Day 356 - 1st Year Round Up - How Much Should Your Baby Drink

Today's first time parenting tip - At 12 months, your baby "should" be drinking about 2 cups of milk or formula

As part of the first year round up, I'm going to look at taking stock of where your baby is at. Keep in mind that these are averages, and they could fall above or below these ranges and be perfectly fine. The numbers are meant to give you a general idea of what your baby should be doing.

Even though they may be eating a hearty share of fruits and vegetables (how much is enough?), your baby still needs a good portion of his diet to be good old breastmilk or formula.

About 2 cups a day will do the trick, and you can add in yogurt and cheese as some additional dairy foods in their diet. If your baby drinks more or less milk from day-to-day, don't sweat it too much. You should be looking at your baby's diet from a week-long perspective at this stage to make sure they're getting the right amounts and a good variety.

Parenting, Formula, Average, Milk

Day 355 - 1st Year Round Up - How Much Should Your 12 month old be eating

Today's first time parenting tip - Serving sizes for a twelve month old are different than adults

As part of the first year round up, I'm going to look at taking stock of where your baby is at. Keep in mind that these are averages, and they could fall above or below these ranges and be perfectly fine. The numbers are meant to give you a general idea of what your baby should be doing.

Your baby's eating patterns have probably changed quite a bit over the last year. They went from all breast milk to fruits, veggies and crackers in no time. So how much is too much? At this age, your baby is still probably too young to eat just for the sake of eating.

If he's hungry, he'll eat. If he's not, he'll stop. If you think your child has a weight problem, first take stock of what you're giving him. Is it unhealthy foods with lots of fat and sugar? Or is it healthy fare, like veggies and fruits.

If that's not the problem, your baby could just be naturally bigger. You should never underfeed your baby or try to put them on a diet. At this age, they still need a high-fat diet for brain development, so consult your pediatrician before making any diet changes.

Here's how much your baby should be getting from each food group:

• 3 oz. of grains (1 slice of wheat bread = 1 oz, and 1/2 cup of cereal or pasta = 1 oz)


• 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables


• 1 cup of fruits or fruit juice


• 2 oz of meat/beans (2 tablespoons of lean meat is 1oz, and one egg is an ounce

Parenting, Food, Average, Vegetable, Fruit, Diet

Day 354 - 1st Year Round Up - How Much Should Your 12 Month Old Sleep

Today's first time parenting tip - At 12 months, your baby "should" be sleeping 11-13 hours at night, with one or two naps during the day

As part of the first year round up, I'm going to look at taking stock of where your baby is at. Keep in mind that these are averages, and they could fall above or below these ranges and be perfectly fine. The numbers are meant to give you a general idea of what your baby should be doing.

Sleep is a tricky thing. Too much, and your baby might seem lethargic or inactive. Too little, and they'll be cranky. If your baby falls outside this range or sleeps irregularly and they chronically seem unhappy or lethargic, they might have sleep problems.

My son sleeps 10-11 hours at night and takes two, hour-and-a-half long naps during the day. So he's on the low side, but he seems to be happy and he's pretty regular, so I'm not worried.

Your baby's sleep patterns could also change based on any new stress they might be experiencing, or they may sleep more if they're sick or going through a growth spurt. The important thing is to keep an eye on patterns and consult your pediatrician if you see anything irregular.

Parenting, Sleep, Average, Rest