A 15-month-old baby is generally more curious and active, enjoying walking and playing with toys and other children. At this stage, the baby also communicates better, recognizing his own name when called and speaking some words, such as “tasa” (house) and “tato” (duck).
A 15-month-old baby’s diet should prioritize healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables; cereals, legumes, proteins and tubers. Furthermore, it is also important to offer 1.3 liters of water per day to the baby, considering pure water, water from breast milk or infant formula, and water used in preparations such as soups and juices.
It is important to remember that development, speech, growth and sleep happen at different rates for each baby. Therefore, if there are doubts about the baby’s development, it is advisable to consult a pediatrician.
Baby weight
The following table indicates the baby’s appropriate weight range for this age, as well as other important parameters such as height, head circumference and monthly weight gain, according to the World Health Organization:
If the baby presents values lower or higher than the indicated ranges, it is recommended to consult a pediatrician to assess the child’s growth.
Baby development
A 15-month-old baby is generally curious and learns many things by imitating what other people do. Furthermore, babies at this stage are also very active, enjoying walking around the house and playing with objects, toys and other children.
At this stage, the baby can already understand almost everything that is said to him, recognizes his own name when called, and speaks some words, such as “mama”, “papa”, “tasa” (house) and “tato” (duck). . In addition, the baby also knows how to communicate with his hands, saying “bye” and “hi”, and signaling with his head to say “no”.
To stimulate the baby’s development, it is important to talk to him throughout the day, during bathing, playing and meals, for example. Furthermore, activities such as telling stories, showing images in books, dancing and singing songs, in addition to being fun, are also important for the baby’s development.
See other tips that can help your baby’s development:
When to vaccinate your baby
According to the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics, 15-month-old babies should receive some vaccines, such as:
- 4th dose of VOP or VIP vaccine against polio, or infantile paralysis;
- 4th dose of the triple bacterial vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis;
- 1st dose of yellow fever vaccine, if the baby has not yet had it;
- Reinforcement of the chickenpox vaccine;
In addition, it is also recommended to boost the vaccine that protects against Haemophilus influenzae, a bacteria that can cause pneumonia, ear pain, sinusitis and meningitis.
Baby feeding
At 15 months, the baby can already eat the same meals as the family, having 5 meals a day, including a portion of fresh fruit, for breakfast and an afternoon snack, and 2 “salty” meals with fresh vegetables, cereals, tubers , legumes and proteins, at lunch and dinner, as explained below:
- Breakfast: ½ portion of fresh fruit + breast milk, or 200 ml of whole cow’s milk, or infant formula;
- Afternoon snack: 1 serving of fresh fruit + breast milk, or 200 ml of whole cow’s milk, or infant formula;
- Lunch and dinner: 1 tablespoon of cereals, such as rice or pasta; or tubers, such as yams and sweet potatoes + 2 tablespoons of vegetables, such as chayote, tomato and spinach + 1 tablespoon of legumes, such as black-eyed peas + 1 tablespoon of protein, such as meat, fish or eggs + 1 piece small of fruit;
- Supper: breast milk, or 200 ml of cow’s milk, or infant formula.
Consumption of approximately 600 ml of cow’s milk per day for babies aged 15 months should be encouraged, especially in the form of infant formulas fortified with vitamins and minerals. However, milk should not replace main meals.
Foods derived from milk, such as yogurt and cheese, are also recommended to ensure adequate calcium intake, in addition to the consumption of meat, eggs, fruits, vegetables, such as lettuce, kale or cabbage, and legumes, such as tomatoes, pumpkin or carrots.
You should avoid giving your baby processed foods such as ice cream, sausage, soda, ready-made sauces or seasonings, preserved foods and snacks as they are rich in fat, sodium and sugar.
Furthermore, it is also not recommended to use salt or any type of sugar in meals, because the baby’s taste is developing and eating these foods can encourage poor eating habits, increasing the risk of obesity or other health problems in the future. See more foods that you shouldn’t give to your baby.
Water intake
It is important to offer around 1300 ml of water per day to a 15-month-old baby, including pure water, water from breast milk, or water used to prepare infant formula, and water used in preparations such as soups and juices.
It is recommended to always offer filtered or boiled water to the baby, which should preferably be given in a glass or cup, distributed throughout the day and between meals.
Baby sleep
A 15-month-old baby usually sleeps 9 to 10 hours a night and may still need to take 2 naps, averaging 3 hours in total, during the day.
Sleep is an important time for the baby to learn to sleep alone, if he doesn’t already do so, because this helps the child’s autonomy, allowing him to feel safe and comfortable in his own bed and space.
However, if the baby has difficulty falling asleep or sleeping alone, some measures, such as having a teddy bear, reducing the brightness in the room and reducing the noise in the house can help the child fall asleep. See other tips to help your baby sleep.
Games and activities
Games and activities are fundamental, because they help develop the baby’s communication, curiosity, confidence, creativity and well-being.
To have fun and help your baby’s development, one option is to take him for a walk in a park or square, so he can walk, stand barefoot on the grass or dirt, see the trees, flowers and listen to birdsong.
Another activity option for 15-month-old babies includes singing songs that encourage the baby to learn about animal sounds or body parts, such as “head, shoulder, knee and foot”, for example.
