WHAT SHOULD SHE EAT?

You will see your baby going through a slew of changes when it comes to her appetite. When she is around 48 weeks, and approaching her 1st year, her appetite may take a drop, while her attention to food increases. Do not worry if your baby is not eating enough, that? what you may feel, but you can rest assured that she will eat all that she needs to, and by now, would have even learnt when to stop when she is full.

WHAT WILL SHE DO AT THIS TIME?

Your baby is a 100%, custom-made original piece of work! So, what does that mean? It means that she will do things at her own pace and time, when she wants to and how she wants to! She might be perfectly content sitting and gazing at her toys, while other babies her age might be walking their legs off! Some babies are active faster, while some take their time in emulating others. It is perfectly okay if your baby is not physical yet.

When your baby was between seven and nine months, she could hold for example, a block in her hand with all her  fingers and thumb.

When she was at nine months, she could easily pass an object from one hand to the other.

Now, at 48 weeks, she can use her index finger and thumb to bring them together, in what is called the wintergrasp, that will help her pick up small toys and food pieces.

Isn't  she fascinating?

WHAT YOU COULD HELP HER DO!

Your baby will be sharpening one skill at a time. So if she is not walking, for example, she will be chattering nineteen to the dozen! She focuses on honing one skill at a time, so others take a back seat, at-least temporarily. This is also why many babies tend to ?orgeta skill, like for instance, giving you a flying kiss. Last month, she was doing this perfectly  well each time, and now, she has forgotten it! Never mind, that is because she has picked up a new skill this month, and she will remember what she has learnt in due course.

WHAT ABOUT HER SLEEP?

Your baby is now a toddler, in every sense of the term! But she still needs her sleep, almost  as she did when she was an infant. Till the time she is 2 years old, your baby should get anything between 13 and 14 hours of sleep in a 24 hour day, with 11 hours of these in the night. The rest she can obtain in short naps during the day. She will sleep in the afternoons, short naps from which she will wake up feeling refreshed. This is a pattern that she will follow till the time she is four or five. On the days she does not get her naps in the afternoons, you can put her to sleep earlier in the night.

WHAT SHE WILL WEIGH

It has been seen that on an average, babies double or even triple their weights by the time they are one year old, but only gain a few kgs between their 1st and 2nd birthdays. Now that your baby is eating almost all foods, she will be rapidly gaining weight. How fat or chubby she is not of importance. What is important is that she should be steadily gaining weight. If she looks listless or not her usual self, or not very energetic, you should be consulting your doctor.