First-time parents are often stressed about milestones more than anything else. If you’re about to reach the year and a half point of your baby’s life, get ready for a whole lot of motion. Make sure you’re energized to keep up with your toddler, as this is the stage where you can expect crawling, walking, hiding, grabbing, and yes — running. This is when they might start figuring out how to tear off their own diapers, so get ready for a tiny rascal in the house!
What To Expect From Your 16-18 Month Old
One of the most exciting parts to look forward to is getting to know your baby as their personality begins to shine through and you form an even stronger bond as you understand one another better and better each day. So what are the milestones that you should look for between 16 to 18 months?
Weight
You might start to notice that at this point, you baby is not growing very much. You’re used to your infant’s constant growth, but now that they’ve reached toddlerhood, growth tends to slow down. According to the WHO (World Health Organization), a toddler’s weight ranges from 21.6 lbs to 23.4 lbs for baby girls and 23.2 to 24.1 lbs for baby boys.
Growth May Start To Slow Down At This Age
Food
How much should your baby be eating? Is this food strike normal? Yes, it absolutely is. This is when babies tend to get really picky, and is a normal (but frustrating) part of their development. They’re also getting good at understanding how much food they need.
How Much Food Should They Be Eating?
So what’s a normal amount? Toddlers need about 1000 calories per day, give or take. You can divide them up to three meals and two snacks throughout the day. At this point, you’ve most likely started to experiment with solid foods. Fruits and veggies are always good options, and you can try them both finely chopped or mashed. A good rule of thumb to remember is that a toddler’s portion is about 1/4 of an adult’s portion.
Sleep
Luckily, you get a break and are finally able to sleep through the whole night. Although you might still feel totally exhausted all the time, it’s important for your toddler to get between 11 and 14 hours of sleep. They should have about 2 hour naps per day. Try to avoid nap time being after 4pm, as it may interfere with their nighttime sleep schedule.
11-14 Hours Of Sleep Is Critical
Walking
Most 16 to 18 month olds have started walking, with many even running at this point. They might be learning how to walk up steps and gaining a newfound sense of independence through their newly gained mobility skills. It’s definitely always smart to ensure your home is totally baby proofed.
This Is When They Start Exploring The World
Talking
At this point, a lot of toddlers have picked up at least several words, with some having a vocabulary of 10 to 15 words. The rate of learning new words at this age averages out to about two new words per month, but as they near 18 months, this could increase to even 10 words a day!
This Is When Talking Ramps Up
As they continue developing language, they’ll increase their chattiness and they may also be showcasing their sense of independence by becoming a bit bossy. This is when you may start hearing the word “no!” a lot, so get ready.
