Month 12: Many babies are almost-one-year-old explorers – they may crawl fast or cruise along furniture, point and babble for what they want, join in simple shared games, and then dive back to you for a cuddle and a snack before heading off on their next “mission”.

• By month 12 many babies are having three small meals a day made from family foods, with soft chopped pieces and finger foods from the main food groups, while breast milk or formula still plays an important part in their diet.
• It is common at this age for babies to want to feed themselves, for example by picking up pieces of food, holding a spoon, or reaching for your plate, so mealtimes can be sociable chances to eat together while you stay close and watch how they manage.
• Parents are often encouraged to offer a variety of tastes and textures without adding salt or sugar, keep offering vegetables as well as sweeter foods, and speak with a health professional if they are worried about swallowing, allergies, or growth.

• Around twelve months many babies still sleep for many hours across a 24-hour period, often somewhere in the low-to-mid teens including naps, but patterns vary widely and it is still common for some babies to wake at night for comfort or a feed.
• Safer sleep guidance continues to suggest placing babies on their back in a clear, flat sleep space in the same room as an adult, with no pillows, duvets, soft toys, or loose bedding near the face and in a smoke-free environment.
• A simple, repeated bedtime routine – such as a short bath, pyjamas, quiet story or song, and dim lights – often helps babies link these steps with sleep, even when nap lengths, bedtimes, and night wakings change from day to day.

• With a wide range of solid foods, many babies’ poos at this age are thicker, smellier, and more formed, and colour or texture can change depending on what they have eaten recently.
• Some babies poo several times a day, while others go less often but in larger amounts, so many parents focus on their baby’s usual pattern, comfort, and the number of wet nappies rather than aiming for a particular number of dirty nappies.
• Plenty of wet nappies, mostly soft poos, and a baby who is generally alert when awake can feel reassuring; if nappies suddenly become very dry, very loose, very hard, or you notice blood or other changes that worry you, contact your midwife, health visitor, paediatrician or local emergency service.

• Around twelve months many babies are practising big body movements such as moving between sitting and crawling, pulling to stand, and cruising along furniture, which lets them explore more of the room and join in daily life from new angles.
• Short, frequent play sessions work well at this age – for example, a few minutes at a time of rolling and chasing balls, putting toys into a box and tipping them out, looking at simple picture books, or copying claps, waves, and funny faces.
• Many babies near their first birthday use pointing, reaching, and babbling to show what they want, so talking back, naming objects they look at, singing, and offering a few short floor or tummy-time play slots each day can support their growing thinking, language, and movement skills.

Sources

• NHS – Your baby's development from 2 to 12 months
• NHS – 10 to 12 months: Feeding your baby
• NHS – Feeding your baby: from 10 to 12 months
• HealthyChildren.org (AAP) – Developmental Milestones: 12 Months
• HealthyChildren.org (AAP) – Cognitive Development in Infants: 8 to 12 Months

This content is general information only and is not medical advice. If you are worried about your baby, contact your midwife, health visitor, paediatrician, or local emergency service.