What To Expect?
Many parents think that at this age their cute little baby has grown into a big kid. And they expect s much from their little kid like to talk properly, play with other children, have food on their own, remove or wear their clothes, listen to you like other elder kids, etc, etc. But nothing is going to happen as you think. Because every child is different and their development of milestones are also very different. You cannot force your kid to be perfect or expect him to be just the way you want.
At this age, there is a massive development in your baby’s growth. He understands so many things and also emotions. He knows when you feel sad, angry, or hurt. He may not console you, but he is trying to understand what your going through. This age is perfect for you t stop breastfeeding, join him in a playschool if you want to, start his potty training process, and teach him many new habits as kids at this age grab things very easily. They like to take and do so many things that their parents do or what they see around them.
You can also start to plan for your second pregnancy once your kid reaches 2.5 years. If you think that your child is feeling lonely or getting irritated staying at home 24/7, then it is better to plan a second baby. Anyhow it will take some more months for you to conceive again. Till that time, your kid will be ready to welcome his sibling. According to me, this is the perfect age for you to plan another baby because as you get older, your chances of conceiving become less. Your kid will also have some company with his sibling. Because I have seen many kids getting bored and irritated at home who live in nuclear families. Though you play with them, talk to them, buy them new toys, or join them in playschool, they are going to feel lonely as they are the only small people roaming around in the house.
Some of the milestones which your baby will reach from 2-3 years are:-
1. Motor Skills:-
- Can walk fast, run, turn round and round, and jump on the bed or from bed to ground.
- Can climb stairs, bed, sofa, and chairs.
- Understands simple and complicated instructions given by you.
- Improved hand and eye coordination.
- Can use a spoon, fork, and water bottle to feed and drink himself.
- Can have snacks on his own.
- Can chew food properly and swallow.
- Can drop and pick objects very easily with his fingers and hands.
- Your baby can now find hidden objects and hide their objects like toys, books, and things that annoy them too.
- Stops breastfeeding around 2 to 2.5 years. You can check out this article on how to stop breastfeeding if you want to know.
- Starts to go to playschool or nursery school crying initially for the first few weeks. You can check out here to know more about the right age for your baby to go to playschool.
- Loves to see pictures, colors, cartoons, and images in books.
- Develops separation anxiety whenever you go away from him.
- Not afraid of loud sounds like the sound of pressure cooker whistle, grinder, etc
- Can drink liquids from a cup or a glass.
- Loves to play with other babies and toddlers.
- Can clap his hands and play with his hands and legs.
- They are full of emotions They get upset very easily whenever you scold them. They always want t be pampered by you If they get hurt r someone scolds them, they will come running to you, and tell you what happened with a very sad face.
- Can sit without support, roll, and dance.
- Can easily get frustrated or show temper tantrums.
- Can recognize themselves in a mirror.
- Seeks your comfort when afraid or when he wants something.
2. Sleeping Schedule:- Your baby will sleep at night straight for 10 hours waking up in between for one or two feeds if you still continue breastfeeding your baby at night. They won’t get up in between nights if you stop breastfeeding or stop giving milk at midnight. They may take 1 nap of one to two hours or 2 to 3 hours in the daytime. Teething, growth spurts, illness, and separation anxiety may cause sleep distractions. If your baby is not feeling well he may wake up crying. Make a routine at sleep time. Bath your baby and brush his teeth after dinner. Clean up his bed, give lots of kisses, turn off the light, read a story or sing a song to make him sleep. If your baby is already tired he will sleep on his own when you turn off the light. Make sure there aren’t any pillows, stuffed animals, toys, or any electronic items near your baby when he is asleep. Don’t off all the lights, make sure you have a bed light which is very necessary to keep an eye on your baby when he is sleeping. At this age, your baby will have a habit of keeping all his favorite toys beside him when he wants to sleep. Let him keep them there, you can remove them once he is asleep if it is hurting your baby at midnight. It’s very difficult to make your baby sleep alone at this time. Even if you try to put him in a separate bed after he is asleep, he will wake up at midnight and come and seep in between you and your partner.
3. Feeding:- Your baby eats one to a one-and-half cup of solid foods three times a day with 2 to 3 snacks in between. Snacks can be finger foods or any fruit. He will be able to eat many foods on his own, like fruits, juices, rice with a spoon, and noodles with a fork. Make sure the snack is light so that the baby feels hungry at the main mealtime. Your baby still needs 2 cups of cow milk, breastmilk, or formula milk a day. If you are still breastfeeding, one cup or glass (250 ml) of cow milk is enough for your baby. Young age is the best time to introduce new foods and make a habit for your baby to eat everything like fish, bitter guard, beetroot, etc. Many adults and kids don’t like eating these foods because of their taste. If you give it to your baby once a week they will get used to its taste and eat it happily. Check here to know more about what foods to give and a diet chart at this age.
4. Height and Weight:- Congrats, your baby is just like a big kid now. You must be wondering how a tinny little toddler who was not even able to move his hands, head, and legs very freely when he was born, is now an independent kid who can walk, run, catch, sit, jump, and stand all by himself. His weight must have tripled at this age. Your kid will now start gaining weight very slowly. By 3 years of age, your kid can weigh upto15 kgs. Check here to know the exact height and weight of your baby from 2 to 3 years. Keep a regular check on your baby’s weight.
5. Communication and Vision:- Your baby can now point out some things and say a few words like water, daddy, mommy, grandpa, food, sweets, juice, etc. Slowly he will try to join two words and say them in a sentence like mommy water, baby bathing, daddy eating, and also some cute words like sorry, thank, it’s okay, etc. When he reaches 3 years of age, he will start combining 3 words together like daddy is eating, mommy is seeping, the baby is laughing, doggy is drinking, etc. Some children may develop this milestone a little late, if they Live in nuclear families, or have less exposure to their surroundings r the outside world. You shouldn’t worry about this at all. They will start speaking after 3years of age. Though they might not talk clearly or you may not understand their words, they love to talk and blabber a lot and try to imitate you. They can see all the colors and far away things. He can also see tiny things like ants, dirt, pebbles, etc. Your baby can now point out your family members with their names like a mummy, papa, dada, dadi, nana, Nani, khala, chacha, Chachi, baby, uncle, etc. He will also greet you when you come home or say bye-bye when you leave. You should limit your baby’s time screen s that his eyes don’t get hurt.
Important Notes:-
- Since your baby has mastered rolling, crawling, running, skidding, and standing, never leave your baby alone though you are in the next room busy with your own stuff.
- Give Vaccinations on time. Your baby might get a fever sometimes so take good care of him and don’t neglect vaccination. At 2 years of age, your baby’s vaccinations will be completed and his next vaccine wi be at the age f 4 years. So now your baby will be a little free from injections, pain, swelling, and fever.
- Encourage your baby to walk, run, jump, and dance. Massage him regularly or twice a week and leave him naked or diaper-free for some time.
- Keep your baby away from the stairs. They may fall from the stairs and hurt very bad. Lock the gates always. If you want to use stairs, always catch your baby’s hands and walk with him
- Since your baby is trying to learn to run and walk, they may fall several times, so don’t panic and encourage them to do more.
- Always maintain hygiene at home and keep all the dangerous items locked in cupboards like detergents, naphthalene balls, cleaning products, soaps, shampoos, etc.
- Keep a regular check on your baby’s height and weight. Give a healthy and fresh meal every day.
- Always keep baby Vicks, paracetamol drops, saline drops, and a thermometer handy whenever you plan a journey. You should not rush for these things at the last moment.
- When you travel or go outside to a mall or restaurant, make sure you carry all the baby essentials like diapers, wipes, water, snacks, toys, towels, extra clothes, handkerchiefs, bibs, and a feeding bottle.
- Encourage him to play outside with other children and toddlers to improve his social and communication skills.
This is the perfect age for your baby to stop breastfeeding completely as he is growing very fast. It is ready difficult to stop it but it’s very necessary. Many mothers don’t have any help in this process as many live in nuclear families. The same happened to me too. I will share with you my personal experience of how I stopped breastfeeding my baby when he turned 2 years of age without anyone’s help. Check out this link to know more about my story.
You can also join your baby in playschool, nursery, or daycare at this age. The perfect age for your kid to join playschool is from 1.5 to 2.5 years of age. If you think that your baby is getting irritated r bored at home, you can take this decision. If you have good neighbors around, or a park nearby, or other small children of your kid’s age, then your child will be very busy playing with them. In playschool, there won’t be any study material. They just make your child do many activities like playing indoor games, giving potty training, making them eat their food at right time, and playing a lot with other children.
For joining your kid in nursery class, your child should be 3 to 3.5 years of age. In this class, your child will be given some coloring books, alphabet books, colored pencils, a pencil box, erasers, sharpeners, a uniform, a school bag, and a slate for practicing the alphabet and numbers.
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