At 14 months old, your baby can be sprinting or still working up the nerve to take his or her first steps. Since developing depth awareness and coordination takes time, you may anticipate somersaults, splats, and bumps. Your response to your toddler’s tumble might greatly influence theirs. One way to keep the drama and tears at bay is to just clap and remark “nice one!” when someone falls. Bowlegs, flat feet, or protruding toes are some possible walking abnormalities to observe. At 14 months, they are normal and will go away eventually.
14-Month-Old Development
Several new abilities, as well as pounds and inches, are developing in your 14-month-old youngster.
14-month-old weight and height
What are the typical dimensions and weight of a 14-month-old? The average weight of a 14-month-old boy is 22.3 pounds and a girl is 20.7 pounds, according to the World Health Organization. Girls typically reach a height of 30.1 inches, while boys typically reach 30.7 inches.
Your child’s healthy pace of growth is more important than their exact weight and height. Approximately half an inch of growth and a half pound of weight increase every month is typical for your youngster. At the 15-month appointment next month, your child’s physician will assess their growth to ensure it is within the normal range.
14-month-old milestones
Lots of skills are being developed by your child. You may be thinking about these 14-month-old milestones.
- Walking: At 14 months of age, the majority of babies can stand up and walk with minimal assistance. Half of them are able to walk well. At this age, you could see some determined toddlers running or even climbing stairs.
- Speech: At 14 months old, your child is likely to say “mama” and “dada” and has the potential to pronounce six or more words.
- Teething: First molars may be coming in at around 14 months of age. A lot of youngsters say that teething rings that are chilly (not freezing!) help ease the pain of teething. When teething is really bad, it’s fine to give your child acetaminophen or ibuprofen to help them feel better.
- Potty training: Are you unsure if your 14-month-old is old enough to toilet train? No, I don’t think so. Even if physicians can’t agree on a certain time, they can all tell you that your toddler will likely show you when it’s time. You will have plenty of opportunity to address this matter during the 2-year-old checkup, since many physicians will do so. The toilet is a big deal, but it’s never too early to start preparing your child for it by reading aloud to them and having conversations about it.
What should a 14-month-old baby be able to do?
Some fine motor skills are among the 14-month-old milestones that your child is actively attempting to master. Your 14-month-old infant should have no trouble dropping and picking up an item. Playing catch will be a blast for them. By putting tiny things in a container and taking them out again, you may help your 14-month-old understand the idea of object permanence. Once handed a crayon, they will begin to independently flip the pages of board books and make little marks on paper. Even at 14 months old, you’ll notice your kid pointing. You should provide them with a secure area to play because they love to climb.
What should my 14-month-old be saying?
Variation in speech development is one of the several 14-month-old milestones. While your toddler’s vocabulary may be limited, their comprehension is vastly improved. Basic instructions like “get your shoes” will be understood by them, and they will be practicing imitating noises and speech patterns. Babies are doing great if they can utter a few words by now!
14-month-old behavior
Your 14-month-old infant is growing in confidence and forming strong views. Their strong opinions also make them more picky about small details and more likely to act out when they’re upset. Give your 14-month-old an option whenever you can to reduce fights over control. If you wish to promote a certain habit and discourage another, it’s better to pay no mind to the former.
- Tantrums. Put your beautiful baby’s occasional tantrums down to the natural developmental milestones of being a toddler. Between the ages of one and three, a child is most prone to tantrums, so you should have at least one more year to cope with them. “Stay calm” should be your mantra till then.
- Separation anxiety. Your child is growing increasingly self-reliant, but they may also develop separation anxiety from time to time. If dropping off your child at daycare or Grandma’s house is a difficult experience, stick to your schedule, reassure them that you will be back, and shower them with love when you get home. The sobbing stops as soon as you go.
- Signs of autism. Since autism often manifests itself in the infant and preschool years, parents often wonder if their kid may have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Autistic children may exhibit unusual patterns of behavior, speech, and social interaction; they may also slow down or stop developing normally around the 14-month mark. During the 18-month appointment, your child’s physician will ask you a battery of questions designed to screen for autism. Still, it would have been beneficial to talk about this sooner if you have worries now.
- Biting. Handle a biter with care. You shouldn’t be worried; biting is a normal developmental stage for toddlers and will pass quickly. They bite as a means of expressing their feelings, especially anger, because they are unable to talk. Most other parents will empathize with you, but it’s important to teach your child that biting is never okay.
14-Month-Old Health
Talk to your child’s physician about the best course of therapy when your 14-month-old is unwell. At this age, parents often wonder about things like:
- Fever has struck my 14-month-old child. What am I to do?
- I am experiencing diarrhea in my 14-month-old child. What am I to do?
- My 14-month-old baby is gagging. What am I to do?
14-Month-Old Food
Your 14-month-old is likely expanding their diet to include more novel foods while also turning their noses up at certain old favorites. Still, don’t let it stop you from giving them food; they’re only just learning what they like and don’t like.
How much should my 14-month-old be eating?
Three square meals plus two snacks a day is the recommended diet for a baby of 14 months of age. Incorporate a wide range of fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, and dairy products into their daily diet plan.
The average caloric need for a toddler is 1,000 calories per day, give or take, according to doctors. That works out to around 40 calories per inch of height. Rest assured, keeping track is absolutely not an issue! Provide portions that are approximately a quarter of the size of an adult serving to your one-year-old. After that, trust their hunger levels and let them decide how much to eat.
What to feed a 14-month-old
Unless your doctor says otherwise, it’s OK to continue feeding your 14-month-old breast milk or whole milk. Daily calcium intake for a 14-month-old should be 700 milligrams. If your child isn’t getting enough calcium from other sources, you should give them three 8-ounce glasses of milk daily.
When it comes to culinary options, variety is king. Your child, like you, should consume a wide range of foods from each food category. A 14-month-old baby’s brain continues to grow, so there’s no need to limit fats at this age. However, you should steer clear of meals that are too salty and sweet. Consume whole, unprocessed foods whenever you can.
For babies aged 14 months and up, what are some good ingredients to use? A majority of 14-month-olds can feed themselves by simply picking up food. You should still mash their food or make sure the pieces are tiny and simple to chew because they still have a chance of choking. Still too hard for a 14-month-old to eat are foods like peanuts, entire raw carrots, and hard sweets. To make them easier to eat, chop cherry tomatoes and grapes into extremely little pieces.
14-month-old won’t eat
Toddlers are known to be quite finicky eaters, which you most likely already knew. But it won’t alleviate your concerns about your child’s well-being when meals remain unfinished. The truth is that every child will consume something at some point. Consider your toddler’s nutritional needs on a weekly, rather than a daily, basis, according to experts. Everything should be OK if your child appears to have eaten a varied diet during the week and their weight gain and growth have not been affected.
14-Month-Old Sleep
The key to a good night’s sleep at 14 months is consistency. You should establish a regular bedtime routine for your child so they know when to expect to be ready for sleep. Naturally, there will always be days when things don’t work out the way you expected.
How much sleep does a 14-month-old need?
A child between the ages of one and two needs 11–14 hours of sleep per day, split evenly between overnight slumber and one or two naps during the day.
14-month-old sleep regression
Anxieties, teething, or vivid dreams are some of the many issues that might cause a 14-month-old, who was previously a good sleeper, to start waking up during the night. To help your child get through this sleep disturbance, it’s crucial to recognize the source of the problem, especially if you’re anxious to go back to the typical sleep cycle. Maintain the regular schedule of bedtime and establish restrictions to assist your youngster in getting back on track.
14-month-old won’t sleep
The fact that you can’t put children to sleep by force has likely become (very groggily) apparent to you. Nothing you can do if your 14-month-old still won’t go to sleep when it’s time for bed will help them start sleeping until you give them the means to do it on their own will. This includes allowing lots of time for physical play during the day, establishing a regular and soothing evening ritual, and limiting screen use at least one hour before bed.
Activities for 14-Month-Olds
Sitting, standing, and walking are likely to be your 14-month-old’s favorite ways to play now that they’re more mobile and upright than they were before. Take a look at their new dance moves! Seeking activities to engage in with a fourteen-month-old? Some entertaining pursuits, games, and toys are as follows:
- Patty-cake: Toddlers around 14 months old adore emulating adults when they clap their hands.
- Push toy: New walkers love to show off their abilities while pushing along, thus little lawn mowers, shopping carts, and strollers are fantastic toys for this age.
- Stacking blocks: Start with two blocks to teach your youngster how to build a tower; they’ll likely want to add more as they become older.
- Shape sorting: A fun skill for a 14-month-old to begin mastering is matching shapes to the holes in a shape-sorting toy.
- Pretend-play toys: Use toy automobiles, trucks, dolls, pretend phones, and kitchens to stimulate that developing imagination.
14-Month-Old Baby Checklist and Tips
- At mealtimes, continue to give your 14-month-old a child-size spoon, cup, or fork. Just allow your child a little time to figure them out; things might be a bit cluttered right now.
- Everything within reach (purses, garbage cans, bags, and boxes) may be being explored and emptied by your miniature version of yourself. Put anything that might be harmful or messy out of reach.
- Listen to music and sing along while you put away toys to make clean-up a joyful family activity.
- Your 14-month-old infant will benefit much from daily playtime, singing, and reading aloud. Both of you will have a good time with this. Plus, your little one will grow closer to reaching all those goals for 14 months of age and learn new phrases with these activities.
- The 14-month-old stage is all about climbing. Look for a playground that is suitable for your child’s age and is free of danger. When you’re at home, secure any furniture or other things that may be climbed.
- Babies should ride in rear-facing car seats until they reach the maximum height and weight allowed by the manufacturer.
- Make sure your 14-month-old continues to have regular dental checkups. Use a small amount of fluoride children’s toothpaste—about the size of a rice grain—and a gentle, child-sized toothbrush to clean your baby’s teeth. At around the one-year mark, your little one probably got their first dental checkup.
- Apply sunscreen to your baby’s sensitive skin 15 to 30 minutes before you go outside and again every two hours while they’re outside (or sooner if they’ve been swimming or sweating) to protect their skin and eyes from the sun’s harmful rays. Make sure they wear a hat to keep their faces and necks covered.
At fourteen months old, your baby is already rather active. There are people to meet, places to explore, and abilities to learn. Your kid is maturing rapidly, so savor this moment in time.