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Your baby at 13 months: development milestones & what to expect
7 min
Now that your baby is one, you probably don’t think about their age in months anymore. But here we are, 13 months old and absolutely thriving. The world is their oyster, with so much to discover. And as they get more independent, they’ll begin making these discoveries on their own. A real milestone for them and for you!
Physical development milestones at 13 months
Some babies will be confident walkers by 13 months, while others are yet to take their first steps. Both are considered normal, so don’t fret if it feels like your little one is the last to take to their feet. They’ll do it when they’re ready.
Once babies are walking confidently and able to bend, squat, and get up from the floor without help, you’ll notice this is their preferred means of getting around. Crawling will likely take a back seat. However, getting the hang of squatting and rising takes a little time – so expect plenty of trying and failing (and falling) while they learn.
This taste of independence can lead your little one to really resist being strapped into a high chair, car seat, or buggy. Even being picked up can cause them frustration. Try to stay calm if they lash out and restrain rather than manhandle. Sometimes you can compromise by letting them walk for a bit, or having a garden picnic instead of dinner at the table, but often you need to set boundaries to keep them safe.
Milestone checklist
- Squatting – Bending and squatting are good ways for your baby to work those leg muscles and build their balance. Encourage them by leaving a trail of interesting objects on the floor – taking care that they don’t put everything in their mouth.
- Tantrums – Your little one is getting more assertive as they get more independent. This is a great quality but can be difficult to manage. Treat yourself kindly when tantrums are bringing you down.
- Walking? – If your little one isn’t walking yet, don’t worry. They’re still right on schedule.
Child brain development at 13 months
Independence is affecting every aspect of your baby’s development now. The attitude is very much ‘I can and so I will!’ – regardless of whether you think it’s a good idea for them to open cupboards/throw objects/go upstairs. Though they may have a few words now, they don’t have nearly enough to make you understand, so they’ll express their frustration through tears and tantrums.
Hard as it can be to deal with a frustrated baby, these tantrums are actually a good sign. Your baby is pushing for more freedom, knows what they want, and can see how things can be done, even if they can’t quite do them yet.
As a parent, knowing all the hazards out there in the world, it can be really hard to let your baby explore their newfound skills and curiosities. But when you’re in a safe space – your home or garden, or an open bit of green space, for example – give them some independence. The chances are they’ll only take a few steps before they’re coming back and asking you to explore with them.
Social & Emotional Development
Toddlers are known for tantrums, and you’ll certainly be hearing plenty of frustration from them over the coming months. This often presents as blind rage, with flailing limbs, wailing cries and flushed cheeks. It might be over something as simple as a nappy change, or a broken twig, or perhaps it’s nothing you can identify at all. It doesn’t matter. To them the feeling is very real.
Standing in front of a raging toddler, breathing all this in, it can be really hard to not get cross in return. You’re only trying to help them, after all. But remember that this is all part of your little one’s learning process and they are much too little to have any sense of how their tantrum impacts you. Your job is to stay calm, reassure them, and be their safe place. And if none of that is working, it’s ok to put them somewhere safe – their cot, for example, as long as they haven’t worked out how to climb over the sides – and give yourself a minute. Or tag your partner in and give yourself much longer!
At the end of the day, you’re still your little one’s favourite person. This outburst is just weather. Once it passes, they will move on and you’re left with the job of re-regulating your poor nervous system.
Sleep & Feeding
Rhythms and routines at this stage
Is your baby fighting their nap time? It might be time to drop down to one nap. In many ways, getting rid of the morning nap can be a relief. It frees up more time for all the other things you have in your busy schedule – and it might mean the afternoon nap lasts a little bit longer!
If you’re unsure whether your baby is ready to drop a nap, the only way to find out is to experiment. Try dropping the morning nap and moving the afternoon nap a little earlier to see how they cope with that. Bedtime can also be moved up a little to counteract the longer wake windows.
Night wakings
Is your 13-month-old sleeping through the night? Lots of babies are by this point, but many are not. And those poor parents haven’t had a full night sleep in more than a year. If this is you, what have you tried?
- Keeping night times boring by keeping lights off or low, no talking, no fun?
- Switching breastfeeds or bottles for sippy cups of water or cow’s milk
- Ignoring in the hopes they resettle by themselves?
- Removing any distractions from around the cot to avoid nighttime stimulation?
It’s so hard to know when to push and when to just accept that night wakings are still part of your life. Teething, illness, changes in routine – like starting nursery or dropping a nap – can all impact your child’s sleep. In the end, you have to do what’s right for your family. If the night wakings feel easier than the disruption of sleep training, that’s absolutely ok. Equally, if you feel like you could get past this stage with a little effort, give it a try. If it doesn’t work after a few days, pause, reset, and try again another time.
Staying hydrated
As solid foods take over from milk as the primary source of nutrition, it’s really important that your little one stays hydrated. Toddlers are particularly prone to constipation, partly because their digestive system is still getting the hang of it all, but also because they are starting to become more conscious of their bowel movements. Though potty training is a long way off, the understanding is building now and what you really don’t want is to arrive at potty training time with a toddler who finds poos difficult and does not want to sit on the potty and wait for it to happen.
A couple of tips:
- Keep yourself hydrated. If you keep drinking out of your bottle, there’s a good chance your little one will copy you.
- Offer drinks regularly – not just at mealtimes.
- Make a game of it. Clink glasses, pretend you’re doing shots, whatever works for you!
- Water is best, but cow’s milk is also fine, if that’s your child’s preference.
- Avoid squash and diluted fruit juice – the sugars are too much for tiny teeth.
Looking after yourself
If you returned to work last month , you might be thinking you should have bounced back by now. Emotionally, mentally, physically – you’ve had a whole month to find your new groove. But between getting up to date with new systems at work, navigating the nursery run, and dealing with all the various bugs that arise from letting your child out into the world, you’re probably feeling absolutely wiped out.
That’s ok.
Your life has changed drastically. Remember, you’ve never done this before – never managed family, work, and yourself. It’s not unusual to find this transition really hard.
It will get easier. But in the meantime, it’s important to be kind to yourself. Talk to yourself the way you would your best friend – always a good policy for self-talk. And try not to overload your weekends with social plans. You’ll need that time for yourself.
Remember to keep the lines of communication open with your partner, being honest about your feelings and how you are coping so that they know how best to support you. Likewise, rope in friends and family for a good rant or just to share experiences. This too shall pass – but just because it’s transitory doesn’t mean it’s not challenging.
A Note on Development Milestones
Developmental milestones are guides – not deadlines. If your toddler isn’t ‘keeping up’ with your friends’ toddlers, it isn’t an immediate cause for concern. Every child develops at their own pace. That being said, your health visitor and GP are there to support you with any queries you might have and will always be happy to see you with your child if you have any worries.
