The First Year Finale: What To Expect As Baby Turns One

EATING
Formula or breast milk continues to play an important nutritional role
for the entire first year. Until children reach a year, many health
professionals feel that new foods should still be introduced one at a
time, with a few days in between so that it is easier to recognize any
signs of food allergies and be able to identify which food(s) caused
them. And remember don’t give your  baby cow’s milk, or foods that are
more likely to cause reactions (such as peanut products or egg whites),
until after they reach the one year milestone.As your baby is getting around more on his own and eating more baby
foods and table foods, breast feedings and bottle feedings will start
to decline. Additionally, babies this age often would rather explore
than be held and fed. If you are wondering if it is time to give up
nursing altogether, you can base your decision on your own wishes, as
well as your child’s interest (or disinterest). Some mothers feel hurt
by their baby’s refusal to nurse. Don’t be. It’s important to realize
that it’s not a rejection. It’s just one of the many milestones of this
period as a child heads towards greater independence. If, however, you
wish to continue to breastfeed, rest assured that babies often go
through a phase of disinterest, but if you bear with them, they will
continue to breastfeed up to a year of age and beyond. The American
Academy of Pediatrics actually recommends that babies be breastfed for
the first year of life, and although a large percentage of
breastfeeding mothers do stop before a year, the choice is yours.While it is not that common for a one-year-old to be completely weaned
off a bottle, introducing the cup as a fascinating and wonderful object
between 9 and 12 months is a great way to insure that the transition
will go more smoothly. At the same time as you offer a cup, make the
bottle less interesting by filling it with plain water. The before-bed
bottle is usually the last to go. Be sure to clean your baby’s teeth
between bottle and bedtime each night by running a clean wash cloth or
soft bristled toothbrush (without toothpaste) over them, and never
leave an empty bottle in your baby’s mouth.SLEEPING
The amount a baby sleeps in any given 24-hour period tends to change
only slightly between 6 and 12 months, varying only by half an hour by
the first birthday (14 1/2 hours on average at 6 months, 13 1/2 hours
at a year). The most common pattern of sleep at this age, if in fact a
baby has learned to sleep well through the night, is a 10- to 11-hour
stretch at night, and two daytime naps that gradually decrease in
length. On occasion, some babies will also take a short third nap in
the evening. That’s not to say, however, that all babies are great
sleepers at this age. More than a few have never mastered the skill of
sleeping through the night, and even those who have been sleeping like
babies will sometimes start waking up again as they become increasingly
aware of their surroundings and decide that they want to test what
happens when they call out at night. Maintaining a good bedtime
routine–such as feeding, bathing, changing into pajamas, and reading
books–can help your child anticipate bedtime and fall asleep more
easily.