For every parent, watching their little ones grow up before their very eyes can be bittersweet. It can be sweet because you can see the fruits of your labor. From struggling to make sure they grow up to be decent human beings to ensuring they’re as healthy as they can be, there’s a lot to be proud of. On the other hand, it can be bitter because you’re watching them grow closer to becoming an adult. That only means that they’ll be more independent, start spending more time away from home, and eventually move out.
Of course, it’s every parent’s dream to have their child grow up, even if it means they won’t be able to baby them anymore. However, before you can even get to that point, you have to make sure that you do what they can to reach that point. While it’s nice to think ahead, you still have to deal with the responsibilities of raising your child from childbirth. After all, this is where the care begins—or continues, if you consider the whole pregnancy period too.
Among the most important years of a child’s life, especially in terms of growth, development, and care, would be their first few years of life. More specifically, from the time they’re infants and eventually become toddlers. These first few years can have a huge impact on how your child eventually grows up. So, it’s important to do what you can to get it right during these years.
This may seem a little daunting for a lot of parents, especially first-timers. However, we at edamama believe that something as challenging as this can be made more manageable with the right knowledge and information. So, in this article, we’ll be delving deeper into infancy and toddlerhood and its implications in terms of childcare and their growth and development.
Let’s Talk Numbers
Before we get to the nitty gritty on caring for your infant and toddler, we’ll first have to talk a little about numbers. You might be wondering what we mean by this. Well, the numbers we’ll be talking about will have to do with age. Age plays a huge role in the growth and development of your child, as well as what differentiates your baby from being a toddler or an infant.
Your child’s age will guide you in several ways, from what you should be watching out for in terms of what they can do to how you should be raising them. So, with that in mind, let’s do some math!
Infants
The word “baby” is a loosely used term for any tiny human. Of course, many parents consider their children as their babies. But, for the most part, what is meant by babies can actually pertain to infants.
With that in mind, what makes a baby an infant? Well, in terms of age, a baby is considered an infant between two months of age and one year—anything before two months and a baby is considered a newborn.
Toddlers
Once a baby turns a year old, they’re no longer considered an infant. Instead, they are already considered a toddler. That is until they turn three.
Unlike the newborn and infancy period, your child is a toddler for much longer. There’s a lot that can go on during this time. However, one way to remember that your child is a toddler—or one way to tell they are—is to watch them toddle around when they walk. After all, this is said to be the basis of the word toddler.
The Differences Between an Infant and a Toddler
Now that we’re done doing a little math, it’s time to get to the more important part. It’s time to differentiate between an infant and a toddler—aside from the age, of course. These differences will help guide how you go about raising your child and also help you set some expectations for them as they grow up.
In this article, we’ll be tackling differences in two main aspects. First would be in terms of their nutritional needs. Next would be in terms of their growth and development. Then, we’ll talk a little about how their trips to the doctor evolve as they get older in these first three years of their lives.
Nutrition
It’s true that nutrition is important regardless of the age of the child. However, in their earlier years of life, what they consume can have a significant impact on how they will eventually grow and develop in the years to come. This is especially true as the child passes through infancy and toddlerhood. What’s more, there are specific nutritional needs and requirements that come with these two stages.
With that in mind, helping the child meet their nutritional needs in these stages of their life is crucial in ensuring that they grow up adequately. So, how different would the nutritional needs of an infant be from that of a toddler?
For Infants
Some of you may already know this, but one of the most important food sources for infants would be breastmilk. Considering that it contains all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients needed for their development, it’s only natural that this is the main nutritional source for infants.
As the saying goes, “breastfeeding is best for babies up to two years.” So, you should start breastfeeding your baby as soon as they are born. However, you should keep in mind that babies should be exclusively breastfed for up to six months.
After you reach the six month mark, you can then start doing what is called complementary feeding. This is when you introduce your baby to other foods that are appropriate for them to eat. This is a must as by the time they are six months old up until twelve months, babies become more explorative with their mouth. This means they are willing to try different foods and textures. So, make them most out of this period and feed them mushy vegetables and fruits, soft foods, and the like. That way, they get all the nutrients they need and help them expand their sense of touch via their mouths—something we’ll also touch on later.
Of course, some of you mothers may be wondering how you can adequately feed your infant if you don’t produce enough breastmilk or can’t produce at all. While that may be a cause for distress, there are still alternatives. For example, you could get your breastmilk from elsewhere. If you have fellow parents who have an excess of breastmilk, this can be good for your baby too. You also have the option of getting from a breast milk bank, which can be found in hospitals and some healthcare facilities.
Aside from that, you can also opt to use infant formula. While it isn’t breastmilk, it’s been made in such a way that it comes as close to it as possible. That way, your child can still get the nutrients they need given the situation. However, it’s advisable to try to find another source of breastmilk first before going with formula. If that’s not possible, then formula will still be good for your infant.
For Toddlers
With regards to toddlers, breastfeeding is still advised as it is recommended for up to two years. Along with this, parents will also have to carry on with the complementary feeding. However, the food you give your toddler can begin to change based on what they can eat.
For example, by the time they become a one year old, they should already be eating soft foods like squash, pureed fruits, and the like. With the passing months, you can start to feed them more solid foods, such as biscuits, flaky food, strips of meat and vegetables. This will continue until they can eat foods that adults can also eat. Doing so will not only help them develop the motor skills to chew and feed themselves, but their diet will also begin to diversify. This is especially important as this can help them take in more nutritious food in various forms, also filling in the gaps that breastmilk alone cannot provide.
Development
Another aspect where infants and toddlers differ would be in terms of development. As babies will go through infancy and toddlerhood, what they can and can’t do will change as they get older. With that in mind, you might think that they’ll eventually be able to do certain tasks as they grow up. However, development shouldn’t be viewed this way. You see, there are what are called “developmental milestones” that need to be met once the child reaches a certain age. This is important because the presence or absence of these milestones may be a sign of a problem in development. As such, is important to take note of what milestones should be met during infancy and toddlerhood. That way, you can keep track of whether or not your baby is on track or if there should be something worth taking note of.
Before we delve deeper into these milestones, it’s worth noting that there is a long list of things that infants and toddlers should be able to do when they reach these ages. However, for the sake of brevity, we’ll only be covering a few of these milestones just to give you an idea of what they should be able to do by the time they reach a certain age.
Infant Milestones
In terms of what infants can do, one of the most noticeable signs of their development can be seen through their gross and fine motor capabilities. If you’ve seen a newborn baby or infant before, which you most likely have, you already know that babies can be a little clumsy and even considered helpless. They don’t get to move much and can even look like a turtle turned over on their shells.
However, as the months go by, babies should be able to move more and more. For example, between three to six months, they should be able to move their head around. By the time they reach four months, they should be able to roll over. Between months six to eight, your infant should be able to sit up on their own. By the ninth month, they should be able to pull themselves up to stand. Once they reach twelve months, standing on their own should be possible.
Aside from those gross motor skills, infants should also be able to develop their fine motor skills. By the time they get to five months, they should be able to grasp things and then transfer to what they’re holding to their other hand. At six months, they should be able to hold something like their baby bottle. By nine months up until twelve months, they should be able to do a pincer grasp—similar to how a crab grabs things with its claws.
Their ability to vocalize and understand things also develops as early as now. For example, a four month old baby should be able to turn their heads to the source of a sound they hear. By the time they’re seven months old, they should be able to respond to their name. Once they’re eleven months old, they should be able to follow a one-step command.
In terms of being able to speak, they should start vocalizing and cooing at three months. At six months, your infant should be able to babble. Once they reach eight months, they should be able to say, “Mama,” or, “Papa.” A ten month old infant should be able to say more of their first words aside. By the time they’re a year old, they should be able to say and use three words with meaning, such as “Mommy” instead of “Mama” and “Daddy” instead of “Dada”.
Toddler Milestones
The gross and fine motor skills and language development of a toddler carries on from what they already gained from infancy. As such, you can only imagine how important it is for them to have developed some of the skills mentioned previously. Lack of these skills can only mean a lack of the additional skills that come after them.
With that in mind, a toddler should be able to do things like run and go up and down stairs by the time they reach two years old. They should also be able to ride a trike by three years of age. In terms of fine motor skills, a toddler should be able to scribble at 15 months old and scribble spontaneously at 18 months. By the time they reach two years of age, they should be able to make strokes with a writing implement and eventually draw a circle by three years old.
In terms of language development, there’s obviously a whole lot more that a toddler can do too. For example, they should be able to point to a body part and identify it at 15 months. At 18 months, they should be able to point at two body parts and also know about ten words with meaning. At two years of age, they should be able to follow two-step commands and use two-word phrases. At three years old, a toddler should be able to identify actions going on in pictures and also use three-word sentences, give their full name, and age.
As it is, there are a lot of things you’ll have to take into account as you watch your child grow older. However, these are only a few of the vast list of milestones that your baby will have as they grow older. Of course, some of these things you can take note of on your own. But, caring for your baby isn’t something you can do on your own. Part of giving your baby the proper care would be taking them to their pediatrician. With their help, you’ll be able to have a clearer picture of what’s going on and what you need to do.
Trips to The Doctor
Pediatricians are your best friends when it comes to giving your child the best care possible. They’re THE experts when it comes to children, so they should know exactly what to do regarding certain issues and problems and also know what to look for as your child grows up.
With regard to growth, your child’s pedia will measure things like their head circumference to monitor their brain growth. They’ll also take note of their height and their weight to help determine whether they’re malnourished or overweight and see how it measures up to their development.
Pediatricians are also familiar with the developmental aspects of your child, knowing what is normal and what is a red flag in terms of the milestones they may have already crossed. With that in mind, they’ll do what they can to probe on what they can and can’t do. Then, they’ll try and figure out what you can do about it, whether it’s something that can be dealt with by addressing a nutritional deficiency or through other means like referring your child to a speech pathologist or a pediatrician more familiar with developmental problems.
Whatever the case may be, your trips to the pediatrician will help you understand better the implications of the milestones present in infancy and toddlerhood and your child’s nutritional needs. They’ll help you do what you can to help your child grow up as properly as possible. But, this therapeutic relationship will only work if you also do your part as a parent. So, by at least knowing the milestones and understanding how important their nutritional needs are, you help get your child on the right track. You’ll also be able to communicate with your child’s pediatrician better with regard to any nutritional and developmental issues. While it might not seem like a lot, it can make all the difference. You’re at least doing your part to give your child the attention they need as they grow up, and that’s more than enough to help them get the best care you can provide.
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