Your baby's growth and development — 12 months old

10-minute read

Key facts

At 12 months old, your baby is active and learning through play and exploration.
Many babies can sit, crawl, pull up to stand and cruise along furniture.
Most sleep happens at night, with about 2 daytime naps, but this can vary.
Your baby eats a wide range of solid foods and can join family meals, without added salt or sugar.
Your baby will have a 12-month health check and scheduled vaccinations.

My 12-month-old baby

At 12 months old, your baby is very active and learning quickly through play and interaction with other people. They enjoy exploring toys and their surroundings.

They can usually sit without support, pull themselves up to stand and move around furniture. Your baby may use their hands to grasp, poke, throw objects and feed themselves finger foods.

At 12 months old, most sleep happens at night. Babies often have around 2 naps a day, but this can vary. It is still normal for your baby to wake at night.

Your baby may also be teething at this age. This can be uncomfortable and your baby may seem unsettled, drool more and want to chew on things. You can help by offering safe teething toys and giving extra comfort.

At 12 months old, your baby will have their 12-month health check and scheduled vaccinations. Babies who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander may be offered an additional vaccine.

Solid foods and drinks

At 12 months old, many babies eat a wide range of solid foods. Offering a wide range of foods helps your baby get the nutrients they need and supports healthy eating habits later in life.

Here are some things to keep in mind when feeding your baby:

Offer foods from all 5 food groups each day, including vegetables, fruit, grains, dairy products and protein foods.
Include iron-rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs, legumes and tofu.
Your baby can eat the same nutritious foods as the rest of the family, without added salt or sugar.

At 12 months old, most babies can manage chopped or mashed family foods. Offering lumpier textures helps chewing skills and mouth development.

Always supervise your baby while they are eating. Avoid small, hard foods such as whole nuts, raw carrot and apple pieces, as they can cause choking.

If you are breastfeeding, your baby may start to wean or you may decide it's the right time to stop. There's no need to stop breastfeeding unless you want to. You can continue breastfeeding for as long as you and your baby choose.

From 12 months old, offer your baby water and full-cream pasteurised cow's milk as drinks. Avoid low-fat or reduced-fat milks until after 2 years of age. Offer drinks in a cup rather than a bottle. Avoid fruit juice, sweetened drinks, tea and coffee.

If your baby has a known food allergy or if your child has a special diet, talk to a maternal child health nurse or dietitian for advice.

Read more about how much food your baby needs at 12 months old.

How is my baby growing?

At 12 months old, your baby is growing steadily, but usually not as fast as in the early months.

Your baby will grow at their own rate, and it's not helpful to compare your baby's growth with other babies.

Your baby's weight and length will continue to be checked at regular health checks up to 2 years of age. These measurements are compared with standard growth charts to make sure your baby is growing steadily.

Understanding baby growth charts

A growth chart helps you and your doctor keep track of how your baby is growing.

What can my baby do at 12 months old?

While every baby develops at their own pace, there are things that babies and children are generally expected to be doing at each age. These are called 'milestones'.