12-Month-Old’s Developmental Milestones: A Complete Guide

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Babies grow up so fast, don’t they? It might seem like one minute you’re pregnant then the next you have a rambunctious toddler sitting in front of you. We cannot completely forget about the mountain of dirty diapers between those moments. But, time has flown by. And your baby has probably hit many of the typical 12-month-old’s developmental milestones.

There are lots of changes that happen to a baby from the time they are a newborn to the time they hit their first birthday. Take a look at 12-month-old’s developmental milestones. If your little one hasn’t checked some off them off, do not ring the alarm bells. There is no exact developmental rate. Some babies might be slower to develop ”” especially preemies ”” while some might be faster. If you are concerned about your little one’s development and possible development disabilities, speak to your doctor.

Your little one can speak one to five words.

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Talking is the big milestone that is on every mama and papa’s mind. What to Expect explains that as part of a 12-month-old’s developmental milestones, he/she should be able to speak one to five-ish words. It is very unlikely that those five words are being strung together in a sentence. The words might not be spoken 100 perfect perfectly, either. As What to Expect says “pronunciation leaves much to be desired.” Maybe your baby is calling you “ma” and daddy “dada.” He or she might call your dog “dug” and there might be a special name for a favorite toy or blanket.

Your baby follows simple directions.

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We can feel you rolling your eyes slightly at this one. Note that we didn’t say “all of the time.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that part of a 12-month-old’s cognitive and language development involves being able to follow simple directions or spoken requests. For example, “Pick up your spoon,” “Take your toy,” “Stop doing that to the cat” or “Hold mommy’s hand.” Most parents will soon realize that there is a difference between your child understanding the direction and he/she choosing whether he/she wants to follow it or not. That is a whole new level of development.

Your toddler is standing on two feet.

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Oh, how things have changed. One minute you are holding that itty-bitty bundle of joy and now you have got a mini human standing on two feet. HealthyChildren.org points out that there are many movement milestones that most kids hit around their first birthday. One of them is being able to stand on their tiny two feet. Your baby could likely be able to pull him/herself up into a standing position. Then he/she might be able to stand for a bit. It is possible that some little ones will be able to walk a step or two.

Your child has some hand coordination like the pincer grasp.

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Your little boy/girl might not be fully in charge of all 10 fingers (yet) but by the one-year mark he/or she is probably banging and pinching a few of those little fingers. The “pincer grasp” is one of the 12-month-old’s developmental milestones. It is a motor skill function where babies begin to pick things up with their thumb and index finger. PregMed has examples of the different stages of the skill, from the crude/inferior to the neat or fine pincer grasp. HealthyChildren.org reports that at 12 months babies should be using the pincer grasp. Look for it when your baby is eating or trying to pick up toys.

His/her weight will have tripled.

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It is a crazy thing to think about from an adult perspective, but it is part of a baby’s development. WebMD reports that from birth a baby will have tripled its weight by its first birthday. On top of that, it will likely have grown by about fifty percent. That works out to nine to 11 inches. On top of that, a one-year-old’s brain will be about 60 perfect of its adult size. HealthyChildren.org reveals that after the one-year mark, a baby’s growth rate will slow and there will be a greater variance from one baby to the next.

Your baby is able to play games.

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Your one-month-old might not quite be playing chess or checkers yet, but it is likely that he/she will have mastered simple games like pat-a-cake, peekaboo, or that simple made up game you have with the toy dinosaur. Even a baby high five could count for this developmental milestone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists mastering games as part of social and emotional development. We could also consider it part of motor skill development because of some of the small hand gestures involved in the games. And let us not forget that it is a fun bonding experience for everyone involved.

Your baby is becoming more independent and mobile.

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Your little one might not be walking yet. What to Expect reports that usually doesn’t happen until at least 13 months. But, the publication says that your wee tyke will start to use the mobility skills he/she does have to explore and gain some independence. To parents it can seem like they have a human hoover who is shooting around all over the floor. Know that things will happen in waves. One day, your baby might be feeling very independent and keen to discover new things by him/herself. The next, he/she might be clinging to you like glue. That’s the way it goes.

Your baby repeats sounds or actions for attention.

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Do you sometimes feel like you have a mini human sound machine? That is a good thing. The CDC states that part of a 12-month-old’s normal development is that he/she can repeat actions or sounds in an effort to get attention. Those beeps, “gahs,” and “ooooohs” might not yet be actual words, but they are communication. Furthermore, your little one is realizing that he/she has needs and is trying to communicate them with you. And he/she recognizes that being the stellar parent that you are, you are going to do your darnedest to assist with the situation. Try to remember that when it seems like your baby is incessantly squealing.

Your one-year old shows fear in some situations.

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It would be nice if all of us didn’t have to deal with fear. You’re very familiar with what it is like it and we are betting it would be nice if your little one didn’t have to be exposed to certain aspects of it. But, having fear in certain situations is one of a 12-month-old’s developmental milestones, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and HealthyChildren.org. It’s an emotional development that shows your kid is becoming more aware of his/her surroundings. To go along with that, he/she is realizing what things might be dangerous and this instinct will hopefully help keep them safe. Parents can attest that little ones might be scared of some surprising things, but remember the skill is being developed.

Your baby’s motor skills will start to develop including starting to scribble.

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Remember the pincer grasp? When your little boy/girl starts to develop that, it will lead to other things. Namely, your tot will begin to see what he/she can pick up and what he can do with it. That might lead to him/her discovering coloring. (It’s not cheating if you or your partner encourages it.) While practicing the pincer grasp holding that crayon, your baby will likely soon work on scribbling. It is one of the 12-month-old’s developmental milestones whether he/she grows up to be an artist or not. And you will be stoked when he/she moves on from abstract scribbles to shapes.

Your little one is anxious and/or shy around strangers.

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This is another point that parents might not consider in terms of their children’s development, but it does show progress. Take a look how your one-year-old is in social situations now. Compare it to what he/she was like earlier. Parents will likely find that their 12-month-olds can be shy or even anxious around strangers, according to HealthyChildren.org. It is obviously upsetting to see your kid get stressed in a situation, but know that this is part of development. It demonstrates that your baby recognizes those people who are around her/him on a regular basis. And it shows that he/she realizes when there are new people entering into his/her space.

And he/she gets upset when mommy or daddy leave.

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This ties in nicely to the last point about being anxious. If your little one is recognizing when there are strange new beings entering his/her regular world, he/she is also going to be aware when mommy and daddy aren’t there. And it is considered a developmental milestone that your baby gets upset when mom and/or dad go away. We know how it feels like your heart is breaking in two when you have to leave your baby and they’re crying ”” even if it is just for a quick trip to the store. But, try to see the positive side. Your one-year-old knows that you are dad/mom and the one providing all the love, food and bottom wipes. So, it’s a natural reaction to be upset when you go away.

Your 12-month-old has favorites.

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We often think about developmental milestones in terms of walking and talking. We might not necessarily think about them in terms like this. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention points out that by 12 months old, babies should have favorite things and people. Your little guy/girl probably considers you to be a favorite person ”” and maybe the neighbor’s dog. Furthermore, he/she probably has a favorite toy and maybe even a favorite blanket. In terms of food, you might feel you are more acquainted with his/her dislikes. Looking at you, apple, carrot, and kale baby food.

Your baby helps with getting dressed.

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Obviously, your 12-month-old is not at the stage where he/she is doing up his/her pants and putting his/her T-shirt on over his/her head. HealthyChildren.org reports that it’s part of a typical 12-month-old’s development to be able to help you out with getting him/her dressed. Look for little things like your tyke raising his/her arms up to help with putting a top on. He/she might even want to get involved by grabbing his/her bottoms. Is your baby not doing anything yet? Do not stress. Try some helpful encouragement like asking him/her to stretch out his/her legs or stand up tall, etc.

Your baby tries to imitate you.

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Sometimes it might feel like you’re living with a mini mime with the way your one-year-old tries to copy the things you do. You are likely paying very close attention to your 12-month-old’s developmental milestones. You can probably recite every little new grab or poke he/she tries. But, what you might not have realized is that your baby is picking those things up from you and your partner. He/she is likely copying actions and trying to repeat words, according to the CDC. Like we stated previously, your little one might not be able to pronounce things perfectly, but he/she is probably trying to get a syllable or a sound right ”” and that is big stuff.

Your baby will start testing your limits and using “no.”

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Yeah, this isn’t one of the baby development milestones that causes parents to bust out the cake and video on their phones, but it is something to acknowledge. As your baby continues to develop words and communication skills, WebMD reports that he/she will begin testing them and seeing what boundaries he/she can push. If he/she has the words, “no” might come up. Or, a tantrum will happen. Actually, a tantrum will probably happen either way. Development or not, parents must still be firm with their screaming children and be clear this sort of behavior isn’t acceptable. Otherwise there might be more trouble later…

Your 12-month-old can finger-feed him/herself.

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You might be the one still in charge of the knife, spoon, and fork, but your little bundle of joy has likely come a long way in terms of feeding development in just a year. Not only has your baby expanded way beyond breast milk, part of a 12-month-old’s developmental milestones is typically being able to use his/her fingers to feed himself. Your tot’s aim might not be 100 percent (yet) but that pincer grasp is likely coming in handy at meal times. And he/she has a bib to prevent things from getting too messy if the food doesn’t all go in.

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