Babies 12th month

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Nicole Wendler holds a PhD in biology in the field of oncology and immunology.As a medical editor, author and proofreader, she works for various publishers, for whom she presents complex and extensive medical issues in a simple, concise and logical manner.

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Congratulations! At the end of the twelfth month, your baby is officially a toddler. Around their first birthday, your offspring lays the last building blocks for a solid foundation on which their further development is based. Read here which development steps your child takes in the 12th month and how you can lovingly support them on their further path to independence.

The 12th month

Babies' twelfth month is particularly exciting because the first free steps and the first correct words are pending. Your offspring has fixed ideas and wishes, which they can now express clearly. Just like your baby, by your twelfth month you too must learn to let go a little. That is not always easy.

12th month - physical development

Your baby's development was rapid in the first twelve months. Children of this age weigh an average of 9.3 kilos. This means that the child has roughly tripled its weight since birth. His body proportions have also changed significantly.

At birth, the head of a child made up about a quarter of the entire body length. A twelve-month-old baby's head no longer appears that big compared to the rest of the body. This is due to the fact that first the trunk, then arms and legs have stretched as they grew.

Motorical development

Your baby can stand safely at twelve months if he can find something to hold on to. It runs along furniture and securely grabs objects that are above it, for example on the table. Another stage win is the first free steps.

By around twelve months, most children are ready: Your baby dares to move from a safe position that he can hold on to and takes the first wobbly but free steps before he can plop down on his buttocks. Alternatively, your baby will hold onto your hand at the age of twelve months before letting go and taking his first independent steps into the world.

By the way: The free standing is not your turn until later. At twelve months of age, your child will find it much more difficult to keep their balance at a standstill.

Almost at the same time, your child's interest in stairs develops. It is now able to negotiate steps and steps on all fours. This situation poses a major motor and cognitive challenge for your baby at the age of twelve months. Especially if you want to go down, because your baby must first turn around at the heel and go backwards with the leg or knee first.

The development of the senses

Your baby trained and developed his senses every day for the first twelve months. This is particularly evident when seeing and hearing. Your baby is now able to hear directions. It turns around for sounds to check which direction they're coming from.

Spatial vision enables your child to find their way around their environment excellently at the age of twelve months.

Through eating at the family table, your child has got to know many tastes and smells in the last few months, which he can now distinguish. His preferences change. For example, if they initially loved carrots, they may now spurn them.

The sense of touch was also trained daily in the first twelve months. Your baby now knows how the objects feel in his environment and no longer automatically puts everything in his mouth.

In babies 12 months the urge to move is unbroken. Your child is now primarily training his sense of balance. Over the past few weeks, it has laid an important foundation for learning to walk.

12th month - mental development

Towards the end of the first year of life, your offspring will be able to actively search for things that have disappeared from their field of vision. This is a real top achievement: at twelve months of age, it understands that an object that it can no longer see has not disappeared and can remember it on its own.

At twelve months, your child already knows that objects have a focus. It has learned that the tower of blocks falls if it is not stacked correctly.

At twelve months old, your baby loves music and can remember familiar melodies.

Emotional development

Your twelve-month-old baby has a wide range of emotions that he can express in a targeted manner. They get angry when everything doesn't go their way. And things that he doesn't want to succeed also frustrate him.

But as in the months before, the focus is on joy. Your twelfth month baby may squeak with pleasure when they see you or hear a beloved tune.

At twelve months of age, your child is aware that you sometimes leave them alone for a while. But it has developed so much confidence that it knows you are coming back. When you go to another room, it no longer automatically bursts into tears like it did a few weeks ago.

At twelve months, your baby strives for independence - it wants to develop further. It depends on you, because praise and recognition are what drives it. Your baby is very sensitive and notices when it has done something right. It then hopes for your approval, which will strengthen and motivate it.

Social development and communication

This is what you've been waiting for: your child's first words! Around their first birthday, your offspring will delight you with their first own words. It is almost always "Mama" or "Papa", followed closely by "Auto". There are also simple instructions such as "up" or "down" or "done".

The small vocabulary enriches communication in your family and is constantly being supplemented by new words.

Your baby undergoes another fascinating development in the twelfth month: it is able to draw your attention to an object - the dog walking by, a bird in the air or the grandma across the street.

12th month - This is how you support your child in a playful way

Your child has developed rapidly mentally and physically in the past few months. This results in completely new, exciting play options for you and your twelve month old baby.

Hide and seek in the bathtub: Babies love to bathe. Make the day a little more interesting by organizing a game of hide and seek. You will need washcloths and small bath toys for this. Put one toy at a time in a washcloth and give it to your baby. With this game you encourage the child to understand that objects continue to exist outside of their field of vision. It also trains hand-eye coordination.

Obstacle course: Climb a mountain of pillows with your child or balance a narrow path made of blankets. There are no limits to your imagination to build your own obstacle course for your baby at the age of twelve months. In this way, you specifically promote the gross motor skills and the sense of balance in your offspring. Hold your baby by the hand as you conquer the course to make him feel safe.

Pearl game: Promote fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination of your baby in the twelfth month with a skill exercise. Together, thread large pearls on a string. But beware! Never leave your child unsupervised, so that they cannot choke on the pearls or the string can become a danger.

Visit to the pediatrician in the 12th month

The U6 check-up is due between the 10th and 12th month of the baby. The doctor checks the growth and motor development. Small tests are used to examine sight, hearing and language skills. The regular booster vaccination will also be given to your child when they are twelve months old.

You can find more information about the examination under in the text U6 preventive medical examination.

Your baby comes into contact with many pathogens in the environment. These are important because they train the immune system. In some cases, however, they can cause severe symptoms.

Gastrointestinal infections are particularly feared if they cause severe vomiting and diarrhea. Loss of fluids is dangerous, especially in small children. Therefore, make sure that your sick child drinks enough and receives gentle food. Visit your pediatrician to clarify your baby's symptoms. If the child appears apathetic, hurry!

Tips for the 12th month

The following tips make everyday life easier for you and your child in the 12th month of life:

Commenting in an endless loop: Your baby will develop his language skills in the twelfth month if you communicate with him. Keep talking, your baby will find even seemingly insignificant chatter fascinating.

Let your offspring help: Babies also want to have something to do, preferably by your side. Are you cleaning the house or cleaning out the dishwasher? Your baby will be happy to help you. By the way, you also promote the motor skills and mental development of your baby in the twelfth month.

Well protected? Of course, your baby should experience a safe environment even when they are twelve months old. At a certain point, however, some safety precautions lose their meaning. Stair guards, for example, can also pose a threat if the youngsters use them to climb.

Prevent your baby and teach him to climb stairs in good time. Always accompany your offspring, because it will still take some time before they can manage the stairs on their own. Make sure that when your baby is twelve months old, hold onto the railing and back down the stairs.

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