Standing ~ Walking Stage

Baby is now graduating from a chubby baby body and moving on 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.

He'll soon be able to throw and catch a ball. He'll also get good at eating with a spoon.

From about the time he passes the 1-year mark, his vision will suddenly improve.

He'll start pretending to feed his stuffed animals and using blocks to play cars, for example.

He'll become very active at types of play that involve imitating things or using something to resemble something else.

Once he becomes able to walk on his own, he'll start wanting to go out to the park or on walks, and the amount of time spent outdoors will increase. So don't forget to use the awning on the stroller, a hat, and sun protection. Make a habit of applying sunscreen made for babies before going out. Also, if baby gets too caught up in playing during the summertime, there's a risk of heat stroke. Don't forget to keep him hydrated.

So it's a good idea to keep a set on hand of everything you need for going 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, make sure to wear he wears a hat to prevent heat stroke.

So even when you go out, it's good to bring along a set of extra clothes.

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"!