Your Baby Week 49
As your child's first birthday approaches, you may be amazed at all the things she has learned in a year. Waving hello and goodbye may be old hat at this point and your little one may be saying as many as five individual words (if not more). She may have taken her first steps, and if she hasn't, you have probably seen significant development in that direction. She is probably asserting her independence more frequently now, so much so that it may be hard to remember the weeks when she slept most of the day.
Meeting Milestones
With your baby's first birthday right around the corner, you may start asking yourself whether or not she has reached certain milestones. Is she walking? Has she said her first word? Can she pull herself up to a standing position? While it's important to keep an eye on your child's development, every baby reaches milestones at their own pace and for different reasons.
If you notice that your neighbor's baby is able to pull himself up by his first birthday, but your child can't, it doesn't automatically mean there is a problem. Many factors contribute to how soon a child is able to pull themselves up into a standing position. For example, larger children simply have a harder time pulling themselves up than smaller children. Additionally, some kids are just more accomplished in different areas. One child may excel in gross motor skills like walking or throwing a ball, while another excels in verbal communication and fine motor skills, like putting shapes into a puzzle.
The best thing you can do as a parent is to sit back and let them reach these milestones through their own hard work. Though you may want to help and try to focus your child's energy on achieving certain goals, interfering by trying to force them could do more harm than good and actually set your child back. Of course, if you suspect there is a problem, check with your child's pediatrician.
Getting Plenty of Protein
You may be wondering about your baby's diet and about what foods are best for her. Protein is an important part of your child's diet and while red meat is good source of protein, you should also consider including protein sources like poultry (without skin), beans, eggs (yolk only, because of allergy risks) and vegetables like peas into their diet. These foods are a good source of protein, but are also low in cholesterol and fat.
