands the notion of taking turns: if you play with hiding your eyes, he will try to do it after you too.

As your child becomes more mobile, his caloric needs increase. Milk is still very important in your diet, whether you are breastfeeding or not. For meals, introduce more and more unmixed pieces according to the development of its dentition. Lunch and dinner are ideally composed of proteins, vegetables and starches. For breakfast and afternoon tea, if your child drinks from a bottle, it is possible to supplement with a dairy product, 100% fruit juice, or crushed fruit. At 1 year, the baby begins to refuse certain foods. It is not necessary to force him to eat them: the main thing is that your child stays well and does not lose weight.

In principle, no medical examination is planned for the 12 months. If the child is not in the community, make sure you are up to date with vaccines.

Your child continues to evolve and changes considerably at 12 months: more alert, more mobile, he reaches out to others and increasingly loves contact.