Toddler This Week: 14 Months, Week 1

Your toddler is fascinated by how things work and is getting better at grasping and manipulating things. Give her an open sippy cup and watch how she tries to screw the lid on, then off again. Opening and closing cabinet doors will also bring endless enjoyment (be sure to put safety latches on the ones that aren't safe to explore). Some things won't come easy at first and her smiles of pride will alternate with tears of frustration. If you encourage her with lots of hugs and kisses, she'll develop the confidence to try new things.

Do you wonder whether your child is a healthy size?

Concerns about not weighing enough often come up because young toddlers seem to eat relatively little and "live on air." If your toddler's very active, he may take in fewer calories than he expends. He may also lose weight if he comes down with a bug. At this age, being underweight is rarely a sign of a serious underlying illness, but it's a good idea to discuss it with your child's doctor at a regular appointment if you're concerned.

In our obesity-prone era, however, you may be more worried about whether your child weighs too much. If your toddler seems chubby, remember that he's still built like a baby and will slim down as he grows taller and begins to walk and run more.

To help him develop healthy habits, serve nutritious snacks instead of sugary ones and offer lots of opportunity for active play. Encourage eating fruit and drinking water (rather than drinking fruit juice). If you have any concerns about your child's growth, talk to his doctor. She tracks your child's weight and height percentiles to make sure he stays on a healthy trajectory.

If the doctor thinks your child is too heavy, she may recommend switching to milk that's lower in fat. Don't allow your child to roam with a bottle or sippy cup of milk or juice all day long. If you do give your child juice, limit it to 4 to 6 ounces a day. (You can stretch that amount by diluting it with water.)

Whenever possible, serve finger foods instead of spoon-feeding your toddler. When he feeds himself, he learns to recognize when he's hungry and when he's satisfied. But don't restrict your toddler's intake of healthy foods unless instructed to by his doctor – he might miss out on the nutrients his growing body needs.

If your toddler is continuing to breastfeed, congratulations. Extended nursing (breastfeeding beyond the first year) isn't for everyone, but it brings plenty of benefits.

Even though your child now gets most of his nutrition from solid food, breast milk provides calories, vitamins, enzymes, and valuable immunities. Studies have even shown that breastfed toddlers get sick less often.

Contrary to popular belief in the United States, breastfeeding past 12 months of age does not make kids overly dependent. Nursing creates a strong bond and provides emotional support that encourages independence and self-confidence.

It brings challenges, too, such as rude comments from onlookers not used to seeing toddlers nursed. You may want to be prepared with some snappy answers to silly questions. For example, in response to "Is he still nursing?" simply saying "yes" can put a stop to the questioning. If someone says, "Are you ever going to stop breastfeeding?" you can say, "Yes, in about ten minutes."

Parent tip
"Every time my children do anything I tell them to, I say, "Thank you." Repetition is the key. You say or do something in front of them enough and they'll get it and do it." – Brandi

- BabyCenter.com