Standing ~ Walking Stage

Baby's body is now gradually changing from being chubby to a slender toddler's body.

His legs now extend straight downward, and he'll gradually develop a more graceful stride.

On stairs, he'll hold the handrail,and while you're holding his hand, he'll become able to climb up one step at a time.

Baby will soon be able to throw and catch ball, and be able to eat using a spoon.

The moment baby passes the 1-year old mark, his vision will suddenly improve.

Baby becomes very active at types of play that involves imitation of things or used a thing that resemble another thing like blocks used as cars.

The moment baby starts to walk on his own, he'll start wanting to go out for a walk and the amount of time spent outdoors will increase. Don't forget to use the awning on the stroller or a hat and sun protection. It is a good idea to keep on hand everything that the baby will need whenever he goes out.

Once baby transitions from baby food to more solid foods, give him a snack once a day, at around the same time every day. If he isn't showing his appetite at mealtimes, you can add another snack time to twice daily, morning and afternoon. Keep in mind a good nutritional balance, with foods such as fruits, yogurt, and sweet potatoes, and make sure not to give him too much. Baby is not used to rich flavors yet, so instead of giving him ordinary sweets, homemade foods or snacks made especially for babies are better.

So take care that baby doesn't get too much salt or sugar, in both meals and snacks.

Baby is now even more active, and he's touching things here and there and falling down a lot, both at home and outdoors. If it's summertime, when you return from an outing, give him a quick shower to rinse away the sweat and dirt. He'll come to love playing in the water, so the bathtub will also become a place to play. While he's playing with his favorite toy, wash him quickly. Once he is able to walk, there's a danger that he may enter the bathroom by himself and fall into the bathtub. Take precautions such as letting the water out of the tub during the day, keeping the lid on the tub, and closing the door of the bathroom tightly.

So use safety items such as slip-resistant stickers or a mat.

Lightweight clothes are the norm even for going out. If you dress baby the same as an adult, he may get hot and sweat a lot. In seasons when heating and air conditioning are used, it's convenient to have a lightweight cardigan or hooded jacket so that you can adjust baby's body temperature. When walking outside in the summertime, in order to prevent heat stroke, make sure to put a hat on him.

So even when you go out, it's good to take a change of undergarments and shirts.

The number and length of daytime naps shortens, and the time spent sleeping at night gradually gets longer. While he's awake, baby loves to watch TV. But if you leave the TV on, convincing yourself that "he's behaving well," he won't get any physical activity and his eyes will get tired. Keep TV time appropriately short, and break up the day into small blocks of time, such as for playing outside or looking at books with mama, in order to maintain a good balance.

So once a day, you'll want to let baby move his body to his heart's content outside.

Soon!

Once he learns to stand up and walk, he's no longer a baby. Both his body shape and his movements will start looking more like a "child"!