By now, your 45-week-old baby would have mastered clapping and blowing kisses. It may bring its mouth to your cheek to give you a kiss, but be careful: it may eventually turn into a bite!

Baby Development

You are at a time when it is confused between separation anxiety and a passion to explore its surroundings. Eventually it will use you as a base - it will go anywhere and come back to check if you`re there. This way it will gain trust, but may panic when it can`t find you where it left off. Your baby will love reading colorful books with you and will try to point and name things in the book if you read it often. Most babies this month may have chubby legs, arms and bellies, which will melt from activity over the next few months. So get lots of scissors now!

What your baby is saying probably sounds more like real words, and the intonations of its babbling may remind you of real speech. As its brain continues to develop, so does your baby`s ability to reason and speak.

Milestones

1. Your baby will understand the meaning of “no” but will not always obey.

1. Will be able to bend and hold objects with fingers.

1. Will be able to imitate sounds.

1. Will be able to follow simple step-by-step instructions such as “bring the ball to me” or “give it to me”.

1. Can respond with sounds when it is asked. For example, when you ask "what does the cow say", it might say "moo".

1. Your baby`s vocabulary may increase to 4 or 5 different words, along with "mama" and "daddy".

Nutrition

In this month, you can feed your baby 6 meals a day, in the morning, in the late morning, in the afternoon, in the midafternoon, in the evening and if you haven`t cut it yet, at night. You should feed your baby a more lumpy form of everything it eats, except for the foods that are prohibited before the age of 1. If seasonal conditions are suitable, fruits such as peaches, melons and watermelons will blow its mind. You can hand them over without crushing them too much. If these fruits are not in season, you can also offer lumpy applesauce. You should also increase the lump rate in its food every day. You can also give soft apple slices instead of puree. Babies gain nutrition and immune support through breastfeeding for the first 2 years. But if you want to start weaning at age 1, give your body time to adjust to these changes. Reducing one breastfeeding session per week is a systematic approach.

Weaning Tips

You must first determine the right time for weaning, then find the method that suits you and your baby. Among the methods of weaning the baby, the most known are weaning at once and weaning by reduction.

1. Weaning by reducing: The most beneficial method for your baby is to wean from the breast by reducing it step by step. This is one of the easiest and most harmless methods. Thus, you will wean your baby not by forcing, but by changing its habit. When you see your baby losing interest in a meal, you can start by skipping that meal. Now that it is solid-fed, you can give another food instead of milk, depending on its month or age. In the following weeks, you can continue to apply this method for other meals. Thus, the need for sucking decreases and breastfeeding ends. So what you need to do is to gradually reduce the meals you give milk each time and replace it with another food. In some cases, it is also very useful not to be in the area that reminds it to breastfeed, to go to the park in breastfeeding time or to pass it with another meal.

2. Immediate weaning: Many mothers practice the instant weaning method. This method, which is valid for babies aged at least 1 year and above, is applied to babies who are not fed with breast milk only and who are already accustomed to taking other foods. It has two different stages, disgust and separation.

1. Disgust is a method in which the mother surprises the baby by changing the taste of the breast. It is ensured that the baby does not want it again by applying flavors such as hot pepper and mustard that may be repulsive to the baby. Thus, the baby is weaned. But you should know that this is not the right method.

1. Separation occurs when the mother is away from her baby for a few days. For example, you can go on a trip, drop off your baby with your mom, dad, caregiver or another relative. Some scientists argue that this method is not right for the baby-mother relationship, as it harms the feeling of trust in the mother. The sucking reflex that starts in the womb should not end so sadly and suddenly!

Sleep

These weeks may mean that for some babies, they can spend the entire night at your breast, nursing often through a method called `maternal sleep`. This can be both positive and challenging for mothers. But sometimes, surrendering until your baby sleeps well again is the best option. If you are in this situation, be sure to support yourself and breastfeed in a safe position. Once your baby has passed this developmental stage, you can lay it back in its crib or continue with the previous bed-sharing.

Care Tips

1. Remember that you and your partner bring different styles and experiences to parenting. When you disagree, be clear about your concerns and avoid being judgmental about your partner`s opinions. Communicate that you know it`s important to reach consensus: For discipline to be effective, it must be consistent (Discipline is a teaching process, not coercion and punishment). It can be helpful to do a little research together on the disciplinary issues in which you differ, consult an expert, or consult books on the pros and cons of certain approaches and techniques. Parenting strategies have changed since you were a child, and there may be more effective strategies that you may not be aware of.

1. If your baby encourages you to say `no` by throwing the sippy cup or pulling the telephone cord, don`t say `no` if possible. Take away the glass by saying `it`s all over` or replace the real phone with a toy phone.

1. If you have a ladder at home, your baby will try to climb up and down. Make sure you keep an eye out. You can hold its hand and teach it how to climb up by staying behind to catch it if it loses its balance.

1. Be firm when there`s something it shouldn`t take or do. No matter how much it screams, don`t give up. Calmly explain why it can`t have it, why it can`t do it. Don`t stress; it`s just trying to test your limits and expand its field of exploration.

1. Perhaps the baby will fall to the ground in two out of every three attempts during the walking process. Sometimes it will get angry at this situation, become greedy and fall again, and sometimes it will start to cry. First you have to provide a safe a environment from dangers. At this point, your reaction is very important. If you run up to pick it up every time it falls and react by shouting, you will see that it will start crying even when it doesn`t hurt in time. If it didn`t fall badly, smile right after and don`t make any exaggerated moves so it doesn`t cry. This move will give it confidence and will not stop its attempts. Of course, you have to make sure it doean’t throw itself down just to make you laugh.

Tests and Vaccines

If your baby is showing signs of anemia, the doctor may recommend a blood test to check the hemoglobin and iron levels in its blood.

Plays and Activities

1. You can play the board game where you sit your baby inside a big cardboard box and keep opening and closing the lid, by calling it to know that you are there.

1. You can build a play tunnel for it where it can crawl through and enjoy trying to get out of the other end.

1. You can play hide-and-seek with the other parent, hold your baby in your arms and search with it.

1. Ask your baby to find a specific object in the room, such as a favorite toy or pacifier.

When to Apply to The Doctor?

When to consult your doctor during your 45-week-old baby`s development:

1. Consult your pediatrician if you notice any abnormalities in your baby`s gait or legs, if only one leg is bent or one knee is turned.

1. Since your baby will move more at this stage, be careful it not to fall or hit sharp edges. In such cases, if after a few days you notice that your baby is in pain, call your doctor.