12-Month-Old Baby Development
Summary
Average weight
9 kg
Average height
75 cm
Daily sleep
11-14 hours
Feeding interval
4-5 hours + 3 main meals
Skills Gained This Month
The first birthday: most babies take a few unsupported steps or come very close to walking. They use 1-3 meaningful words, follow simple instructions, try scribbling with a crayon and start drinking from a cup on their own. Walking anywhere between 9 and 15 months is considered normal.
Feeding
3 main meals, 2 snacks and 3 milk feeds. Cow's milk can now be given as a main drink. Honey should not be given before 12 months. The move to family meals begins to complete; food without added salt or sugar is preferred.
Sleep
10-12 hours at night and one to two naps. The transition to a single nap begins; shortening the morning sleep and bringing the midday nap earlier smooths the change.
Vaccines This Month
Around the first birthday most schedules give MMR, varicella and a pneumococcal booster, and many add hepatitis A and a meningococcal dose. The one-year check is also the most comprehensive developmental assessment of the year. Check your local schedule.
Foods To Avoid This Month
Honey can now be given, but whole nuts should still be avoided until age five. Prefer food without added salt or sugar, and keep cutting up or avoiding choking hazards such as whole grapes, popcorn and hard sweets.
When To Call The Doctor
Without waiting for 18 months: no sound imitation and no gestures at 12 months
Unable to stand even when supported
A marked decrease in eye contact and social interaction
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should a 12-month-old baby feed?
A 12-month-old usually feeds every 4-5 hours + 3 main meals. 3 main meals, 2 snacks and 3 milk feeds. Cow's milk can now be given as a main drink. Honey should not be given before 12 months. The move to family meals begins to complete; food without added salt or sugar is preferred.
How many hours a day does a 12-month-old sleep?
Total sleep at 12 months is usually 11-14 hours. 10-12 hours at night and one to two naps. The transition to a single nap begins; shortening the morning sleep and bringing the midday nap earlier smooths the change.
How much should a 12-month-old weigh?
The average weight at 12 months is around 9 kg, with a height of about 75 cm. These are medians; clear differences between babies are normal. What matters is steady progress along the percentile curve rather than any single measurement.
What can a 12-month-old baby do?
The first birthday: most babies take a few unsupported steps or come very close to walking. They use 1-3 meaningful words, follow simple instructions, try scribbling with a crayon and start drinking from a cup on their own. Walking anywhere between 9 and 15 months is considered normal.
Which vaccines are given at 12 months?
Around the first birthday most schedules give MMR, varicella and a pneumococcal booster, and many add hepatitis A and a meningococcal dose. The one-year check is also the most comprehensive developmental assessment of the year. Check your local schedule.
Log your baby's development
Track feeding, sleep, diapers and growth with one tap; let Baby Wallie handle WHO percentile charts and vaccine reminders. Free for 7 days.
Related Guides
When To Seek Care Immediately
Whatever your baby's age, seek medical care without waiting for: a fever of 38 °C or above in a baby under 3 months, a persistent fever above 39 °C at any age, laboured or rapid noisy breathing, blue lips or face, difficulty waking or marked lethargy, inconsolable persistent crying, complete refusal to feed, repeated projectile vomiting, bloody stools, fewer than 6 wet nappies a day, seizure-like movements, or the loss of a skill already gained. In these situations reach real medical care rather than an app or a web search.
This content is for informational purposes only and does not replace medical advice. Always consult your doctor or midwife about your own or your baby's health.