Category: Nutrition

Important Information about your 15 month old

Family

Set firm, fair rules and keep them the same to teach your child respect and discipline. Timeouts should happen in a neutral area of the house (one minute for each year of age). Be sure to praise them for things that they do correctly. Make time for yourself and partner, and think about joining parenting or play groups. Establish routines around the house and traditions that they can be a part of.

Development

When reading to your child, use simple words to describe pictures and use simple, clear words and phrases to promote language development. Let your child choose what to read from time to time. Make sure to describe feelings and emotions. By this age, they should know at least three words, can pull themselves up and walk by holding onto furniture. They may also have stranger anxiety and more separation anxiety when away from you. This is because they are becoming more aware and understanding more.

Health

There should be no smoking in the home of the child or in the car. Your child should have a night-time routine, including reading, singing, and brushing teeth. They should be brushing their teeth twice a day with child’s fluoride toothpaste and a soft toothbrush. Go to www.ilikemyteeth.org and www.mychildrensteeth.org – they are great sites for information on fluoride and dentists. There should be no TV at mealtime.

Eating

Your child will eat less in their second year and should only gain about 5-7 pounds total. They should have 3 meals and 2 snacks per day. Remember to fill half their plate with fruits/vegetables at each meal. A serving size is the size of your child’s fist so do not serve large portions. Encourage them to feed themselves and let them choose what they want to eat off of the plate. Do not force feed or bribe them. No junk food. Make sure to avoid small hard foods as they can cause your child to choke. Limit milk to less than 16-20 oz/day. Encourage drinking water instead of juice throughout the day.

Safety

Make sure your home is childproofed and that your child still sits in a rear-facing car seat in the back seat. Around water, you should never be more than an arm’s length away from your child. No smoking in house or car. Check your smoke detectors once a month. If your family owns any guns, make sure they are kept unloaded, and locked away separately. The hot water heater should be set to 120 °F or below. Keep hot liquids out of reach and be careful when cooking in the kitchen.

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.

The Magic of Everyday Moments (15-18 Months)

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

Logo for Johnson and Johnson Pediatric Institute LLC

Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute, L.L.C., is a company solely
dedicated to improving maternal and children’s healthcare through the advancement of continued learning and research in pediatrics, child development, parenting and maternity care. Through partnerships with leading healthcare professionals, developmental specialists and international organizations, Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute, L.L.C., identifies, develops and implements initiatives and programs that help shape the future of children’s health around the world.

Logo for Zero to Three organization

ZERO TO THREE is a national nonprofit organization of renowned pediatricians, educators, researchers, and other child development experts who specialize in the first years of life.

If you’re like many parents of young toddlers, you may be feeling both exhilarated and tired, as children this age tend to be very intense—physically and emotionally. Chances are, your toddler is not only walking, but running and climbing as well. So you may be doing a lot more chasing after him just to keep up and keep him safe. If you are a parent who loved the infancy stage—holding, cuddling, and swaddling—a fast and furious toddler might throw you for a loop. Many parents also have some mixed feelings at this age. They may feel joy at seeing their child so capable and independent, and sadness at seeing their “baby” grow up. But rest assured, your child still needs you, just in different ways. He needs you to be a “safe base” to come back to when he ventures out on new explorations. And he needs you to be his coach, helping him master new challenges and cheering him on as he makes new discoveries.

This second year is also often a time of strong emotions—for toddlers and their parents. Toddlers know what they want. However, they don’t yet have the skills to carry out all their plans and desires. This can mean lots of frustration and breakdowns—fondly known as tantrums. These tantrums may make you want to crumble too, right at the time when your child needs you to be his rock. Your guidance and boundaries will help him feel confident and safe.

Download The Magic of Everyday Moments™ (15-18 Months)

Your Guide to Raising a Healthy Eater

Having young children is one of the hardest and most rewarding times of your life! Between working and taking care of your family’s needs, it’s sometimes easy to forget to make sure everything is on track. That’s where this guide comes in handy. Written with information from doctors, nutritionists, and moms who have been there, this is a great guide to help your child become a healthy eater. The more your kids grow, the more you will want to know!

In this guide, you will learn:

Helping Your Child Develop Healthy Food Habits

Healthy Foods for a Healthy Plate

Physical Activity for your Child

Behaviors That Help Families Stay Healthy

Download Guide

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.

Logo for Johnson and Johnson Pediatric Institute LLC

Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute, L.L.C., is a company solely
dedicated to improving maternal and children’s healthcare through the advancement of continued learning and research in pediatrics, child development, parenting and maternity care. Through partnerships with leading healthcare professionals, developmental specialists and international organizations, Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute, L.L.C., identifies, develops and implements initiatives and programs that help shape the future of children’s health around the world.

Logo for Zero to Three organization

ZERO TO THREE is a national nonprofit organization of renowned pediatricians, educators, researchers, and other child development experts who specialize in the first years of life.

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.

Download The Magic of Everyday Moments™ (12-15 Months)

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.
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Weaning your Baby from the Bottle

Weaning from the bottle can take many months. Weaning begins when solid foods are started and ends when the baby is completely off the bottle at around 12-14 months old. Babies can wean from the breast much later.

How will I know when my baby is ready for a cup?

  • They will sit up without support.
  • They will be eating from a spoon that you offer them.

Extra Tips for Babies Older than 6 Months

  • Carry snacks when you go out. These can take the place of a bottle when you are away from home.
  • If your child insists on going to bed with a bottle, put only water in it or give a pacifier.
  • Put your baby to sleep by rocking, singing, or reading to them.
  • Do not take away the bottle when your child is ill. Wait until they are well and happy for better results.
  • Cups with lids help stop spills. But just like bottles, children who carry cups with lids can get tooth decay. Around 15 months old your baby should be using only cups without lids to protect your child’s teeth.

Why should my baby give up the bottle around 1 year?

  • To protect their teeth
    • The sugar in milk or juice can cause very serious tooth decay.
  • To prevent problems such as low iron or extra weight gain.
    • Babies who stay on the bottle longer than a year often drink too much and may not eat enough of the other foods needed to grow well.

Start Early

  • Do NOT put your baby to bed with a bottle. Try using a pacifier instead.
  • Hold your baby and feed them before putting them to bed, then rock or hold you baby as they fall asleep.
  • Never offer anything other than breastmilk, formula, or water from the bottle. Infants who never take juice or sweet drinks from a bottle may have an easier time weaning.
  • Do NOT give up. Weaning is not easy and takes time and patience.

At 6 Months

  • Give your baby breastmilk, formula, or juice from a cup that you hold. Use a small plastic cup with or without a lid. Start by offering the cup for a few small sips.

At 9 or 10 Months

  • Start giving the cup in place of one, then two bottles each day. Replace your baby’s least favorite feeding time first. Then give breastmilk, formula, or juice in a cup instead of a bottle at other feedings.

Around 1 Year

  • Your baby will be drinking from a cup that they can hold at most meals and snacks. Be ready for spills, they will happen.
  • Keep adding more feedings from the cup and fewer from the bottle.
  • Finally, give the bottle only at your baby’s favorite feeding of the day.

If your child will not wean:

  • It is not uncommon for children to need extra sucking, even as toddlers. Use a pacifier or a bottle of water if your child needs to continue sucking
  • Due to special health problems, some children may be slow to get off the bottle. Some children have trouble eating solids or are unable to sip from a cup with help at 9 or 10 months of age. Tell your nutritionist, nurse or doctor if your child is having these problems.

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.

Logo for Johnson and Johnson Pediatric Institute LLC

Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute, L.L.C., is a company solely
dedicated to improving maternal and children’s healthcare through the advancement of continued learning and research in pediatrics, child development, parenting and maternity care. Through partnerships with leading healthcare professionals, developmental specialists and international organizations, Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute, L.L.C., identifies, develops and implements initiatives and programs that help shape the future of children’s health around the world.

Logo for Zero to Three organization

ZERO TO THREE is a national nonprofit organization of renowned pediatricians, educators, researchers, and other child development experts who specialize in the first years of life.

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.

Download The Magic of Everyday Moments™ (9-12 Months)

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.

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.

Logo for Johnson and Johnson Pediatric Institute LLC

Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute, L.L.C., is a company solely
dedicated to improving maternal and children’s healthcare through the advancement of continued learning and research in pediatrics, child development, parenting and maternity care. Through partnerships with leading healthcare professionals, developmental specialists and international organizations, Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute, L.L.C., identifies, develops and implements initiatives and programs that help shape the future of children’s health around the world.

Logo for Zero to Three organization

ZERO TO THREE is a national nonprofit organization of renowned pediatricians, educators, researchers, and other child development experts who specialize in the first years of life.

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.

Download The Magic of Everyday Moments™ (6-9 Months)