The Magic of Everyday Moments (12-15 Months)

Remember, everyday moments are rich bonding and learning opportunities. Enjoy the magic of these moments with your child.

Although there were times during your baby’s first year when the days (and nights) seemed endless—3 a.m. feedings, late afternoon cranky sessions, that first tooth breaking through—right now things probably feel a little calmer in some ways, and more demanding in others. This seems to be true for all stages of development; while some things get easier, there are always new challenges. Your child has made the transformation from the tiny stranger who came home with you from the hospital to a self-confident, opinionated person who takes up more space than any two adults combined. As you set about celebrating her first birthday, you find yourself wondering how it all happened so fast. Don’t be surprised by a rush of emotions. You have probably just been through the most emotional and intense year of your adult life!

One-year-olds have a remarkable sense of independence that comes hand-in-hand with their new ability to do things for themselves. But as much as they enjoy their independence, they also take great pleasure in running back into your arms. They love to be cuddled and carried and babied… as long as they’re the ones who decide when to be a “big girl” and when to be “a baby.” While this can drive parents crazy (“Is she a baby or a teenager?”) what your child needs to know is that whatever she chooses to be in any given moment, you’ll be there for her. In fact, if you respond to her need to be “babied,” she’ll eventually choose the “big girl” role over the baby.

Important Information about your 12 Month Old

Family

Set firm, fair rules and keep them the same to teach your child respect and discipline. Timeouts in a neutral area of the house (one minute for each year of life). Also, praise them for things that they do correctly. Establish routines around the house and traditions that they can be a part of.

Development

Read books daily and use simple words to describe the pictures in them. Avoid TV, computers, and video games, and encourage physical activity. You may start to notice tantrums. Do not bribe them to stop the behavior as this will only encourage more and often longer tantrums. As long as they are in a safe environment and are not hitting or biting, allow them to “blow off steam”. Do not yell at them during this time. Allow them to self-soothe.

Health

Your child should be off of the bottle by now; especially none in the crib. Have a night-time routine, one nap per day, brush teeth twice a day with children’s fluoride toothpaste (size of a grain of rice) and a soft toothbrush. They should have a dentist by now. Encourage physical activity.

Nutrition

Transition to whole milk. Limit the amount of cow’s milk to 16-20 ounces per day as too much milk can decrease appetite and can lead to anemia. Encourage iron-rich foods like meats, chicken, beans, green and leafy vegetables, and rice cereal. It is normal for your child to have a decrease in appetite as his/her growth rate slows at this age. Do not force them to eat; let them pick and choose and self-feed. Avoid offering just what your child “likes” simply to get them to eat. It can take 15-20 times of trying new foods before they eat it. Try to sit as a family for most meals. Use the plate visual from choosemyplate.gov to promote healthy eating.

Safety

Make sure your home is childproofed! Always be close enough to touch your child around water – set your hot water heater at 120 °F or on low. In the kitchen keep children safe while cooking and hot liquids out of reach. Beware of small objects your child can put in their mouth and choke on. Keep children in a rear-facing car seat until at least age 2 or until they reach the highest weight or height limits on their car seat.

Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222

After Hours and Weekends
After 4:00 PM and before 8:00 AM
For medical advice when People’s is closed call After Hours Nurse line at 512-478-4939

Download PDF here.

Tips for your 7-9 month old baby

HELP ME BE HEALTHY.

At this checkup, the doctor will:

  • Weigh and measure me.
  • Check my development.
  • Check my heart, lungs, and other body parts.
  • Give me any vaccines and blood tests I missed before.

Remember to take my health journal to the doctor visit.

Plan my meals

  • At 8 months, I can have meats prepared for babies. Add the baby food meats to my meals of cereal, vegetables, and fruit.
  • Don’t feed me hard foods or foods that crumble easily, like graham crackers. I could choke on them.
  • Help me start drinking from a cup. This will take time. I like the cups with a cover to keep me from spilling. If you don’t have a cover for my cup, put only a small amount in the cup when you give it to me. Don’t give me a Styrofoam cup. I like to chew on the foam. If I chew off a piece of foam, I could choke.

Shoes or no shoes.

  • I don’t really need shoes to help me learn how to walk.
  • After I do learn how to walk, shoes or sneakers will protect my feet.

KEEP ME SAFE.

Now that I can pull myself up, there are new dangers.

  • When you cook. turn pot handles to the center of the stove.
  • Don’t leave spoons or anything hanging over the edge of the stove.
  • Check knobs on the TV and stereo to make sure they can’t come off.
  • Watch out for carts, chairs, tables with wheels, floor lamps, and aquariums that could fall over. When I pull or push on these, they could fall on me.
  • Move the crib mattress to the lowest position so I can’t fall or climb out.
  • Keep things picked up so I don’t trip on anything or swallow some­thing I should not.
  • Use corner protectors on sharp edges of furniture.
  • Keep the bathroom door closed so I don’t play in the toilet bowl.

Check my toys. Make sure they are not broken and they don’t have any sharp edges or pieces that can hurt me. If I have stuffed animals and dolls with button eyes or noses, make sure they cannot come off. I could choke on them.

Put things out of reach that you don’t want me to swallow or put in my mouth. Pills, cleaners, makeup, and plants are dangerous. If you think I have swallowed something, first call the Poison Control Center toll-free at 1-800-222-1222.

Take away anything that dangles. I will pull on a table cloth or dresser scarf. Keep my crib away from curtains and venetian blind cords.

When you take me shopping, strap me into the shopping cart seat. If there isn’t a strap, make sure that I stay in the seat.

Watch me carefully when I’m around water. I like to play in water, but I can easily drown in a few inches of water in a tub, toilet bowl, bucket, or wading pool.

PLAY WITH ME, IT HELPS ME LEARN.

  • Put a small ball on my high chair tray and teach me how to make the ball move.
  • Help me learn the names of my body parts by pointing to them and naming them. I won’t be able to say them for a while.
  • Play hide and seek with me. Ask me, “Where is (name a person)?” I will try to look for them.
  • Read to me. Look at magazines and picture books with me. Point to a picture and name it. Say “See the cat,” and, “Look at the flower.” Ask me sometimes, “What is thatt’ Wait a few seconds before you tell me. Soon I will be able to give you an answer.
  • Build towers with blocks or toys.
  • Play “So Big!” Show me how to lift my arms over my head and say, “So big.”
  • Give me a chance to smell some safe things, such as food, flowers, and spices.
  • Help me learn why some things are not safe. If I go to the stove or heater, say, “hot,” and move me away. If I reach for a shoe and you know it will go in my mouth, say, “Tastes bad,” and move me away.

WATCH HOW I GROW.

Children are very different from one another.
I’m special. I learn at my own pace. Help me practice new skills when you play with me. Most babies have the following skills at the end of 9 months. If you are worried about me, talk to my doctor or nurse.To find a nearby Early Childhood Intervention program, call the OARS Help line toll-free at 1-800-628-5115.

Watch for me to:

  • Sit for a few seconds without any help.
  • Feed myself dry cereal or foods I can eat with my fingers. I’m pretty messy.
  • Say “ma,” “ga,” “da,” “di,” “ba,” and other sounds.
  • Pick up small things, like a piece of dry cereal, using my whole hand in a raking motion.
  • Listen to people talking and try to make the same sounds.
  • Hold a small block in one hand and pass it to the other hand.
  • Look for something that I have dropped.
  • Hold onto something and stand for about five seconds.

You may notice that I also:

  • Get upset if you leave me, even if it’s for a short time. I will feel better when you return.
  • Start to drink juice from a cup.
  • Know which toys are mine. I don’t like it when my toys are taken away.
  • Might be afraid of things that were okay before. I might be afraid of my bath, a babysitter, or the dark.
  • Might be stubborn sometimes. This is part of growing up.
  • Might be fearful or shy of strangers.

The Magic of Everyday Moments (9-12 Months)

Remember, everyday moments are rich bonding and learning opportunities. Enjoy the magic of these moments with your child.

At 9 months, babies have their own ideas about themselves and the world. They are masters at asserting themselves in all sorts of ways, both charming (finding you in another room and pulling himself up on your leg to give you a big hug) and frustrating (throwing food he doesn’t care for off the highchair or refusing to lie down for a diaper change). You might hand him a toy only to have him fling it to the floor and scream. He doesn’t want that toy… he wants the other one! And if you can’t read his mind and give him that desired toy, he’ll just continue to complain and protest until he gets his hands on what he does want. Thankfully, at 9 months, babies are mastering the idea that things that they can’t see still exist, so he’ll soon be able to find what he’s looking for himself.

Your easygoing little guy is emerging as a very intense and powerful force. This requires a real adjustment on your part; just as your baby is developing new skills by leaps and bounds, it seems you need a whole new set of strategies to parent this very strong individual. It’s no wonder you’re still so tired, even though your baby may finally be sleeping through the night. You needn’t feel guilty that you find yourself eager to tuck him in at the end of the day so you can have some time to yourself. But when you’re at your wit’s end, remember, this self assertion—often called willfulness—is really not a bad thing! When you think about the abilities you want your child to have as he grows, knowing what he wants and going for it is key to his success.

Keeping Your Baby’s Teeth Healthy

TIPS FOR HEALTHY TEETH:

  • Take good care of your child’s baby teeth. They help your child chew food, speak clearly, and save space for their adult teeth.
  • Keep your teeth and mouth clean. You can pass cavity-causing germs to your baby by kissing or sharing food.
  • Do NOT let your child carry a bottle or cup of juice, milk, or sweet drinks. Sipping on sugary drinks all day can cause tooth decay.

BIRTH – 6 MONTHS

  • Breastfed babies have fewer dental problems and less tooth decay than bottle-fed babies.
  • Wipe your baby’s mouth and gums at least once a day with a soft, clean washcloth.
  • Hold your baby when you feed them. Do NOT put your baby to bed with a bottle.
  • Do not prop up your baby’s bottle.

6-12 MONTHS

  • Your baby is ready to start using a cup.
  • Give your baby a little breastmilk, formula, water, or juice in a cup at mealtimes.
  • Limit juice to 2-4 ounces per day. Never put juice in a bottle.
  • At 9 months, gradually start replacing one bottle at a time with a cup.

 

FIRST BIRTHDAY

  • Take your child to the dentist for their first checkup. Lookout for white spots on their teeth as this could be a sign of cavities.
  • Only give your child a cup, they do not need bottles anymore

 

1-5 YEARS:

  • Help your child brush their teeth at least twice a day. Do not use toothpaste until they are 3 years old, and only use a pea-sized amount.
  • At 15 months your child should stop using no-spill cups
  • Give your child healthy snacks, like vegetables, fruits, cheese, and yogurt.
  • Limit juice.
    • 1-3 years old, limit juice to 4 ounces a day.
    • 4-6 years old, limit juice to 6 ounces a day.
  • Limit sugary foods and drinks, including fruit drinks/juice, sweet tea, and sugary cereals.

Important Information about your 9 month old

Family

Make sure to reserve time with your partner, friends, and yourself. If you’re going back to work or school, figure out a good childcare program (whether with a family member or daycare). Be prepared for the separation anxiety that happens when you first leave your child. Have some trial runs so that you are prepared for what this will feel like.

Development

Kids should be safely exploring their surroundings. Make sure to watch them at all times. You should be reading with your child. Engage your child with cause-and-effect games like toys with different sounds and textures, rattles, playing peek-a-boo, hiding and finding objects. TV, videos, and computers should be avoided. Be consistent and positive with routines and expectations (eg, Give a calm but firm NO if biting or putting hands in an outlet. Respond in a positive and encouraging manner when your baby is doing things you want them to do).

Health

Make sure and find a dentist. You should brush your baby’s teeth twice a day with a toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste in an amount no more than the size of a grain of rice. Your baby should be sleeping through the night. Remember that bottles and nursing at night can cause cavities. Introduce a cup to wean off of the bottle. Weaning can take many months, but gradually replace one bottle at a time with a cup. Have sleeping routines. No bottles in bed. Instead, try reading a book or playing music to get your baby to sleep. If you are breastfeeding put your baby to bed once done nursing. Do not allow your baby to fall asleep while nursing.

Nutrition

Continue with breast milk or formula with iron until 1 year old. Increase solids and table food (3 meals, 2 healthy snacks). No juice. New foods: It can take offering a new food 10-15 times before your baby will try it so do not assume they do not like it if they refuse the first time. Do not force food. Daily: Fruits (6-8 teaspoons), veggies (6-8 teaspoons), cheese and yogurt (4-6 teaspoons), small pieces of soft/pureed cooked meat, iron-fortified foods/baby cereal (6-8 teaspoons), whole grains (6-8 teaspoons).

Safety

Avoid walkers with wheels, keep home safe for babies (window guards on 2nd floor, stairgates, chemicals, cords, etc.) and keep one hand on or within reach of your baby, especially around water or in the bathtub. No smoking in the house or in the car. Small toys, plastic bags, and balloons can easily get stuck in your baby’s airways. Still use rear facing car seat.

After Hours and Weekends
After 4:00 PM and before 8:00 AM
For medical advice when People’s is closed call After Hours Nurse line at 512-478-4939

Download PDF here.

Poison Safety Tips for Baby’s Early Years

CONGRATULATIONS!

The Texas Poison Center Network would like to congratulate you on the birth of your child. We want to help you keep your child safe as he or she grows. This brochure contains safety tips for poisoning dangers your child will face during the first few years.

Take a moment and save the number for your local poison center in your cell phone, 1-800-222-1222.

0-6 Months

The most common problem at this age is with medicine.

  • Use measuring syringes or droppers given to you by your pharmacist or doctor. Give the right amount. Do you give a drop or a dropper-full?
  • If you are unsure, check with your pharmacist or doctor before giving the medicine.
  • Any amount over ½ teaspoon (2.5 mLs) should be verified with a doctor or pharmacist.
  • The amount of medicine to give your child is based on their age and weight.
  • Make sure your babysitter has clear instructions for giving medicine to your baby.

6-9 Months

Your baby is now crawling. To see what your baby can see, get on your hands and knees and crawl around the house. Here are some things you should pay attention to:

  • Cleaning products that are kept under cabinets need to be stored out of sight and out of reach.
  • Know the names of your indoor and outdoor plants. Take a leaf and picture to your local plant nursery to find out what it is, then call the poison center to see if the plant could be dangerous to your child.
  • Your baby now has access to the entire floor of your house. The things your baby might find are rat poison, insect bait, and medicine that was dropped by mistake.

9 MONTHS AND UP

Your child may be walking and climbing now, which means they could get into anything.

  • Medicine cabinets are now within reach. Remember child safety caps are not childproof.
  • Children have access to the entire yard. Remove all mushrooms, dangerous plants, and pesticide products from the yard.
  • Children love to get into parent’s things. Do not store medicine in your purse.
  • Remember children’s medicines like vitamins and cough syrups might taste great! If the child can get to this medicine, he may take it.
  • Teach your child that medicine is not candy.
  • Remember, a child’s “taste” is still changing. Just because it tastes bad to you, doesn’t mean it tastes bad to your child.

FOR THE BABYSITTER

Follow these steps if you suspect a child has been poisoned:

  • Take the product away from the child.
  • Check the baby’s mouth and gently remove any pills or liquids. Do not induce vomiting.
  • Call the Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222
  • Follow the advice the Poison Center gives you.
  • Tell the parents what happened and what steps you have taken.
  • Help parents make the house safe so the baby doesn’t get poisoned again.
  • Go to our website and look under Kids’ Corner to download “Babysitter Notes” to take with you when you baby sit.

The Magic of Everyday Moments (6-9 Months)

Remember, everyday moments are rich bonding and learning opportunities. Enjoy the magic of these moments with your child.

Six-month-olds are motivated, energetic, busy, opinionated and, for the most part, fabulous! They are on the verge of huge developmental strides — intellectual, emotional and physical — and they have many, many things they want to do. The challenge — for them and for you — is that they can’t yet do everything they have in mind. Their fingers aren’t working well enough for them to make objects do what they want. They don’t yet have the balance or coordination to stand up and walk, let alone crawl.

They’ve got so much to say, yet they don’t have the words. But they experience every imaginable feeling, sometimes all at once. Although there is great variation in development at this age, during the next 3 months many of the skills babies are eager to master will, in fact, kick in. Until then, they are likely to get frustrated often; and you will most likely bear the brunt of that frustration.

Somehow, you need to walk the line between doing things for your 6-month-old that she can’t do yet, and finding a way to help her do things for herself. If, for example, she wants to crawl toward a toy but finds herself moving backward instead of forward, you can sit behind her and place your palms against the soles of her feet. Then she might be able to push herself forward and get it for herself. Of course, there’s always the possibility that she’ll be mad if you do that, because what she really wants is to do it on her own. But hang in there — if you’re patient, she’ll learn patience and persistence, too.

Tips for your 5-6 month old baby

HELP ME BE HEALTHY.

At this checkup:

  • The nurse will weigh and measure me. I will get a check-up.
  • I will get the next set of vaccines. Write down the date of these vaccines in my health journal. If I had a reaction to the vaccines before, tell the doctor.
  • I should get a flu shot in the fall.
  • The doctor might check my eyes for crossed eyes or a lazy eye.
  • I might get a blood test to see if I have enough iron in my blood.
  • Ask about my eating habits. Tell the doctor when and how much I eat.
  • If I need them, I will get hearing aids. I might get help from my nearby Early Childhood Intervention program. An audiologist will check my hearing every few months until I’m a year old, and after that, every six months.
  • Ask if I need fluoride supplements to help my teeth. Ask about my eating habits. Describe when and how much I eat.

Start feeding me vegetables and fruits.

At 6 months, I’m old enough to try vegetables and fruits. Start with veg­etables. Try an orange vegetable like squash or sweet potatoes first. Give me only one new food each week. This way, if I have an allergy, you will know what food caused the allergy.

TAKE CARE OF MY TEETH.

  • Start planning for my first dental visit for when I’m 6 months old or when my first tooth comes in.
  • Call your dentist or a dentist just for me and set up my first visit.
  • As soon as my teeth come in, gently brush my teeth with a little, soft-bristled tooth­brush and some water.
  • I should not have toothpaste now.

If you don’t have health insurance for me, call the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) toll-free at 1-877-543-7669 (1-877-KIDS-NOW) to find out about children’s health insurance.

KEEP ME SAFE.

When we ride in the car, put me in a car seat with the straps on right.

  • My car seat is the safest place for me when I’m in the car.
  • Until I’m a year old and weigh 20 pounds, my car seat should be in the back seat of the car and placed so I look out the back window.
  • If you have questions about my car seat or how you put it in, call Safe Riders toll-free at 1-800-252-8255.

Put gates at the stairs so I don’t go up or down the stairs. After you make our house safe for me, teach me to be safe.

  • Tell me what you want me to do, over and over. Don’t get tired of telling me. I’m too young to remember.
  • Until I learn what to do, take me away from the place I shouldn’t be or take away the thing I shouldn’t be playing with. Get me interested in something else. Don’t slap my hands or hit me. Try not to yell at me, either.
  • Tell me, hug me, and praise me when I do what you want.

Help me use the high chair safely.

  • Put the safety belt on me when I’m in the chair.
  • Be sure the tray is locked in place. Make sure my hands are out of the way when you lock the tray in place.
  • Be sure there are no sharp edges to cut me or you
  • Don’t let me stand in the chair.
  • Don’t leave me alone in the chair.
  • Don’t leave the chair too close to a table or counter. I can push on the table and tip my chair over.

PLAY WITH ME, IT HELPS ME LEARN.

  • Talk to me in complete sentences. Tell me what you are doing. Make sounds for me to copy like “eee,” “uh-oh,” and “aaa.”
  • Tell me about a toy and show me how to use it. I will want to look at it, smell it, chew it, squeeze it, pat it, and bang it.
  • Put a favorite toy just out of my reach. Help me move to get to it.
  • Hide a toy under a cloth so I can look for it.
  • I like to use blocks that I can hold in my hands.
  • Read to me. Point to the pictures as you tell me about them.

Each child grows and changes at a different rate.
I might do some activities earlier than others. Playing with me helps me learn new things. If you are worried about what I do, talk to my doctor or nurse or call the OARS Help Line toll-free at 1-800-628-5115.

Watch for me to:

  • Pick up my head and chest when I’m on my stomach. I can hold myself up with my arms.
  • Stand up if you hold me under my arms.
  • Roll from my stomach to my back or from my back to my stomach.
  • Notice small things that are placed in front of me.
  • Reach for toys or other interesting things near me.
  • Squeal and make high pitched sounds when I’m happy.
  • Start to have my teeth come in.
  • Lie on my back and look at my hands. I can bring my hands together over my chest or at my mouth.

Dental Places Accepting Medicaid and CHIP

People’s Community Clinic is not connected with any of the following services. This list is a courtesy, not a recommendation for any specific location. You will be responsible for any changes. We are not able to help with appointments or directions to these places. Please call them for further information and to confirm they are taking Medicaid and CHIP.

  • Access Dental of 7th St

    1923 E. 7th St. Ste. 120 Austin, TX 78702 42

  • Access Dental of Ed Bluestein

    7112 Ed Bluestein Blvd. Ste. 130 Austin, TX 78723 50

  • Access Dental of Rundberg

    825 E Rundberg Lane Al Austin, TX 78753 40

  • Access Dental William Cannon

    801 E. William Cannon Dr. Ste. 201 Austin, TX 7874551

  • Austin Family & Pediatric Dentistry

    4631 Airport Blvd Ste. 120A Austin, TX 78751 45

  • Mid-Town Oral Surgery Casmedes

    901 W. 38th St. Ste. 410 Austin, TX 78705 42

  • Central Family Dental Center

    2719 E. 7th St. Austin, TX 78702 33

  • Central Texas Pediatric Dentistry

    1201 Barbara Jordan Blvd. Ste. 1430 Austin, TX 7872352

  • Dentalsaurus, Dr. Sofia Luque

    2500 W. William Cannon Dr. Ste. 507 Austin, TX 7874552

  • Johnson, Daniel. DDS

    1005 W. 38th St. Ste. 200 Austin, TX 78705 43

  • River Rock Dental East Riverside

    4410 East Riverside Dr. Ste. 150 Austin. TX 78741 50

  • River Rock Dental Mueller

    1801 E. 51st St. Ste. 390 Austin, TX 78723 43

  • River Rock Dental Norwood

    1030 Norwood Park Blvd. Ste. 324 Austin, TX 78753 50

  • River Rock Dental South Park Meadows

    9500 South IH 35 Ste. E-400 Austin, TX 7874844

  • River Rock Dental Stassney

    5717 South IH 35 frontage Rd. Austin. TX 78744 47

  • The Smile Center Airport Office

    1144 Airport Blvd. Ste. 240 Austin, TX 78702 45

  • The Smile Center 290/Cameron Office

    6611 E. Highway 290 Austin, TX 78722 37

  • The Smile Center fiesta Office

    3909 N. 11-1 35 Suite Al Austin, TX 78722 42

  • The Smile Center North Lamar Office

    8522 North Lamar Austin, TX 78753 34

  • The Smile Center Oltorf Office

    2121 Oltorf St Ste. 103 Austin, TX 78741 41

  • The Smile Center Parmer Office

    2501 W. Parmer Lane Ste. 800 Austin, TX 7872745

  • The Smile Center Round Rock Office

    1201 S. IH 35 Suite 318 Round Rock, TX 78664 45

  • The Smile Center Stassney Office

    512 West Stassney Ste. 106 Austin, TX 7874543

Other Low Cost Dental Services

  • Manos De Cristo Dental Clinic

    4611 Harmon Avenue Austin TX, 78751 36

    No service for children under 7 years of age

  • Ben White Dental Clinic

    1221 W. Ben White Ste. 112B Austin, TX 7870444

  • North Central Health Center

    1210 W. Braker Lane Austin, TX 78758 37

  • South Austin Health Center

    2529 South 1st St. Austin, TX 78704 36